2011 schedule - MediaSpan

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2011
FOOTBALL 2011
AMERICAN PRESS
51
MERRYVILLE
Merryville’s new
coach impressed
BY WARREN ARCENEAUX
AMERICAN PRESS
Gordy Glaser has moved
across the parish for his first
football head coaching job,
leaving East Beauregard after
two decades to take over at
Merryville.
District
5-1A
He likes what
he has seen so far.
“The kids are
hungry,” Glaser
said. “We have a few more
kids out, which will help. The
kids have gotten stronger and
quicker and are headed in the
right direction. We are up to
40 kids in the program.”
Glaser said the Panthers
will try to play keep-away
with their offensive plan.
“We will run a split-back
offense, mix in some shotgun
spread and try to control the
clock and drive the ball down
the field,” he said. “We are
going to have to be balanced.
We have two good running
backs, two good kids that run
the ball hard.”
Quarterback Kyle Willis
will lead the show.
“Willis has made some
strides,” Glaser said. “He has
Gordy Glaser will inherit standouts, clockwise from top
left, Kyle Willis, Caleb Branch, Evan Sibley and Tyler Brooks.
improved his ability to lead
and run our type of offense.
He is going to have to be the
organizer, the leader. He has
exhibited those traits.
“In the option game, we
will try to mix it up with the
run and pass. We do not want
to be in third-and-eight or
third-and-nine situations. We
will have to throw some on
first and second downs.”
The Panthers have a pair
of returning backs in Jaylen
Brandon and Caleb Branch.
“Our running backs have
got to hit the hole quick, and
both of them do,” Glaser said.
“Early in the season we will
use four running backs. We
have to get Branch and
Brandon off the field. Nick
Ardoin showed some real positive
things in practice, and
Drew Harrington runs the
ball hard.”
The line has a pair of veterans
in Sam Rogeau and
Dylan Thompson. Each of the
starters weighs at least 230.
“We have some big kids,
some kids with experience,”
Glaser said. “We have to get
people off the line of scrimmage.
If we can get in front
and get a little push, we have
some backs that can wiggle
around and find the holes.”
The Panthers defense is
geared to stopping big plays.
“We will try to bend but
not break and make teams
drive downfield,” Glaser said.
“We are aggressive to the ball,
sometimes too much. We have
to be disciplined. “
Defensive end Jared
McMillon joins Thompson, a
tackle, as returning starters
on the line.
“We are going to be decent
on the line. We have to let
linebackers get to the football,”
Glaser said. “Kennon
Southworth did not play for a
couple of years, but he is a
tough, strong, quick kid. T.J.
PANKAJ KHADKA / AMERICAN PRESS
AT A GLANCE
■ HEAD COACH: Gordy
Glaser
■ DISTRICT: 5-1A
■ LAST YEAR: 1-9, 1-4
(fifth in District 4-1A, no playoffs)
■ OFFENSE: Multiple (Five
starters returning) TE Corey
Cantrell (5-11, 170, Jr.); WR
TYLER BROOKS (6-1, 170, Sr.);
LT SAM ROGEAU (6-0, 235,
Sr.); LG DYLAN THOMPSON (6-
0, 235, Sr.); C Brent Joshlin (5-
10, 230, Jr.); RG Jared
McMillan (5-9, 230, Sr.); RT
Skyler McMillan (6-3, 280, Fr.);
QB Kyle Willis (5-11, 175, Sr.);
RB CALEB BRANCH (6-0, 175,
Sr.); RB JAYLEN BRANDON (5-
10, 170, Jr.); WR Evan Sibley
(5-9, 160, Sr.).
■ DEFENSE: 4-3 (Five
starters returning) DE JARED
MCMILLON (5-9, 230, Sr.); DE
T.J. Geer (6-0, 185, Sr.); DT
Kennon Southworth (5-8, 225,
Jr.); DT DYLAN THOMPSON (6-
0, 235, Sr.); LB CALEB BRANCH
(6-0, 175, Sr.); LB NICK
ARDOIN (6-0, 180, Jr.); LB
Drew Harrington (5-10, 180,
So.); SS Kyle Willis (5-11, 175,
Sr.); DB Jaylen Brandon (5-10,
170, Jr.); DB TYLER BROOKS
(6-1, 170, Sr.); DB Coy
Harrington (6-0, 160, So.)
■ SPECIALISTS: P T.J. Geer
(6-0, 185, Sr.); K Caleb Branch
(6-0, 175, Sr.)
Returning starters in ALL
Geer has come along and will
play a strong role at defensive
end. We have some guys we
can use there to give the
offensive linemen a break.”
Branch, Harrington, Corey
Cantrell and Ardoin make up
the linebacking corps.
“Branch is a good athlete
that goes hard to the ball,”
Glaser said. “Ardoin is solid, an
anchor middle linebacker.
Cantrell is going to be a tackler.”
Tyler Brooks is the lone
returnee in the secondary.
Willis, Brandon and Coy
Harrington will join him.
Glaser said he has been
impressed by the overall
demeanor of his players.
“(Former head coach)
Mark Delaney did a wonderful
job of getting the kids in a
good mindset,” he said. “We
want to be competitive every
play, learn from mistakes and
get better. The goal is to get
better play by play, game by
game.”
Sept. 2
Sept. 9
Sept. 16
Sept. 23
Sept. 30
Oct. 6
2011 SCHEDULE
Welsh
Pickering
at East
Beauregard
at North Caddo
Montgomery
at Elton*
Oct. 14
Oct. 21
Oct. 28
Nov. 3
Oberlin*
Basile*
at Hamilton
Christian*
at South
Cameron*
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