Erwin at Enka: Terrible game, Erwin will do what Reynolds did last year and score 95 points a game against the worst teams in the MAC from here on out. Erwin 76-0
North Buncombe at McDowell: Might be a good game, unfortunately it doesn't mean a damn thing. McDowell 21-20.
Asheville at Reynolds: Rico Dowdle is more than half the Reynolds offense. Asheville wont stop him, nobody will stop him, but if we contain him that severely hampers Reynolds offense. They depend on him to get 200+ yards a game and if there was ever a game they are going to put the ball in his hands maybe even more than usual, its this one. It sounds odd to say, but if Asheville holds him to under 200 yards rushing, Reynolds could be in trouble because they rely on him so much. Reynolds offense is geared around getting Rico rushed and creating lanes that he can take off on. Playing Carver last week was a GREAT help to Asheville because of their team speed. I actually think Asheville may have been caught off guard a little by Carver's speed because we hadn't seen it in Franklin Pisgah and Newton Conover. If I had to choose one other thing that concerns me other than Dowdle, its the Reynolds defense. It seems like for whatever reason, maybe familiarity, that Reynolds knows our plays. There have been multiple Reynolds games where we will get in a formation and you can literally hear the Reynolds sideline screaming the play we are going to run before the ball is snapped. Reynolds has played a very tough schedule so far, but their defense has given up a ton of points.
The Asheville offense averages 31.2 ppg
The Asheville defense gives up 13.6 ppg
The Reynolds offense averages 42.6 ppg
The Reynolds defense gives up 26.7 ppg.
So thus far through 5 games Asheville beats their opponents by an average of 17.6 points and through 6 games Reynolds beats their opponents by an average of 15.9 points per game.
Obviously Reynolds has lost a game and won one on a field goal with nearly no time left.
Asheville is undefeated and hasn't played a cupcake schedule, but it hasn't been against as tough of competition as what Reynolds has played.
The bottom line is Asheville's defense is more than capable of causing big problems for Rico Dowdle and company. A year ago, Reynolds didn't get into the endzone until the 4th quarter when it was already 27-0. The Asheville defense responsibility will have to be, "If they run an option, make Rico pitch it, if they drop back to pass, make him pass it, not take off and run". The Asheville defense is bigger than the Erwin defense last week and based on the highlights I saw, that really hurt Erwin trying to bring Dowdle down. I look for Jose Daniels, a 3 year starter at 200 pounds to have a big game as well as all state linebacker Christian green. Also, if I were a coach, which Im not, I would let Makauis Brewer spy Dowdle. He is a hell of an athlete and big enough to bring anybody down alone.
I think Reynolds has the best player on the field, I think Asheville has the better team. Get Rico on the ground and you win. Easier said than done. Ive been waiting to be impressed by our great roster. Maybe this will be the week we start seeing our potential.
