What's Up With Wills? Why Trinity Won't Win State

By Todd Wills It's two seasons now that Plano and Trinity have given us a thrilling ending to a huge playoff game. Plano-Trinity I, last year's 30-27 double overtime win for the Trojans, was just a precursor to Plano-Trinity II, which was settled in 48 minutes, but equally as exciting, another edge-of-your-seat game, only I saw this one from the field and not the press box. Of course last year's game was a little deeper into the season, a state semifinal game that was almost guaranteed to produce a state champion. And Trinity did beat Converse Judson for the title. Saturday's was a second-round game that after watching it up close was played between two good teams, but not two great teams. That's right, you're reading it correctly, Trinity, a 35-28 winner over Plano, won't win a state title this year. At least I'm not convinced after Saturday. Here's where I'm coming from: Plano's offense was basically a mirror image of last year's. The same key cast with Carson Meger-Rex Burkhead-Kris Lott with an offensive line that wasn't as talented as last year's. Plano hung up four touchdowns, but lost this game because this year's defense wasn't close to last year's. The Wildcats tried to fix that by playing Rex Burkhead on at least 30 plays on defense, but he played too far from the line of scrimmage and wasn't shaded over to the right side of the field, where Trinity completed all of its big pass plays, to make as big an impact as he could have. Burkhead did have a clutch interception, but he should have been put in more of a position to make plays. Trinity's back seven and overall defense isn't nearly as good or physical as last year. Plano got to the edges much easier Saturday. Trinity made some nice adjustments in the second half to slow down the Plano running game, the Trojans had no answer for Lott, who had nine catches but could have had an even bigger impact with a few more touches. I have always been lukewarm to Trinity coach Steve Lineweaver even with his state titles - probably because of the fake punt against Carroll in '06 and not taking a knee last year against Plano - but I came around Saturday. He was aggressive all day and kept going vertical against the Plano defense. I thought Trinity's play calling was outstanding. I write that Trinity won't win a state title, but with Allen quarterback Matt Brown's injury that might make me temper my opinion. Permian will eventually be in the way for Trinity and won't that be a huge game. In the end, I don't think this Trinity team is near as good as last year, but maybe the Trojans don't have to be. GAME OF THE WEEK - Highland Park (11-1) vs. Midway (11-1), 2 p.m., Friday, Corsicana's Tiger Stadium This is a tough call with Carter-Longview, Allen-Permian and Wylie-Arlington Bowie on deck this week. Brown's injury for Allen was the deciding factor on going with Highland Park-Midway. Midway, if you've read this column this year, is the most complete 4A team I've seen this year. The Panthers can run it behind a physical offensive line, they can pass it with some big play guys and they can flat out run on defense. MIdway will put up a bunch of points against a suspect Highland Park defense. Now, can Midway's defense slow down the Scots. Midway has one of the best safeties in the nation, Ahmad Dixon. Will he be enough? Expect a capacity crowd of 10,001 at Tiger Stadium on Friday afternoon. Get to Corsicana early. HOT TEAMS Everman. We've joked all year about Everman, "Just win baby." Because that's all this program has done under Dale Keeling for over a decade now. Everman's latest win came over an undefeated Aledo team that knew the Bulldogs well. An 8-4 Big Spring team should hardly provide much resistance to Everman this week. Skyline. The Raiders have recovered from their loss to Lake Highlands and are a win away from matching last year's playoff success. It was a tremendous move to get Reginald Samples over to Skyline. He's a winner. Carter. The Cowboys have gotten a lot of attention the last two weeks because of Brad Townsend's terrific series in The Dallas Morning News about the 1988 Carter team, the best high school football team I've ever seen. This year's Cowboys are handling the pressure well. A tough one coming up Saturday vs. Longview. VYPE HOT TEN TEAMS Each week we will rank the area teams in order of who has the best chance to win a state championship: 1. Euless Trinity (12-0). I'm less convinced Trinity will repeat after they beat Plano. 