No. 2 Gilmer Begins “District of Doom” Title Defense Against Arch-Rival Gladewater

District 16-3A Opener

Gladewater Bears (2-2)

vs.

No. 2 Gilmer Buckeyes (4-0)

7:30 p.m. Friday

Buckeye Stadium, Gilmer

Coaches

• Gladewater: Jerrod Baugh
• Gilmer: Jeff Traylor

Last week

• Gladewater: won 46-34 vs. Atlanta
• Gilmer: won 54-27 vs. Daingerfield

Next week

• Gladewater: vs. Spring Hill
• Gilmer: at Chapel Hill

Playmakers

Gladewater

• DT Daylon Mack, Jr., 6-1, 311 (25 tackles, 9 for loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery)
• RB James Reese, Jr., 5-9, 155 (59 carries, 422 yards, 4 TDs; 5 catches, 44 yards)
• RB Marcello Jackson, Soph. (53 carries, 307 yards, 4 TDs)
• QB Nick Canaguier, Jr., 5-10, 140 (21 of 48, 244 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs)
• WR Bailey Glenn, Jr., 5-7, 130 (7 catches, 134 yards, 1 TD)
• DB Daylon "Duke" Gordon, Jr., 5-10, 155 (43 tackles, 4 for loss, 4 pass break-ups, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery)
• LB Hagen Cooper, Sr. (40 tackles, 8 for loss, 1 sack, 1 pass break-up)
• DL Kenny Gossett, Sr., 5-7, 165 (19 tackles, 4 for loss, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery)

Gilmer

• QB Tanner Barr, Sr., 6-1, 180 (68 of 93, 1,261 yards, 16 TDs, 2 INTs; 37 carries, 123 yards, 1 TD)
• RB/DB Kris Boyd, Jr., 6-0, 175 (29 carries, 273 yards, 5 TDs; 8 tackles, 2 pass break-ups, 1 forced fumble)
• WR Desmond Pollard, Jr., 6-1, 180 (18 catches, 398 yards, 6 TDs)
• WR Chase Tate, Jr., 5-7, 150 (6 carries, 29 yards, 1 TD; 9 catches, 211 yards, 3 TDs)
• LB Demarco Boyd, Soph., 6-0, 205 (19 tackles, 11 for loss, 4 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery)
• RB Jamel Jackson, Jr., 5-8, 170 (31 carries, 261 yards, 5 TDs)
• HB Jaidon Parrish, Sr., 6-0, 185 (2 carries, 29 yards, 18 catches, 293 yards, 2 TDs)
• ATH Devondrick Dixon, Sr., 5-9, 180 (6 carries, 63 yards, 1 TD; 4 catches, 135 yards, 2 TDs; 7 tackles, 1 pass break-up)

Just the facts

• Highway 271 neighbors Gladewater and Gilmer have met 57 times. Gilmer holds a 30-25-2 all-time series lead and has won 11 consecutive contests against Gladewater. Since 1991, Gilmer leads the series, 20-2.
• Gladewater sports a 1-15 record in district games from 2010-12.
• The Bears are averaging 20.8 points and 309 yards per game.
• Gladewater junior defensive tackle Daylon Mack has 15 FBS offers -- Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, Clemson, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, SMU, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech.
• Ever since Jeff Traylor arrived as Gilmer's head coach in 2000, the Gilmer and Gladewater programs have gone in opposite directions. Since 2000, Gilmer is 152-24 and Gladewater is 69-76.
• Gilmer is averaging 59.3 points and 572.5 yards per game.
• The Buckeyes have run 231 offensive plays -- 136 rushing and 95 passing -- and are averaging 9.9 yards per snap.
• If Gilmer plays 16 games this season, quarterback Tanner Barr is on pace to throw for 5,044 yards and 64 touchdowns.

Key matchup: Gladewater running game vs. Gilmer defensive front. Even though the Bears will need to find a way to slow Gilmer's offensive machine in order to pull off the upset, Gladewater increases the odds by chewing up large portions of the clock by running the ball effectively. The duo of James Reese and Marcello Jackson have combined to rush for 729 yards and eight touchdowns through four games, and a lot will be on their shoulders Friday night. Gladewater has only completed 21 passes all season, so it's imperative the Bears don't fall too far behind early. The more Gladewater's offense, which has struggled at times in 2013, can stay on the field and keep Gilmer's dangerous playmakers on the sidelines, the more likely Gladewater can stay in the game.

Anytime Gilmer has the ball, Gladewater is at a disadvantage. No defense has been able to contain the Buckeyes all season, and it seems unlikely that will change Friday night. If Gladewater can score with regularity on sustained, clock-eating drives and limit the number of Gilmer offensive possessions, the Bears may be able to keep the game close. In any game, especially one between rivals, the longer the underdog remains within striking distance the more difficult it becomes for the favorite to put them away.

Don't be surprised if: Gladewater's defense makes Gilmer works for its points. The Bears may have a few shortcomings on the offensive side of the ball, but when it comes to defense, Gladewater usually matches up well with just about every team it faces. Daingerfield's defense challenged Gilmer for more than half of last week's game, holding the Buckeyes to 22 first-half points. Gladewater's defensive personnel is similar to Daingerfield, so the Bears have the potential to frustrate Gilmer. For Gladewater to stay close or possibly even come away with a win, the Bears must do two things: eat clock and score on every possession AND make Gilmer quarterback Tanner Barr uncomfortable in the pocket.