Brian Porter’s Plano-Dallas Skyline Blog

" Live from Austin Avenue Grill here's some final wrap-up from tonight's game. Plano (13-1) will meet Euless Trinity (13-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Texas Stadium. Trinity is ranked No. 2 in the National Prep Football Southwest poll. Plano is No. 2 in the same poll.: Cats Wagon: Let's start out with a few awards for this week's best players. Start with Carson Meger. He had two passing touchdowns on 18-of-29 passing for 322 yards and a 20-yard touchdown reception. Put Meger on the Cats Wagon. Second, Chris Mendenhall. He was relentless and he played hurt. You can't get this guy off the field and you want him on it. Third, Kenny Watkins. He's the Interception King. He had another one today and three in four playoffs games. He also broke up a touchdown pass. They all go on the Cats Wagon. They join last week's selections: Rex Burkhead, Brennan Hardy and C.J. Martin. Sorry, Rex. You had a great game. I'm trying to spread around these honors. I hope I don't lose my status as the president of the Rex Burkhead Fan Club.
Best quote of the night: Someone on the Plano sideline gave me a capsule of the game. Here it is: "We knocked them naked and stole their clothes."
Nickname stolen four times: OK. I'll admit it was a stolen nickname before I brought it up. I told Beau Brence last week that the Plano defense was like the "No Name Defense" of the Dallas Cowboys in the mid-90s. The Cowboys stole that name from the Miami Dolphins team in 1972. Beau apparently stole it from me this week and it was reported by Todd Wills. That's OK, Beau. I like it.
Explaining defensive statistics: I had a question this week on the blog about the reasons I am not mentioning defensive statistics. On the night of the game, they are not available. The coaches get tackles, sacks, etc., off game film the following day. By my count in the first half, C.J. Martin led with four total tackles. I don't like reporting defensive stats, because between keeping stats, trying to watch all 22 players on the field, blogging, and doing more in the press box, I am sure there are missed tackles. That's why I always relied upon coaches to supply these stats based on the game film. I think Brennan Hardy made a great point about this after the game. I told him I knew he had at least two sacks. He said he wasn't sure, that he doesn't keep track of it and it is not important to him.
Kicking game matters: If you want a point for the fact that the kicking game does matter, try out this sequence. Plano was stopped and forced to punt in the second half. The Rex Burkhead punt went to the Skyline 4. Skyline was forced to punt and Burkhead had a 64-yard punt return for a touchdown. The kicking game sets up the game of field position and the game of field position decides football games.
What's for lunch: Can anyone give me an answer to this? It sure looked like longtime Plano photographer Big Lou had a jar of peanut butter on the field today. I've got pretty good binoculars. Maybe taking photos really takes it out of you. What's wrong with a halftime snack? I remember that game where a Snickers wrapper was caught on the ground near Nate Newton in a Cowboys game. Big guys get hungry.
Making plays: Kenny Watkins is a playmaker. There's no doubt about that. He had another interception tonight for three in four playoff games. "I wasn't really supposed to be there," Watkins said. "The only threat was in my area, so I played it. Our whole defense is locked down. This secondary can shut down the passing game."
Defense: Let's stay with defense for a little longer here. It seems people talk about the opposing defense each week and at the end of the game it is always the Plano defense that made plays. "This is the best defense in the state," said Kenny Watkins. "We have the best defensive coordinator (Clint Stewart) in the state. We prove it every week." This was a talented Skyline offense with a lot of players which have the ability to make plays. "If we don't score, the best feeling is the defense we have," said Carson Meger. "We know we're going to get another shot." Plano played without both starting defensive ends in the second half of the game Saturday and Skyline scored just twice. "They're amazing," said Rex Burkhead. "We had guys go out and their backups came in. They always make big plays." Brennan Hardy said the talk this week was about a really good Skyline defense with Division I athletes. "We have depth in every position," Hardy said. "All the guys can do the job. We've gotten this far doing what we're doing."
Radio team: I hope I didn't seem hard on tonight's radio team with my earlier statements. Mickey Timbes and Brad Denton to me ARE Plano football.
