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VYPE Houston Football Player of the Week Poll: Week 2 (9.7.22)
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Fulshear is 2-0 and averaging 75.5 points per game on 592 yards per game.
Prolific offense spurring all-around dominance for 2-0 Fulshear
KATY—If it’s still way too early for any sort of statements in Texas high school football, Fulshear’s offense is at least putting everybody on notice.
After compiling 74 points on 749 total yards in last week’s win over Strake Jesuit, the Chargers upped it up a notch Thursday. Fulshear blitzed Clements for 435 total yards and eight touchdowns in a 77-18 win at Rhodes Stadium.
Fulshear, a Class 5A-Division I program, entered this season with just one win over a Class 6A team. It is 2-for-2 this year. The 749 yards against Strake Jesuit are a program best, as well as the 77 points against Clements.
“It’s good for these kids, as far as knowing they can compete on any level,” coach Nick Codutti said. “We’re about to go into a gauntlet of a district that plays some great football. These two games, I hope, got us ready for that. Our kids are excited about being Fulshear, and not being the old Fulshear, and stepping up. I am so proud of these kids, so proud of these coaches. They’re all working their tails off.”
The offense picked up where it left off against Strake Jesuit.
Senior quarterback Parker Williams completed 12 of 17 passes for 171 yards and five touchdowns. Senior fullback Seth Smith made the most of his four touches with three touchdowns, two rushing. Junior receiver Tate Struble had two catches for two touchdowns. Sophomore running back Patrick Broadway II had two touchdowns. Senior receiver Jax Medica, sophomore fullback Zane Smith and senior running back Calvion Hunter each found the end zone once; Hunter on a 92-yard kickoff return.
“Having all these returners from last year, we have so many weapons,” Williams said. “We have three running backs that can start at other schools. There is so much depth at receiver. Everything just clicks.”
But it was defense and special teams that were game-changers in the first half.
Within a 74 second span late in the first quarter, Fulshear:
>> Scored on a Medica 12-yard reception and converted the two-point try for the game’s first points.
>> Recovered an onside kick.
>> Scored on a Struble 31-yard reception and converted the two-point try.
>> Recovered an onside kick.
>> Scored on a Seth Smith four-yard pass and converted the two-point try.
“Coach Nick Jones is our special teams coordinator and he’s just unbelievable when he comes to the onside kicks,” Codutti said. “He comes up with stuff every week and it’s awesome that our kids buy in to that. They get upset when we don’t onside kick. It’s really been a difference.”
Added senior defensive back Jacob Hoffart, who later had two interceptions in Clements territory in the first half that led to easy Fulshear scores: “When our offense keeps the ball 12 minutes every half, it keeps us fresh. We’re always ready to go. It’s a huge boost for us.”
The defense was a considerable boost as well. In all, Fulshear had three takeaways and held Clements to 234 total yards, 4.2 yards per play.
“It’s our relationship. I think we’re a very tight defense,” Hoffart said. “Everybody’s family. We got lined up and knew pre-play what we were going to do. We out-athleticized this team. We knew we were going to do that. We just had to line up right.”
Fulshear is a team that plays to momentum. It goes for the onside kick the vast majority of the time. Codutti almost always goes for the two-point conversion (Seth Smith converted all seven of his two-point tries on direct snaps).
In two games, Codutti said the Chargers have stolen five possessions by recovering onside kicks.
“It gives us that advantage,” Williams said. “It’s hard to come back from that. You can see it deflate the other team, and that’s our goal. We want to tire out their defense and keep our defense off the field.”
Fulshear is not without its warts. It had 14 penalties for 145 yards.
But what it does have in the second year of Codutti’s regime is confidence. Trust. Belief.
And what it undoubtedly thrives on is culture.
“When we first got to Fulshear, it was a build,” Codutti said. “It was our job to create momentum. I really feel this is the first year these guys have walked into every game knowing they can win. To me, that’s half the battle. We have a bunch of kids who believe in each other, love each other and celebrate each other.”