Two Head Coaches Looking for their 1st Title
The 6A D2 Finals matchup between the Austin Vandegrift Vipers (14-1) and the DeSoto Eagles (13-2) pits two relative newcomers to this round of the playoffs. Vandegrift, in just their 13th Season of football, made it to the first State Championship Game in school history by knocking of perennial power Katy 38-35. Desoto, making just their second appearance in the Final Game of the season, knocked off heavy favorite, the 2021 6A D2 Runner-up Denton Guyer Wildcats, in dominant fashion 47-28. Neither Coach Drew Sanders of Vandegrift or Coach Claude Mathis has hoisted the Championship Trophy as a Head Coach. For one of them, that will change on Saturday at AT&T Stadium.
Two High-Octane Offenses and a pair of Hard-Hitting Defenses matchup in what should be a high scoring affair with highlight reel after highlight reel play unfolding throughout the game. Which team will dig the deepest for the ultimate prize in Texas High School Football?
Vandegrift Vipers
Offense
Vandegrift is averaging 364.3 YDs/Game (234.2 Passing, 130.1 Rushing) and scoring 37.5 Points/Game on the season.
SR QB Brayden Buchanan (3292 YDs, 29 TD, 5 INT Passing, 229 YDs, 9TD Rushing) showed last week that even though he is a capable runner, given time in the pocket, he can be surgical with his intermediate throws, as well as sending the ball long downfield with precision. His ability to not be taken down easily, as he showed in the Regional Final against Dripping Springs, as well as his late game throw to Skoglund to help setup the game winning Field Goal, could come into play if the DeSoto Defense doesn’t wrap up on contact.
The Vipers will utilize motion and multiple Receiver sets to find ways to keep Defenses on their heels guessing where Buchanan will deliver the ball. The Receiving Corp is led by JR Miles Coleman (1604 YDs, 13TD), but don’t sleep on any of the remaining cast with cable hands and ability to break tackles in space, including Seniors Ray’Jean Middleton (568 YDs, 10TD), Beck Ormond (524 YDs, 1TD) and Grant Lindley (183 YDS, 2TD). Tight Ends JR Jase Skoglund (370 YDs, 5TD) and SR Charlie Oliver (56 YDS, 1TD) provide blocking help and have good hands as receiving options, which they both utilized in last week’s contest. Coleman showed off his speed, as well as his passing ability with two Touchdown throws of his own last week against Katy. The Tigers, as other Vandegrift Opponents have, also learned that he isn’t the only outlet that Buchanan has at his disposal, with all the Viper Receivers having 40+ yard receptions, and both Tight Ends pulling in Touchdown passes in the 1st Half.
The strength of the Viper Offense is their Line, led by Seniors T Ian Reed (6’6”,315), G Ryan Jeffries (6’5”,275), and Juniors T Blake Frazier (6’6”,260), G Sam Perry (6’3”,285), C Gage Garrison (6’4”,280) that provide protection for Buchanan and open holes for SR RB Alex Witt (1085 YDs, 18TD; will also lead Wildcat Offense). Witt came into the Semi-Finals averaging 145 YDs/Game and had scored 6 TDs after averaging just 55 Yds/Game during the regular season, but the Katy Defensive Line bottled him up, leading to a Season Low Rushing Total for the Vipers of just 14 total yards. Vandegrift will need to find a way to get him the ball early and warmed up to try and slow the Eagles rush and blitz packages designed to throw off Buchanan’s timing in the passing game.
Other Players to Watch:
- SR RB Zaid Oliver – 32 Carries, 199 YDs, 6TD
- Reece Trevino 68 Carries, 334 YDs, 3TD
Defense
The Viper Defense is allowing 11.9 Points/Game, with their opponents averaging 244.5 YDs/Game (124.1 Passing, 120.4 Rushing). On the Season they have 15 Interceptions, 12 Fumble Recoveries, along with 55 Sacks and 104 Tackles for Loss. As a team they have a Turnover Margin of +21.
After focusing on the power running game of Katy in the Semi-Finals, the Viper Defense will have their hands full with the speed and versatility of the Eagles stable of Running Backs. Led up front by SR DE Daemian Wimberly (74T,14TFL,13S,1FmbRec), SR DE Oliver Yndo (66T,15TFL,8S,1FmbRec) and SO DT Ian Witt (35T, 10TFL, 4S, 1FmbRec). The LB Corp is made up of Juniors Ben Booher (103T,9TFL,9S) and Blaine Becker (104T,7TFL,1INT), along with SR Cruz Orta (90T,4TFL,3S,1FmbRec). Vandegrift will need to fall back on their Defensive scheme that they utilized to limit Dripping Springs from getting the big explosive plays and force DeSoto into long drives to slow down their own Quick-Strike Offense. This should be a more familiar matchup for Vandegrift, but the extra gear that some of the Eagles Offensive weapons have could prove difficult to contain.
