Posted 11:59 pm Friday, December 11, 2009
Stingy Wylie Defense Key To Upset Victory
By DANIEL YOUNGBLOOD
Abilene Reporter News
ABILENE -- To most statewide, Abilene Wylie is considered a significant underdog heading into the its state title tilt with Gilmer.
Abilene Reporter News
ABILENE -- To most statewide, Abilene Wylie is considered a significant underdog heading into the its state title tilt with Gilmer.
And with the Buckeyes' eye-popping offensive statistics and their reputation as a Class 3A juggernaut, there won't be many outside of Abilene picking the Bulldogs to pull off that upset.
But it's those few brave folks that do pick coach Hugh Sandifer's squad who will be celebrating last. The reason is simple, albeit mind-numbingly cliche: defense wins championships, and Wylie's defense is about as good as they come at the 3A level.
Those familiar with Gilmer know the Buckeyes have an unbelievable offense. With an average of 52.8 points and 461 yards per game, coach Jeff Traylor's spread attack certainly has the substance to match its style.
But what most across Texas don't realize is that Wylie's defense has been every bit as dominant as the Gilmer offense this season.
A quick glance at a stat sheet shows the Bulldogs allowing 13.62 points and around 260 yards per game, which are solid numbers in their own right. But what doesn't show up on the stat sheet is that only 99 of those 177 points allowed have come against the Bulldogs' starting defense and only 41 of those 99 points have come in the first half, when most of Wylie's games have been decided.
The Wylie defense has held nine of its 13 opponents to zero first-half points this season, combining with an efficient offensive attack to outscore opponents 302-41 in the first 24 minutes of games.
Will the Bulldogs be able to replicate that against senior quarterback Darian "Stump" Godfrey and the Buckeyes? Highly doubtful.
But if they play the way they have all season for defensive coordinator Clay Martin, the Bulldogs will be able to make things more difficult for the Gilmer offense than anyone has all season, which with Wylie's potent offense should be enough to win the game.
In 2007, the Bulldogs limited a Gilmer team that came in averaging 46.7 points and 497.5 yards per game to 28 points and 331 yards in a seven-point semifinals loss. And with a defensive unit that stacks up favorably to that one and an offense that's almost guaranteed to top the 21 points and 208 yards it had in that loss, there's little reason to think Wylie couldn't reverse that result this year.
After limiting a Lucas Lovejoy offense that was averaging nearly 40 points per game to 27 points in a four-point semifinal win last week and holding an explosive Graham team to 13 points despite an eight-turnover offensive performance earlier in the season, the Bulldogs have proven up to the task when it comes to containing some of the top offensive units in the state.
On Saturday, the Wylie defense will get to try its hand against THE best offense in 3A.
But at the same time, Gilmer will be matched up against, hands down, the best defense it's faced all year.
