By Matt Mauney | Associate Editor
As the water bucket rained down on Durant coach Mike Gottman last Friday, the coaches and players were elated to have capped off the regular season undefeated, a first for the Cougars.
But as the players and coaches stepped out of the dark field house after a film session Monday, there was a different atmosphere than the one experienced after the King win — and it wasn’t because it was a morning practice on a no-school day.
The Cougars showed a new focus.
Going 10-0 was a great achievement for Gottman and his team. It was something no other team at the school had accomplished, but he was quick to reiterate Monday that the new season starts Friday against Tampa Bay Tech in the regional quarterfinals.
“There’s a lot of eagerness with them; they were all real eager to go at 8:30 this morning,” Gottman said.
Durant moved to the historic 10-0 mark with last week’s 31-0 shutout win over King. It was the fourth shutout of the season for the Cougars defense.
Durant will now turn its focus to going 11-0, when they host TBT at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The Class 7A District 7 runner-up Titans will be just the third above-.500 team the undefeated Cougars will face this season. Durant edged out Wharton 13-12 Aug. 28, and beat Newsome 38-28 Oct. 18. Both teams also will begin their own playoff runs Friday.
That Wharton win can be put into new perspective now with the playoffs approaching. Durant got the win on the road despite only one offensive score — the other came on a interception return.
That was the only game this season that was a one-possession game late into the fourth.
“That was the first game where we were really tested and had to figure out who we were and come out and get it done and make the plays that we had to make,” said quarterback Trey VanDeGrift. “I feel like from here on out, that’s how all the games are going to be.”
TBT has a fairly balanced offensive attack that is averaging more than 27 points per game, including 192 in its last five games. The Titans like to use their speed and athleticism to spread teams out. They have a stable of running backs, led by senior Richard Benjamin (732 yards).
Benjamin is also a threat as a receiver, with 643 yards on the year, including 178 against in the 28-13 win over Plant City last week. Deon Thompson (499 rushing yards, eight touchdowns) and Jamaruz Thompkins (304 rushing yards, 166 receiving) round out the big playmakers for the Titans, although Thompson did not play last week against Plant City. The Titans are led by sophomore quarterback Deon Cain, who passed for 279 yards and a touchdown against Plant City, along with two rushing scores.
“I expect them to use their speed, and we just have to make tackles and swarm to the ball,” Durant senior linebacker/defensive lineman Zach Hoffman said.
The Cougars will be tough to contain as well, averaging 36 points per game. Most of that has come on the ground (204 yards per game), but Durant has aired it out more in the last few weeks with quarterback Trey VanDeGrift. The junior is averaging 140 yards per game in the last five games, after only passing for a total of 206 yards in the first five.
“It was a little bit different this year, going from a spread offense and throwing it around a lot to having to run the ball a little bit myself,” VanDeGrift said of his transition from Strawberry Crest, where he started the past two seasons. “The O-line has done a good job of protecting me, so that’s made it a pretty easy transition.”
VanDeGrift’s improved effectiveness in the offense adds a new dimension to the Cougars’ already-strong running game, led by senior fullback Jamarlon Hamilton.
As with many teams this time a year, Durant has been battling its share of injuries this season, including tight end Paxton Sims (inflamed knee) and offensive guard Dalton Wilkerson (sprained knee).
Defensive tackle Tyler Moody will be out Friday after suffering a concussion, and back-up tight end Joe Williams recently had an MRI but is set to play Friday.
Crispian Atkins, a standout sophomore running back, left the Riverview game two weeks ago with a rolled ankle. Hamilton, who sat out against Riverview, has gotten the majority of the carries in Atkins’ absence, along with Zach Hooper.
Contact Matt Mauney at mmauney@plantcityobserver.com.
FOCAL POINTS
• How Durant’s defense handles the athletic and balanced Titans offense. The Cougars are only allowing 8.4 points per game this season, but TBT is as big and athletic as anyone Durant has seen this year.
• How much the Cougars will air it out. A primarily run-based team, Durant has passed the ball more often and more effectively the last several weeks, making the Cougars even more dangerous.
• Which team will win the turnover battle. Durant has been one of the best teams around when it comes to the limiting turnovers. The Cougars have an amazing plus-23 turnover differential this season, while TBT has turned the ball over seven more times but still has a plus-12 differential.
PLAYER TO WATCH
No. 10 Jamarlon Hamilton
The senior has carried the load for the Cougars this season, with nearly 150 carries this season in just nine games played. The fullback rushed for 91 yards last week against King, after resting off an injury the week prior against Riverview.
DIFFERENCE-MAKER
No. 25 Daniel Bowers
Some may not think of a kicker being a difference maker, but Bowers has the leg to be just that for Durant. He has nearly 50 touchbacks on kickoffs this season, a key part in field position, and made a 40-yard field goal for the first score of the game against King.anonymizer-odnoklassniki.ru