But that doesn’t mean the Bulldawgs (9-1) will be looking at it like that when they take on the Mesquite Horn Jaguars (4-6) in a Class 5A Division II bi-district playoff game at 7:30 p.m. today at Waco ISD Stadium.
“They have our attention,” Cove coach Jack Welch said. “Any time you play a Cinderella-type team, they have a lot of emotion. The intangibles they bring are hard to defeat.”
The advantage the Bulldawgs have is that they advanced to the 4A Division I state title game the last two seasons and won a tough District 12-5A this season - their third straight district title in 5A - and now make their fifth consecutive playoff appearance and 10th overall under Welch.
“That gives you confidence,” Welch said of the playoff experience. “The guys are a bit more poised under pressure and understand what to do.”
That’s a stark contrast to the Jaguars, who have played football for only seven years and are making their first playoff appearance.
And it’s no secret about the Jaguars’ gameplan - pass, pass and pass some more.
Quarterback Emory Miller has completed 212 of 315 passes for 2,478 yards and 19 touchdowns, but he also has thrown 14 interceptions.
His top target is Tayler Gabriel with 80 receptions for 1,293 yards and 13 scores.
“They are dynamic,” Welch noted. “They will throw about 65 percent of the time, but they run because Miller is a scrambler. Gabriel is the top receiver in the Metroplex and is getting some pretty heavy recruiting.”
Miller is also the top rusher, with 497 yards and 11 scores on 134 carries.
Of course, if Cove defensive back Chris Miller has anything to say about it, it could be a long night for Jaguars.
Miller has pulled in 11 interceptions this year. He and two-time all-state linebacker Tanner Brock, who has more than 150 tackles, are the biggest weapons on a Cove defense that has allowed 271 yards per game.
But Welch’s plan is to keep them off the field as much as possible, instead relying on his offense. The Bulldawgs are averaging 333 yards per game, led by junior running back Brandin Byrd (920 yards on 136 carries).
“Hopefully we can get some drives going and keep them off the field,” Welch said. “If we aren’t able to stop them, it could turn into a real shootout.”
It has that potential, anyway, as the Jaguars average 28.8 points per game and Cove 40.
The overall playoff experience of Welch’s team should give the Bulldawgs an advantage over Horn, which is young but developing under new coach Rodney Webb.
Webb has changed the perception of Horn still being a new program to that of Horn being a good program.
“You can see how they’ve come together,” Welch said. “Just look at their district. They have (Tyler) John Tyler, (Tyler) Lee, DeSoto and Mesquite and they got out of that. As they got on with the season, they got tougher. And as a testament to what they are doing, their junior varsity and freshman teams both were undefeated. They have our attention.”
The Cove-Horn winner will advance to the area round to play the winner of tonight’s Carrollton Creekview-Garland Naaman Forest game.
mhood@temple-telegram.com
