PREVIEW: Home Playoff Game Could Be on Line For Longview + JT

DISTRICT 11-6A

Longview Lobos (6-1, 3-1)

vs.

John Tyler Lions (5-2, 3-1)

7:30 p.m. Friday

CHRISTUS TMF Rose Stadium, Tyler

Coaches

Longview: John King
John Tyler: Ricklan Holmes

Last week

Longview: def. North Mesquite, 41-7
John Tyler: def. Rockwall-Heath, 37-33

Next week

Longview: vs. Rockwall-Heath, Nov. 3
John Tyler: at Mesquite Horn, Nov. 3

Playmakers

Longview

TE Jaylin Brown, Sr., 6-3, 205 (14 catches, 303 yards, 5 TDs)
QB Haynes King, Soph., 6-3, 170 (49 of 96, 820 yards, 8 TDs, 4 INTs; 7 carries, 24 yards, 0 TDs)
RB Keilyn Williams, Jr., 5-5, 145 (73 carries, 475 yards, 7 TDs; 5 catches, 99 yards, 1 TD)
WR Kamden Perry, Jr., 6-0, 165 (15 catches, 235 yards, 1 TD)
DB Jephaniah Lister, Jr., 5-9, 155 (64 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 sack, 1 INT)
DB Jalen Carr, Sr., 5-10, 150 (19 tackles, 1 for loss, 5 INTs, 1 PBU, 1 blocked kick)
DL JC Blakemore, Sr., 5-11, 220 (35 tackles, 10 for loss, 4 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 PBU)
WR Jacob Johnson, Jr., 6-0, 175 (17 catches, 236 yards, 1 TD)

John Tyler

LB Tre Allison, Sr., 6-2, 220 (67 tackles, 1 INT, 3 PBUs, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery; committed to SMU)
DL/LB Dekalen Goodson, Sr., 6-3, 215 (27 tackles, 8 for loss, 4 sacks, 4 QB pressures, 1 PBU; committed to Houston)
WR Ke'Andre Street, Jr., 6-4, 195 (23 catches, 568 yards, 8 TDs)
QB K'Lon Warren, Jr., 5-10, 175 (33 of 49, 531 yards, 9 TDs, 2 INTs; 24 carries, 29 yards, 0 TDs)
RB Roderick Hawkins, Jr., 5-8, 190 (49 carries, 449 yards, 5 TDs; 6 catches, 69 yards, 1 TD)
WR Devlen Woods, Jr., 5-8, 170 (4 catches, 60 yards, 1 TD; 42 carries, 121 yards, 0 TDs; 55 of 104, 800 yards, 10 TDs, 3 INTs)
OL Chance Billington, Jr., 6-3, 280 (committed to SMU)
RB Cameron Grant, Jr., 5-9, 175 (56 carries, 411 yards, 2 TDs; 3 catches, 22 yards, 1 TD)

Just the facts

This is the 91st meeting between Longview and John Tyler. Longview leads the all-time series, 46-37-7.
John Tyler won last year's meeting, 38-24.
Longview is averaging 39.1 points and 389.3 yards per game -- 202.1 rushing and 187.1 passing.
Lobos tight end Jaylin Brown is averaging 21.6 yards per reception.
Longview is allowing 19.4 points per game, and has forced 15 turnovers -- 10 interceptions and five fumbles.
John Tyler is averaging 32.4 points and 373.3 yards per game -- 180.4 rushing and 192.9 passing.
Lions running back Cameron Grant returned last week after missing three games with a concussion.
John Tyler is allowing 26 points per game, and has forced 10 turnovers -- six interceptions and four fumbles.

Key matchup: John Tyler passing attack vs. Longview secondary. In Week 1 of the season, John Tyler featured a prominent ground game that put up more than 500 yards in a rout of Plano West. But ever since, the Lions have had a tough time establishing the run. In the six games since, John Tyler has a total of 754 rushing yards, and it is averaging just 4.3 yards per carry. That has forced JT to take to the air to get what it wants accomplished.

John Tyler went through a quarterback change midway through the season, inserting junior K'Lon Warren into the starting lineup and moving Devlen Woods to the receiver spot. The move has worked wonders so far as the Lions are 3-0 since putting Warren in at QB. In his first two starts, Warren has tossed six touchdown passes and is 25 of 35 for 384 yards. Junior receiver Ke'Andre Street has been the team's biggest beneficiary, as he has caught at least one touchdown pass in each of the last three games. The 6-foot-4 target also averages more than 24 yards per reception, and will be a key in the Lions' attack Friday.

Longview has been great on defense for most of the season. The only hiccup was a 52-34 loss to Mesquite Horn in the District 11-6A opener. But since then, Longview's defense has been on fire. The Lobos gave up their fair share of yards against Tyler Lee, but made up for that by racking up five sacks and forcing two turnovers. A week later against Rockwall, Longview forced five takeaways, including three interceptions from senior Jalen Carr. And in last week's destruction of North Mesquite, the Lobos had three takeaways and limited the Stallions to less than 300 yards of total offense.

If Longview can limit John Tyler's big-play capability in the passing game, it could be another successful night for a Longview defense that's currently playing its best football of the season.

Don't be surprised if: John Tyler attempts to establish the running game early. Becoming a pass-only offense against Longview's talented pass rushers and secondary has been a recipe for disaster for opponents this season. The Lions welcomed back starting running back Cameron Grant last week after he missed three games while in the concussion protocol. Grant went for 70 yards on 15 carries in the Lions' win over Rockwall-Heath last week. Expect a heavy dose of Grant and fellow junior Roderick Hawkins early on. That duo has combined for 860 yards and seven touchdowns in seven games this season.