Apaches face short turnaround again in Week 2 matchup

GONZALES — When checking out the schedule over the summer, Kodi Crane was looking forward to a Thursday-night game. New routine, new challenges, and an extra day to prepare for the following week, what could be better?

Unfortunately, this Thursday game comes at the heels of Hurricane Harvey’s effects as the Gonzales Apaches had to play Saturday morning, turning this week into yet another packed week of practices with short time to prepare for Austin Crockett. Nonetheless, the Gonzales Apaches’ head coach believes his team will be ready to go, just like last Saturday when they proved they were good enough to overcome the quick turnaround.

“I was really proud of our football team,” Crane said of his kids last week. “We had a lot of people we grabbed and threw in the football game.”

Athletes like Noah Camarillo had to learn “on the job,” with his limited amount of varsity experience, yet he stepped up, Crane noticed after their game film studies.

Thursday, the Apaches take on an Austin Crockett team they’ve faced last season. Though teams change year-to-year, the Crockett Cougars have many returning, including fullback-turned-quarterback Ryan Waugh donning the #7 jersey.

“He’s a big kid, I think one of the magazines said something like 6 feet, 2 inches, 220 pounds,” Crane said. “Extremely smart, runs the offense very efficiently, was 18-for-21 throwing the ball last week. Not a ton of vertical passing, a lot of short stuff, but 18-for-21 is good.”

The best athlete to look out for is #2 Mekhi Ball at running back. The senior athlete scored four touchdowns last week. The Cougars will move him around the formation to get him the ball any way they can, whether he’s lined up in the backfield or out wide. Keon Franklin, a wide receiver, is another weapon for Waugh. Although he doesn’t get as many touches as Ball, Franklin can “go at any time,” according to Crane.

Other players to look out for are #45 Evan Ayers, #29 Carl Messenger and #16 Tyler Frisinger.

Austin Crockett operates out of a spread, but have multiple looks, going from an empty formation to closing in tight to run the ball with two tight ends and two running backs.

“Whenever the play happens, we would love to have perfect execution, but you know, 11 people reading and reacting, we’re not going to be perfect after the play,” Crane explained. “But we can be perfect pre-snap. For us to be successful, we have to line up right and control [Ball].”

Defensively, the Cougars run a four-man front, which coaches believe could be a 4-3 scheme with some 4-2-5 principles. The skill positions on the offense tend to play defense as well, meaning the Cougars will be experienced in their secondary.

“They’re good on defense and they’re very multiple on defense,” Crane scouted. “Their offensive and defensive personalities are the same. They will roll their coverages, they will bring blitzes from every single direction — [they are] very multiple on defense.”

The Apaches didn’t do as good a job running the ball as the coaching staff liked. However, the team will still lean on their offensive line to produce rushing yards while also trying to be more consistent on the passing game.

In the backfield, multiple Apaches lined up and were given carries. Crane admitted they would do the same this week.

“We’re trying to create competition there,” he said, “and we want to see what kid, two kids, three kids, step to the front and take the lead there.”

Kickoff for Thursday’s game is set for 7:30 p.m. at Berger Stadium in Austin.