Getting set for kickoff
Posted on 27. Aug, 2010 by Brian Porter in '10 Fall Season
The fall football season will open today as Plano meets Garland Lakeview Centennial at John Clark Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
The team had a four-year streak of winning season openers snapped last season at Irving MacArthur. Plano enters the season as one of the state’s winningest programs, holding a 711-311-47 overall record. Coach Jaydon McCullough enters his third season with a 15-9 record and with a chance to become the ninth football coach in school history to record 20 wins.
Following is a glance at how the team might look tonight based on observations from last week’s scrimmage:
Offense
Connor Michelsen returns to lead the team at quarterback in a backfield that will include Rakeem Crawford, Murat Kuzu and Kevin Merrill. The options at receiver include L.J. Ausama, Brandon Hamilton, Steele Hoetger and Clayton Parlin, but expect to see the backs used in the passing game as well.
Kevin Merrill is among three options Plano appears to have at halfback. / Jay DiNucci
The starting offensive line in last week’s scrimmage included center Clayton Bennett, guards Lee Skinner and Eric Kim, tackles Eric Chase and Darron Shannon, with Sam Leavitt and Sam Parks as options at tight end.
Chris Moore appeared to be the choice at placekicker and Hoetger at punter.
Defense
The starting defensive front included tackles Arthur Skinner and Taylor May with Xavier Harbert and Dwayne Hicks at the ends. The starting linebacking group was Ben Laures in the middle with Kent Bateman and Matt Johnson at the strong and weakside positions. But, like on the offensive line, the team has plenty of options and flexibility among its front seven.
The secondary includes safeties Collin Brence and Sam Morell. Blair Burns will start at one cornerback position and the other will be played by either Kobie Douglas or Austin Hall.