2. Carter (12-0). Can't look to far ahead and worry about matching the '88 team. 3. Everman (11-0). Just win baby -- I'd hate to be Big Spring this week. 4. Allen (11-1). The Eagles are snake bit with their QBs getting hurt in the playoffs. 5. Highland Park (11-1). Midway will be tough to handle. 6. Wylie (9-2). The Pirates will have to win another close one against Arlington Bowie. 7. Ennis (10-1) The Lions have a hot opponent in Rockwall-Heath. 8. Rockwall-Heath (11-1). I'm picking Ennis to take Heath out this week. Prosper (11-1). Prosper known for more than Deion Sanders' mansion right now. Garland (11-1). Always has the talent to make a run. VYPE HOT 10 TOPICS -- ONLINE 1. I always start out with Plano, so I'll do it one last time today. It's hard to believe we won't see Rex Burkhead play in another high school game after playing in 51 one over the last four years. Then there's receiver Kris Lott, who didn't get the ball enough last week despite nine catches. I really didn't get quarterback Carson Meger's quote to The Dallas Morning News' Matt Wixon last week about Burkhead and Lott, "They help my stats." Seemed like a poor choice of words going into a big game. But Meger played what I thought was one of his best games of his career against Trinity. I wonder if the fact that he was playing so well lulled Plano into staying conventional on offense in the second half instead of running the option and using the "Wild Hog" offense that worked well in the first half. But it wasn't Meger's fault. He had some key drops and Plano really struggled to sustain a drive after tying the game at 28-28. 2. Speaking of Wixon, I have to give him kudos for his reporting on quarterback Matt Brown's injury and how it might effect Allen's state title chances. Wixon called Brown and got the news from Brown himself. I commend Brown for his honesty and describing the injury, "I can't barely move it at all," Brown told Wixon. No reporter, Matt, myself, or anyone else would have gotten this answer from anyone else. When Allen coach Tom Westerberg was asked after Saturday's night game about Brown, who was reported to be wearing a sling, Westerberg's response was, "He played well." It's time for high school football coaches to move out of the stone ages and realize with message boards, cell phones, VYPE magazine and good reporters like Wixon, trying to hide Brown's injury from Odessa Permian is a waste of energy and time. There are some things coaches can still control, but this isn't one of them. Brown is a high profile player on a high profile team. And he has a cell phone. There is a reason why a program like Allen hasn't won a state title yet, and it's not just being snakebit, which they have been now in the 2006 playoffs with Nathan Dick getting hurt of the first offensive play of the game against Carroll and now possibly with Brown. Allen is too worried about the outside. The Eagles have great players and great coaches. Just go win. 3. Lost in the shuffle of Trinity-Plano and Brown's injury was a thriller played between Wylie and Hebron also at Texas Stadium. It ended with a 31-28 Wylie win over the Hawks. I got to talk to Wylie coach Bill Howard after the game and he was in tears, and well he should be, he has taken this Pirates' program and made them an immediate winner at the 5A level. "This is just a great, great feeling," Howard said. Great, great game for Pirates quarterback Jerod Monk. He made a great fake on the 63-yard touchdown pass to Noah Cheshier on third-and-nine to give Wylie the lead in the fourth quarter. Wylie kicker Zac Ohannessian had a chance to win the game with a 49-yard field at the end of regulation and had enough leg but it was wide right. In overtime he drilled a 36-yarder for the winner. Wylie will have its hands full with Arlington Bowie this week, but I like the Pirates in a close game. 4. Just think, all four 8-5A teams -- Wylie Allen, Plano and Plano West -- could very easily still be alive in the playoffs. Wylie and Allen of course are. Plano just needed to score on one of three possessions with the game tied at 28-28 to beat Trinity. Plano West of course is still living with the sting of blowing a 28-0 lead. 5. Outside of the playoffs, the most intriguing story going right now is whether or not Johnny Ringo will be back to coach Plano East. A few of my sources are telling me that a case is already being made by some inside Plano ISD to try to get Ringo out. I've heard one rumor that one strike against Ringo is that