Taking Tompkins Down
Katy moved a step closer to completing a perfect district record in a 42-22 win over Tompkins at Rhodes Stadium. Katy has encountered a similar pattern in district games against the top half of 19-6A this season with competitive games into the thrid quarter before the Tigers pull away late. Tompkins followed the pattern overall. Explosive runs and defensive interceptions gave Katy the winning edge. Photo by Reyna Photo.
Katy established itself on defense immediately after Tompkins received the opening kick and converted a couple of first downs to move the football into Katy’s half of the field. Sophomores David Olotu-Judah and Colt Venier bracketed Tompkin’s speedy WR Hamilton down the middle of the field, and Olotu-Judah intercepted the pass and was able to return it with a nice cushion for the offense to take its first possession of the game.
Afer Katy made a quarterback switch against Paetow, I expected the Tigers to continue with Hartwell as the starter against Tompkins. He had been relegated to a back-up role until the moment against Paetow when he was given full control of the offense for the first time. With off-season to plan, I expected there would be a firm idea for how the situation would play out in terms of a potential in-season switch. Instead, it was Franklin who started again and a 2 series rotation was implemented. Franklin got the first two series, and then Hartwell took the next two. The rotation continued for the whole game. This is what I expected to see from the start in the first game against Dickinson, so the team could figure out which direction things might go earlier. Ultimately, Franklin had the gig and has started every game.
A QB Rotation Controversy?
Since I’ve been paying attention (1992), I’ve only seen Katy manage two varsity QBs a few times over a season. The only time I’ve seen Katy go wire-to-wire with a true rotation was 2004 with Jared Gayhart and Andy Dalton. In 2009, Katy switched from a senior Mike Stojkovic to Brooks Haack (then a sophomore) in the state semifinals. That was the most bizarre QB situation I’ve seen at Katy in terms of how it played out. In 2013, a sophomore Garrett Doiron ended up replacing Kiley Huddleston (a senior). Those are some more prominent examples, but only 2004 was an actual rotation where the job wasn’t won outright.
Rotating is something that’s rarely ever done at any level of football and for good reason in my view. I’m of the opinion that two quarterbacks equals none. The rhythm is too easily disrupted, and an offense needs to commit one direction to stabilize the situation. It takes a truly unique set of circumstances and complimentary skillsets for rotation to be viable. In addition, the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach (when they aren’t the same person) must expertly weave it together in a way that benefits a team and won’t disrupt chemistry. These are two major reasons why quarterback rotation rarely is done. It adds layers of complication.
Now that I’ve addressed the elephant in the room, Katy was paced by explosive runs this night against Tompkins. Trey Hill got started early with a big run down the Falcons 4 to set up his own touchdown plunge from close to open Katy’s scoring at 7-0. Tompkins tied it up on its next drive after a reverse pass by WR Hamilton, 7-7.
Enter Big Mo
Katy RB Tony Manuel lost a fumble on the next possession and Tompkins was set up in Katy’s half of the field now into the second quarter. David Olotu-Judah made his second interception for an 86 yard pick 6 when the Falcon quarterback overshot his intended receiver into the waiting arms of DOJ, who made no mistake on the return to paydirt. Katy led 14-7. This was the defensive play of the game and the biggest momentum turn in the game. Katy had just turned the ball over, and who knows what form the game takes if Tompkins takes a lead, but thanks to a heads up play by Olotu-Judah fortune went Katy’s way.
The team’s traded punts before Caleb Walters made a great interception off a tipped ball around midfield. Walters started this game at cornerback opposite Olotu-Judah. Katy took over with Mason Hartwell converting a key fourth down with his legs before Trey Hill punched in his second touchdown to give Katy a 21-7 lead. Colt Venier blocked a Falcon field goal before half to preserve the 14-point lead going into the locker room.
In the second half, Katy started with the ball but went four and out. Franklin started the third quarter at quarterback for Katy to continue the two series rotation. The Katy defense, through a sack by Obeta, stopped Tompkins. Katy, with Franklin under center, put a nice drive together in response that was capped by a CJ Watts TD run. Katy led 28-7.
Falcons down, not out
Tompkins responded with a drive of its own. They gashed Katy with a QB run on zone read to get going. Katy’s run fits on the zone read were off for most of the game and more damage could have been done by the Falcons there. The Tompkins tight end #0 caught the touchdown pass on an RPO pop-style play where the QB rode in the fake to the RB and popped the pass over the top of Katy to score. The tight end was the player most available for Tompkins throughout the game. The lead was cut to 28-15. Katy went three and out on offense, so Tompkins had a chance to cut the game to one score.
Tompkins had the ball in Katy territory before Reid Garrelts made a one-handed tipped interception by dropping into coverage. This was the second biggest defensive play of the night after the earlier DOJ pick 6. Katy scored in response through Tony Manuel to extend the lead back out to 35-15. The Falcons continued to push and got Katy’s secondary disorganized on the next drive. Tompkins star #2 Hamilton got his first big play of the night and good QB play got them into the endzone to pull it back to 35-22. Katy’s offense responded with tough running to set the final margin at 42-22. Caleb Walters had another pick 6 called back for a hold during the return, his second nullified TD in two weeks. Katy ran out the clock with the ball.
So what’s the takeaway?
Tompkins gave Katy a good look with their offense for playoff preparation. I was worried about the match-up with Hamilton in particular, but Katy did a great job with him overall. The main thing to work on defensively are taking care of the details in coverage, which Katy managed well for the most part, and examining the run fits against the zone read. Often, Katy had no one accounting for the quarterback. Garrelts made one play late against a zone read and MLB is who I would expect most of the time to be the man responsible for the QB, but Katy might have had a different idea than having Garrelts be the guy every time that just wasn’t executed.
I’m not a fan of juggling quarterbacks and obviously that’s an opinion. However, I back the players 100% and believe Franklin and Hartwell are doing their best. Neither guy can really get in a rhythm when the opponent moves the ball decently and QBs are rotating. The decision rests with the coaches 100%, so it is on the staff to make the rotation work in a way that helps the team. As I outlined above, it is extremely difficult to do and that’s why 99% of the time a decision is made to commit one way. I look at the situation through a lens of what is going to put the team in the best position to play beyond Thanksgiving and would like to think the fieldhouse view is the same.
One more game…
This is snobbery, but I’m not really bothered by what it looks like against Katy ISD. Katy knows very well what is waiting in the playoffs and that winning in today’s Region 3 requires scoring at least 35 points against high caliber football teams. Katy’s going to be in a game where the running game is limited and the quarterback must make plays to get you going or even win you a game where the opponent is scoring 35+. I don’t think you want to be in a rotation at that point. Since the coaches clearly have signaled their intent by responding to what happened against Paetow with a rotation against Tompkins, where I thought they were ready to give Hartwell the controls, they must make it work going forward.
