(Post sponsored by Tinsley Title, Holt Wrecker, R&R lawn specialists, Gibson Pharmacy.)
Talking on this week’s Hornet podcast, Coach Zac Harrell praised his team for finding a way to get it done against Henderson last week and looked ahead to this week’s road trip to Kaufman.
Opening Win Over Henderson
Bruce Field felt like a playoff atmosphere Friday night as the Hornets beat Henderson, 56-49, in the final seconds.
The Hornets piled up 650 yards of offense, with quarterback David Richardson responsible for seven touchdowns. It wasn't a one-man show, however, with E'manuel Moore and Cody Carter each catching multiple passes, and H-back Eli Carnes and RB Charli Kiser both coming down with big catches. Kiser and Ja'Bory Taylor kept the offense moving on the ground.
“We had nine different guys touch the ball on offense, which is really good ball distribution,” Coach Harrell said.
Harrell also pointed to the offensive line’s effort, led by Gus Wickel.
On defense, Athens gave up points early but settled down as the game went along. In the fourth quarter, the Hornets held Henderson to nine plays for nine yards. The defense finished with four sacks and 13 quarterback pressures. Linebacker Eli Carnes was named defensive player of the week, and Kaden Johnson played well in the secondary.
Coach Harrell said the most important part of the win was how the team stuck together. “The team found a way to win,” he said.
Scouting Kaufman
The Hornets will play their first road game of the season Friday when they travel to Kaufman.
Coach Harrell said the Lions are always well prepared under longtime head coach Jeramy Burleson. “They’re really well coached, and they play really hard. That’s the first thing that jumps out about their teams each and every year,” he said.
Kaufman opened with a 20-6 win over Rusk. They are breaking in a new quarterback after graduating a three-year starter, but they still have weapons on offense. The biggest threat is wide receiver Aljour Miles, a highly recruited player with the speed and size to change a game.
On defense, Kaufman plays mostly a four-man front with their safeties deep while the corners help in the run game. Linebackers Martin and Pate Bowers are key players and will see a lot of snaps on both sides of the ball.
Harrell said the match-up has been close in the past and he expects more of the same this week.
“They’re a good football team. We’re going to have to play really well to have a chance to win," he said. "Last year against them, it was a heck of a game. We won at the very end and we’re anticipating a similar type game."
Keys to Victory
The word of the week is "Stacking Bricks." Coach Harrell said the Hornets must stay focused after their emotional win and work to improve every day.
- Improve from last week: Each player must identify mistakes and have a plan to fix them in practice.
- Cause three turnovers: Athens did not create a turnover against Henderson; Coach Harrell wants three this week.
- Stop the run: The Hornets allowed 250 rushing yards last week. Kaufman has physical backs who can wear teams down.
- Limit self-inflicted mistakes: Coach Harrell said too many drives stalled because of false starts, busted protections, and missed exchanges. “They stopped us because we didn’t do our job.”
- Focus on special teams details: Week 1 included several mistakes in the kicking game. Harrell said those mistakes must be corrected with sharper focus in practice.
This Week
Friday, Sept. 5 – Athens at Kaufman, 7:30 p.m.
