FOOTBALL: Panthers' ground game looks strong heading into Week 2

Pinckneyville's ground game looked like a well-oiled machine against Red Bud in week one, as the Panthers mauled the Musketeers 44-14 at Quillman Field at PCHS to start the season 1-0 for the third straight year.

Now in his third season in charge, Panther coach Todd Thomas knows the team's schedule is only going to get tougher from here on out, but said he's pleased with his squad's ability to take care of business and play turnover-free football in the opener.

"I'm happy with our kids," said Thomas. "I thought we worked really hard last week in practice and were very focused. We came out and executed for the most part. We had mistakes that we're going to have to clean up, but I was very happy with our effort."

"We protected the football. I thought we ran hard and had unselfish blocking. That's what it takes to be successful - if kids do that, be unselfish, block for each other and do the small things that don't show up in the box score. (Alex) Howard was our leading ground gainer, but a lot of that was because we set him up with pitching the ball on the option. It was a complete team effort."

Howard racked up 154 yards rushing on 13 attempts. The guy pitching the ball to him on several of those carries was quarterback Clayton Houghland, who completed 6-of-10 passes for 83 yards, a fairly efficient performance for the second-year starter. Brian Kling led the receiving group with three catches for 50 yards, and Caulden Lazenby hauled in a 16-yard touchdown reception.

"It was a pretty good mix," Thomas said of the team's offense. "We only threw the ball ten times, I'd like to throw it about twenty, but when things are working you want to stick with it. We've got some weapons. We've got 6'4 out there on one side, we've got 6'1 on the other side, Kling in the slot - and he's a playmaker. We've got some running backs that can carry the ball. So we've got some weapons, we just don't have a lot of depth. We've got to find a way to get those guys a little bit more rest because we did cramp up in the second half."

The other receiver to catch a pass from Houghland, Dylan Carns, also showcased his kicking ability last Friday by nailing a 42-yard field goal.

"As the game went on he was feeling it more," Thomas said of Carns. "His last couple kickoffs were almost out of the end zone. He can do a phenomenal job. What I'm most happy with about Dylan is he's a two-way starter, he's not just a kicker. It really concerned me that with him on the field the whole game his kicking would really suffer because he'd be dead legged. Obviously it got stronger as the second half went on. He's a big weapon for us."

Most impressive to Thomas in the Red Bud game was the team's execution, especially considering the team has nobody on the offensive line that took a varsity snap last season and returned only a pair of offensive starters.

There was a specific area Thomas was far less thrilled about, however.

"I thought our pass defense was not as good as expected," he said. "This summer, playing in seven-on-sevens and in practice, we've played really good pass defense. (Against Red Bud) we just didn't get underneath their curl and hook. The outside linebackers didn't get where they needed to get. We gave up a big post route. Other than that, I thought our defensive effort was very good as well."

The Panthers hit the road in week two to face West Frankfort, a 2-7 from a season ago that fell in week one to Pinckneyville's Mississippi Division mate Anna-Jonesboro, 35-14. Thomas insisted the Redbirds' numbers on paper are quite deceptive, as they were in many of those seven losses from 2014 before losing close game.

"Coach Brian Beery is a very good friend of mine, we coached together at Johnston City," said Thomas. "He's an excellent football coach. If you lose a couple close ones it's hard to stay up, it's hard to keep kids up. When they hit teams like Herrin and Murphysboro, it's a tough road for them, but they will be ready to go, they will want to get us."

The Redbirds will bring a physical approach to the table this Friday, as well as an athletically gifted backfield and some big, tough kids up the middle on defense.

"The number one point on our scouting report this week is that we have got to match their physicality," said Thomas. "They're going to be a lot more physical than what we see in practice or what Red Bud was. They're going to run the Wing-T right at us. Their two inside linebackers are about 230, 240, so there's going to be some stout kids in there."

"(Kyle) Sailliez is one of the best running backs in southern Illinois. He's quick and he's strong. The quarterback is a big, scrappy kid, a good athlete. Coach Beary's son Brandon is one of the halfbacks, he's a good athlete. They've got a big, strong offensive line."