Saraland makes plenty of points on and off the scoreboard with blowout

 

 

 

 

SPANISH FORT — It was a natural question after a 54-7 victory.

“What didn’t you do well?” Saraland coach Jeff Kelly was asked.

It didn’t take long for Kelly to start his recitation.

“We should have scored on the first drive,” he said. “We had two or three linemen downfield calls. We’ve got to do a better job on some of our run-pass option stuff. We’ve got to execute better in the special teams phase. And we’ve got to tackle better. We didn’t tackle great in the first half.”

OK, so if the Spartans had done those things and scored on the three possessions in which they turned it over on downs, punted once (for 41 yards) and took a knee to mercifully run out the clock, they would have beaten Spanish Fort 97-0 Friday night.

All those extra points weren’t necessary, of course, since the 54 in red lights made plenty of points on and off the scoreboard.

“Coach told us before the game he wants our best, like our very best,” said quarterback Jamison Roberts, who had to feel terrible about his three incompletions, although Tulane offered him a free ride the next day. He did complete 9 of 12 passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns, all to Deshawn Spencer, who was running around uncovered and resembling a meteorite burning through the stratosphere.

In fact, Kelly told his players before the game that he didn’t want them looking at the scoreboard. They didn’t need to, of course, figuring they had to be far ahead since they were crossing the goal line every 108 seconds of game clock. Three of the scoring drives — if they can be called that — lasted 23, 49 and 11 seconds.

As has been the case for the last three years, Saraland had the grave dug, flowers in place and the headstone engraved by the end of the first quarter. If you’re keeping track, the Spartans have outscored the Toros 62-3 in the first quarter in their last three games and won 49-7, 42-17 and 54-7.

This is not to pile on to Spanish Fort. In fact, the outcome may say more about the Spartans, who, some have sneered, would not come close to reaching a fourth straight Super 7 after losing K.J. Lacey and many other stars.

Is Saraland that good or are the Toros that bad? We’ve seen three beatdowns in three years and the Spartans ended up in the Class 6A state championship game all three times and Spanish Fort got to the second round of the playoffs. History is a good teacher.

“Coach Kelly said, ‘Earn your respect today,’” Spencer said. “There will still be some doubters but hopefully we caught some eyes and everybody realized that we’re not a pushover, we’re definitely here to play ball.”

Which they did. The Toros had employed the same basic defense against Saraland for two straight years against Lacey — little blitzing, two deep safeties — and Roberts, as Lacey did, looked as if he was throwing against air.

Kelly did not tarry to see if Spanish Fort was once again vulnerable to his passing game. The first play was a 32-yard takeoff from Roberts to Spencer against man coverage. On the third play, a 30-yard touchdown pass from Roberts to A.J. Martin on a fade was called back on an ineligible receiver penalty, a lineman who might have beaten Spanish Fort’s coverage himself. Amazingly, the Spartans didn’t score on that possession but only because of what they did to themselves — the ineligible receiver and a false start on a fourth-and-2.

“Coach told us we’re going to take a shot first play no matter what,” Roberts said. “I threw the ball to (Spencer) and I’m like, ‘Oh, yeah, it’s time to go.’”

Critics will say the Toros didn’t try to exert pressure on Roberts. Well, they did twice, once when he was sacked for the only time, which forced the only Saraland punt, and once when he was hit as he threw. Spencer, who has committed to Duke, still made a diving catch for a 22-yard gain.

The Spartans’ offensive line, which had its problems in the last two Super 7s, is showing promise after Saraland stacked up 521 yards of total offense. Kelly said it’s the best his offensive line and his team have played this season.

Now their best has to keep getting better, for there is no other way for Kelly and his coaches. Former star linebacker Skylar Mosley, who is now the defensive coordinator, knows the standard well. After his defense allowed 199 yards of total offense in the first half, Spanish Fort’s production in the second half could be seen only with a microscope — minus 6 yards in all.

“It’s the eyes and just doing your job, man,” Mosley said. “I mean, squeeze and stuff like that. Just little things that makes the big difference between maybe being a 1- or 2-yard gain and a 6-, 7- or 8-yard gain. Containing and stuff like that to where those guys are able to get on the edge. We challenged them and they rose to the challenge.”

How much better can the Spartans get? Kelly has his to-do list and an eraser ready to rub them out, along with the opposition. St. Paul’s and Theodore will have a chance but it’s going to take a great team to beat them.