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Buckeyes host Bullard to start district play

By JOE DODD

It's been said that football is a numbers game. When the Gilmer Buckeyes start District 17-3A play Friday night against the Bullard Panthers (2-3) at Buckeye Stadium, these numbers will play an important role:

1-That's the number of wins that Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor needs to surpass Henry McClelland as the Buckeyes' all-time leader.
7-That's the number of consecutive undefeated district championships the Buckeyes have won.
27-That's the number of consecutive games the Buckeyes have won at home since their last loss in 2002.
34-That's the number of consecutive district games the Buckeyes have won since their last loss in 2000.
50-That's the number of points the Buckeyes are favored over the Panthers according to one website.

Traylor doesn't care about the number 50. In fact, when informed of the prediction Traylor replied, “I'd take the spread on that one.” While Traylor doesn't worry about the margin of victory, the numbers 7, 27 and 34 mean a great deal to him.

“Some of my kids heard Manuel [Johnson] on the radio last week when David Smoak asked him if he kept up with the Buckeyes, and he said that he keeps up with the Buckeyes more than he does the Sooners. When my kids hear that it is a tremendous motivating factor. Those kind of things matter to kids,” stated Traylor.

Traylor said the winning streaks will help motivate the Buckeyes against Bullard. “We talk about it especially in these kind of weeks where people think we're going to win,” said Traylor who is 89-16 in his ninth season as the Buckeyes head coach.

The fact that the 6th-ranked Buckeyes are predicted to win by such a large margin makes sense to Bullard head coach Jim Taylor. “I don't think they have any choice other than to predict that, considering how well Gilmer been playing, and we've been kind of stumbling a little bit,” said Taylor, who is 8-7 in his second year as Panthers head coach.

The Panthers were expecting big things this season following last year's 6-4 record led by quarterback Charlie Moore. Moore (6-4, 200 4.5) passed for 1,252 yards and 8 touchdowns and ran for 746 yards and 15 touchdowns in the Panther's spread offense last season.

And while Moore's numbers have remained impressive (827 yards and 11 touchdowns passing, 540 yards and 10 touchdowns rushing), the Panthers' record has not. After opening the season with a win over Palestine Westwood, Bullard was shut out by Athens. The Panthers rebounded with a big 53-32 win over Troup before losing their next two games to Rusk and Center.

In the Panthers' two wins, Moore has accounted for 11 touchdowns. “When our line blocks well then Charlie's got some freedom to run and throw,” explained Taylor. “The reason he's able to run and the reason we're able to be successful is some other people are doing their job also.”

“Their quarterback, Charlie Moore, he's the real deal. He's a legitimate Division One quarterback,” praised Traylor. “He's tall, he's athletic, he can throw, he's smart, he's competitive. You've got to stop Charlie Moore.”

The Panthers are averaging 33.2 points per game behind Moore who has committed to play college football at University of Louisiana-Monroe. “They've been pretty good on offense, and struggling on defense,” assessed Traylor.

“We have been struggling defensively, and that's a real concern going into this game,” agreed Taylor. “We've got to be able to make some plays defensively and try to slow you down a little bit or it will be a struggle that night also.”

The Panthers give up an average of 35.4 points per game, and haven't held an opponent to less than 21 points this season. “We are really trying to find answers to that, but in all honesty we're just not making the plays, we're not getting it done,” stated Taylor.

Despite their underdog status, Taylor promises to approach the Gilmer game like any other. “As far as coming in and saying this is the week we're going to change everything; I think if anything, this is the week we're going to play who we are and let's see what we can do here,” reasoned Taylor.

“We do not have any intentions of trying to slow our offense down, to use up clock in any way to try to keep the ball away,” Taylor said. “Our offense isn't really designed to have ball control. We're going to try to just get the ball and move it down the field the best we can, in any way we can and if it goes slow or fast, we're going to be happy.”

