Dragons getting ready for whiplash
The beauty of the football season is that a program has to flip the script from facing one team to the next because there could be a major contrast in styles.
Indeed, Carroll will experience that. Last week, the Dragons faced the physically brutal running attack of Euless Trinity. Now, they face a Colleyville Heritage team that never met a vertical pass it didn’t like.
The Dragons (5-2, 2-1 in District 7-6A) play only their third home game of the season when they meet the Panthers (4-3, 2-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Dragon Stadium. Carroll has never lost to Colleyville Heritage in 14 meetings. Carroll would clinch a playoff berth with a victory.
“We’ve trained for this … about the next game,” Carroll coach Hal Wasson said. “What I do know is that this team will reset itself for playing the next game. We will be much better for playing a team like Trinity. They’ll recognize what they have to do.”
The Dragons fell on the list of seven other opponents who tried and failed to slow down the Trojans’ punishing rushing attack. Trinity pushed Carroll around for 626 yards. Tailback Ja’Ron Wilson finished with more than half of that, 339. Wasson noted that Trinity’s separation speed is better than it has been in recent years.
Carroll also followed the pattern that once the fourth quarter arrived, there was more frustration than stops. The Trojans just wear opponents down to the point where they don’t have the strength to stay with them.
“I’ve faced Trinity six times and that’s the best offense I’ve ever seen from them,” Wasson said. “They hit another level when they played us. They were humming. I’ve been in this 35 years. That’s the best running game I’ve ever seen in my life.
“You can look at the glass as half full or half empty. We pretty much went toe-to-toe with them. We’re disappointed, but not downtrodden.”
More importantly, the Dragons came out of the game with no significant injuries. That’s where the offseason Dragon Maker program likely made a difference.
It’s all in the secondary
The matchup to watch in this game against Colleyville Heritage will be how each team’s secondary confronts the other team’s receiving corps. Carroll has two quality receiving candidates in Zach Farrar and Lil’Jordan Humphrey (when he’s not lined up in the backfield).
One of those two or both will likely face Colleyville Heritage’s standout defensive back and Boise State commit Reid Harrison-Ducros. Conversely, Colleyville Heritage features sophomore 1,000-yard receiver Ke’von Ahmad. He should be facing Carroll defensive back and Texas commit Obi Eboh.
Notable
Carroll junior quarterback Mason Holmes (1,686, 22 TD, 3 INT, 64.5 percent) is a little different than previous quarterbacks because he’s not the running threat. Holmes has only rushed for 69 yards. But he doesn’t have to with Humphrey and Shemar Coleman behind him. Still, his progress has been noteworthy since he took over in Week 2 against Tulsa (Okla.) Union. “He’s tough, competitive and can make the throws,” Wasson said. “You’re going to see him grow leaps and bounds. He’s becoming more mature.” … Carroll’s game can be heard on KWRD 100.7 FM with the pregame show starting at 6:30 p.m.
This story was originally published October 19, 2015 at 3:13 PM with the headline "Dragons getting ready for whiplash."