by Jason Strunk
Lubbock High School Head Football Coach
Follow @WestTXCoach
After six games, all pre-season games, if you will, the Westerners open up district play this week at Abilene Cooper. It’s another three hour trip for us. Three hour trips are the norm this year. I am just thankful we haven’t been stranded at one of these stops like the Gilligan Island cast who set sail on a three hour tour.
Anyway, it was critical for us to come away with a win last week. That gives us some momentum heading into district play. We needed that. Winning is always good. Hopefully we can get on a roll.
So we are spending the week getting ready for the Cougars, a solid football team, who has played a tough schedule. Their lone win came against Midland Lee, if that gives you any kind of an idea of the caliber of schedule they have played. We need to come out and play like we did last week. Limit the mistakes and turnovers. We need to give ourselves a shot!
PLAYING YOUNG
Every young guy we brought up last week contributed to the win in a big way. It’s nice seeing the program develop from the ground up. We have really done a good job building the numbers up and developing young talent. Having these sophomores contribute so early on the varsity level is a good thing.
THE DEFENSE
I feel the defense has played better the last three weeks. The problem has been turnovers and poor field position by our offense. The defense has been physical. We gave up 228 yards against Borger. We will take that.
Steven Duke, Alex Orsa, Jacob Medrano and Don Jackson really played well last week. DC Nate Jephcott has done a real good job keeping things together. The entire defensive staff deserves some credit for keeping us in games. Good stuff!
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sophomore QB Dae Dae Morgan was named the Avalanche Journal‘s Athlete of the Week for his performance against Borger. He threw for one TD and ran for another two. God job by the Soph.
RANDOMNESS
– Coach Martin’s dad, Mr. Nitram, did us a solid at Borger. He picked up burritos in Amarillo and delivered them to us in Borger. Wow. They were good! Thanks Mr. Nitram!
Lubbock players enjoy burritos on Borger bus ride courtesy of Coach Brandt Martin’s father.
– Neal Tull is a member of the Polar Bear Club, The Hawaiian Chapter.
– Ryan Huber is automatic on FG’s. He is a weapon!
– Coaches are human. Aside from spending every waking hour at the office, we have a life away from football. We all have issues, families and things we like to do when away. We are human. Don’t ever forget that fact.
On to Abilene Cooper. Need to keep getting better. The games count now!
FIO.
Lubbock Westerner assistant coach Brandt Martin “celebrates” Friday’s win over Borger.
Coach Strunk says a pep talk from the Westerner Student Section helped the team against Borger.
