Lufkin Hopes to Bounce Back on the Road Against Bryan

Lufkin Panthers (3-3, 1-1)
vs.
Bryan Vikings (2-5, 1-2)

7:30 p.m. Friday
Merrill Green Stadium, Bryan

Coaches
Lufkin: Todd Quick
Bryan: Ross Rogers

Last week
Lufkin: lost to The Woodlands, 49-21
Bryan: lost to College Station A&M Consolidated, 54-7

Next week
Lufkin: vs. The Woodlands College Park
Bryan: at The Woodlands

Playmakers

Lufkin

WR JaBryce Taylor, Sr., 6-2, 185 (45 catches, 680 yards, 4 TDs; committed to SMU)
QB Tyler Stubblefield, Sr., 6-4, 205 (96 of 179, 1,455 yards, 15 TDs, 9 INTs; 61 carries, 138 yards, 5 TDs)
ATH Key'vantanie "KeKe" Coutee, Soph., 5-10, 170 (28 catches, 362 yards, 6 TDs)
RB Kendrick Mapp, Sr., 5-10, 175 (74 carries, 514 yards, 7 TDs)
DE Demontrai Lewis, Sr., 6-3, 215
DT D.J. Williams, Jr., 6-3, 285
WR Jamal Jeffery, Jr., 5-10, 170
LB Kevin Moore, Sr.
OL Erik McCoy, Soph., 6-3, 255
DE James Moreland, Soph., 6-2, 210

Bryan

RB Bobby Johnson (93 rushing yards, 1 TD vs. A&M Consolidated)
QB Chris Johnson, Sr., 6-4, 215
WR V.J. Banks, Sr., 6-1, 190
DT Zac Slaydon, Sr., 6-1, 240
DT Shikelyn Phillips, Sr.
OL Zach Jones, Sr.
DL Devin Marshall, Sr.
DB Joe Clay, Jr., 5-10, 170
DE Deondre Johnson, Soph., 6-0, 220

Just the facts

Lufkin averages 35.5 points per game and allows 39.2.
Bryan averages 15.3 points per game and allows 32.7.
Lufkin's JaBryce Taylor caught 10 passes for 146 yards against The Woodlands.
Lufkin has scored at least 41 points in its three victories, but no more than 21 points in its three losses.
Those three losses came by an average of 24.3 points.
Bryan's two victories came against teams -- Magnolia and Conroe Oak Ridge -- that are a combined 2-10 (1-5 each).
Lufkin's three victories came against teams -- Tyler Lee, Nacogdoches, and A&M Consolidated -- that are a combined 6-13, with 5-2 Consol accounting for all but one of those victories.

Key matchup: Lufkin's defensive line vs. Bryan's offensive front. Lufkin has a deep and talented defensive line, but The Woodlands and Longview have been able to run at will on the Panthers. Part of that is because those teams defended the Panthers' offense well and kept the Lufkin defense on the field longer than it could take, but the defensive front is talented enough to perform at a high level when given the opportunity, even if it includes multiple young players. Bryan's lone bright spot in last week's 47-point loss to A&M Consolidated was Bobby Johnson's 93 rushing yards, which included the Vikings' only touchdown. To have a shot against Lufkin's pass-happy, yet balanced offense, Bryan must keep the Panthers' playmakers off the field. That means dictating the tempo and running the ball against what has been a streaky Lufkin defensive front.

Don't be surprised if: Lufkin gets back on the right track with a road win. An A&M Consolidated team that Lufkin outlasted 71-68 in four overtimes just beat this Bryan team 54-7, so it's hard to think that the Panthers shouldn't be heavily favored in this contest. The transitive power isn't always the best way to judge who's going to win football games, but in this case, it seems like a safe bet. The Woodlands made Lufkin one-dimensional, shutting down the Panthers' rushing attack in the second half as the Highlanders pulled away for a huge road victory. Expect Lufkin to re-establish Kendrick Mapp, which will only help Tyler Stubblefield find his talented fleet of receivers to spread out the Bryan defense.

Note: Lufkin's athletic training students will host a fundraising event called "Fill The Helmet" for the Gridiron Heroes Foundation on Oct. 26 at the Panthers' home game vs. The Woodlands College Park. All money raised will be donated to the foundation, which helps young men who receive spinal cord injuries during their high school careers.