ATLANTA – Buford football players could almost consider the Georgia Dome a second home.
The Wolves will make their ninth straight state title game appearance on Saturday on the covered turf of the Atlanta venue -- where a win would net the program’s eighth state title in nine attempts and fourth in a row (for a second time over that span).
All of that is background noise for Buford, however.
Don’t get the Wolves wrong. They aren’t jaded at the prospect of another title game push – far from it. It’s just not in their nature to get caught up in the numbers.
What Buford is caught up in is plenty of excitement.
“It’s really hard to focus in class, honestly. I’m just trying to stay on top of my grades, but it’s definitely different. That’s all I’m thinking about all the time. It’s just another game, but this is my last game of high school ever. So it’s definitely something special, and everybody’s talking about it. It’s going to be really cool,” said Wolves senior linebacker/receiver Matthew Parker.
And that’s not really because of the “eight in nine” or “four in a row” talk – rather the thought of winning a title on the biggest stage against a stellar opponent.
“It would mean a lot to win my senior year. The past couple of years have been awesome. But going out on top would be great,” Parker said.
To do that the Wolves (13-1) must find a way past a Purple Hurricanes team (14-0) that will be itching to notch their first state title since 1999 – and maybe get a little payback along the way.
Buford knocked Cartersville out of the postseason in last year’s semifinal round, 27-3, and the Purple Hurricanes return a number of stars from that squad, including sophomore quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who is continuing his ascent into star status this season.
In 14 games, the 6-foot-5 Lawrence has passed for 3,522 yards and 42 touchdowns – against just four interceptions – in Cartersville’s spread attack, while also completing 65 percent of his attempts.
The Purple Hurricanes are far from a one-man show, however.
“I honestly think they’re better in every phase and every facet (than in 2014),” Buford coach Jess Simpson said. “The defense is bigger, and they’re long and athletic. The offensive line has grown up a bit, and they look a lot bigger up front as well. Everybody does know about the quarterback, and he’s a year older, and he’s going to be a very special player, going to be one of the best players in the country. And there are all kinds of weapons around him.”
That includes tight end Miller Forristall, an Alabama commit (54 receptions, 881 yards, 10 TDs), and leading receiver Terrius Callahan (62 receptions, 1,187 yards, 16 TDs). Tiamon Pennymon is also a threat in the backfield (681 yards rushing, 20 TDs; 19 receptions, 280 yards, 4 TDs).
In other words, Buford knows it is in for a challenge. It is a challenge the Wolves are relishing, however, featuring a defense that is allowing just 134.7 yards and 7.1 points per game. And while Buford has not faced a passing attack quite in the Cartersville mold, it has faced two strong passing attacks in McEachern (regular season loss) and Woodward Academy (semifinal win). And they hope those experiences will help make a difference on Saturday.
“McEachern and Woodward, I want to thank them a lot because they threw the ball and showed us where our holes were in our secondary,” said Buford , senior receiver/cornerback Brandon Marsh. “Our run defense we’re pretty stout. But McEachern and Woodward really showed us where we need more work at in our secondary, and that’s really helped us this week, and we’ve closed everything off, and I feel like we’re going to be really prepared for what they for us in the pass game.”
Buford’s defense, which has registered 14 sacks on the season, would also love to get to Lawrence – though Simpson says that’s easier said than done.
“It’d be huge if we could do it, but it’s going to be a big challenge. They do a great job blocking and he does a great job escaping and moving his feet in the pocket, and he throws the ball -- I mean he’s like a second baseman sitting back in the gun; he’s going to catch it and turn a double play,” Simpson said. “It can be a challenge to get to him. But that would be a big key if we could.”
The Wolves would also love to keep the Purple Hurricanes signal caller bottled up in the safest position – the sideline. Buford will to continue its rushing prowess (262 yards per game) split between several talented backs – including Martin Mangram (770 yards, 25 TDs), Christian Turner (751 yards, 10 TDs) and Anthony Grant (741 yards, 9 TDs) -- and a dominant offensive line.
“We’d love to get a lead; we’d love to hold the ball,” Simpson said. “But you really don’t know how it’s going to play out. You don’t know how many possessions you’re going to have. With them being spread and throwing it, it could be a longer game, and we could have more plays. But certainly we would love to move the chains and turn downs over and try to play a little bit of keep-away.”
That said, Buford’s passing attack has also proven more than capable, with quarterback Mic Roof leading the way. Roof has 1,404 yards passing and 15 touchdowns in almost 200 fewer pass attempts than Lawrence.
“Mic Roof he’s a stud. He’s really stepped up to the plate this year,” said Marsh, who leads the team with 28 receptions for 438 yards and 8 TDs. “We had high expectations for him at the beginning of the year, and he’s surpassed all those things we held him too. Who know what he can do in the Dome. He has an incredible arm, in my opinion the best arm in the state.”
Roof and his offensive teammates will battle a Cartersville defense allowing just 7.7 points per game.
In other words, another title is not coming easy. But Buford wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Every team is different; every team has its own story. For me as a coach, watching this team grow up over the course of the year and all the adversity we had at the beginning of the year, it’s been a lot of fun,” Simpson said. “It’s neat just to be here and to have an opportunity. When you get here this time of year you feel great just to have a chance. You don’t know what’s going to happen. You don’t know how your kids are going to play. You just want to prepare the best you can and be relaxed and loose and try to get out there and play your best game."
http://accesswdun.com/article/2015/12/355657/bvideob-buford-football-excited-focused-by-title-tilt