2011 schedule - MediaSpan

32 AMERICAN PRESS FOOTBALL 2011
THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2011
JENNINGS
Jennings reloads in backfield
BY WARREN ARCENEAUX
AMERICAN PRESS
With a trio of backfield
stars who combined for more
than 3,000 rushing yards last
season gone, the Jennings
Bulldogs are going back to
the slow and steady approach.
Last year, quarterback
Bryson Abraham
and running backs
District
4-3A
Davondrick
Phillips and
Michael Wilridge
led an explosive attack that
produced touchdowns and big
plays by the bunches. With a
new set of players filling
those roles, head coach Rusty
Phelps is looking for an
attack that stresses ball control
more than explosive
plays.
“The line will have to
carry us since the backfield
will be new,” he said. “We lost
a whole bunch of yardage last
year.”
Tre Richardson and Dylan
Lavergne will move into the
running back spots. Lavergne
has committed to play at
Northwestern State as a
defensive back, and
Richardson started at receiver
last season.
“They have some experience,”
Phelps said. “The difference
between them and the
graduated running backs is
these guys are more ball-control
backs. I don’t know that
we have the same quick-strike
capability as last year,
although Richardson broke
off some long ones in the
scrimmage with Barbe.”
A quarterback derby
between juniors Jaylen
Boutte and John Charles is
going down to the wire.
“Jaylon is still learning the
position, working hard on
throwing and having command
of the offense,” Phelps
said. “It was night and day
how much better we were
from the unofficial scrimmage
to the Barbe scrimmage.
Charles is really developing
also.
Phelps said the competition
between Boutte and
Alex Daigle, left, Zach Duhon, Michael Ringuet and D.J. Phillips will be the senior leaders for the Jennings Bulldogs, who
will be looking to continue a recent run of success. The Bulldogs have won eight games each of the past two years.
Charles makes both players
stronger.
“Right now we are playing
both (quarterbacks); we will
play both in the jamboree,”
Phelps said. “We might have
to play both in the season ...
Our passing game is going to
improve (like) it did in the
scrimmage.”
Tight end Khris Watkins is
the leading returning receiver,
and he contributes in the
running game as well.
“He is a good in-line blocker
on the perimeter, can run
the 10-15 yard routes and get
up the field on deeper routes,”
Phelps said. “He has a very
good set of hands. If we can
get it close to him, he will get
it.”
Phelps said Watkins’ veteran
presence will give the
newer Jennings wideouts a
reliable example to follow as
they gain more experience.
“The two guys (Maliek
Williams and Brance Bacca-
White) at wide receiver are
young,” Phelps said.
“Williams did a nice job
against Barbe. Khris will be
the go-to guy until our young
guys get more comfortable.”
AT A GLANCE
■ HEAD COACH: Rusty Phelps (17th year, 107-74)
■ DISTRICT: 4-3A
■ LAST YEAR: 8-3, 2-2 (third in district, lost 49-43 to Neville in
bidsitrict round of playoffs)
■ OFFENSE: Veer (Six starters returning) TE KHRIS WATKINS (6-2,
215, Sr.); SE/WR Maliek Williams (6-3, 175, So.); LT MICHEAL RINGUET
(6-4, 240, Sr.); LG KEIJAN LEVI (5-10, 240, Jr.); C Garrett Petry (6-0,
210, Jr.); RT MARCUS RIDEAUX (5-10, 230, Sr.) RG Andrew Lamb (Jr.);
QB Jaylon Boutte (6-1, 170, Jr.); RB TRE RICHARDSON (5-9, 200, Sr.);
RB DYLAN LAVERGNE (5-10, 190, Sr.); RB Brance Bacca-White (6-1,
175, So.)
■ DEFENSE: 4-2-5 (Six starters returning) DE PEYTON PHELPS (6-
2, 215, Jr.); DT D.J. PHILLIPS (5-10, 230, Sr.); DE Charlie Matte (6-0,
190, Jr.); DT Ross Edwards (6-0, 240, Jr.); LB ALEX DAIGLE (5-10,
2011, Sr.); LB MILTON HALL (5-10, 200, Sr.); SS KENTON BERTRAND
(5-10, 170, Jr.); SS DREW McKNIGHT(5-8, 165, Sr.); SS Nathanial
Redeaux (5-7, 155, Sr.); CB Keagan Deaville (5-10, 160, Jr.); FS T.J.
Davis (5-11, 160, Jr.); FS DYLAN LAVERGNE (5-10, 190, Sr.)
■ SPECIALISTS: P/K ZACH DUHON (6-0, 180, Sr.)
Returning starters in ALL CAPS.
Returnees Michael
Ringuet, Marcus Rideaux and
Keijan Levi lead a veteran
offensive line.
“This is probably one of
the bigger lines we’ve had,”
Phelps said. “The majority
are juniors but have played as
sophomores.”
A trio of juniors will start
along the defensive line, as
Peyton Phelps shifts from
tackle to end, where he will
be joined by Charlie Matte.
D.J. Phillips returns at tackle
and will be joined by Ross
Edwards.
“We add more size inside
with Edwards,” Phelps said.
“At tackle, both are around
240 pounds. Matte is a converted
linebacker; we are trying
to find a place for him on
the field. We lost a couple of
seniors at end, and that was
one of the places we could get
KAREN WINK / AMERICAN PRESS
him on. Peyton was always
projected as an end but played
inside last year to give us
depth.”
Seniors Alex Daigle and
Milton Hall return at linebacker.
“Daigle was all-district and
our tackles leader,” Phelps
said. “Kenton Bertrand will
move to strong safety to help
there. We are very young
back there, but we feel like
we’ve got some talented kids.
We have to be careful to rest
Lavergne. T.J. Davis is doing a
good job at free safety.”
Phelps said dropping down
from Class 4A will not make
the season any less challenging
for Jennings.
“It is not easy,” he said.
“We were in this district for so
many years and it was always
tough, now you add Notre
Dame and Crowley, it has to
be one of strongest in the
state. In the past, we were putting
five teams in the playoffs,
now we have two more tradition-rich
schools. And South
Beauregard is a program that
won 18 games over the last
two years.”