Cody Pastorella
CNHI
PORT NECHES —
PORT ARTHUR -- How good was the Memorial Titans defense in their season opener against Beaumont Central?
A defensive chart listing 14 goals for each game hangs on the wall of their campus field house. A Memorial sticker is stamped on 13 of those spaces.
Allow eight points or less. √
Allow less than 100 yards rushing. √
Allow less than 100 yards passing. √
No penalties for first downs.√
No touchdowns after sudden change. √
No run greater than 18 yards. √
No pass greater than 25 yards. √
Win 67 percent of third downs. √
Win 90 percent of third and long. √
Allow less than 50 percent completions (passing). √
Intercept 1 of 14 pass attempts. √
Three take-a-ways. √
No score in fourth quarter. √
Memorial's one error was committing a penalty that gave the Jaguars a first down.
Again, how good was the Titans defense?
In 2008, Central defeated Memorial 10-7 and collected 281 yards of total offense. In 2009, the Jaguars topped Memorial 28-21 on 219 total yards of offense. On Friday, Port Arthur smashed Central 38-0 and allowed only 132 yards and six first downs for the game.
The shutout marked the program's first since 2004 and fourth in school history. That performance ranks third in Memorial's history for fewest yards allowed in one game. The 82 yards rushing surrendered and 50 yards passing tabs fifth in each category.
To say defensive coordinator Nelson Barnes, his staff, and the Titans defense may be onto something is probably an understatement. Memorial jumped from fifth (2008) to second (2009) among District 21-5A defenses, shaving nearly 25 total yards off their average in a year's time.
Barnes says the keys to success is like anything really, simply practice like you want to play.
"Practice hard every day, all the time," said Barnes. "I thought the kids played very hard (Friday). We were fast to the ball. We were able to play fast because of the way we prepared, and the players did a great job bringing that to the field Friday. I thought it was a great performance. Anytime, you can get a shutout, you have to pleased.
"There are a lot of ways a team can score points. The offense can give up a touchdown, special teams can give up a touchdown -- you have to help from the offense (ball control) and special teams play. All three units have to play well."
The Titans also have individual goals set for every player. Each goal is worth a number of points. For example, recovering a fumble or grabbing an interception is worth two points, tackles are worth one, and sacks are worth two. Caught loafing or a miss tackle and a point is subtracted.
How good were the Titans individually?
For starters, no player had a deduction.
Junior linebacker Davonte McMillan and senior linemen Jaivon Sloan and Dimitri Davis all recovered fumbles. Senior safety Chucky Baker picked off a pass. Junior linebacker Joshua Pickett recorded one of the team's two sacks (Torrian Kennerson). Pickett also forced a fumble and claimed six tackles. Davis had six tackles as well and earned a total of nine points to lead the team.
Accepting that the defense outplayed the Titans offense, which gained 463 yards, offensive coordinator Kip McFarlin perhaps summed it up best, stating that it was difficult sorting through the film to determine what players were in on tackles.
"The defense was great," he said. "I'm not joking, you talk about swarming to the football, they were swarming to the football."
Titan tidbits: Starting slot receiver Shawndrick Overton suffered a broken leg in Friday's 38-0 victory over the Central Jaguars. He had to be carried off the field and put on a stretcher. Head coach Kenny Harrison said junior Aerian Jackson and senior Vincent Wilson will fill in for Overton. Wilson spent the last two years at receiver before making the change to cornerback for this season . . . Chucky Baker's interception on Friday was his fifth of his career. Along with former Titans Barry Valcin and Desmond Gardiner, Baker ranks second all-time for career interceptions behind Danny Gorrer (15) . . . Facing Beaumont Ozen on Saturday, Memorial will attempt to start 2-0 for the first time in the program's 8-year history. That contest is set to start at 6 p.m. at the BISD’s new stadium adjacent to Ford Park. The game will be videostreamed live over www.panews.com as part of the Port Arthur News Friday night experience. Dave Marks will provide the play--by-play and News sports editor Bob West will be the analyst.
