Kickoff between Brownwood (1-1) and Burnet (1-1) is slated for 7:30 p.m.
Last week’s 39-point road triumph was a game in which the Lions tallied the first 24 points and doubled up Marble Falls in total yardage 402-201, but Brownwood fifth-year head coach Sammy Burnett said improvements from that performance are necessary for the Lions to continue their ascension.
“I’m looking for progress from our kids from Week 2 to Week 3 and not being complacent and thinking because we beat a pretty good Marble Falls team that now we can rest on our laurels forget what got us there,” said Burnett, who owns a 24-22 record at his alma mater. “We have to continue to work and grind and become perfectionists at what we do. Burnet’s a solid football team and we’ll have to bring our ‘A’ game and play like we did last week against Marble Falls if we want to be successful. And it doesn’t get any easier after this with Glen Rose, Waco Connally and Stephenville the next three weeks.”
Regarding the Lions’ new status as a Top 10 team, Burnett said, “It’s two-sided. You’re appreciative of the respect those kids have gained, they’ve earned that, but now we have a target on our back, and we have to uphold that ranking. I try to get our kids not to focus on that stuff, but it’s nice to be respected and we always want our program to be back in the realm of respect when it comes to elite programs in the state of Texas. Now, we have to play to the best our ability and let the chips fall where they may.”
Burnet opened the season with a 36-25 home victory over LaVernia, then dropped a 29-21 decision at Llano last week. Among the players to keep an eye on for the Bulldogs are Grant Jones, the nephew of Brownwood assistant head coach David Jones and son of former Brownwood Lion Kurt Jones, a teammate of Burnett during his playing days. Against Llano last week, Jones finished with five receptions for 109 yards and two touchdowns, scoring from 20 and 53 yards out.
“They’re going to try and get one-on-one match-ups with Jones and we’re going to have to try and nullify him and what he does,” Burnett said. “I think the team goes as he goes. They’re really going to try and find opportunities to get him the ball whether it’s at receiver or put him at quarterback.”
The Lions are allowing just 67 passing yards per game, but Marble Falls attempted only five passes last week with the lone completion being for a 5-yard loss. Meanwhile, Burnet quarterback Tanner O’Hair has completed 25 of 48 passes for 390 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions through two games. In Burnet’s win over LaVernia, Braden Ellett-Clark caught six passes for 113 yards and a touchdown while Garner Krause tacked on 40 yards on three receptions with a score. On the ground, Jose Rodriguez leads the way with 174 yards through two games, as the Bulldogs rush for 134.5 yards per contest.
“Defensively we did a fine job stopping the run last week, now we have to convert that to more of a spread offense and be disciplined to play the run and read our keys and play the pass as well,” Burnett said. “We have to get off the field when we need to on third downs, put them behind the chains and be successful and strong in the back end. That’s something that hasn’t been tested in a while. We’ve worked on our back end play with our corners and safeties and making sure they understand their assignments and what to do. Burnet does a good job with RPOs so I want to see us rally to the football and make tackles and don’t give them yards after catch. I want to be really ferocious on defense, fly around to the football and be physical.”
Overall, the Lions defense is yielding 23 points and 275 yards per game with a pair of takeaways, including Jake Jetton’s 74-yard fumble return for a touchdown last week.
Leading tacklers include Chance Jones (25 tackles, 1 punt block), Sam Kallman (20 tackles), Quinten McCarty (17 tackles, 4 for loss, 1 punt block), Stevie Ramirez (12 tackles, 1 sack), Case Markham (11 tackles, 1 PBU), Jetton (8 tackles, 1 fumble recovery TD), Hayden Noe (7 tackles), Hayden Deen (7 tackles), Cole Miller (6 tackles, 1 sack), and Azariah Dillard (6 tackles).
On the flip side of the ball, the Bulldogs are surrendering right at 400 yards and 28.5 points per game with three takeaways.
The Lions counter with an offense that scored on the first six possessions last week and eight of nine in the contest. Behind the front five of Isaac Gray, Damian Sanchez, Chris Robinson, Roan Aguinaga and Slayde Espinoza, Brownwood for the season produces 39.5 points and 388.5 yards – 196 passing and 192.5 rushing – per game, with three turnovers.
Quarterback Ike Hall has completed 24 of 44 passes for 392 yards with a touchdown and an interception, while leading receivers include Jordan Leach (7-105), Thad Hinds (5-114), Jason Jackson (5-107, TD) Konlyn Anderson (4-24) and Brayden Daub (3-42).
The ground game is sparked by Anderson (182 yards, 4 TDs), Hall (112 yards, 1 TD), and Logan McKibben (73 yards, 3 TDs).
