September 19, 2002 10:30 PM
RI Rocks (3-0) at
Quincy Blue Devils (2-1) Game facts
7:30 tonight, Quincy's Flinn Stadium
Coverage: Marc Nesseler; Radio: WKBF-AM 1270
Douglas vs. defense
Rock Island's staunt defense finally gets its test. Quincy junior Alex Douglas
comes in averaging 232 yards rushing per game. Of his 695 yards on 71 carries, he had 288
in last Friday's win over Fort Madison.
``The kids are excited about getting a challenge. especially on the defensive side,''
said RI coach Vic Boblett. RI has given up just 102 yards rushing on 72 carries, but that
comes in three coasting victories.
In taking on Douglas, Boblett said, ``The real key is making sure we don't overpursue
and be over-aggressive. He's really good at making people miss. We need to make sure we
take care of areas of responsibility.
``These guys have played against that class (of juniors), and know what those battles
were like. This is not a typical Quincy team of the past. They're 2-1, and quite honestly,
this is the team that can put them on the map, let them know they've arrived.''
One-man Quincy crew?
Douglas has 98.2 percent of Quincy's 708 rushing yards, and, when you throw in his
two catches for 15 yards, he has 97 percent of Quincy's total offensive yards. In fact,
sans Douglas as a receiver, QB Bryan Ewers has completed just 1-of-14 passes for 9 yards.
Douglas has scored 6 of Quincy's 7 offensive TDs.
Asked if RI plans to dare Quincy to beat it with other weapons, Boblett said, ``There
are only so many gaps, so many zones. Any defense has to be sound covering various areas.
There's no question he's going to be a real factor. We have to make sure we're focusing
some attention on him.''
Quincy's only other backs with double-figure rushing totals are Junior Clay (17
carries, 48 yards) and Chris Davis (2-15).
Stats & stuff
-- Quincy has lost 28 straight Western Big 6 games, dating back to 1996. With wins
over Kirskville, Mo. (26-6) and Fort Madison (27-7), the Blue Devils had tied for their
most wins in a season since 1994 when they finished 3-6. Since then, Quincy hasn't had
more than one win but for 1995 and '98, both 2-7 seasons.
-- RI has outscored its opponents 51-0 in the first quarter. Quincy has been outscored
34-0 in the first.
-- RI receiver Brandin Smith dropped a pass in last week's 61-0 win over Collins. Maybe
it was because the pass wasn't in the end zone. He has 111 yards on four receptions this
season, all for TDS. Catching on, too, last week was Mike Adamson (2-for-46) after missing
two games with mononucleosis.
For starters
With a crowded backfield of talent, Boblett says midweek that he probably would
start with a backfield of QB Tom DeBroeck, FB Ricky O'Conner, TB Keenan Wright and WB
Dillon Smith. However, he says he'll for sure have some sort of rotation at QB with Chase
Stephens, as he had for the first three games. And John Saldana will surely be in the
backfield mix, and so, too, may Calvin Krakilow and Waylond Ryan.
Barth on their minds
The Rocks should get an emotional lift with their thoughts on sophomore teammate
Johnny Barth, seriously injured when he struck by a car as he crossed the street to school
earlier this week.
``Every kid in the program, from freshman to varsity, signed a get-well card for him,''
Boblett said of Barth, whose condition was upgraded to fair. ``The news we're getting is
that he's progeressing well. Johnny will be in our thoughts and prayers.''
On the last play of last Friday's game, Barth was credited with recovering a fumble.
Considering the extent of Barth's injuries, Boblett thought that might have been his last
play of the season.
Copyright 2002, Moline Dispatch
Publishing Co. |
