Tyler Lee Looks to Rebound From First Loss in 11-6A Opener at Rockwall-Heath

DISTRICT 11-6A

Tyler Lee Red Raiders (2-1)

vs.

Rockwall-Heath Hawks (2-1)

7:30 p.m. Friday

Wilkerson-Sanders Memorial Stadium, Rockwall

Coaches

• Tyler Lee: Clayton George
• Rockwall-Heath: Mickey Moss

Last week

• Tyler Lee: lost to Nacogdoches, 24-17
• Rockwall-Heath: def. Irving MacArthur, 63-7

Next week

• Tyler Lee: vs. Longview, Sept. 23
• Rockwall-Heath: at Rockwall, Sept. 23

Playmakers

Tyler Lee

• QB Chance Amie, Jr., 6-4, 205 (17 of 38, 282 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs; 63 carries, 479 yards, 6 TDs)
• S Makyle Sanders, Sr., 6-2, 185
• DL Campbell Miller, Sr., 6-2, 260
• WR Keashun Davis, Sr., 6-1, 165 (9 catches, 170 yards, 2 TDs)
• RB LaDarius Wickware, Soph., 6-2, 180 (43 carries, 219 yards, 2 TDs)
• RB Jordan Printers, Soph. (31 carries, 167 yards, 1 TD)
• LB Royalnd Black, Sr., 5-11, 178
• WR Isaiah Davison, Sr., 5-9, 150 (5 catches, 44 yards, 1 TD)

Rockwall-Heath

• CB Tanner McCalister, Jr., 6-0, 185 (15 tackles, 1 PBU, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery)
• LB Desmon Williams, Jr., 5-11, 235 (24 tackles, 1 for loss)
• RB J'corian Jimmerson, Sr., 5-8, 160 (51 caries, 359 yards, 4 TDs)
• ATH Grant Buckholt, Sr., 6-3, 205 (32 carries, 189 yards, 3 TDs)
• RB Jordan Kempf, Jr., 5-11, 185 (28 carries, 144 yards, 1 TD; 2 catches, 39 yards, 1 TD)
• LB Jackson Salley, Jr., 6-1, 180 (13 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack)
• S Luke Saenz, Jr., 5-10, 165 (5 tackles, 1 INT)
• LB Moh-Julien Ntchobo, Sr., 5-11, 195 (9 tackles, 1 QB pressure, 1 INT, 1 PBU, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery)

Just the facts

• Since 2010, Tyler Lee is 13-23 in district games.
• The Red Raiders last won their district opener in 2014.
• Lee quarterback Chance Amie is on pace to rush for almost 1,600 yards and 20 touchdowns during the regular season.
• The Red Raiders have allowed an average of 17 points and 232.3 yards per game -- 102 rushing and 130.3 passing.
• Following a 24-21 loss to Wylie East in Week 1, Rockwall-Heath has outscored West Mesquite and Irving MacArthur by a combined score of 92-14.
• The Hawks have four players with at least 100 rushing yards on the season.
• Heath has completed just two passes on the year, and is averaging 327.7 rushing yards per game.
• The Hawks' first season of football was in 2006.

Key matchup: Rockwall-Heath rushing attack vs. Tyler Lee defensive front. Through three weeks of the season, it's clear that both of these teams would rather establish their running games and stick with them. However, the run-pass disparity is much more extreme for Heath, which has attempted only nine passes on the year and completed just two of them. Instead, the Hawks have relied on a diverse and powerful ground attack that's averaged well over 300 yards per game. Never was Heath more in tune with its running game than in last week's blowout of Irving MacArthur. The Hawks had 46 plays, 43 of which were runs, that turned into 441 rushing yards and six touchdowns. The yardage total and yards-per-carry average (10.3) were both season highs. For the season, five Heath players have rushed for at least 99 yards and scored touchdowns.

Obviously, the Lee defense cannot afford to allow Heath the type of rushing production it had a week ago. After playing extremely well against the run in their first two games of the season (both wins), the Red Raiders struggled to contain Nacogdoches and its star running back Phillip Jones, who ran wild for 231 yards in the Lee defeat last week. On the bright side, once Nacogdoches built a 24-0 lead midway through the second quarter, the Red Raiders defense was brilliant the rest of the way. Expect to see the Lee defense load up with eight- and nine-man fronts against Heath, as the Hawks' passing game has been virtually non-existent up to this point.

Don't be surprised if: The Lee offense opens up its offensive playbook more than it's been the first three weeks. While junior quarterback Chance Amie struggled last week, completing just 2-of-15 attempts, he has shown the ability in the past to hurt opposing defenses with his arm. Amie comes into Friday's game with 479 rushing yards and six touchdowns with an average of 21 rushing attempts per game. Despite his big frame and physical style of running, there's only so much pounding a player can take on a weekly basis. New head coach Clayton George needs Amie to remain healthy down the stretch if Lee is to have any chance of competing for a playoff spot in a very deep District 11-6A.