Week 9: La Porte Bulldogs @ Crosby Cougars, Cougar Stadium, Friday, 10/24, 7 p.m.

[OlDawg]

La Porte (4-0, 6-1) travels to Cougar Stadium to take on a surging Crosby Cougar team (4-0, 4-3) that's coming off a 57-0 shellacking of Fort Bend Kempner. The Cougars have been steadily improving each week, and are executing very well in all 3 phases of the game. They feature a fairly balanced attack with a very strong, opportunistic defense, and dangerous special teams. Jr. QB Robison is having a solid year behind an OL that's been giving him enough time to make some plays downfield.

La Porte has become a team some may not recognize after line-up changes, and scheme additions. They are no longer simply a power run/misdirection team. They alternate QB's between Sr. Saenz, and Soph. Wells with solid passing game results. Teams that load the box to slow down the Bulldog rushing attack have paid the price by getting beat by an effective passing attack featuring TE Reynolds, WR's Smith and Godbolt-Carr, and RB's Simon and Ruffin out of the backfield. LP's defense has recorded a defensive TD in each of the last three games.

Will the Dawgs lock their jaws, and clamp down on the Cats, or will Cat Scratch Fever take the night?

[OlDawg]

La Porte will need to avoid looking ahead to the much anticipated Angleton rematch next week, and focus entirely on Crosby. Crosby is good enough--and motivated enough--to make them regret it if they make that mistake.

[Cougtalk]

Crosby is clearly the underdog in this one. 
 

we need all three phases to be in synch to win this one, we don't win a shootout we need to control the ball shrink the game get big plays if we are going to win this one. 
 

if we can take the top off the defense it might open up the run in reality that has to happen. 
 

one wrinkle is last year the coaching staff installed a ton of RPO versus La Porte last year so is there a wrinkle this year? 
 

it did not work last year but history is history right? 

[1970]

This will be a good game to watch. I'm leaning toward LaPorte, by a TD or two.  

[OlDawg]

I'll repost what I posted elsewhere.

LP has been using a Big Boy package with 2 extra OL at the split RB positions with Simon in Wildcat for short yardage. If you thought Simon was hard to stop in a regular set, well...lol

Many won't recognize the O now. It's multiple formation. Still run heavy with misdirection & Slot T. But, also Pistol, Power I and Spread. If you stack the box (which everyone has been trying) they'll change the formation now. They'll also do something unheard of for LP. They'll throw the ball on any down.

LP is averaging about 375 ypg rushing and 140 ypg passing with 33 rushing TD's and 10 passing TD's. So, more of a mix than past LP teams.

Simon still gets his. He had another 227 at 11.9 ypc & a TD again last week. He's averaging about 235 ypg with 20 TD's & over 1600 yards so far at 9.1 ypc. But, he's not the lone focal point now. Smith is commanding double teams at the WR spot, and still averaging almost 100 ypg. He picked up his 8th offer last week as a Soph. with Vanderbilt adding to Arizona State, UofH, Nebraska, TCU, Texas Tech, New Mexico, and UTSA.

LP has probably punted less than 10 times in the last 4 games total. I would say around 6-8 times. But, I'd have to review all the game film again to verify.

As typical with Berneathy & staff, they've adapted, modified, and improved as the season has progressed. They treat pre-district for what it is. A learning/teaching period. They don't look anything like what they did against PN-G in the last pre-district game.