Durant may be heavily favored going into the Friday, Oct. 7, game against Strawberry Crest, but the Cougars are big on the phrase, “One game at a time.”
This team isn’t looking ahead to the Friday, Oct. 14, Redman Cup rivalry game against Plant City. Instead it’s focused on its home game against Strawberry Crest. Likewise, the Chargers are hoping to limit mistakes that cost them their last game and, should everything go as they hope, surprise some people.
Durant’s offense, led by quarterback Carlton Potter, has scored over 40 points in its last two contests and hasn’t missed a beat since the season-opening loss to Hillsborough.
Crest’s defense, led by linebacker Michael Acosta, is coming off of a performance in which it forced several turnovers and kept the Lennard Longhorns on their toes for the majority of the Friday, Sept. 30, game in Dover.
What do these units see in each other that could lead to a mismatch either way?
CARLTON POTTER
The Chargers’ coaching staff has said that, defensively, the team likes to try and make offenses pass the ball.
Potter, a junior, happens to be good at that. He’s thrown for 12 touchdowns in his last five games, against just one interception, and is completing 67% of his passes this season.
“I’m just taking it one play at a time and just looking for what (opponents) give us,” Potter says.
Against the Chargers, Potter says he’ll have to rely on making quick throws and decisions to beat the coverage.
“Up front, in the box, they’re good,” he says. “They’re more disciplined.”
He also says the Cougars’ run game could make an impact.
“I think Cameron (Myers) will have another big game, and Jake (Harris) will have another big game this week, too,” Potter says. “(The Chargers) run a 4-3 a lot, but they split out to the receivers and leave a six-man box sometimes. Cameron does really good running one-on-one against a linebacker.”
Potter singled out Acosta and running back/defensive back Theo Williams as players to watch, because of their skill and athleticism. There exists a size mismatch between Williams, who is listed at 5 foot 6, and every Durant wide receiver, and Potter will look to take advantage of that whenever the situation is ideal.
While Acosta may give Potter more trouble more often — Acosta lines up at linebacker and strong safety — the Durant quarterback believes his offensive line will be able to protect him.
“I think they can handle him,” Potter says.
MICHAEL ACOSTA
Acosta and the Chargers know exactly what they’re up against this week.
Durant is big, strong and fast, perhaps more so than most teams Crest has faced this season. So, according to Acosta, everyone on the visiting team’s stop unit will be kept on its toes all night.
But that doesn’t mean the Chargers are lacking confidence at the moment.
“I think I’ll be able to stop the run up the middle, off of the inside blitz,” Acosta says. “Their outside run, they have a good speed back, but I can stop him.”
Potter presents one of the biggest challenges for Crest, with Acosta citing his consistency as a key attribute. But the Crest senior says that, while Potter has played well, there is at least one thing the Chargers will be looking out for.
“He’s pretty automatic,” Acosta says. “As soon as he gets the ball, he’s going to look at who he’s throwing it to. He’s not really going to look at somebody and then look off of them.”
In the offseason, Acosta told the Plant City Times & Observer he was most looking forward to this game. Now that that time is here, the senior is still holding out hope he and the Chargers can make something happen against one of the Tampa Bay area’s hottest teams.
“I think if we play like we did last week, but tighten up with the penalties and keep our heads up at halftime, don’t get down on ourselves, we should give them a good run for their money,” Acosta says.
Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.