The Douglass Trojans will face DeSoto, Texas, High School Monday at 4:30 p.m. at Cowboys Stadium.
The day of the big game is finally here for the Douglass Trojans.
They had to sit around last Thursday and Friday, watching every other team in the state open the 2011 football season, and now it’s finally here.
Some players said it wasn’t easy watching all the other teams getting to play, and others felt it only hyped them up for their game even more.
The trip has been a lot of fun so far. How could you not have fun eating dinner at Dave and Buster’s with 75 high school kids?
I got the impression that coach Willis Alexander wasn’t too happy with the team’s focus at walk-through on Sunday afternoon, but I’d expect him to corral the kids’ attitudes before gametime.
You could sense the focus coming back around when the bus rolled into Cowboys Stadium on Sunday evening for the tour. Just seeing the turf brought a lot of excitement.
And camera phones were busy throughout the tour at places like the field and in the Cowboys’ locker room. But the tour almost came to a halt when it passed the doors of the Cowboys Cheerleaders locker room. Like I said… it’s 75 high school boys.
I was in San Diego with the Oklahoma State Cowboys in 2008 during the lead-up to the Holiday Bowl, and Sunday’s events had a very similar feel. These kids are really enjoying the experience and trying to take it all in.
The team got together for breakfast at 8 a.m. today, with the pregame meal around 1 p.m. Then it’s off to Cowboys Stadium to get taped, and check out the atmosphere during the earlier games.
The game kicks off at 4:30 p.m. and is televised on Fox Sports Oklahoma, Cox 37.
For the fans who aren’t at the game, or watching on television, the Dallas Morning News will be providinglive stats and play-by-play online.
And I’ll be providing some updates on Twitter as well (@ScottWrightOK).
As for the game itself, here are a couple story lines I’ll be watching:
1. The Douglass linemen. I haven’t seen the DeSoto players in person, but based on the tape I saw, and what I’ve heard, they’re some big dudes. Douglass has a good group of linemen for a Class 4A team, but this could be a different kind of ballgame.
2. The Trojan backfield. Chris Compton is making his first start at quarterback on national TV in Cowboys Stadium. He’s a senior and he’s played before (on defense) but he’ll need to keep his composure in this setting. The running backs will be important in helping him along. I expect big things from Dion’Tay Washington this year, and Chavez Wyatt is a good complement to him as well.
3. The Douglass defense. Here’s the area where the Trojans need to be the equalizer. They have speed to compare with any school, no matter the size. Jas’Sen Stoner at middle linebacker, along with the guys in the secondary, need to avoid giving up the big plays. And the D-line will have to use its quickness as a weapon against a bigger O-line.
I’ve had my video camera with me the whole time, and I’ll provide a behind-the-scenes look at the trip and the game on Tuesday. There will be stories online and in the newspaper over the next couple of days as well.
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Douglass,Football,high school,Oklahoma City,Sports
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Pingback by Gameday for Douglass in DFW (with link to live stats) – NewsOK.com (blog) on September 5, 2011 @6:37 pm
Roving the towns that produced Steve Largent, Kendall Cross and Garth Brooks, Oklahoman writer Scott Wright covers much of OKC's west side, including the Putnam City schools, Mustang and Yukon.
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