PREVIEW: White Oak Plays Host to Unbeaten Jefferson
DISTRICT 8-3A DIVISION I
Jefferson Bulldogs (8-0, 3-0)
vs.
White Oak Roughnecks (5-3, 3-0)
7:30 p.m. Friday
Roughneck Stadium, White Oak
Coaches
- Jefferson: Antwain Jimmerson
- White Oak: Kris Iske
Last week
- Jefferson: def. Sabine, 63-3
- White Oak: def. Redwater, 63-42
Next week
- Jefferson: vs. Redwater, Nov. 10
- White Oak: at New Boston, Nov. 10
Playmakers
Jefferson
- WR T.Q. Jackson, Jr., 6-3, 175 (23 catches, 657 yards, 7 TDs)
- QB Trey Hodge, Jr., 6-2, 200 (57 of 93, 1,411 yards, 14 TDs, 6 INTs; 44 carries, 323 yards, 7 TDs)
- RB Tybo Williams, Sr., 5-8, 165 (45 carries, 641 yards, 5 TDs; 3 catches, 33 yards, 0 TDs)
- RB/DL Taylor Smith, Sr., 6-1, 174 (17 carries, 213 yards, 6 TDs; 100 tackles, 18 for loss, 6 sacks, 9 QB pressures, 1 PBU, 4 forced fumbles, 2 recoveries)
- DL Eric Gipson, Sr., 6-2, 196 (95 tackles, 30 for loss, 8 sacks, 4 QB pressures, 1 INT, 1 PBU, 2 forced fumbles, 1 recovery, 1 blocked kick)
- WR/DB Kepha Luster, Sr., 5-9, 133 (5 catches, 100 yards, 2 TDs; 23 tackles, 1 for loss, 6 INTs, 5 PBUs, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery)
- WR/DB Dee Black, Soph. (3 catches, 92 yards, 1 TD; 31 carries, 465 yards, 8 TDs; 29 tackles, 2 for loss, 3 INTs, 1 PBU, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery)
- DL Tyler Cherry, Jr. (30 tackles, 10 for loss, 4 sacks, 1 QB pressure, 2 fumble recoveries)
White Oak
- QB Heath Hood, Sr., 5-11, 175 (122 of 221, 1,679 yards, 16 TDs, 6 INTs; 97 carries, 683 yards, 15 TDs)
- RB Bo Reddic, Soph., 5-11, 185 (195 carries, 1,022 yards, 13 TDs; 10 catches, 45 yards, 0 TDs)
- WR/DB Kason Kienzle, Sr., 5-10, 150 (40 catches, 708 yards, 7 TDs; 34 tackles, 1 INT, 1 forced fumble, 2 recoveries)
- WR/DL Elijah Trest, Sr., 6-2, 200 (9 catches, 120 yards, 1 TD; 79 tackles, 23 for loss, 11 sacks, 1 INT, 2 PBUs, 4 forced fumbles, 2 recoveries)
- WR/DB Colby Siegley, Sr., 5-11, 168 (17 catches, 354 yards, 7 TDs; 55 tackles, 2 for loss, 2 PBUs, 1 fumble recovery)
- DL Johnny Kelley, Jr., 6-2, 225 (59 tackles, 20 for loss, 6 sacks, 2 forced fumbles)
- DL Stone Palmer, Sr. (68 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack, 2 PBUs, 1 forced fumble)
- LB Zach Maly, Sr. (53 tackles, 8 for loss, 5 sacks)
Just the facts
- Jefferson and White Oak finished first and second, respectively, in District 8-3A Division I in 2016.
- Jefferson won last year's meeting, 35-20.
- Jefferson is averaging 49.5 points and 464.1 yards per game -- 279.8 rushing and 184.3 passing.
- Bulldogs receiver T.Q. Jackson is averaging 28.6 yards per catch.
- Jefferson is allowing 11.5 points per game, and has forced 31 turnovers -- 13 interceptions and 18 fumbles.
- White Oak is averaging 40 points and 441.9 yards per game -- 228.8 rushing and 213.1 passing.
- Roughnecks quarterback Heath Hood is averaging 295.3 yards per game from scrimmage.
- White Oak is allowing 34 points per game, and has forced 11 turnovers -- three interceptions and eight fumbles.
Key matchup: Jefferson passing attack vs. White Oak secondary. There are few one-two punches in East Texas as explosive at Jefferson's duo of junior quarterback Trey Hodge and junior receiver T.Q. Jackson. Both players burst onto the scene as sophomores in 2016, and each is making their mark on the current season. Hodge is a true dual-threat QB with more than 1,700 yards and 21 touchdowns through the first eight weeks of the season. Jackson, meanwhile, might be East Texas' best deep-ball threat. He enters Friday's game averaging almost 30 yards per reception.
White Oak's defense has had its fair share of struggles this season. The Roughnecks are allowing 34 points per game, and the last time they faced a dynamic quarterback, things were anything but smooth for the White Oak secondary. New Diana quarterback Jackson Sampson passed for 479 yards and four touchdowns. In all fairness, that was in Week 1, and White Oak has improved its play on the defensive side of the ball since then. But the 'Necks will need to keep Hodge and Jackson from having a major impact in Friday's game.
Don't be surprised if: White Oak relies heavily on the ground game this week. The Roughnecks can score with the best of them, but in a game against a Jefferson offense that averages almost 50 points per game, it would be wise for White Oak to limit Jefferson's time of possession. Fortunately for the Roughnecks, they have the ingredients to do just that. Sophomore running back Bo Reddic has already eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark on the season, and senior quarterback Heath Hood is well on his way to a 1,000-yard season as well with 683 rushing yards coming into Friday's game.