Taylor also sees no reason to hide Gilmer's 27-game home winning streak, nor the Buckeyes' 34-game district winning streak from his players. “Kids search the websites like everybody else does so they all know that, they know the challenge that they have,” said Taylor. “Good people look at that as an opportunity and they roll up their sleeves and go to work.”

“It's a huge challenge as well as a great opportunity to line up and play somebody that is known throughout the state of Texas,” continued Taylor. “Our kids are excited about the chance to go and line up and get after them.”

The Buckeyes are excited for the game as well. “By the time we tee it up Friday night it will have been one month since we've played at home,” said Traylor. “I think opening district play, coming off an open week will be the biggest excitement. This is such an important time of the year. This is where it really matters. I know every coach says it, but every single team is 0-0 in our district.”

Because of that clean slate, Traylor and his coaching staff used the open week to their advantage. “We had a good week; some real good practices, a lot of study hall and tutorials to make sure we stay eligible, and got a lot of good work in on Bullard and worked a lot on ourselves as well,” Traylor said.

Traylor said the emphasis in practice this week will be to improve upon the team's biggest weakness. “Earlier in the year our defense was causing a lot of turnovers, and we haven't done that very much lately. That's a cause for some concern.,” replied Traylor. “The same obstacle is on the offensive side; we've turned the ball over way too much this year. Those are my two biggest concerns.”

In the Gilmer's first three games, the Buckeyes had only three turnovers and eight take-aways for a turnover ratio of plus five. In their last two games, Gilmer turned the ball over six times while only forcing one take-away.

In a game that features so many interesting numbers; Traylor hopes that one number can be put to rest after this game, his 90th win. “It would be nice if it could be done at home and get it over with and move on to some bigger goals,” said Traylor, who admitted that breaking the school record is special to him.

“More than anything, it has given me a little time to reflect on all of the great assistant coaches, and a lot of great players, as well as two great superintendents, two great high school principals, numerous school board members, and booster club presidents and booster club members that I've worked with. I guess it means I'm getting old.”

Age... it's just a number.

Did you know?
• Gilmer holds a 2-0-0 record against Bullard, defeating the Panthers in District 16-3A play in 1998 and 1999.
• Gilmer's last loss at home was to Pine Tree in 2002.
• Gilmer's last district loss was to Tatum in 2000.
• Jeff Traylor's winning percentage of 85 percent is 2nd best in Class 3A and 6th best among all coaches in Texas.
• Gilmer QB Stump Godfrey needs 16 yards to reach the 1,000 yard passing mark for the season.
• Gilmer leads Class 3A in scoring with 224 points.


Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
GILMER QB STUMP GODFREY, seen carrying the football against Daingerfield, will lead the Buckeyes here Friday night in their district opener against the Bullard Panthers. Kickoff at Buckeye Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m.



Traylor, Buckeyes poised for another long playoff run

Five former Buckeyes on field for Texas and OU



In what may be an unprecedented concentration of gridiron talent from one Texas Class 3A school, the annual game at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Saturday between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners will have five former Gilmer Buckeyes on the field.

Manuel “Manny” Johnson, a senior, will start at wide receiver for OU. He is having a banner season so far, having received Big 12 Player of the Week honors a week ago.

In an interview available online at http://www.soonersports.com/ot/webcasts.html, Johnson says of Gilmer, “My whole town is Texas fans,” and that he looks forward to playing against two former Gilmer teammates, sophomore Curtis Brown and freshman David Snow, who are now Longhorns.

“It’ll be fun seeing those guys and playing against them,” he said.

Other former Buckeyes who are now Sooners are freshmen Justin Johnson and Lamar Harris.

The 102nd renewal of the AT&T Red River Rivalry, which has been played continuously in Dallas since 1929, will kick off at 11 a.m. with national television coverage by ABC.

The No. 1-ranked Sooners are favored by seven points over the No. 5 Longhorns.
Both teams come into the game undefeated.

OU won last year’s game, 28-21.

’Horns Outlast OU In A Series Classic

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