Kris Pickle can breathe easier.
The return of a standout senior can help things run a little more smoothly, especially after a season-opening loss. Tyran Reed proved to be just what the New Hope High School football team needed Friday, as the running back returned after missing the first game with a foot injury to rush for 127 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-13 victory against West Lauderdale.
“We played pretty good offensively. We just got behind the chains several times,” Pickle said. “We take the negative plays out of there and we probably rushed for more than 300 yards.”
Pickle hopes New Hope build off that victory at 7 p.m. Friday when it plays host to Houston.
Reed had a career-high 31 carries and scored twice in the fourth quarter. He teamed with senior quarterback Kyree Fields (rushing touchdown) to lead an offense that ran 74 plays and had the football for 32 of the 48 minutes.
“Going into the week, we weren’t sure we were going to be able to run the ball at all,” Pickle said. “It was just a circus up front constantly moving people around and trying to find the right fit.
“I hope the (success running the football) gives them confidence to know they are plenty capable of doing it. It comes down to them and how much they prepare and how much they want to do it. I think that is a lot to it with offensive linemen — and it is the same thing with receivers blocking. It is a want-to thing. You have to be able to want to fire off the ball and move your feet and do all of those things.”
Pickle credited the offensive line, especially senior Brandon Craddieth, who moved from defense to offense for the game, for sparking an offense that put together multiple five- and six-minute drives.
Pickle said the offensive line developed continuity against West Lauderdale despite the changes in personnel. Ideally, though, he said he would like other options to come on so the Trojans can use Craddieth a little more on defense.
Pickle said he texted Craddieth on Saturday morning and thanked him for being unselfish and willing to move from defense to offense. In the preseason, Craddieth talked about his maturation and that he felt he had the right mind-set to be a bigger leader for his senior season. Pickle agrees Craddieth has shown he has grown into a different player.
“I told him, ‘You have a come a long way,’ ” Pickle said. “The old Brandon would have said no. He wouldn’t have wanted to do that. He would have done it, but he would have done it reluctantly.”
With Reed back, Pickle said the Trojans have to cut down on their penalties because there were multiple times they faced long-distance yardage situations. Even though Pickle has confidence in Fields and receivers like senior Jeremy Tate, he would prefer to avoid unforced penalties and remain balanced on offense.
“How people play us changes from week to week,” Pickle said. “I hope the more we keep running the ball the less they are going to be able to pay attention to some of our receivers out there.”
Pickle said the Trojans targeted Tate, a Memphis commitment, 12 or 13 times but he only had three catches.
Pickle also complimented the defense for its aggressive play. He said the defense also played well in a 25-3 loss to Forest, and that he hopes the physicality that unit has shown in the first two weeks motivates the offense to come together. If that happens, Pickle will be able to breathe even easier because he feels both sides of the ball playing their best could make a formidable combination.
“Hopefully the way (the defense) has been playing will give them some extra motivation,” Pickle said. “If we are stopping people, we are going to get a lot of possessions. We have to start capitalizing on more of the possessions we get.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
