HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Bucks out for respect vs. struggling Rams – The News Herald
Thursday night at Tommy Oliver Stadium will be a special night for a couple of reasons: 1) it’s the first time that Rutherford and Bozeman have played in a regular season game, and 2) the Rams will be honoring legendary departed coach Steve Hardin, who Bozeman coach Jason Griffin played for at Rutherford, along with former assistants Joey Striplin and Mike Nethero, in a pregame ceremony.
As for the game itself, it’s a significant outing for both teams. For Bozeman (4-3), it’s an opportunity to get back on track following a 35-14 loss to Walton last week and avoid losing ground in the Region 1-1A RPI rankings. For the Rams (1-5), it’s a chance to snap a four-game losing skid and cling to their dwindling hopes of getting into playoff contention.
Despite Rutherford’s struggles, Griffin said he expects the Rams to be a tough out, especially given the emotions sure to follow the pregame ceremony.
“It’s gonna be a special night for Rutherford’s program honoring some of the great coaches in school history,” he said. “I’m sure they’ll be excited and we’ll probably get the best that Rutherford football has to offer. We have to be prepared. They’re a fast and athletic team and we have to prepare ourselves for that challenge.”
Week 7 Friday football roundup: Bucs blast Freeport 34-0, Tornadoes and Bucks take big losses
Midseason report: Top 5 offensive, defensive MVP candidates in Bay County
A win for Bozeman would be just the second in program history over a Bay County team other than North Bay Haven after beating Bay High 28-16 back in 2019. The Bucks have lost four straight games against county opposition since, though Griffin said he still expects his players to go into Thursday’s game with a great deal of confidence.
“We beat Bay two years ago, had the lead at Arnold last year, we’ve gone up against Mosley,” Griffin said. “I think our guys are getting a much higher level of comfort going against these bigger in-town schools. There’s a certain level of respect we’ve gained and I think our guys want to get even more respect on Thursday night.”
The Bucks certainly have the respect of Tillman, who said he sees Bozeman as a likely playoff team in 1A thanks largely to its offensive firepower with the likes of quarterback Peyton Gay, running back Lewis Lowder, and the talented brother receiving duo of Joe and Josh Carpenter.
Lowder leads Bozeman with 765 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, but it’s the sophomore Gay, who has 852 passing yards and seven touchdowns, who Tillman said is the key to the Bucks’ attack.
“I think their offense is gonna start with Gay,” he said. “He’s been in the system for several years, coach Griffin has been able to work with him and he seems to have a great handle on the offense. I think he’s got some playmakers he can get the football to in space and I think Gay does a really good job of running the offense and utilizing his receivers and running backs.
“We’re gonna have to give them multiple looks. The key is not sitting in one thing all night long and giving him an opportunity to get into a rhythm seeing just one coverage. We’re gonna have to mix up our coverages and make him do more thinking.”
More:Marlins shut out Rams to claim season’s first win
Finding an identity
The other offense has had a much tougher time getting any kind of rhtythm this season, with the Rams scoring just 22 points this season and coming off of back to back shutout losses to Walton and Arnold.
The Rams have struggled to run the ball, pass the ball, and protect the ball, averaging 136 yards of offense per game with at least two turnovers in every game this season except for one. For a unit with so many issues, finding something to rely on for success has been an ongoing and as of yet unfulfilled quest.
“We’re continuing to search for an identity,” Tillman said. “What we’ve got to do is find something that we can build off of. We’ve had moments in every game the last month where we’ve moved the football, we just don’t finish the drives.
“The guys have just got to relax, that’s the biggest thing on offense, I feel like sometimes guys try to do too much and that leads to a fumble or another mistake. They just need to relax and play the game. That’s some of the stuff we’re focusing on this week because we’ve been better with the penalties and the turnovers and field position lately, but I think they press at times and they don’t need to press, they just need to play.”
Tillman said the Rams will continue to rotate the quarterbacks, with junior Daylyn Davis and senior Antonio Morgan splitting reps behind center. Davis started and played the entire first half against Arnold last week, with Morgan starting the second half and getting the first two series before Davis finished the game out.
“I’m sure both of them will get time at the quarterback position,” Tillman said. “Antonio has done a really good job on the defensive side of the ball and we’ll need him over there this week with as many playmakers as Bozeman has and the athletes we’ll have to match up with over there. But both of them are getting time at quarterback in practice and both will get time in the game at quarterback.”
No one’s little brother
While the Bucks haven’t had a ton of success going up in class against the county’s bigger schools, Griffin said he and his players relish opportunities such as the one Thursday night provides.
“Yes, absolutely, it’s a difficult challenge when we go against these bigger schools a couple of classifications above you, but for our guys to be able to go out and not only compete but have a chance to be in these games and win these games against these schools, it’s huge for Bozeman football for that level of respect,” he said. “We’re not just that little brother down the road. We’re a team that if you don’t prepare for or take seriously we can give you a difficult time.
“That was one of my personal goals when I got to Bozeman was to change that perception of what we are. Of course we’re not gonna schedule Mosley and those type of guys year in and year out, but there will still be situations for us to go against some of the other in-county schools and show that we belong.”