Wake-Up Call: Plant readies for Taylor-made offense

The Wake-Up Call greets you each weekday with news, views and a few Tampa Bay area sports offerings to anticipate for the day and night. We encourage suggestions and contributions.

Good morning!

Thirty rushing touchdowns!

Countryside High School senior Alton Taylor has developed an intimate relationship with the end zone.

Thirty rushing touchdowns?

It's real.

"I'm kind of shocked by it, to be honest with you," Taylor said.

Thirty rushing touchdowns!

Taylor, the 5-foot-8, 185-pound scatback, is the most compelling offensive force for the Cougars (11-1), who host the Plant Panthers (10-1) in tonight's Class 5A region final.

He has rushed for 1,771 yards and, yes, a whopping 30 touchdowns.

He's keeping rare company, among recent Tampa Bay area backs.

Ridgewood's Byronell Arline had 35 touchdowns and 2,188 yards in 2007.

Also that season, Largo's Brynn Harvey, now at the University of Central Florida, had 31 rushing touchdowns, when he set the Pinellas County single-season rushing record with 2,567 yards.

In 2006, Lakeland's Chris Rainey, now at the University of Florida, set the school record with 32 touchdowns and 2,478 yards.

In 1997, when Robinson's Zain Gilmore was named Florida's Mr. Football, he galloped for 31 touchdowns and 2,322 yards.

"Thirty is an amazing number," Taylor said.

Especially when you consider Taylor had 27 rushes all of last season, when he mostly played the slot receiver position.

"He has been absolutely tremendous," Countryside coach John Davis said. "I don't want to say he's a complete surprise because we knew he was a good football player. But I've never had anyone who scored 30 touchdowns - and we're still playing. I'd be lying if I said I thought Alton could come in and do the job he is doing."

But even Taylor acknowledges the primary reason for his success.

He hasn't done it alone.

Countryside's offensive line - left tackle Tyler Moore (orally committed to Nebraska), left guard Jason Dowell, center Mike Wiszowaty, right guard Brandon Somerville and right tackle Tyler Pierson - averages 275 pounds.

"Our offseason workout program was huge," Cougars quarterback Jimbo Chmelik said. "Alton has been a natural runner. But our linemen transformed themselves into a big-time high-school line."

"We have come together as a family and we pick each other up when there are mistakes," Somerville said. "I have never, ever played with a running back who can see the field like Alton, though. He finds whatever hole we can give him."

Taylor's statistics are gaudy.

But Davis said Countryside has more than a one-man team.

Running back Brenton Conley, the son of former Tarpon Springs High School and University of Miami star Leonard Conley, has rushed for 662 yards and seven touchdowns. Chmelik, a left-hander, has completed 59.2 percent of his passes for 11 touchdowns, while Todd Shorter has 35 receptions.

"Obviously, we can pound the ball, but the key to us has been a mix," Davis said. "We're not one-sided. If this isn't there, we've been able to go to that.

"When you get into the playoffs, you can't be one-dimensional. Sooner or later, you're going to line up somebody physically as good as you and they'll stop you. You've got to go to something else. Plant, obviously, is a different deal. It will be interesting to see where our program stacks up against their program."

Plant captured two of the last three Class 4A state championships before moving up to 5A this season.

Countryside, meanwhile, has reached the state playoff's third round for only the second time in school history.

The experience factor might seem one-sided.

The Cougars, though, are buoyed by last week's 47-20 road victory against the Tampa Bay Tech Titans (who opened the season with a 32-30 win at Plant).

"Actually, it's kind of an honor to be playing Plant," Chmelik said. "We see what kind of crowd they bring, what kind of athletes they have.

"We kind of came in as the overlooked team. Tampa Bay Tech, I think, was already looking for the rematch against Plant. Nobody was talking about us. Now here we are, still around. All the pressure is on Plant. It's not on us."

And when Countryside looks to apply pressure tonight, it will turn first to Alton Taylor.

So far, that has been a rather effective formula.

ACC events have arrived

The ACC Championship Game - No. 12-ranked Georgia Tech (10-2) vs. No. 25 Clemson (8-4) - hits Raymond James Stadium on Saturday night at 8.

