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Something Has To Give In Armwood-Plant Matchup

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By KATHERINE SMITH

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 5, 2008

TAMPA - There was a giant elephant in the Murray family's living room. It was the combined size of Ryne Giddins, Sergio Joyner and Devin Core.

The Plant High football team had just lost to Armwood, thanks in part to that defensive trio's dominance over the their son, Aaron, who was sacked nine times in his first start as the Panthers' quarterback.

"We really weren't sure what we were going to say to Aaron," said his mother, Lauren Murray. "But he burst through the front door and said, 'That was so much fun.'"

Well, except for the losing part. Murray always has loved to play football, and that first game against Armwood last year was no different. But the rematch in the region final, when he was also sacked nine times and threw no touchdown passes even though he set a state record with 51 last year, left Murray with a different feeling.

That loss burned. And it's one that motivated Murray to get better.

"We've been getting ready for this game for about 200 days," said Murray, who has committed to the University of Georgia.

Giddins, Armwood's dominant defensive end who has nearly 75 scholarship offers, was on the winning side of those games, but that didn't make him complacent. Giddins accounted for four of the Hawks' 18 sacks of Murray in those two games, but he still felt motivated this offseason to improve himself.

"I've got some big shoes to fill - my own," Giddins said.

Murray and Giddins will highlight the matchup of the county's top offense against its top defense tonight in a nationally televised game at Plant's Dad's Stadium. Something will have to give. Last year, it was Plant. Twice.

The Panthers averaged 445 yards and 40 points per game last year. But against Armwood, they were limited to an average of 295 yards and 7 points in their only losses of the season.

The Hawks defense went on its own tear last year, limiting opponents to an average of 7 points per game. In fact, only two opponents scored in double-digits - Plant City and Miami's Booker T. Washington, the team that knocked Armwood out of the playoffs with a 34-14 victory in the Class 4A state semifinals.

Both teams feature a lot of changes this year.

Murray has a new cast of characters to work with. Gone are receivers Cornelius Gallon and Derek Winter. In their place are wideouts Eric Dungy, Nathan Marvel, Justin Rudolph and Allen Sampson and tight end Orson Charles.

Playing in a new scheme, the Hawks' tough defense, with not only Giddins up front but also Division-I prospects in linebacker Petey Smith and Angelo Hadley in the secondary, will have to contend with a Plant offense with an arsenal of plays at its disposal.

Plant coach Robert Weiner constantly has tweaked his scheme in response to whatever the latest craze is to try and stop the spread attack. He also has picked the minds of various football talents. While Murray captured Elite 11 Quarterback Camp MVP honors, Weiner seized the opportunity to talk X's and O's with former Tennessee quarterback Tee Martin, who was serving as a camp counselor.

"We've got different personnel this year, so you've got to do different things," Weiner said. "So we'll mix in some different things. We're always trying to find new things. Football evolves, so we just try to evolve with it."

The Hawks tweaked their defense, as well, going from a 4-3 to a 3-4 scheme. Still led by Giddins, who collected a team-leading 21 sacks last year, the scheme allows others to join in the pass-rush party.

"I'd rather have the ability to change up who's coming every time and not have the offense know these four guys are coming every time," Armwood defensive coordinator Matt Thompson said. "You get stuck in certain coverages. One thing that happened down at Booker T. was, it didn't matter if our front four was getting there in three seconds or not because the ball was gone, so we had to change up our coverages."

Which means Plant's not going to know where the pressure's coming from. They just know it's coming.

"If we can control front line, then I think we'll have a good chance," Murray said. "When you play against Armwood, you have to be near perfect to win that game."

ARMWOOD AT PLANT

Kickoff: 8 p.m., Dad's Stadium, Tampa.
TV: ESPNU (Bright House Ch. 151; Verizon Ch. 63; DirecTV Ch. 609; Dish Ch. 148)

At Stake

Armwood: Considering it's not a district or playoff game, the Hawks are chalking this up as just a challenging early-season contest. However, this may be the one chance Armwood has to impress the national pundits, considering the game is on national TV (ESPNU). The Hawks are ranked in four national polls (No. 2 in the RivalsHigh 100), and Plant certainly is known on the national scene as well, so a big victory could go a long way toward Armwood gaining more respect from the masses outside of the area.

Plant: Since knocking the Hawks out of the 2006 playoffs, the Panthers have lost two straight to Armwood. Though there's debate between the coaches as to whether this game is a rivalry or not, players like to have the bragging rights. And if the fans have any say so about a rivalry, Plant's sure did show how much this game cares to them. They sold out their allotment of tickets in a matter of hours.

Key Stat

Armwood: Since the start of the 2003 season, Armwood is 49-3 against Hillsborough County opponents, including regular-season and playoff games. The Hawks' last loss to a county opponent was in the 2006 state playoffs to Plant at Dad's Stadium.

Plant: Thanks to quarterback Aaron Murray and the Panthers' potent offense, Plant has landed firmly on the national scene. In addition to Murray's high national player rankings, the Panthers are ranked No. 19 in the nation by ESPN and No. 32 in the RivalsHigh 100.

Keep An Eye On

Armwood: Senior Angelo Hadley. A three-year starter at safety, Hadley is the leader of the Hawks' secondary, one that should be tested plenty tonight against Plant's potent passing offense. Hadley is a big hitter and a tremendous playmaker, and he should get a chance to set the tone for the defense early.

Plant: Junior Javonte Martin. The starting defensive back really came on during the summer, thanks to a lot of 7-on-7 work, and also practicing against the Plant offense on a daily basis. Martin adds a blend of speed and instinct in the defensive backfield and if the Hawks try to throw the ball, Martin is prepared to pounce all over it.

When Armwood has the ball: One of the main reasons the Hawks moved to the spread option was to get the ball into Mywan Jackson's hands more, so expect the Armwood senior quarterback to get plenty of opportunities tonight. With that being said, Armwood punished Plant with its powerful ground game in both games last season, so don't be surprised if the Hawks turn to their ground game again this time.

When Plant has the ball: It will be all Murray, all the time. The Panthers might try to sprinkle in some doses of running from starting tailback Marco Cobb and bruising fullback Chris Hesson, but they won't get too far away from what makes them one of the top offenses in the state. The key to making the offense perform at a high level will be the amount of time Murray has the ball. Four new starters on the offensive line will have to grow up in a hurry.

Quotables

"When I step foot on that field and see the crowd, I'll get nervous. But when I catch the ball and hit somebody, all that goes away." - Plant tight end Orson Charles

"This is not a money game." - Armwood coach Sean Callahan

"There are plenty of tickets available for [our game]. We will have lots of seats available. And as for parking, you'll probably get a parking spot next to the stadium." - Leto coach Hugh Dehnert

Reporter Katherine Smith can be reached at (813) 259-7860 or ksmith@tampatrib.com.

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