'Make the breaks': Massillon football readies for test, plus St. Ed's players to watch
MASSILLON— Every year, a coach has a new concept that defines the team's mindset. For Massillon coach Nate Moore, it's an oldie but a goodie that fits the motive for the Tigers season. ‘Make the breaks.’
Those three words were inspired by articles he read that came from Massillon’s storied history.
“That’s a term that you don’t hear a lot these days, and it was brought to my attention reading an article sent to me by Ron Prunty, our film guy,” Moore said. “He keeps me abreast of all things Massillon history, especially things relevant to things that are going on.”
Moore put the term to good use in Game 1 against Valdosta, Ga. after reading a story about the Tigers facing Toledo Waite in Week 1 almost a century ago. It’s another way to tell his players to be aggressive every snap continually and never stop making plays.
The Tigers bought in, starting with inside linebacker and leading tackler Cody Fair.
“Coach Moore told us in Week 1 to ‘make the breaks,’” Fair said. "Turnovers are not just going to happen just from doing every football play. You got to make breaks, make those plays and make it happen.”
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The Tigers are off to a 4-0 start, including a shutout of Elkhart (Ind.) last week. The Tigers have scored 50-plus points the last three games, allowing only an average of 8.5 points a game in that stretch.
The Tigers now face the toughest test of their schedule, St. Edward, winners of the last two Division I state titles. The Eagles are also unbeaten and ranked No. 1 in Ohio in Division I. They are coming off a thrilling road win at Cincinnati Elder last Saturday. The Eagles have been battle-tested each week, and like Massillon, they've played some out-of-state opponents as they return to Paul Brown Tiger Stadium for the second straight year. The Tigers knocked them off last year.
“Anytime you play a team like this, you have to play really, really well,” Moore said. “Especially as you work your way up. The difference between really good teams and great teams is up front, and St. Ed's is no exception to that. They are great up front on both sides of the ball and we have to be great on both sides of the ball. We got to beat them where they are at.”
“There’s a ton of factors that go into that. We don’t necessarily have a hard and fast set plan. We’re going to adjust as things unfold, but the end goal — it doesn’t matter who is at quarterback. It’s more about points to win football games. That’s our concern.
What St. Ed's coach Tom Lombardo says about Massillon
Tom Lombardo's Eagles are focused on the Tigers after they gave them their only loss last season.
“I just want our kids to go out there and play tough, hard physical football and compete,” Lombardo said. “The score is going to be what the score is going to be. As long as we do that, I’ll be pleased.”
St. Ed's is strong up front, especially on the offensive line. The front five’s average weight is 298 pounds, and three of their five are Big Ten bound. The matchup will be strength vs. strength considering how well Massillon's defensive front has played. The Eagles are a run-heavy team that averages 165 yards a game. Lombardo is familiar with Massillon’s run defense, which involved the linebacking duo of Cody Fair and Dorian Pringle and the Tigers’ three-man front.
“They are certainly built to stop the run,” Lombardo said. “They like to run the football, so they see them in practice all the time. It’s a tremendous challenge.”
Lombardo also mentions his defense game-planning against Massillon’s two-quarterback scheme of Jalen Slaughter and DaOne Owens. Slaughter is their passing leader, with 392 yards and six TD passes. Owens has gained 667 yards of total offense, accounting for 10 touchdowns. He leads the Tigers with 426 yards on the ground and six rushing TDs
“It’s really tough because it’s not like one of them can only run and one can only throw,” Lombardo said. “I think they both can do a little bit of each. Actually, DaOne is more of the dual-threat guy, but it’s not like he doesn’t throw the football, and Slaughter is more of the thrower, but it’s not like he can’t run. I think you just got to be aware of each guy's strength during the game. ... It’s not like you have to do a whole new game plan or anything like that. They still run their plays."
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St. Edward football players to watch vs. Massillon
Ben Roebuck, Deontae and Devontae Armstrong lead St. Ed's offensive Line
The Eagles offense is built around this offensive line. It features Deontae Armstrong (LT), Devontae Armstrong (LG), Archer Soltis (C), Sawyer Prementine (RG) and Ben Roebuck (RT). The Armstrong twins are Ohio State commit Roebuck is committed to Michigan. All three are ranked in the top 20 in the state, according to 247Sports.com. The line paves the way for a rushing attack averaging of 165 yards a game. Massillon’s front seven will prioritize stopping the run while finding ways to make their presence known in the backfield.
Casey Bullock, quarterback
Bullock (6-1, 205) led St. Ed's to its second straight state title last year as a junior. He’s adual threat, producing 694 yards of total offense. However, he has thrown seven interceptions and just five TD passes. Still, Bullock is an established championship QB. Last week, he went down with an injury, but Lombardo expects the senior quarterback to play Friday.
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Loghan Thomas, defensive end/outside linebacker
Thomas (6-4, 210) has been an impact player after coming from Katy, Texas. Thomas made two sacks against Center Grove (Ind.) during the NE Ohio vs. America showcase in Canton in Week 1. The Notre Dame commit leads the team with seven sacks. Thomas is a four-star prospect who lines up almost anywhere on defense. Massillon’s offensive line will have to be alert. Tigers left tackle Nolan Davenport likely will match up often against Thomas.
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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Massillon football to be tested vs. St. Edward; Nate Moore's message
