Improved QB makes PN-G tough to beat

[KFDM COOP]

http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/local/improved_qb_makes_pn-g_tough_to_beat.html

[bhringo]

We will beat them! ;D

[Jackthehammer]

Bhringless I will remember that name after the game tonight.

[allstarmom]

Improved QB makes PN-G tough to beat
By CHRISTOPHER DABE
November 12, 2009
Posted: November 12, 2009, 7:55 PM CST 

Risky passes thrown to receivers covered by more than one defender got replaced by safe throws out of bounds. An instinct to run from the first bit of pressure got replaced with an ability to stay calm.

Game by game, Port Neches-Groves football player Brennan Doty has shown progress by making smarter decisions when passing. Doty is a first-year varsity quarterback whose newfound calmness makes PN-G the toughest team from Southeast Texas to beat in the playoffs.

"He got thrown into the wolves and made his mistakes and learned from it," said first-year PN-G head coach Brandon Faircloth, who has watched his signal-caller mature through the course of an undefeated 10-game regular season.

The Indians open the Class 4A Division II playoffs tonight against Barbers Hill at Baytown's Stallworth Stadium. Barbers Hill is the team PN-G beat in the regular season opener, a 21-20 victory in which an admittedly nervous Doty threw two interceptions in his first-ever varsity game.

The belief among PN-G coaches and players is that a more-experienced Doty makes the team tougher to beat. He may still throw an occasional interception, but he also plays the position well enough to have completed more than 20 passes apiece to three receivers.

That's a balance not struck by many high school quarterbacks.

Faircloth credits Doty for developing the understanding that it is better to throw a pass out of bounds instead of trying to force a throw to a well-covered receiver.

"Anybody that's competitive wants to make plays with the football, and it takes a mature football player to recognize when there's not a chance to make a play and throw the ball away and regroup and go to second down," Faircloth said. "We're still OK on second down. We don't mind it."

Teammates said Doty's calmness is noticed in practice and games.

"He would kind of throw the ball up sometimes early in the year," said senior receiver Kyler Segura. "Then he got smart and would run out of the pocket and throw it out of bounds. He's getting a lot better with that."

Doty's improved decision making can be proven statistically by tracking his completion percentage, Faircloth said. Doty completed 46.9 percent of passes with four touchdowns and six interceptions in PN-G's first four games. He since has completed 63.9 percent of passes with nine touchdowns and three interceptions in the last six games.

Doty points to his performance Oct. 2 against Nederland as a turning point. He tallied season highs in completions (19), attempts (29), yards (286) and touchdowns (three) with no interceptions in PN-G's 23-7 victory. That game came one week after Doty's low point, a three-interception game against Little Cypress-Mauriceville.

Doty has thrown 81 of his 120 completions to a trio of receivers, 33 to Blake Reyenga, 27 to Spencer DeRon and 21 to Segura.

The offense is designed by Faircloth and created to give Doty multiple passing options on each play. Doty and several receivers spent three to four hours most days during the summer perfecting route running and timing with passes, he said.

The variety and balance struck by Doty causes opposing defenders to maintain coverage of PN-G receivers down field, which opens paths for senior running back Caleb Harmon, whose 1,607 rushing yards rank third on the school's single-season record list.

The more yards Harmon can chew, the longer PN-G keeps possession of the ball. And the longer PN-G keeps the ball, the fewer chances opponents have to inflate PN-G's District 20-4A best 13.8 points allowed average, making PN-G rather tough to beat.



[color=purple][font=Comic Sans MS][size=12pt]It looks like PNG's first year quarterback has gotten significantly better over the weeks!  Go de-feather some eagles Indians.  Eagle feathers look great on totem poles!![/size][/font][/color]

[NDNWarrior]

Doty is a great kid with a lot of skill and talent, but he knows it takes the WHOLE team to achieve what the Indians have done this year!  Go to Barbers Hill take it to 'em!  Get ready to RUMBLE, Barbers Hill.  The Indians will take this one!

Honor>>>>>>>>>>>>Pride>>>>>>>>>>>Tradition>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>PNG Indians!!!!