Jays offense to be tested against Rockhurst

Jefferson City safety Ryan Brooks tackles Cornell Young IV of Kirkwood during a Week 2 game at Kirkwood.

One team kept the Jefferson City offense from reaching the end zone last season: Rockhurst.

"They don't give up points to anybody," Jefferson City coach Ted LePage said.

Rockhurst (5-3), ranked 10th in Class 6 in this week's Missouri Media Rankings, enters tonight's game at Adkins Stadium allowing just 17.5 points per game. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

Even in their three losses, the Hawklets' defense has held up.

C.B.C., which scored 35 first-half points against the Jays in Week 7, didn't score any offensive points in the first half in last week's 28-3 win at Rockhurst.

The Cadets were able to move the ball in the first half, but their three drives ended in punts.

C.B.C. had a deep throw to Cameron Brown broken up on its first drive and had an illegal man down field penalty negate a 21-yard touchdown to Brown.

"Rockhurst is kind of a famine, famine, feast defense," LePage said. "They may stop you for no gain, stop you for now gain, stop you for no gain, but when you have an opportunity to make a big play you've got to make it."

Christian White may be the best option during those opportunities.

The junior receiver has had back-to-back 100-yard performances after totaling 114 yard in the first six games of the season.

"I think he's putting it out on the practice field," LePage said. "Anytime you watch a guy and you see he's putting it out on the practice field and he watches himself on film and he starts self-correcting, you're going to get improvement. He keeps building and building and building."

White has benefited from the Jays spreading it out and passing more after being predominantly a running team the first four week of the season.

Quarterback Devin Roberson has completed 52 percent of his passes and his averaging about 200 passing yards in the past four games. But LePage said Roberson is taking too many sacks, and the rushing numbers have suffered as a result.

Roberson hasn't run for more than 16 yards in the past three games after averaging about 60 yards per game in the first five contests.

In last week's 31-14 win against Battle, Roberson was sacked on second-and-goal and the Jays ended up turning it over on downs. Jefferson City also had a fumble in the red zone.

"I thought at times we moved the ball extremely well on them, so that lets me know that we're executing," LePage said, "but the thing we didn't do last Friday night is finish. Those drives let us know we've got a lot of work to do."

But last week's win did break a four-game losing streak for the Jays, and LePage said that's led to the players doing more work on their own.

"I think last week we studied so much film and we knew what they were going to do and our players got confidence from that, this week they wanted to even watch more film," he said. "We came in on Monday and watched film, and a lot of the players had already watched film."

Like last season, a lot of the film is of Rockhurst running back Brady McCanles, who led the Hawklets to a 260-yard rushing performance against the Jays last season.

The Jays don't want to lose sight of where McCanles lines up in the formation, so the scout team had a player wearing a No. 38 jersey during practice.

"You've got to recognize where he's at," LePage said. "A lot of their offense goes through him. If you recognize where he's at, we at least know we have a running start."

McCanles leads a Rockhurst offense that averages about 24 points per game, a number somewhat misleading because of the pace Rockhurst runs its offense. Last season's state semifinal team averaged 23 points per contest.

"The biggest thing with them is you have to stop the first down runs," LePage said. "If coach (Tony) Severino can run the ball on first down, he's going to run it and he's going to continue to wear you out and he's got a great play-action pass package."

Jefferson City defended the run well last week, holding Battle to under 50 yards. The defensive front seven also helped against the pass, recording five sacks. Three of the sacks were by the defensive line.

"We thought that could be a strength for us and it has," LePage said. "Some of the teams that we've played have been extremely good on the offensive line, and Rockhusrt is another one. All six of those guys for the four positions have played phenomenal."

The Hawklets have two the of largest offensive tackles the Jays will see in seniors Jack Murphy (6-foot-9, 275 pounds) and Danielson Ike (6-6, 300).

"This week is going to be a task," LePage said. "This week the size they are going to see, they are just ginormous. It's going to be tough, but if they read their keys and stay in their gaps, they have a chance."

III

LePage said it'll be a game-time decision on whether defensive tackle Erick Schwarz, who's third on the team with 8.5 tackles for loss, will play tonight with a shoulder injury. J.D. Barnes will be out with a concussion.