bigdaddyblue Posted June 3, 2009 Report Posted June 3, 2009 The Baytown Sun -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spring drills answer Crosby questions By Dave Rogers Published June 3, 2009 CROSBY – The Crosby Cougars had some big questions going into their spring football drills. Coach Kevin Flanigan liked the answers. One of the biggest uncertainties dealt with how Xavier Frank, a two-time all-district wide receiver, would deal with a move to running back. Another had to do with the transition of basketball player M.J. Mathis to the football field. Frank scored on a run of 60-yard-plus and Mathis hauled in a 60-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dominic Merka to highlight the offense’s 64-38 win over the defense in Friday night’s spring game. Merka, the 6-foot-4 junior-to-be, threw four touchdown passes Friday. “We may throw it a little more this year,†Flanigan said. “The biggest difference is our quarterback. He ran the ball well last year, but now he’s much stronger. He’s a much better passer now, too. “We’ll probably be about the same, 50-50 (run-pass).†The 6-foot-4 Merka, who won the starting quarterback job as a sophomore and led last year’s Cougars into the playoffs despite the late-season absence of injured star running back Chance Casey, has added about 15 pounds, Flanigan said, to weigh in at 205. He is the player that’s drawing recruiters from all the top schools, Flanigan said, even though Merka can’t sign for another 20 months. “A bunch of them came through,†Flanigan said, “all the big ones: A&M, Texas, Arkansas. We’ll see. He’s going to a few camps this summer, including the A&M elite quarterback camp.†Frank, cornerback Cameron Trench and linebacker Dylan Judy are seniors-to-be that should be recruited next winter, Flanigan said. The Crosby coach said the 6-1, 185-pound Frank played running back as freshman, but shifted to wideout the past two years. “He’s kind of coming back to what he used to play,†Flanigan said. “I thought he ran the ball pretty well. He’s pretty physical. He’s bigger than what we’ve had back there in a while.†Mathis, one of the top players on the basketball team the past two years, hadn’t played football since he was a freshman. “He came out and he’s a really a special player,†Flanigan said. “That was really a nice surprise.†Because the Cougars lacked the depth to divide their squad into two full teams for a spring game, Flanigan said the game matched the Crosby offense against its defensive counterpart and featured a scoring system he borrowed from the University of Missouri. The defense was awarded points for sacks, tackles behind the line of scrimmage, forced punts and turnovers. In addition to traditional scores, the offense got points for first downs and plays of 20 or more yards. “The first three times we had it, we scored, all on plays of over 20,†Flanigan said, noting the third score came on a 30-yard pass play to Ashton Martin. “I think we need to tinker with the scoring system,†the Coog coach said. Judy, a 6-0, 185-pound inside linebacker, was a highlight for the defensive team, along with lineman Arthur Vega, a returning starter, and Marchael Bryant, a safety who was shifted to defensive end. The Cougars returned seven offensive and four defensive starters from last year’s 6-5 team that went to the second round of the playoffs. “The offensive line and defensive line were the biggest things for us,†Flanigan said. “We’ve been pretty solid the past few years in the defensive line, and we had to replace most of those guys. On the offensive line, we had two kids split time at tackle and we had to replace the other four. “We had to get some depth. We needed some young kids to step in.†Center Kyle Lewis, a junior to be, was the spring’s biggest offensive line find. The Cougars return for preseason practice Aug. 3, just three weeks ahead of their first preseason scrimmage, at Texas City Aug. 22. They open the season Aug. 29 against Ennis in the Waco Classic. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 2009 The Baytown Sun
dayton Posted June 3, 2009 Report Posted June 3, 2009 bigdaddyblue, I thought RB Forrest Tyler was returning. He was a good one. Did he graduate?
bigdaddyblue Posted June 3, 2009 Author Report Posted June 3, 2009 Tyler was a receiver last year until Casey got hurt,then moved to RB..Will be back at receiver for his junior year...
dayton Posted June 3, 2009 Report Posted June 3, 2009 Tyler was a receiver last year until Casey got hurt,then moved to RB..Will be back at receiver for his junior year... Oh... gotcha. He did a good job filling in. You guys' offense should be pretty stout in the weapons department.
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