Sports Buzz: School Of Hard Knocks Stops Boyd

Veteran Copperas Cove football coach Jack Welch has developed quite a program.

Despite losing the majority of his offense from a team that defeated McKinney Boyd by 22 points in the regional semifinals of the 4A playoff last season, he simply reloaded with a hard-nosed, fast, well-coached group of players that came to Ron Poe Stadium on Friday night and did it again.

Cove lined up in the I-formation with a strong, athletic group of linemen and running backs and proceeded to hand Boyd a 42-14 defeat, the Broncos’ first of the 2008 season after two wins.

Cove also gave Boyd a reality check.

Both programs have moved up to 5A this season. Boyd’s entry into the brutal district portion of its schedule won’t begin for another two weeks. But as the visiting Bulldawgs plowed through the middle of Boyd’s defense for 377 rushing yards it became apparent that the Broncos need to improve their defensive front in order to stay competitive with some of the bigger, stronger teams that they’ll face on this level.

"They’re a class 5A football team," Boyd coach Don Drake said after the game. "And by class, I mean they’re really good."

Boyd defensive coordiantor Gary Smith said before the game that Copperas Cove had one of the best offensive lines he’s seen on the high school level, and darned if Cove didn’t go out and show everyone.

In some respects, the game was closer than the score indicated. Boyd turned the ball over twice deep in Cove territory, and Broncos QB Daryn Alves accounted for 310 yards (208 of them passing). However, unlike against most teams Boyd plays, Alves couldn’t escape the pass rush nearly every time like usual. Cove grabbed him and pulled him to the ground, unlike most teams’ wailing arms that grasp for Alves.

Drake told his players on the field after the game that they had to punch the ball in the end zone, improve their red-zone efficiency, in order to beat good teams like they’ll see on their schedule.

Not that there weren’t some bright spots. Defensive back Parker Boleneus forced and grabbed a couple of Copperas Cove fumbles. Tight end Cameron Maser racked up 114 receiving yards. And someone in the press box commented that right tackle Jeremy Raine had a couple of incredible blocks on some athletic Cove linebackers.

But in the end, it was what it was: an early season reality check. A game to build on. A game that will be long forgotten if taken and used the right way, to learn from.

Boyd’s seen plenty of fast teams. What it hasn’t seen is too many teams with great speed and great size and strength.

See, the Planos, Plano Wests and Allens of the world are coming when the ultra-tough District 8-5A schedule arrives in two weeks, and Boyd got an eye-opening look at what will be required to hang with them.