(Photo by Ashley Shults/AISD)
This interview was recorded Wednesday, Sept. 14, at the Athens ISD Field House with Coach Zac Harrell and Michael V. Hannigan.
==
It's Homecoming Week for Athens ISD and the Hornets are looking to get back into the win column 7:30 p.m. Friday when they host Kaufman at Bruce Field.
Athens (2-1) is coming off a tough 45-42 road loss to Rusk that came in the final seconds last week, but Coach Zac Harrell said his team has had a good week of practice and is ready to rebound against Kaufman (2-1).
"So far this week, I've been really pleased with our practice output," he said.
Coach Harrell said the Hornets have focused on improving in three areas after last week's loss.
1. Penalties: Coach Harrell said Athens committed 12 self-inflicted penalties for 120 yards. "We have to clean those up," he said.
2. Respond to Adversity: "When you play good teams, they're going to make plays sometimes," Coach Harrell said. "When you face adversity, do you stick together."
3. Take Advantage of Opportunities: When the game is on the line, you have to make a play to win, Coach Harrell said. "We felt like we had multiple opportunities to make plays that would have decided the game," he said, "and we didn't make them and Rusk did."
The Hornets are going to have to fix those three areas to beat a tough and physical Kaufman team. Coach Harrell said the Lions run the ball 75 percent of the time with a talented running back and a strong offensive line.
"They're a playoff-caliber opponent," he said.
On the defensive side of the ball, Kaufman plays multiple fronts and stacks the box to stop the run.
"We always try to take what the defense is giving us," said Coach Harrell, "so if they are playing a run heavy box, we have to be efficient throwing the football."
Keys to the Game
-- Eliminate the self-inflicted penalties.
-- Win the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
-- Make a game-changing play on special teams.
-- Take the necessary action to take the next step as a team.
Podcast Topics
* This week of practice (:51)
* Focus on three things (1:40)
* World of the Week: Take Action (5:45)
* The Kaufman Lions (8:04)
* Athens offensive line (9:36)
* Jamauri Manning (10:43)
* Keys to the game (13:17)
These posts are free thanks to Hannigan Media sponsors Athens Screen Printing, Tinsley Law & Title, Gibson Pharmacy, R&R Lawn Specialist, Gilbert Electric, Hunan Buffet, and Holt Wrecker.
Please consider sharing this email with your friends and encouraging them to sign up for the blog. Don't rely on Facebook for your local information.
