Football lettermen for the Panthers are from left, front row, Gatlin Luke, Joey Burnett, Dylan Stage, Justin Wulff, Matt Bouic, Cole Murdock, Beau Sloan, Austin Lester, Mason Montenaro and Braeden Fairchild; second row, A.J. Timmons, Jacob Nicol, Charlie Scheiderer, Wyatt Damron, Sam Rengert, Tyler Beem, Trevor Chippas, Isaac Hornsby, Dakota Key and Braxton Wilhelm.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
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A pair of football teams that like to sling around the ball will meet at Fairbanks High School’s Kyre Field on Friday night.
The Panthers will match their spread offense to the same type of formations that is run by Benjamin Logan when the 2017 high school gridiron season begins.
“We’re going to see trips and doubles (receivers) and some empty backfield,” said Panther coach Patrick Cotter of the Raiders’ game plan.
The Raiders are led by quarterback Derek Coy, an athlete who really makes the offense go.
“He has an OK arm, but he can really beat you with his feet,” said Cotter. “We can’t let him roll out and find his receivers.”
When Coy looks downfield, more likely than not his targets are going to be Cole Waugh and Nolan Robson.
“They move around everywhere in their formations,” said Cotter. “They especially like to get the ball to Waugh.
Cotter said his defense unit’s primary job will be to keep Coy from getting on the run.
“We have to contain him in the pocket,” said Cotter. “He really likes to move.”
The Panther boss said his secondary and linebackers will have to disrupt the Raiders’ pass patterns.
“We have to get hands on them and disrupt their routes,” he said.
The defensive backs will be greatly aided if the Panther line can bring pressure up front.
The Raiders will employ a 3-4 defense with two high safeties.
“They have a quick and shifty defense line,” said Cotter. “They are going to expect their interior five to take care of our running game and they are going to bring pressure on us.
“We are going to have to be sound up front and handle their defensive line,” he said. “If we can do that and keep the pressure off us, there’s a lot of green grass out there.”
Cotter said he was pleased with last Friday’s 45-0 victory over Lakewood during the Licking County school’s Jamboree scrimmage.
“Our offensive line of Dakota Key, Matt Bouic, Ethan Chippas, Dylan Stage and Sam Rengert played well,” he said. “They will be a part of our keys to beating Benjamin Logan. We have to control the line of scrimmage.”
Cotter said there are still some areas that need to be tweaked, but added that the Panthers’ tackling improved as the scrimmage went along.
“Charlie Scheiderer had a good scrimmage at linebacker, as did Cole Murdock on the line,” he said.
“We saw progress as we went along and the guys are learning from their mistakes.
“Football is an ‘imperfect game and you’re never going to get rid of all the mistakes,” said Cotter. “You just have to minimize them the best you can.”