PREVIEW: Tyler Lee Seeks 2-0 Start to District 11-6A

DISTRICT 11-6A

Tyler Lee Red Raiders (2-3, 1-0)

vs.

North Mesquite Stallions (2-1, 0-0)

7:30 p.m. Friday
Mesquite Memorial Stadium

Coaches

Lee: Kurt Traylor
North Mesquite: Tim Seder

Last week

Lee: def. Rockwall-Heath, 42-31
North Mesquite: idle

Next week

Lee: idle
North Mesquite: at Mesquite, Oct. 12

Players to watch

Lee

OL Beaux Limmer, Sr., 6-5, 270 (committed to Arkansas)
HB/TE Jamal Ligon, Jr., 6-2, 240 (4 catches, 61 yards; 22 tackles, 8 for loss, 6 sacks, 9 QB pressures)
RB Jamar Arceneaux, Jr., 5-7, 155 (67 carries, 525 yards, 6 TDs)
RB Jamarion Miller, Fr., 5-10, 170 (73 carries, 492 yards, 4 TDs; 4 catches, 48 yards)
RB Jordan Printers, Sr., 5-10, 193 (93 carries, 515 yards, 5 TDs)
LB Devon'ta Bolton, Jr., 6-3, 185 (26 tackles, 6 for loss, 5 sacks, 3 QB pressures)
QB Mark Patton, Jr., 6-5, 215 (43 of 87, 803 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs)
WR Zaylon Walker, Sr., 6-1, 160 (14 catches, 327 yards, 1 TD)

North Mesquite

QB Ka'maury Johnson, Jr., 6-1, 188 (25 of 54, 189 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT; 10 carries, 23 yards)
RB Jawuan Clark, Sr., 5-10, 185 (69 carries, 650 yards, 4 TDs; 4 catches, 37 yards, 1 TD)
DB Samuel Inyang, Jr., 5-9, 170
LB Tyler Seder, Sr., 5-10, 185
DL Jalen Delance, Jr., 6-1, 250
RB Daniel Dunn, Sr., 5-10, 170 (4 carries, 108 yards, 1 TD)

Just the facts

Tyler Lee is 13-37 in district games since 2010.
North Mesquite has qualified for the playoffs just once since 2008.
Tyler Lee is averaging 32.4 points and 485.4 yards per game -- 324.8 rushing and 160.6 passing.
Eighteen of Tyler Lee's 21 offensive touchdowns are rushing.
Tyler Lee is allowing 44.6 points, and has forced two turnovers -- one interceptions and one fumble.
North Mesquite is averaging 25.7 points and 332.2 yards per game -- 267 rushing and 65.3 passing.
Stallions senior running back Jawuan Clark is averaging 9.4 yards per carry.
North Mesquite is allowing 24.7 points per game, and has five interceptions on the season.

Key matchup: Tyler Lee rushing attack vs. North Mesquite defensive front. There haven't been very many running games in East Texas more explosive than the Red Raiders' thus far in 2018. Lee enters Friday's game averaging almost 325 rushing yards per game, and has three rushers with at least 492 yards. Buoyed by a strong offensive line, anchored by Arkansas commit Beaux Limmer and Nathan Kuehn, Lee has been able to run at will against its opponents this season. Junior Jamar Arceneaux leads the team with 525 yards six touchdowns, and he's coming off a tremendous performance in the Raiders' 42-31 district-opening win over Rockwall-Heath. Last week, Arceneaux ran for 193 yards and a career-high four touchdowns on only 13 carries. Freshman Jamarion Miller added 109 yards on 19 attempts, while senior Jordan Printers had 78 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

North Mesquite has struggled against the run in its three games, surrendering an average of 231.7 rushing yards per game. Stopping the run will be key for the Stallions, whose secondary has performed exceptionally well in 2018 with five interceptions as a team. If North Mesquite can force Lee into the air more than it would like, the Stallions will put themselves in a better position to create turnovers and more possessions for an offense that's also led by a strong rushing attack.

Don't be surprised if: Lee's defense sells out in order to stop the North Mesquite running game. It hasn't been a pretty picture for the Red Raiders' defense in 2018 as it comes into this week allowing almost 45 points per game. The run defense has been especially poor, surrendering an average of 243.6 rushing yards per game, and an average of almost nine yards per carry. Stallions running back Jawuan Clark is responsible for most of his team's offensive production this season, so if Lee can find a way to curtail his impact on the game, the Red Raiders should be able to come away with a win and a 2-0 start to District 11-6A.