(Abarw.com/Allison Weirich Photo) Liberty Hill's Jordan Skinner (77) pops the ball loose from Llano QB Layton Rabb while the Panthers' Brice Bishop (45) moves in. Bishoup would eventually recover the fumble as the Panthers forced 2 turnovers and made 4 sacks against Llano.
Final Score by Chuck Licata
Minus four yards of total offense.
Zero first downs.
That’s what the Llano High School football team mustered against the newly-named “Black Thunder” defense which was absolutely stout in last Friday’s game (Oct. 21) against the homestanding Yellowjackets.
So much so, it’s clearly a record for the LHHS defense for one game.
And at the very least, the zero first downs for Llano has to be a tie for the state record – and in fact, the national record. After all, you can’t get a negative number on first downs allowed, so “zero” is the absolute best number possible.
We’re still searching the record books and will update as soon as we can confirm the stat.
In the meantime, the overall effort of the Black Thunder defense was nothing short of outstanding. Needless to say, LHHS defensive coordinator Jimmy Duncan felt the same way.
“I have never been involved with a defense holding someone to negative yards and no first downs,” Duncan said Monday. “They should feel proud for what they have accomplished. We have a great bunch of kids who work hard. We are getting to the point where they all understand the scheme and game plan we have.
“Friday's game was unique in that we did not have any missed assignments that hurt us. Our scout team – during the week of practice – did a great job in giving us a look at what Llano would be running. Llano is quite young - they have many sophomores on their team. Every play on offense is designed to score - just like every defense is designed to stop the offense.”
“I thought we were very efficient,” stated LHHS coach Jerry Vance. “The outcome was really a total team effort. The defense did a great job of making tackles and our offense kept them (their offense) off the field; just a great (all-around team) effort for the Panthers.”
Llano’s first three drives Friday night ended in punts. In that time, the LHHS offense rolled up 134 yards of offense, scoring on Bo Simpson’s 5-yard TD run and Corey Ferrell’s 2-yard score.
Llano’s next possession ended in a fumble (caused by Jordan Skinner and recovered by Brice Bishop) followed by another punt.
You get the idea – even Art Delugach, the long-time Llano play-by-play man, was amazed his team wasn’t able to muster one first down on the night.
Saferty Justin Webb added an acrobatic interception later in the game as the Black Thunder defense kept Llano from “moving the chains.”
Realize, while it’s great to celebrate the success of the LHHS defense, you have to feel a little bad for Coach David Yeager and the Llano folks.
When Yeager first got to Llano in 2005, it was also my first year there as the Editor of the then-Llano Buzz. So you might say we “debuted” together. I met with Yeager on his second day of work and he said he was committed to runnign the Slot-T offense, the same formation he ran at his previous gig at Brackettville High School.
The Jackets were somewhat successful with the Slot-T. However, as Yeager told me the other day, the number of kids out for football was starting to dwindle in 2008. Thus, he changed to a Spread offense last year – in anticipation of this year, when he knew he wouldn’t get through with his current 30-plus man roster.
Still, Llano has one win this year and hadn’t shown a penchant to be this bad offensively.
Not until they ran into the Black Thunder.
However, Duncan made it very clear the Panthers were already looking past Llano to this Friday’s game.
“We do, however, need to focus on Lampasas - whom I believe is leading the district in offense,” Duncan stated. “We need to do our best to try and slow the Badgers down.”
And try to put themselves in Prime position to win their second consecutive District 25-3A championship.