“We have the power to put up some points and I feel like if we can put up 40 points a game, that we can keep our opponents under that. It’s not who we play but how we play and not being satisfied with where we’re at,” Burnett said. “Offensively, our success is going to be based on us and what we do. We predicate the passing game off the run, and they’re more of a cover 4, cover 3 team with soft coverage. We need to pull their linebackers in to try and have them helping to stop the run which will open up our passing game. Then we just have to execute what we do and don’t blow assignments up front whether it’s running or passing.
“We also want to make sure we’re protecting Ike, and I want to see Ike work the pocket a little better. He needs to sit in the pocket and deliver some of those balls downfield instead of flushing quicker. I think he’s progressing well but our focus this week has been working the pocket and just sitting there a little bit longer and if he flushes, flush up the middle instead of right or left out of his protection.”
The Lions will be without a key weapon Friday night as Jackson, the Lions’ leading receiver last year, has joined the list of the walking wound and will be out indefinitely with a fractured bone in his leg. Dryden Anderson, the leading tackler from 2021, is also out indefinitely with an ACL injury and Colton McMillian will miss Friday’s action with a shoulder injury. Hall, Jones, Leach and Jaylan Brown are also banged up as well, but expected to take the field Friday night.
In regard to the injury situation, Burnett said, “We’re a little above the curve on injuries. The banged-up things, bruises, shoulders, ankles, turf toes, that happens, but if we stay on top of it and it doesn’t continue to get worse, we’ll be OK. But we can’t lose another receiver with Jason out, and Dryden is one of our best defenders and leading tackler last year. We can’t afford to continue to lose kids so hopefully we stay healthy this Friday. As a coaching staff we’re doing all we can to make sure they have opportunities to rest and recover their bodies. It’s a fine line, but we’re doing everything we can.”
As for what it will take for the Lions to emerge with their second victory of the season Friday night, Burnett said. “We can’t turn the ball over and give them big plays. We have to make them drive methodically down the field to score. Then when we have opportunities to touch the ball, we have to capitalize on them. And we have to win the special teams game.”
According to Harris Ratings Weekly, Brownwood is a 24-point favorite.
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Brownwood Lions 2022 Football Season Stats
Through 2 Games (1-1)
TEAM OFFENSE
39.5 points per game (79)
388.5 yards per game (777)
192.5 rushing yards per game (385)
196.0 passing yards per game (392)
54.5 completion percentage (24 of 44)
PASSING
* Ike Hall
24 of 44 for 392 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
RUSHING
* Konlyn Anderson
182 yards on 40 carries, 4 TDs
* Ike Hall
112 yards on 23 carries, 1 TD
* Logan McKibben
73 yards on 10 carries, 3 TDs
* Case Markham
18 yards on 2 carries
RECEIVING
* Jordan Leach
7 catches, 105 yards
* Thad Hinds
5 catches, 114 yards
* Jason Jackson
5 catches, 107 yards, 1 TD
* Konlyn Anderson
4 catches, 24 yards
* Brayden Daub
3 catches, 42 yards
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TEAM DEFENSE
23.0 points per game (46)
275.0 yards per game (550)
208.0 rushing yards per game (416)
67.0 passing yards per game (134)
45.8 opponents completion percentage (11 of 24)
TACKLES
* Chance Jones
25 tackles, 1 punt block
* Sam Kallman
20 tackles
* Quinten McCarty
17 tackles, 4 for loss, 1 punt block
* Stevie Ramirez
12 tackles, 1 sack
* Case Markham
11 tackles, 1 PBU
* Jake Jetton
8 tackles, 1 fumble recovery TD
* Hayden Noe
7 tackles
* Hayden Deen
7 tackles
* Cole Miller
6 tackles, 1 sack
* Azariah Dillard
6 tackles
* Trent Loftin
4 tackles, 1 sack
* Davis Le
3 tackles
* Xavier Zepada
3 tackles
* Logan McKibben
3 tackles
* Jordyn Nickerson
3 tackles
* Morsello Hooker
2 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 interception, 4 PBUs
* Noah Barron
2 tackles
* Tristan Salinas
1 tackle
* Brayden Daub
1 tackle
* Dryden Anderson
1 tackle
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KICKING
* Junior Martinez
3 of 4 FGs, long of 37
10 of 10 PATs
19 points
1 punt, 26 yards, 26.0 average
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TURNOVER MARGIN (-1)
* Brownwood: 3 (2 fumbles, 1 interception)
* Opponents: 2 (1 fumble recovery, 1 interception)
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PENALTIES
* Brownwood: 12 for 92 yards (6-46 per game)
* Opponents: 20 for 136 yards (10-68 per game)