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Plano surprises Wylie, 27-20

Posted on 02. Oct, 2009 by Brian Porter in Varsity

 WYLIE — In poker this would have been a master bluff. A secret switch at quarterback and transition back to a Plano offense of old was played so close to the vest even Friday’s game announcer didn’t pick it up.

“It was a big surprise,” said Murat Kuzu. “They called me by a different name and I had a different number.”

Plano went 'old school' with its offense behind Murat Kuzu. It had been since Bryce Ryan for one game in 2004 that a Plano quarterback wore a single digit number. Plano quarterbacks have predominantly worn numbers in the 20s.

Kuzu surprised Wylie by starting at quarterback in a new option offensive scheme and by the time they adapted Plano had a large enough margin to ride to a 27-20 victory at Pirate Stadium.

Plano (2-4, 1-1 in District 8-5A) picked up its first district victory and with the win is right back in the playoff picture. Wylie (2-4, 0-2) remains winless in district play.

“I thought about it today. Coach (Tom) Kimbrough used to switch players’ numbers,” Plano coach Jaydon McCullough said. “They couldn’t figure it out.”

Kuzu practiced as the starting quarterback all week and Plano did the work to transition to the option game. Even in the pregame, Plano disguised that Kuzu was the starter. And he had worn No. 32, making a 69-yard touchdown run, in the prior game.

“I didn’t think Murat looked good as a quarterback in No. 32,” McCullough said.

Kuzu completed a pair of touchdown passes to Robert Robinson in the first half and compiled 236 total yards as Plano rode a 24-7 halftime advantage to victory.

“He did this in the scrimmage and we hope he keeps doing this,” Robinson said. “We want him to keep Plano rolling. We got it done tonight.”

Robinson had his best career game as he hauled in five passes for 88 yards and added another 49 yards rushing. He scored on a 31-yard pass from Kuzu with 3:04 remaining in the first quarter to put Plano up, 10-0. Robinson came back to catch an 8-yard pass from Kuzu with 36 seconds left in the first half to put Plano up by three scores.

Robert Robinson had 137 total yards and two touchdowns to go along with five receptions in his best career game.

Wylie’s Noah Cheshier, who rushed for a pair of scores and passed for another, helped narrow the early deficit. After Robinson’s grab put Plano up, 10-0, he scored on a 16-yard run just 31 seconds into the second quarter.

Kevin Merrill broke off a 20-yard touchdown run to equalize the score and Robinson’s second touchdown catch extended the lead.

Grant Pierce converted field goals from 31 and 35, the second to put Plano up, 27-7.

Cheshier then led Wylie back. He completed a 28-yard touchdown pass to Jermaine Murdock to narrow the lead to 27-14 with 1:19 left in the fourth quarter.

But Wylie was becoming its worst enemy. It was moving the ball on the ground, but also moving the clock quite quickly.

Then a high snap on a punt resulted in a short field. Cheshier broke into the end zone again on a five-yard run with 4:13 left and the lead was trimmed to a single touchdown.

Wylie had one last shot inside the final two minutes, but Plano seemed to have them stopped. A third down pass was broken up by Collin Brence, but a personal foul penalty extended the drive. Alex LaButis dropped Cheshier for an 11-yard loss four plays later on another key third down and Cheshier’s final pass fell incomplete.

Tags: Alex LaButis, Collin Brence, Grant Pierce, Kevin Merrill, Murat Kuzu, Robert Robinson, Tom Kimbrough, Wylie