DEFENSE HOGS THE SPOTLIGHT FOR NITRO
AGAINST DUPONT
Publication: THE
Published: 11/21/1997
Page: P1B
Headline: DEFENSE HOGS THE SPOTLIGHT FOR NITRO AGAINST DUPONT
Byline: RICK RYAN
Want to know the real key to success for Nitro this weekend?
You know J.R. House, that
kid with 7,960 career yards and 69 touchdown
passes for the Wildcats? Well, forget about him.
Defense -
and not the team's well-documented passing exploits -
figures to tip the balance on Saturday when Nitro squares off with
DuPont in a quarterfinal game of the Class AAA playoffs. Kickoff comes
at 1:30 p.m. at Laidley Field.
The winner advances to the
state semifinals next weekend against the
Huntington-North Marion survivor.
But in order to pass this
week's test, the Wildcats aren't concerning
themselves with how DuPont defends their passes. Robert Burdette,
coach of third-seeded Nitro (9-1), believes defense will provide the
difference against the sixth-seeded Panthers (9-2).
"We're worried more
about what they do offensively,' Burdette said.
"Defense is the key for us to win the game. We have to shut down their
running game.'
And when you talk about the
Panthers' ground game, you begin with
Tremain Straughter. The
junior tailback has rushed for 1,612 yards and
22 touchdowns. His 93-yard scoring burst against Brooke set the tone
for DuPont in its 35-13 opening-round playoff victory.
"That was a thing of
beauty,' Burdette said.
"I know their
quarterback can throw, but even Dick Whitman will tell
you that if they can run the ball, that's what he'd rather do.'
Whitman, DuPont's head
coach, backed Burdette's analysis.
"I wouldn't disagree
with him one bit,' Whitman said. "I think how
our offense does against their defense is a key thing.'
The two teams have already
met once, with Nitro capturing a 36-23
victory on Oct. 24 in Belle.
DuPont was able to move the
ball in that game - just not as well as
Nitro. The Panthers picked up 15 first downs to the Wildcats' 25 and
finished with 322 yards of offense (228 rushing, 94 passing). Not bad,
but not nearly as much at Nitro, which racked up 511 yards (409
passing, 102 rushing).
"Coming out of the
first game,' Whitman said, "one thing we know is
that we can't turn the ball over like we did.'
DuPont threw four
interceptions and lost two of four fumbles,
turnovers that helped wipe out a 23-14 Panther lead late in the third
quarter.
"It was a pretty good
game for three quarters until we turned it over
and they capitalized,' Whitman said. "That's
something you can't do
this time of the year - in the playoffs. You have to keep your
mistakes to a minimum.'
Neither coach expects much
of a change in strategy for this contest,
despite the fact the traction will be much improved at Laidley
Field.
When the teams met last month, the game was played in cool weather, at
night, with intermittent rain.
"No, the turf doesn't
figure into it as far as the gameplan,' Whitman
said. "It's that other team you have to consider.
"There are a few
things, some minor things we've looked at. I'm sure
they'll make some minor adjustments as well. When you get the chance
to play somebody a second time, you make some adjustments, but no
major changes. Number one, you don't have much time [to change] and
second, each team's played 11, 12 games. You stay with what you do
best.'
Burdette expects his team
"won't change at all - on both sides of the
ball. We'll make adjustments during the game like anyone else,' he
said.
"There are no new
schemes because of where you play. But there may be
adjustments because of who you play.'
---
Advance tickets for the
game remain on sale today at both schools.
Tickets will be sold at
DuPont from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and at Nitro from
10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Advanced tickets are priced
at $5 for adults and $4 for students. All
tickets at the gate on Saturday are $5.50.