The Viper Secondary will face what is easily their toughest assignment of the Season. The speed of the Desoto Receiving Corp is beyond any other unit they have matched up, with Dripping Springs and Harlan being the closest comparison for units as a hole, along with their early season matchup against Notre Dame Commit Braylon James. Led by JR Alex Foster (182T,10TFL,5S,1INT,2FmbRec), and Seniors Davis Scott (63T,4TFL,1S,1INT,2FmbRec), Andrew Scott (74T,5TFL,3INT), Connor Freeman (27T,4TFL,3INT) Isiah Thompson (69T,7TFL,3INT) and Hudson Lillie (36T,1TFL,1S,1INT,1FmbRec), this unit will have to balance containing the Eagles receivers on the outside, along with corralling any of the DeSoto Running Backs that break beyond the first level of Defense.
Other Players to Watch:
- SR MD Connor – 21 T, 1TFL, 1 Sack, 1 INT
- SR DL Austin Spieles – 19T, 2TFL, 2 Sacks
- JR DL Cruz Carrasquillo – 15T, 6TFL, 3 Sacks, 1 FmbRec
- SR DB Braden Holter – 11T, 1TFL
- JR DL Ethan Wood – 13T, 1TFL, 2 Sacks
Special Teams
Vandegrift SR Hayden Arnold takes care of Kickoffs (37 TB) and Extra Points/Field Goals (69/72 PAT, 11/13 FG, Longest 50 YDs). SR Hudson Lillie is the Punter (38.3 YD/Avg, 8 inside the 20). Last week Arnold followed up his 50-yard School Record kick in the Region IV Final against Dripping Springs with a walk-off 37-yard Field Goal against Katy to give the Vipers the 38-35 win. Lillie had two monster punts against Katy to pin them deep and will need to balance high long kicks with keeping the ball out of the hands of the dangerous Eagle Returners
Both Coleman and Middleton are solid returners for Kickoffs and Punts for the Vipers. Katy nullified their effectiveness in Kickoff returns by putting the ball deep and towards one sideline to narrow the field for their return teams. They will need to change-up their placements on returns like they did against Harlan to take advantage of pop-up Kickoffs by Diaz and be cautious of bringing the ball out of the End Zone on kicks that Diaz places there as the Eagles, as expected, have excellent speed in their coverage unit.
DeSoto Eagles
Offense
The Eagles are averaging 472.7 YDs/Game (243 Passing, 229.7 Rushing) and scoring 43.3 Points/Game on the season.
JR Darius Baily (3552 YDS, 42TD, 3INT Passing; 337 YDS, 5TD Rushing) leads the explosive Eagles Offense. As you would expect with the Receivers he has to throw the ball to, Bailey has had eight games this season with 3 or more Touchdown Passes, including three where he had at least 5. Bailey is also dangerous once he gets outside the pocket, quickly picking up yards when he is able to get past the initial pass rush.
The headliner for the DeSoto Offense is SR Johntay Cook (1366 YDS, 21TD) who has speed on top of speed when he gets loose in the open field. All Season long he has made highlight reel Touchdown catches on throws from Bailey and you can expect more of the same inside AT&T on Saturday. Vandegrift will also have to take into account the other Eagle Senior Receivers, Cedric Harden (598 YDS, 7TD), SR Dahlyn Jones (580 YDS, 7TD) and Crimson Mathis (341 YDS, 3TD). It will be worth watching how the Eagles multiple Receiver sets are handled by the Vipers Secondary, especially when they go empty backfield and try to overload the Defense.
DeSoto will utilize multiple Running Backs throughout the game. Last week SO Deondra Riden Jr. (1156 YDS, 15TD) started the game and racked up 231 yards and 2 Touchdowns against the Wildcats. Senior Tre Wisner (766 YDS, 6TD) and JR Jaden Trawick (700 YDS, 11TD) also ran the ball, helping lead the Eagles to 447 yards rushing against one of the top Defenses in Texas in Denton Guyer. With the Eagles Receivers snagging most of the headlines, their Running Backs could steal the show on Saturday if Vandegrift is not able to keep them contained.
The Eagles Offensive Line is made up of JR LT Ronnell McLain (6’3”,305), SR LG Elijah Garner (6’1,295), SR C Kayden McGuire (5’4”,252), SR RG David Williams (6’2”,290) and JR RT Leon Brigham (6’1”,310). They are a dominant unit that will provide a tough matchup for the Vipers front three that are coming off their game against Katy. If they can slow the Vandegrift rush enough for Bailey to find his preferred target, as well as open holes for the Eagle Running Backs, this game could quickly turn into a track meet.
