Bulldogs' defense looks to bring down 'wall' on Tigers

MOKANE - The clash between the South Callaway Bulldogs' unyielding run defense and the Lamar Tigers' unique offensive attack will be a prominent story line in Saturday's Class 2 state title game.

South Callaway has been almost impenetrable against the run all season, giving up just 71.9 yards per game on the ground. However, the Bulldogs have squeezed that average down to 47 yards in their last three playoff victories, including a 27-2 semifinal win at Palmyra last Saturday in which they surrendered only 63 yards rushing.

South Callaway head coach Tim Rulo explained that constructing a defensive barricade along the line of scrimmage has been the Bulldogs' "recipe for success" in repressing the run game.

"We do a great job of fitting up in the holes we're supposed to fit up," Rulo said after practice Tuesday night. "To us, it's about building a wall. People don't always understand that because there are different types of holes that happen in walls, or holes that happen horizontally where two guys are set apart and we've got to have guys fit up.

"But there also holes that happen vertically, where if a guy gets too far upfield, that allows for people to cut through. ... In that wall, we're going to make it very difficult, we're going to limit where the running backs can go, then we're going to flood our guys in through those gaps to make the tackles."

That approach will be put to the test by a Lamar offense that "runs almost 90 percent of the time" out of a double-wing formation. The Tigers' alignment will also feature a pair of quarterbacks - seniors Tripp Tucker and Derek Henderson - standing next to each other in the shotgun, with the option to snap the ball to either one.

Lamar averages a stunning 397.7 yards rushing, with Tucker at the forefront with 1,462 yards (7.5 average) and 22 touchdowns. Tucker gained 106 yards and ran for a touchdown, while also throwing for 80 yards and a score in the Tigers' 28-2 semifinal triumph over Malden last Saturday, according to the game story in the Joplin Globe.

"He's the guy who's going to be the main man," Rulo said of Tucker. "We know where he normally lines up, that's not hard, but the idea is that you have to make sure that you're ready for what he brings to the table."

Junior Danny Embry and sophomore Anthony Wilkerson will operate out of the wingback spots for the Tigers. Embry has rushed for 806 yards (8.9 average) and 11 touchdowns, while Wilkerson has 516 yards (10.8 average) and 10 scores.

Another sophomore, Luke Hardman, has picked up 592 yards (9.5 average) and has 11 touchdowns.

"They all, honestly, kind of look like mirror images of each other," Rulo said. "They have the ability to break the long one, but they're all physical, they have good ball security."

With a lot of shifting going on with Lamar's two quarterbacks and spinning by its wingbacks, Rulo emphasized that South Callaway's defense can't allow itself to be distracted by all of the motion.

"It can cause some confusion," Rulo said. "Basically, it's a lot of window dressing for the same basic plays - they run isos (isolation), they run sweep, they run reverse, basic football plays that anyone else runs.

"... That's something that we really have been stressing on and we practiced (Tuesday) as we repped through the plays, just getting our guys to train their eyes and not get caught looking in the backfield with all of these guys spinning around."

Meanwhile, the matchup will be equally compelling on the flip side as the Bulldogs' offense - averaging 384.4 yards - squares off against a Tigers defensive unit that Rulo said "people don't give enough credit."

Junior linebacker Jed Stahl tops Lamar with 110 tackles and also has two sacks, while senior linebacker Johnny Brooks has 64 tackles, two interceptions and a sack. Senior Brett McDonald - directing the Tigers' secondary at free safety - has a team-high four interceptions to go with 65 tackles and a sack.

Senior defensive end Trenton Mooney paces Lamar with three sacks and has also logged 42 tackles and an interception.

"To me, you focus on the (Tigers') offense, it's different; their defense might seem a little more vanilla compared to their offense," Rulo said. "I'm really impressed with their defense ... and how fundamentally sound they are.

"They don't do anything flashy, they run a 4-3 (scheme). They man up across the top and they get after it. They read and react, they rip off blocks, they go make tackles, they run to the ball pretty well."

South Callaway has its own potent running attack - producing 288.3 yards per game - that it wants to showcase Saturday. The Bulldogs accumulated 242 yards on the ground against Palmyra, sparked by senior slot receiver Cory Hanger's game-high 178-yard effort.

With points possibly hard to come by Saturday, Rulo stressed the importance of cashing in on chances when they present themselves.

"We're going to have to make sure that we move the ball well," Rulo said. "We want to keep focusing on having good field position. If we have to punt, it needs to be a great punt.

"But then when we have an opportunity to score, whether it be a short field position or just getting that drive set up, we've got to go and take advantage of that. We're going to have to figure out how to make sure we stretch the field a little bit."

Ryan Boland can be reached at (573) 826-2422, or by email at [email protected].