STORY BY: KEITH KANE
Despite a disappointing 42-35 Homecoming football game loss to Conroe last week, Bryan Vikings Head Coach Ross Rogers says that practices have been good and upbeat this week. Rogers says the Vikings played with a lot of energy and did a lot of things better than in previous games. “Our kids were very, very disappointed and that was a good thing in a way,” says Rogers. “When they came into the dressing room it wasn’t like, ‘Oh, well.’ It hurt them.”
Rogers noted the progress the Vikings are making. “I feel they all fell like we’re getting better,” says Rogers. “I think everyone comes to practice pretty excited about trying to get better than we are right now.”
Because of anticipated U-I-L realignments, Rogers suspects this might be one of the last two Crosstown Showdown games for awhile. Making this an even bigger game is the play-off implications with both team 1-1 in District 14-5A and in the thick of the hunt for a post-season berth.
Rogers says A&M Consolidated keys off of quarterback Jaylon Cheshire. “Their team has really gelled around him,” says Rogers. The Tigers’ offense is similar to that of Bryan’s, but, according to Rogers, they do not run plays from under center as much. “They’re more of a gun team,”Rogers says. But, they don’t line up in as many different formations as do the Vikings.
Defensively, Rogers says A&M Consolidated gives more of an odd look stunting with their linebackers and bringing up the secondary to be aggressive against the run. And, as the Vikings have seen from every opponent this year, the Tigers will throw in lots of blitzes.
The game kicks off at 7:30 pm Friday (10/12) night at Kyle Field on the Texas A&M campus withKeith Kane and Tap Bentz on the broadcast beginning at 7 pm. “I hope the Vikings’ fans will be out there in support,” says Rogers. “And, we hope to give them the type of game that will make the Bryan Vikings people proud.”