Other Players to Watch:
- JR Marvin Duffy – 37 Carries, 303 Yards, 1 TD
- SO Armirie Williams-Hall – 15 Carries, 117 Yards, 1 TD
- SO Daylon Singleton – 7 Receptions, 82 Yards, 1 TD
Defense
The Tiger’s Defense is allowing 20.5 Points/Game, with opponents averaging 301.1 Yds/Game (142 Passing, 159.1 Rushing). On the Season they have 13 Interceptions, 6 Fumble Recoveries, along with 38.5 Sacks and 96 Tackles for Loss. As a team they have a Turnover Margin of +12.
The Eagles utilize a 4-man Defensive Front, which will be a change for the Vandegrift Offensive Line compared to most teams they have faced on the Season. Led by Seniors Ja’Shaun Wofford (27T,7TFL,4S) and Alexander Robinson (20T,3TFL,1.5S) and Sophomores Marshall Kirven (49T,18TFL,8.5S,1FmbRec) and Keylan Abrams (68T,12.5TFL,9.5S,1FmbRec), this unit caused havoc last week for QB Jackson Arnold and the Guyer Offensive Line, sacking him on three successive plays in the 2nd Half. The Vandegrift Offensive Line will be the largest and most cohesive Unit that the Eagles have faced since their late Season meeting with Duncanville. How this matchup plays out will go far in deciding the outcome of this one.
Desoto’s LB Corp, Juniors Brandon Booker (132T,7.5TFL,1.5S,4INT,1FmbRec), Jamari Laye (86T,5TFL,.5S) and Jaden Millner-Jones (82T,5TFL,1S,2INT) are a solid core for a Defense that is quick to the ball and wraps up well on first contact. They will need to keep Witt from breaking out into space once he gets past the Defensive Line, as well as not letting Buchanan loose downfield if he is flushed from the pocket. With 7 interceptions, they also will be a factor for Buchanan to consider when he is making throws down the seam or on drag routes.
The Eagles Secondary will be tasked with locking down one of the deepest Receiving Corps they have come up against on the Season. An experienced group of Seniors, Jamarion Ravenell (49T,3TFL,1INT,1FmbRec), DeMichael Porter (52T,3TFL1S,1INT), Caimon Mathis (42T,3TFL,4INT), and JR Mario Buford (27T,1FmbRec) have done well this season in taking away opponents downfield passing attack, limiting four of their five Playoff Opponents to less than 167 yards passing. As most teams have done in the Playoffs, expect them to double up or bracket Coleman to force Buchanan to go to his other targets to move the ball. While the Viper Receivers may not have the speed of the Eagles Receiving Corp, they all have shown that they can break the big play if given space.
Other Players to Watch:
- JR Jason Douglas – 26T, 8TFL, 7.5 Sacks
- SR Wesley Hudson – 30T, 3TFL, 1.5 Sacks
- SR Devon Jackson – 56T, 2TFL, 1 Fumble Recovery
- JR Keshaun Jackson – 42T
- SR Bryson Jones – 15T, 2TFL, 1 Sack
- JR Makali McKellar – 31T, 1TFL, 1INT
Special Teams
JR Angel Diaz handles Kickoffs and Extra Points for the Eagles. He has a solid leg with 27TB and a 50.1 Avg on Kickoffs. Last week against Denton Guyer he mainly went with intermediate Pop-Up Kickoffs, but he has the power to bury the ball deep into the End Zone as well. Will be a chess match between him and the Vandegrift returners with the placement of his kicks.
SR Wenston Blair (35.8 Avg, 2 inside the 20) and Diaz (28.9 Avg, 4 inside the 20) share punting duties for the Eagles. Last week against Guyer Blair put most of his punts out of bounds to nullify the return abilities of the Wildcats Peyton Bowen. They may deploy these same tactics to keep the ball out of Colemans hands for the Vipers.
SO Daylon Singleton and Wisner can break for the End Zone on both Kickoff and Punt Returns, as they have shown throughout the 2022 Season. Will be focal point to see if Arnold for Vandegrift goes with long Kickoffs into the End Zone, or shorter Pop-up kicks to try and take away their breakaway speed.
Keys to the Game
One Key that both sides will have to consider will be the sun coming into AT&T Stadium during this late afternoon matchup. With the layout of AT&T Stadium, and the lack of screens on the giant Windows in either End Zone, the sun streaking through onto the playing surface will have an impact on both Offensive and Defensive Units. There will be times that both Offenses will have to balance not taking away a good chunk of the field on passing plays when the sun is in play and their Receivers are having to look back at it, with hoping to take advantage of it influencing the opposing Defenses trying to cover those Receivers.
