Rejuvenated Tyler Lee Looks to Keep Winning Ways Going Against Nacogdoches

Nacogdoches Dragons (1-1)

vs.

Tyler Lee Red Raiders (2-0)

7:30 p.m. Friday

At CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium, Tyler

Coaches

• Nacogdoches: Bobby Reyes
• Tyler Lee: Clayton George

Last week

• Nacogdoches: lost to Lufkin, 42-28
• Tyler Lee: def. Corsicana, 34-20

Next week

• Nacogdoches: at Hallsville, Sept. 16
• Tyler Lee: at Rockwall-Heath, Sept. 16

Playmakers

Nacogdoches

• S/WR Josh Thompson, Sr., 6-0, 190 (13 tackles, 3 for loss, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery; 1 catch, 32 yards, 1 TD; committed to Texas)
• LB DaRyan Williams, Jr., 5-11, 185 (14 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery)
• WR Jaylon Maxie, Sr., 5-11, 180 (14 catches, 176 yards, 1 TD)
• RB Phillip Jones, Sr., 5-9, 193 (49 carries, 250 yards, 3 TDs)
• QB Noah Hildebrand, Sr., 6-1, 180 (32 of 47, 459 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs; 11 carries, 48 yards)
• DL Brad Phillips, Sr., 6-3, 210 (6 tackles, 1 sack, 1 QB pressure)
• LB Derrick Wright, Sr., 5-9, 215 (1 tackle)
• DL Devaunte Johnson, Sr., 6-0, 265 (12 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 QB pressure)

Tyler Lee

• QB Chance Amie, Jr., 6-4, 205 (15 of 23, 247 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs; 37 carries, 245 yards, 4 TDs)
• S Makyle Sanders, Sr., 6-2, 185
• RB LaDarius Wickware, Soph., 6-2, 180 (36 carries, 205 yards, 2 TDs)
• RB Jordan Printers, Soph. (22 carries, 145 yards, 1 TD)
• DL Campbell Miller, Sr., 6-2, 260
• WR Keashun Davis, Sr., 6-1, 165 (8 catches, 166 yards, 2 TDs)
• WR Isaiah Davison, Sr., 5-9, 150 (5 catches, 44 yards, 1 TD)
• LB Royland Black, Sr., 5-11, 178

Just the facts

• This is the 34th meeting between Tyler Lee and Nacogdoches. Lee leads the all-time series, 19-14.
• These two teams last played in 2001, a 56-10 Tyler Lee victory.
• Nacogdoches has averaged 428 yards per game through two weeks -- 229.5 passing and 198.5 rushing.
• Dragons running back Phillip Jones is on pace to rush for 1,250 yards and 15 touchdowns during the regular season.
• Nacogdoches will play just one 5A program in non-district. The pre 17-5A schedule includes two 6A's (Lufkin and Tyler Lee) and two 4A's (Kilgore and Gilmer).
• Tyler Lee has allowed an average of 196.5 yards per game through two weeks -- 152.5 passing and 44 rushing.
• Red Raiders quarterback Chance Amie has accounted for seven of his team's 10 offensive touchdowns in 2016.
• Lee's non-district schedule, which concludes Friday, features all 5A schools -- Marshall, Corsicana, and Nacogdoches.

Key matchup: Tyler Lee rushing attack vs. Nacogdoches defensive front. Despite the big-arm capability of junior quarterback Chance Amie, the Red Raiders have been most effective on the ground up to this point in the season. Through two games, Lee has averaged 316.5 rushing yards, while attempting just 23 passes. It's all added up to a 2-0 start for the Red Raiders, who will be looking to being the year with three consecutive wins for the first time since 2003. Amie has been the catalyst for Lee's ground game with a team-best 245 yards and four touchdowns. Sophomore running backs LaDarius Wickware and Jordan Printers have factored in heavily as well, combining for 350 yards and three scores. First-year head coach Clayton George, the former offensive coordinator at tradition-rich Southlake Carroll, has brought his version of the spread offense to Lee. And so far, this emphasis has been running the football.

Nacogdoches struggled on the defensive side of the ball in last week's loss to Lufkin, particularly in regard to the big play. The Dragons allowed five plays to go for at least 47 yards, and surrendered 508 total yards of offense. A big part of the Panthers' offense that night was the ground game as senior running back Khalil Brown amassed 173 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries. The effectiveness running the ball opened the door for big plays through the air as Lufkin quarterback Kordell Rodgers passed for 352 yards on 20 completions -- an average of 17.6 yards per reception. The Dragons must be able to shore up their run defense this week, or the Lee coaching staff might decide it's time to open up the offense for the strong-armed Amie.

Don't be surprised if: Nacogdoches star safety Josh Thompson gets more snaps on offense this week. Thompson, a Texas Longhorns commit and one of the top overall athletes in all of East Texas, made the most of his one reception last week -- a 32-yard touchdown. With an athlete like Thompson, who took home Defensive MVP honors at the fourth annual ETSN.fm + APEC Football Recruiting Combine over the offseason, creating more opportunities with the ball in his hands could be advantageous for Nacogdoches. Thompson is already on kickoff return duties, producing a return for a touchdown in Week 1, and it would not be surprising to see the Dragons' playmaker become more of a factor on offense as the season progresses.