STORY BY SCOTT CLENDENIN
COLLEGE STATION – Looking to bounce back in their home opener after a disappointing start on the road last week, the College Station Cougars put away the Waco Lions in a 48-17 on Friday at Cougar Stadium.
College Station (1-1) racked up 478 yards of total offense with 308 coming through the air. Cole Whittlesey was 9-of-11 passing for 136 yards and two touchdowns, and newcomer Ty Brock was 9-of-14 for 172 yards and three TDs. College Station’s Drake Carnes had three receptions for 100 return yards and two touchdowns.
The Cougar defense struggled against Rosenberg Terry’s option attack last week but seemed at home against Waco’s spread. College Station limited Waco (0-2) to just 366 yards, and most of that came in the second half with the game out of reach.
Waco received the opening kickoff, but the College Station defense gave up just 3 yards on three plays before the Lions punted. Whittlesey needed just one play to put points on the scoreboard when he rolled right and found Carnes wide open behind the Waco secondary for a quick-strike touchdown.
The Cougar defense continued to chew up the Lion offense, allowing just 1 yard before a roughing penalty on the fourth down punt gave Waco new life. The Lions drove the ball to near midfield before the College Station defense stiffened.
Waco’s defense forced a three-and-out, and the Lions took over at their own 42-yard line and finally showed some offensive prowess. DJ Scott’s screen pass to Louis Davis broke through the College Station secondary as Davis rumbled down to the Cougar 36. Davis then took an option pitch around left tackle for 9 yards. The Lions were lucky when a pass from Scott bounced off the hands of receiver Deavan Porter and into the hands of teammate Sylvester White for a 17-yard gain to the Cougar 10.
College Station appeared to stop Davis on first down near the line of scrimmage, but he stayed on his feet and spun down to the 2. Scott scrambled on second down and stepped out of bounds for a 1-yard loss before the Cougars stopped trying to score up the middle. The 21-yard field goal cut the Cougar lead to 7-3.
Brock, a sophomore, entered the game at quarterback and after dropping the first shotgun snap, rolled out and delivered a strike to Travis Tate for 12 yards to the Cougar 22. After a penalty, Brock hit Jeremiah Booker on completions of 15 yards and 6 yards to move the ball to the 38. The Lions bit on a double move by Glover, and Brock hit him 10 yards behind the secondary for a 62-yard catch and run and a 14-3 lead.
Both Cougar quarterbacks contributed on the next scoring drive. After two incompletions, Brock scrambled up the middle then cut back against the defense for an 18-yard gain to his own 37. Whittlesey checked back in, rolled out and hit Quandree White on a deep crossing pattern for 25 yards. Whittlesey ended the drive when he swung a pass into the flat, and Quinterrian White sprinted untouched 23 yards for a 21-3 lead.
The offense wasn’t done, a 49-yard punt return by Raj Preciado set the Cougar offense up at the Lion 29. Brock was roughed on a third down incompletion, and the penalty gave the offense new life at the 14. He hit White on the slant pattern for a touchdown for a 28-3 lead.
Preciado broke the Lions’ back with an 81-yard punt return midway through the third quarter, weaving his way through the Waco coverage team before breaking free near midfield and scoring nearly untouched.
Brock later hit Carnes for a TD pass, and Tate had a 91-yard TD run in between a pair of Waco scores in the fourth quarter.
Courtesy of the B/CS Eagle