For the Vipers
1. Keep Bailey in the Pocket. While the focus for many is on the speed and receiving abilities of Cook and the Eagle Receiving Corp, Bailey has shown that if he is forced to break out of the pocket, he can hurt Defenses that have dropped back to cover the pass and eat up quick yards in the vacated space. It will be up to the Viper Linebackers to spy on Bailey and hope they have the correct angle on him once he leaves the pocket.
2. Avoid giving up Explosive Plays. Anyone that has watched any amount of film of DeSoto during the Season probably lost count of the number of long passing Touchdowns they have scored. Whether on flat or screen routes out of the backfield, or long throws by Bailey to a speeding Cook, they have been there for the Eagles in most every game of the Season. The Viper Secondary will need to employ an Umbrella type coverage that doesn’t allow the Eagles receivers to get behind them, as well as wrapping up and swarming to the ball on short or underneath throws from Bailey.
3. Don’t let the Bright Lights & Noise Intimidate. Vandegrift went toe-to-toe with Katy in the Semi-Finals and didn’t blink, matching drive for drive with the 9-time State Champions for the win. Can they replicate that performance and keep from making mental errors that quite a lot of teams find themselves with on the Big Stage that is AT&T Stadium during their first visit to the State Championship Game. With DeSoto being so close to Arlington, Vandegrift can expect a hostile environment that will make the Katy crowd in the Alamodome look like a Pre-Season scrimmage.
4. Replicate Buchanan’s Demeanor. All Season long Vandegrift has prided itself on playing mistake-free football and staying focused on cementing their Legacy among all Viper teams since the school was founded in 2009. During the playoffs, nobody on the Viper sideline has been more focused and unshakable than their Assistant Coach on the Field, QB Brayden Buchanan. Nowhere was this more evident than in their past two games. In the Region IV Final, Buchanan, who came into the game with just 3 Interceptions on the season, gave up two interceptions in their first four drives against Dripping Springs. He followed up on their next two drives with a Touchdown to pull Vandegrift within 3 and then starting on the Viper 8-yard line, drove the Vipers down the field to set up the Arnold 50-yard Field Goal to end the Half, getting the Vipers back to a tie game. Last week, in the face of the Katy rush that got to him for 4 sacks, 3 in the 2nd Half, he fought off the 5th sack long enough to find Skoglund for a 19-Yard gain that let him step out of bounds to save time on the clock while moving the ball to the Katy 35 ahead of the Arnold Game Winning 37-Yard Field Goal on the final play of the game.
For the Eagles
1. Press the Speed Advantage. Everyone is talking about the outrageous speed of the Eagles, and for good reason. They need to play into the hype and literally run with it. Make the Vipers show that they can keep up on long throws down the sidelines and wrap up the Running Backs in space before they kick it into high gear. If they don’t stop it the first time, do it again and again until they show they can slow it down. If Bailey is given time in the pocket with Cook behind the Vipers Secondary, it could be like playing catch in practice.
2. Stretch the Viper Defense beyond its limits. Can the Vipers Defense cover Cook, and Riden, and Bailey, and Wisner all on the field at the same time? Push the Defense towards the middle of the field during an Offensive series, attack the outside. Go inside for a series, then attack the outside. Utilize Riden and Wisner running the ball hard up the middle with quick screens while in motion out of the backfield to take advantage of the Viper DBs playing close cover on Cook, Jones, and Harden. Can the Viper Defense contain the myriad of options that the Eagles will throw at them, and can they track them down once they make into open space?
3. Force Vandegrift into the run and long drives. Vandegrift has shown during the Playoffs that they are at their best when the Offense is in Hurry-Up Quick-Strike Mode. They have had 15 drives for scores that have gone 8 plays or less and under 2 minutes. Slow them down and make them take small chunks and run the clock to shrink the game and keep them out of the End Zone as much as possible. The more plays the Vipers run, the more chances the Eagles will have to force a turnover or a mental mistake that can turn the momentum in their favor
4. Don’t be fooled by Vandegrift Trick Plays. Recycling this one from last week, as Vandegrift OC Blake Mouser and the Vipers Offense opened their bag of tricks multiple times against Katy in the Semi-Finals. Will Vandegrift continue the trick play trend, or will their trick plays this week be that they aren’t trick plays at all, but plays that will give the Offense enough of a pause by the Defense trying to react to what they think is coming to move the ball with the initial option?
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