he missed some practices. I went to over 30 Plano East practices over three years covering the Panthers and I can say that was Ringo was always on the practice field. In fact, he was coaching running backs several times. There is also the fact Ringo lives in Coppell, and that seems to be a strike against him in the eyes of some critics. Look, Ringo went 1-9 this season. Plano athletic director Gerald Brence went 0-10 in 2005 at Plano. I've made this case once before, and I'll make it again, just based on that alone, there can't be a chance. Ringo deserves another year. 6. On to playoff picks, in 5A Division I, I still like Allen in Region I, provided Brown can play this week. If not, I'll go with Permian to beat Allen and then Trinity in the regional final. I lean more and more to Garland in Region II. In 5A Division II, I still like Wylie in Region I and Lake Highlands in Region II to make it the state semifinals. 7. In 4A Division I, I'll go with Denton Guyer to win Region I and I'm still taking Waco Midway in Region II. This Region II bracket suddenly is the premier final four in the state with Midway vs. Highland Park and Carter vs. Longview. In 4A Division II, I'm staying with Everman in Region I and Denison In Region II. 8. Corsicana is home to some great playoff games this weekend with Highland Park-Midway and Carter-Longview getting top billing. Plus Alto vs. Mart and Rockdale vs. Carthage will be played at three-year old Tiger Stadium. Credit location and a nice stadium with making Tiger Stadium a top playoff draw. Locals are saying that the seven playoff games -- including last year's 2A Division II state title final won by Farmersville over Tatum on overtime -- that Tiger Stadium hosted last year brought in $1.3 million to the local economy. And Tiger Stadium will have hosted eight games after this week. 9. I had a fun Saturday watching Plano-Trinity on the sideline and sending text reports of the game to Rex Burkhead's father, Rick, who was in Boston for Harvard-Yale -- his oldest son played for Harvard in the 10-0 win in the big game. Rick was unable to get Internet service in Boston for some reason, so he needed updates and knew wife Robyn would be too involved in the game to want to deal with texting her husband. It was a first here to report to provide commentary by text. 10. Teams that play after Thanksgiving have truly accomplished something. I've always believed it's a bigger goal than making the playoffs with four teams making it now. Play after Thanksgiving, a you'll have a real shot at the title. THE RANDOMNESS THAT IS ME The Cowboys' defense has really stepped up and holding San Francisco to field goals early in the game was huge. The offense also got revved up as Terrell Owens had a big game. I'm basically a T.O. fan, though his self-serving interview from Deion Sanders could have killed the Cowboys' season. Instead, Owens lived up to his ability and made plays. Personally, I'm tiring of the whole Owens soap opera and seeing the Giants win without Plaice Burrs just convinces me more of this being Owens' last season in Dallas. Oh and don't forget about Coho Cinch and his totally ridiculous season. When is he ever going to shut up? I'll shy away from giving too much opinion on Texas and Oklahoma since I can't be objective as a Longhorn. But Out's blowout win over Texas Tech was predictable. Tech never plays tough road games so it was going to be really difficult for the Red Raiders to be competitive on the road. I've always been a bowl guy, but this season may swing me over to an eight-team playoff. "Friday Night Lights" -- Sorry to see Street go, and the whole idea of him becoming a sports agent in one episode seemed absurd. Riggins was as good as ever in this episode. Coach Taylor had a classic line about aspirin after throwing passes to Spacemen. Season III gets a "B" so far, not an "A" because of too many predictable plot lines. "24: Redemption" -- I'm probably as big a fan of Jack Bauer as anyone, so it's hard for me to see anything bad about TV's best action show. There were some interesting scenes, and I do feel like Jack is redeemed. Jack of course gets captured every season and you have to wonder if there will ever come a time when he is actually killed off the show. "Chuck" -- is really going through a great comic run and even though the finish last Monday was predictable, I was OK with it. 6. Nice to see Thanksgiving Day get back to normal with Cowboys and Longhorns-Aggies to go with turkey and pumpkin pie.