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Monteilh, Bing Face 11-Man Challenge

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By CHRIS ERRINGTON

Tribune correspondent

Published: September 4, 2008

TAMPA - Forget opposing tacklers, teams or the monumental leap from six-man football to the 11-man game. For Carrollwood Day School Prep junior slot back Matt Monteilh, his most daunting foe resides in his backfield.

"We compete every game," Monteilh said. "We want to see who gets the most yards and touchdowns each game we play. It can be pretty intense at times."

Monteilh is speaking of fellow junior running back Darius Bing, with whom he will share much of the offensive workload - and he hopes many of the accolades - for the first-year program. Monteilh and Bing are two keys to Coach Lane McLaughlin's spread offense that's designed to overcome the team's lack of numbers and size by capitalizing on its blazing speed.

Just a season ago, the Patriots competed in six-man football - with one lineman, two receivers and three backs - a game that emphasizes wide-open offenses. Not surprisingly, Monteilh and Bing combined for 1,800 rushing yards. What is surprising is McLaughlin doesn't envision his passing attack needing much work to make the adjustment to the 11-man game. It's on the ground, despite Monteilh and Bing leading the way, where all agree success will be determined.

"Darius is going to be our guy in the backfield and Matt will be our guy in the slot and we're going to lean on them hard," McLaughlin said. "One of those two are going to touch the ball 50 percent of the time.

"Darius is very quick and strong, but short. Matt is more of a fast, run-over-you type player, if he needs to. He'd rather run you over, while Darius would rather run past you."

For a team that currently boasts just 22 players - with four eighth-graders, including three starters - McLaughlin won't need Monteilh and Bing to produce similar numbers to last season, but will need them to establish a viable rushing game. And, while both players may lack size (Monteilh is 5-foot-6 and 165 pounds, while Bing is 5-4 and 135), it's the mental toughness and determination in both that keeps the coach from worrying.

"They worked out all summer, so they know what we expect of them," McLaughlin said. "Darius leads in a quieter way, while Matt leads by knocking someone out."

Still, both players know the move to 11-man football will be far from easy. Bing said a porous offensive line will make much of their hard work moot. Maybe that's why the duo has spent the offseason challenging all their players.

"Me and Matt, we're really the same," Bing said, "but this isn't just about me and Matt. It's about the entire team. Without them playing well, it doesn't matter what we do when we get the ball. We're still not going to succeed unless we all succeed."

As a school playing 11-man football for the first time, how will the team do?

"I don't think our lack of numbers will hurt us," Monteilh said, "because at the end of the day, the team that wants to win most, usually deserves it and gets it. Who's to say that can't be us?"

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