The teams will arrive today - and so will a few events to get the fans ready.

Channelside's Toast to the Atlantic Coast (free admission) is tonight at 7 at Channelside Bay Plaza in downtown Tampa. It features the marching bands and mascots from Georgia Tech and Clemson.

Saturday, ACC FanFest opens at the stadium (lot 6D) at 5 p.m. It's 200,000 square feet of interactive games, team mascots, pep rallies, food and beverage, autograph signings, game merchandise, autograph signings and family fun.

Country music artist James Otto will hold a pre-game concert at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free to all game ticket holders.

For more information on the ACC Championship Game, log onto www.theroadtotampabay.com.

Sam Wyche at the Trop? Believe it!

Former Bucs coach Sam Wyche (1992-95) was named as a coach for the Under Armour All-America High School Football Game, set for Jan. 2 at Tropicana Field.

The game features the nation's top high-school seniors. It will be televised by ESPN at 11 a.m.

Wyche will coach "Team Nitro," while former NFL coach Ted Marchibroda while guide "Team Blur."

Tickets for the game ($10) are available at www.ticketmaster.com.

Schuyler sets flag-football benefit

Former University of South Florida football player Nick Schuyler, the lone survivor of a boating accident that made national headlines in March, is hosting a 7-on-7 flag-football tournament in memory of Corey Smith, Marquis Cooper and Will Bleakley, the three men who perished.

It will be held Feb. 13 at the Idlewild Baptist Church sports complex.

The event will feature up to 32 football teams competing for cash and prizes in a double-elimination format. It's open to teams of 7-15 players (ages 16 and up). Team registration fee is $400. Each team is guaranteed three games.

The event is coordinated by the Nick Schuyler Foundation. Proceeds will benefit the Corey D. Smith Child Development Center, the Will Bleakley Scholarship Fund and the Coast Guard Foundation.

For more information, visit www.NickSchuylerFoundation.com.

Thanks, Rays!

You might remember Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle, who had the 18th perfect game in major-league history when he defeated the Rays on July 23.

That accomplishment has landed Buehrle on the cover of the world's best-selling reference book - the World Almanac and Book of Facts 2010.

Buehrle shares the cover with First Lady Michelle Obama and singer Carrie Underwood, the former American Idol winner.

Editors select the cover subjects from a group of memorable people and events from the previous year.

Lane Kiffin at it again

University of Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin, on a Knoxville radio station, broke down Saturday's SEC Championship Game between Alabama and Florida.

"Florida has so much speed. I think you'll see Alabama will outscheme Florida. ... It will be a real interesting matchup. Florida has better players and Alabama has better coaches, so we'll see."

Good to see that Kiffin is still close buddies with Urban Meyer.

Donaghy's book

VTi-Group, a media company from the Tampa Bay area, will publish the book, "Personal Foul: A First-Person Account of the Scandal That Rocked the NBA" by former official Tim Donaghy, who spent time in federal prison for gambling on basketball games.

The Philadelphia Daily News reported the book will be available nationwide by Christmas.

The book was originally entitled "Blowing the Whistle," but it was rejected by Triumph Books after its lawyers studied the manuscript.

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to former Bucs coach Ray Perkins, who was 19-41 in nearly four seasons with Tampa Bay. He might be best remembered for his rugged three-a-day training camp practices as he sought to change the franchise's culture.

Perkins, a former player and head coach at the University of Alabama, told the Birmingham News he believes the Crimson Tide will beat the top-ranked Gators for the SEC title. In fact, Perkins said this might be the best Alabama team of all-time (and that's saying something).

Sunday, Perkins turns 68.

The Answer Man

Here's the answer to Thursday's trivia question:

Auburn University split its two appearances in the Outback Bowl. When Auburn defeated Ohio State 31-14 on Jan. 1, 1990, Tigers quarterback Reggie Slack was the game's Most Valuable Player.

Friday trivia

Here's our daily sports trivia question, featuring a Tampa Bay/Florida spin. Try your luck by commenting below.

Which former Countryside High School football player was part of a national championship team in college and a Super Bowl-winning team in the NFL?

Check for the answer in Monday's Wake-Up Call.