The preseason football jamboree at Lebanon was scheduled to start at 6:00 Friday night. Thanks to a slightly early start, the Tigers had already scored two touchdowns by 5:58.
Republic hit paydirt on its first two plays from scrimmage against Bolivar, then again three plays later, debuting a speedy offensive attack with several potential weapons. Jace DuVall ran for a touchdown off the left side on the Tigers’ first play. Jerney Jones followed it up on the next play with a touchdown to the right. Tryston Ellison scampered up the left sideline for a long touchdown on the fifth play from scrimmage to complete the early trifecta.
But what happened after the early touchdowns is what impressed coach Wes Beachler the most.
“After the fast start, we got back in the huddle and I saw a bunch of straight faces looking at me ready for the next play. So that was probably the most impressive part of the night, that we got to a fast start against a good team. We got to that fast start, and when we got back in the huddle we were just ready for the next play,” Beachler says.
“Not that I don’t want them to show emotion, but I want them to keep things in perspective. great senior leadership this year, and that’s the kinds of things that I want to see…an even keel, and we’ll celebrate after the game if things end up well, and we’ll just look forward to the next play while the game is going on.”
Check out the full photo album from the jamboree.
DuVall, who got the party started with his touchdown run, gave the credit to the offensive line that is inexperienced but may hold the key to the Tigers’ offensive success this year.
“The first play, our offensive line couldn’t have done better. I got the ball and could have driven a truck through the hole, honestly. They did all the work; I just had to run through it and read my blocks,” DuVall says. “To start a jamboree off like that was pretty exciting. It got us ready for Friday. We’re pretty pumped.”
The Tigers allowed touchdowns against Bolivar and Lebanon, and shut out Mt. Vernon. Beachler says he saw things he liked from the defense as well.
“I really liked what I saw against the run–a lot of downhill attacking,” he says. “We saw some things that we need to sharpen up against the pass. I would like to see us do some more genuine pass rush, and I think we’ll get that over time from some of our defensive ends and our tackles.”
On both sides of the ball, Beachler says a year of experience is making a lot of difference for his players this year.
“I think familiarity with the offense is big right now. We know where the hole’s going to be, we’re hitting it quick, our linemen are doing a good job of pulling and getting out in front,” he says. “Defensively, I think we’re just more familiar with what we’re capable of doing. Great base last year on defense. Now we just have some kids who are more locked in on exactly what their assignment is. When you can do that, when backs know where the hole’s going to be, they’re going to run faster and stronger and more downhill. And when the defense knows everyone else is going to be where they’re supposed to be, and they’re covering what their assignment is, they’re going to play faster. And when the defense plays faster, good things happen.
“And what we’re going to try to do is stop defenses from playing fast by doing what we do best, and that’s a lot of misdirection and a lot of good timing.”