March 29, 2024

Ground games square off Friday at Panther Field

Cardinals’ single-wing attack prevailed last year, 36-27

Don’t arrive late.

Creston/O-M’s home opener Friday not only starts a half-hour earlier than normal at 7 p.m. — which is the normal time for Clarinda’s starting time in Class 2A play — but there may not be many stoppages of the clock for incomplete passes.

Clarinda’s unique single-wing running attack featured only two passing attempts in last week’s 34-14 win over Atlantic. Creston/O-M utilizes a more balanced attack, but emphasizes rushing as tailback Chase Shiltz ran for 100 yards in the 26-7 loss to Norwalk. Quarterback Moritz Johannknecht completed 10 passes to seven different receivers for 101 yards.

“It might be the quickest game you’ve witnessed,” Morrison said. “Both teams want to run the ball. We want to establish the run, and obviously that’s what they do, no matter what the down and distance.”

Zach Carlson led Clarinda’s punishing ground game against Atlantic with 121 yards on 21 carries with three touchdowns. Jacob DeGase had 71 yards on 11 carries while going 1-of-2 passing for 17 yards. Jacob Carlson added 46 yards on seven carries.

The offense employs a “spinner back” that receives the snap and executes a series of fakes, handoffs or his own carry, all designed on deception and to keep the defense guessing as to the actual ball carrier. The backfield also includes a blocking back, tailback and wingback set off the strong side of the line.

Zach Carlson (No. 44) lined up mostly at tailback. DeGase (12) or JJ Clark (21) operated at spinner back, and Jacob Carlson (48) carried seven times out of the wingback position. Coach Mark Schilb rotated different backfield combinations on a warm, humid evening.

“Clarinda is not as big up front as they were last year with (Jared) DeVoe and (Brook) Stephens, but they flat out play hard,” Morrison said. “They get after you. They dominated Atlantic at the line of scrimmage. It’s going to be a challenge, no doubt.”

Last year

The Panthers lost 36-27 at Clarinda last year after opening the season with a home victory over Norwalk. Clarinda ran the ball 49 times for 386 yards on the way to building a 9-2 season.

“There were a lot of times last year where we played first and second down good, then all of a sudden they bust a long run,” Morrison said. “We had over-pursuing by linebackers running over gaps. Defensive linemen were not closing the gap out. We lost a safety (Bryce Briley) with a concussion on the first series and moved people. We were watching the backfield, over pursuing, which allowed them to cut back in lanes. We can’t do that.”

Penalties — 14 for 83 yards — also hurt the Panthers in last year’s Clarinda game. That was also a concern in last week’s opener at Norwalk, with 10 flags for over 70 yards.

“I don’t care who you play that’s any good, being in first-and-15, second-and-20 or third-and-40 like we had once, makes it really tough to convert as an offense,” Morrison said. “We’ve refined some things, how we handle relaying plays to the huddle, for example. You won’t see as many wasted timeouts because the (play) clock is winding down to zero.”

Given reasonable down and distance situations without the penalties, the offense was moving with satisfactory play up front, Morrison added.

Junior Kaden Wilson will get his second start at center, rushed into duty from learning another position (guard) last week when returning center Cody Tanner suffered a high ankle sprain.

“Kaden was out prior to the state fair with a groin injury and then was showing (livestock) at the fair, so he’d missed a lot,” Morrison said. “He had no reps at center since early in the summer at the Northwest camp. Having another week helps. It’s a tough position on the line. You have to call out who the combo blocks are going to. That’s something Cody had a lot of experience with.”

Tanner was also slated to play defensive tackle. Sophomore Blake Sevier and senior Curtis Palmer are working at that spot. Junior Keaton Eslinger is now the backup center.

QB injury

The already thin quarterback position, from an experience standpoint, got thinner this week as sophomore Jaden Driskell suffered a knee injury in Monday’s JV game. An MRI determined a complete ACL tear and lateral meniscus tear. Surgery will be scheduled Tuesday, with hopes of returning by the baseball season.

Junior Seth Thompson just returned to practice this week from an illness. The other quarterbacks are freshmen Kylan Smallwood and Bryce Fitzgerald, with Smallwood starting varsity at cornerback with an interception in his varsity debut last week. Junior Brody Frain underwent elbow surgery for an injury suffered in camp and will not play quarterback this season.

Johannknecht, foreign exchange student from Germany, gained valuable experience in the Norwalk game, Morrison said.

“He’ll be fine,” the Panther coach said. “I don’t know what kind of environment he’s used to playing in over there in Germany, but that’s a pretty big venue in Norwalk with the video board and the big crowd. It was a stepping stone last week. We just have to function better as a team, and I’m confident we will do that.”

It’s a very simple formula Friday. Don’t allow Clarinda to grind out yardage and the clock, which would limit Creston/O-M’s offensive opportunities.

“The biggest thing in playing any run team is what you do on first-and-10,” Morrison said. “We have to eliminate the medium game — don’t allow them to have second-and-4 or third-and-1. That’s what they want. I think our kids are ready and anxious to play the game.”

Clark led the Clarinda defense last week with 6.5 tackles. Ten of the top 13 tacklers from 2014 are gone.

“Creston has a good program,” Schilb told KMA Radio earlier this week. “They have lots of depth, lots of size. We’re going to go over there and give it everything we got.”

The freshman game starts earlier too, with a 4:30 p.m. kickoff scheduled.