Since Matt Dobson took over the Statesboro Blue Devils he has tried to run an up-tempo passing attack. Friday night against Southeast Bulloch he would end up beating the Jackets at their own game as Statesboro completed only four passes for 23 yards, but outrushed Southeast Bulloch, 270-190, and defeated the Jackets, 21-10.
“I can’t say enough about the way we executed on offense,” Dobson said. “Hats off to our offensive line, our running backs. We thought we could lean on them tonight and they came through. I am so proud of our guys for the fight they had tonight.”
Dobson admitted the team had a chip on their shoulder after suffering the loss to SEB last year and having to hear about it for a year.
“We definitely used that as motivation,” Dobson said. “Our kids played with a focus tonight and I am so proud of the effort and fight they showed the whole game.”
Southeast Bulloch head coach Jared Zito admitted the Blue Devil game plan of running the ball caught him off guard.
“We expected them to throw the ball like they have been doing,” Zito said. “We felt like we had some good matchups with their receivers, but they did a great job of running the ball. I was concerned about their offensive line, and we have a lot of guys going both ways. I think we were a little tired, but they played well. I think we did some good things, and we will bounce back from this.”
The past two seasons the teams have split a pair of close games, and it looked like Friday the Jackets would pick up where they left off. Fullback Jayden Murphy broke free on a 38-yard run on SEB’s opening drive and then capped the drive with a one-yard score for a 7-0 lead.
Blue Devil head coach Matt Dobson preached to his team this week about the importance of answering a Jacket touchdown and early in the second they’d score on a one-yard sneak by quarterback Beckham Jarrard. The extra point failed, and Statesboro trailed 7-6.
The Blue Devil defense stiffened from there and actually created a turnover as Colby Smith was unable to hang onto the ball and Statesboro took over at the 25-yard line. They would turn that mistake into points as M.J. Kimble spun in from the two-yard line. The two-point attempt was successful as Davis Harrison hit Rashad Chavers and Statesboro took a 14-7 lead.
With 27 seconds in the half Murphy found some daylight and went 48-yards before being tackled at the 10 by Aiden Kemp. This would lead to a 20-yard field goal by Thomas Edge as SEB cut the lead to 14-10 at the half.
“I really thought we could have gotten some momentum there just before the half,” Zito said. “If Jayden could have scored we could have tied it up and that really could have helped, but hats off to Statesboro for keeping us out of the end zone. I thought their defense really played well.”
The only points of the second half came on Statesboro’s opening possession. Out of the Wildcat formation, Keon Childers found a hole in the middle and went 36 yards for the touchdown as Statesboro opened up a 21-10 lead.
In the fourth, the Blue Devil defense caused a pair of turnovers on a fumble and an interception. Dobson credited defensive coordinator Jacob Lord for coming up with a great game plan.
“They have a couple great running backs, but we took away their dives and the things they like to do,” Dobson said. “Our defensive line just played unselfish throughout the game, and our defensive coordinator Jacob Lord had a fantastic game plan for them to follow.”
Up next, Statesboro travels to Veterans next week, while the Jackets will be at Islands Aug. 29.
