Panther quarterback AJ Landon picks up yardage against West Liberty-Salem last week. Fairbanks will play at Triad on Friday. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
The Fairbanks Panthers will make the short trek to the North Lewisburg area for Friday evening’s football game against Triad.
The Panthers are 4-2 overall and 1-0 in the Ohio Heritage Conference North Division.
The Cardinals, on the other hand, are 2-4 overall and 0-1 in the North Division.
Panther coach Patrick Cotter knows what Triad likes to do on the offensive side of the pigskin.
“They will try and run the ball as much as they can,” he said.
Triad fluctuates between an I formation and the Wing T.
“They will show us the dive, along with power iso and some toss sweep,” said the Panther coach.
Cotter said the Cardinals’ main weapons are running back-slot back Hayden Simpson and quarterback Derek Bails.
Simpson trails Northeastern’s Cade Houseman in the conference’s rushing category.
Houseman has run the ball for 729 yards, while Simpson has tallied 661 yards on 98 carries.
Simpson has scored six touchdowns on the ground.
Bails has completed 58.5% of his passes (48-of-82).
His aerials have covered 575 yards and he’s found the end zone three times.
“Simpson is a very good running back and will line up at the slot when they need him to,” said Cotter.
“Bails does a very good job of hiding the ball when he goes to throw it.”
Bails’ top receiver to date is Kane Bailey (15 receptions, 223 yards).
Cotter said the Cardinals’ defense will present many of the same challenges as FHS previous opponents.
“They want to be a little mysterious and hide the ball,” he said. “The trick for us is to not look at the smoke and mirrors.
“We just need to go find the guy who has the pigskin,” said Cotter. “Football really isn’t a complicated game.”
The Panther boss feels his defensive front will match up well with Triad’s offensive line.
“Guys like Joe Kinsley, Bryson Tillman, Christian Miller and Jack Sanford have done a good job of allowing our linebackers to run downhill to the ball,” he said.
The Cardinals have used both 42 and 43 defensive fronts so far this season.
“They like to blitz and at times have been effective with it,” said Cotter.
The FHS coach said his offensive unit will just need to keep playing like it has been for the past few weeks.
“We just have to stay on schedule and move the sticks,” he said.
The Panthers have gained a great deal of real estate the past several weeks.
It’s primarily come on the ground within its Wing T offense with Riordin Stauffer and Brogan Green.
Green is a spot behind Simpson in conference rushing.
He’s carried the ball 88 times for 639 yards.
Stauffer went over the 500-mark for the season last week against West Liberty-Salem.
He now has 508 yards on the ground on 66 carries and nine touchdowns.
Green and Stauffer are the main weapons that Triad coach Dylan Wears’ team must stop.
They aren’t, however, the Panthers’ lone threats.
Both Ethan Kise and Nick Rhea have rushed for more than 100 yards in their opportunities to carry the ball.
Cotter said the key to victory will once again be simple.
“We just have to keep moving the sticks and get our defense off the field on third down.”