Archives > Sports > Schools
Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
RSS
Share
WEB EXCLUSIVE: Snake, Rattler and Roll: Collin County scores lopsided shutout of DFW
BY Matt Welch, mwelch@starlocalnews.com
For a franchise that is still in single digits in the loss column after three-plus years of semi-pro football, the Collin County Rattlers have orchestrated a blowout or two in their time.
Saturday’s matchup opposite the DFW Warhawx may redefine the Rattlers’ standard after a 63-0 demolition of its latest Minor Professional Football League adversary.
“It started with our defense,” said Tim Smith, Collin County head coach. “Our defense gave up no first downs; as a matter of fact, they didn’t cross the 50 (yard line) one time, so the offense had the ball quite a bit.”
Collin County was having none of it, limiting DFW to minus-132 yards on the night – all starting with the battle in the trenches. The Rattlers posted 14 sacks on the evening, 10 of which came behind the play of the quartet of Rod Richardson, Brandon Hearne, Romell Terry and Mike Turman. Turman paced the effort with 10 tackles and four sacks, while Hearne added eight tackles and three sacks, Terry tallied seven tackles and two sacks, and Richardson amassed eight tackles and one sack.
“[DFW] just couldn’t get anything going,” Smith said. “We overpowered their line with our front four and the quarterback had nowhere to go with the ball. They hardly ran the ball and spent most of the night trying to be vertical, but they didn’t have the time.”
Creating turnovers behind defensive back Shelton Thigpen and linebacker Dee Burleson, the Collin County offense was given plenty of advantageous field position.
And after mustering just one touchdown in the first quarter, the Rattlers hit their stride in the second stanza en route to a 35-0 halftime lead.
“We put a lot of the onus on our offensive line,” Smith said. “We want to run the ball and we did because we knew that they slowed very well, so instead of trying to go big on big with them and run through holes, we installed more of a zone running package to let the rushers pick and choose their holes.”
Michel Ghaderi Sohi led the running attack with 144 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries as one of three Rattlers to find paydirt on the ground. The Rattlers’ efforts on the ground opened up room for reverses and play-action bootlegs, which quarterback Terry Barber made the most of in bouncing back from his showing one week prior against Kaufman County.
Barber capped his night at 320 yards on 14-of-22 passing and four touchdowns – all to different receivers. Scores were caught by Rich Morris, Alex Martin, Justin Hille and Quentin McKinney, the latter bagging an 86-yard touchdown to cap a four-score second quarter for the lopsided halftime lead.
“Everything we put in worked to a charm this week,” Smith said.
The victory upped the Rattlers to 4-0 in MPFL play and set the stage for a road trip that will feature four games and two bye weeks before the next home game on May 5.
The stretch takes form Saturday in what Smith called the team’s “first big test of the season,” as Collin County travels to meet the Cooke County Outlaws. Also undefeated, the Outlaws claimed the 2011 Texas United Football League Championship.
“It’s a lot about game-planning and watching a lot of film,” Smith said. “Not necessarily of theirs, but of ours to see where we can get better. Because if we perfect what we do, then we’ll control the outcome of any game that we play.”
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
You must register with a valid email to post comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here:
Become a Registered User
- Return to: Frisco Liberty «
- Home «
- Top of Page ^