The Rex Files: How good of a kid is Rex Burkhead? He didn't know he had eclipsed 4,000 all-purpose offensive yards in his career. "It really goes to all the linemen I've ever played with," Burkhead said. I spent a few moments earlier talking with Rex's mother, Robyn Burkhead. She tells me she was a PSA basketball coach for the Jayhawks, which won the championship with Rex, Kris Lott, Hanur Kim and Michael Liu. Robyn was a standout basketball player in Kentucky, so maybe we know where he gets some of those awesome athletic moves.
Best play call: Here's the best call of the night. Rex Burkhead tossed a halfback pass to quarterback Carson Meger for a 20-yard touchdown. "Carson is sick of throwing it," Burkhead said. "He wants the ball. He's a good receiver." Meger called for the ball earlier during a play and wanted it on that play. "I want the ball," Meger said. "I wanted to make a play."
Fans get it done: I've seen and covered a lot of football games and I've been around a lot of fans. There aren't any better than Plano Wildcats' fans. The visiting parking lot was packed two hours before Saturday's game and Plano packed its side of the stadium. "They're the best high school fans in the country," said coach Gerald Brence. "They know football and I think they like the new offense we're playing."
How about that O-line? It is time for people to start talking about this Plano offensive line. When Meger has time to pass and when Rex Burkhead bursts for a 10-yard gain this line should be credited. So here's a shout out to these guys. It starts in the middle with Blake McJunkin. The guards are Jordan Talley and Justin Boyde. Wes Perryman and Hanur Kim are the tackles. Austin Lloyd also logs considerable time at tackle. Brennan Hardy plays tight end. These guys are doing an excellent job, so here's your shout out. You deserve it.
Making catches simple: These Plano receivers just seem to make the game so simple, don't they. It seems like Carson Meger gets the ball in the neighborhood and Nate Christian, Grant Davis and Kris Lott go up and catch it. "All we do is play catch," Lott said. "It is like we're playing in the backyard out here. It hard to focus on both us and the rushing game." It is difficult to decide who the best receiver is and, perhaps, that's the secret. As a unit, they make each other better. I really like Christian going up against any team's third-best defender.
It doesn't matter: I keep hearing this from the players and I feel they are wrong. Rex Burkhead told me tonight that nothing matters this year if the Wildcats don't win a state title. The 2005 team didn't win a state title and neither did the 1993 team. What they accomplished will be remembered in the annals of Plano Wildcats football. Enjoy the ride, guys. Then go get the title when the chance comes.
Days of Brence: Each game could be the last for Gerald Brence. Today's game was played at the site of his first game to coach. It could have been his last game to coach with a loss. "I think about that every Saturday morning a lot," Brence said. "I'm having so much fun. I so appreciate everyone from Dr. Doug Otto and to the school board giving me this opportunity to do this and coach one more year. It has been a pleasure." I've read the comments on this blog in the past few weeks in regards to Brence. I don't agree with most of them. Brence has 120 wins in 15 seasons at Plano. That's an average of about eight wins a season. He has a 30-8 record in the past three seasons and the program is right where all those that are critical of Brence want it to be. "If you coach long enough, you are going to have a lot of critics," Brence said. "I don't hold anything personal." It is time for people to get behind Brence. He's done everything people have asked. He's changed his offense. He's rejuvenated a down program into a top football power again. If coaching is about the product on the field, he's done everything he's been asked to do. He's got Plano in a state semifinal. He's had Plano in a regional final in two of the past three seasons. When he leaves to become athletics director this is right where his critics should want the program.
Coach search: By about 6 p.m. on Dec. 22, Plano should have its new coach. I believe Plano will win the state title. I also believe the new coach of the Plano Wildcats should be named after the game. It should be JayDon McCullough. He's loyal. He's a great coach and you won't find anyone that doesn't like him. I think he deserves this shot. Scott Smith has a job at Lake Highlands. Give JayDon his shot. Give JayDon the job. Tom Inman and Lynn Meger were promoted from within. Both have coached in the state championship and Inman won a state title. Tom Kimbrough and Gerald Brence were promoted from within and they have four state titles in football. John Clark came to the district as a basketball coach and led Plano to two state titles. Plano East and Plano West have made numerous outside hires that haven't worked. When Plano has promoted from within it has rarely failed. "

" Great job on the blog Porter. And most importantly- GO CATS GO!!! BEAT TRINITY!!! "

" I graduated from Mesquite in 73 and have followed high school football since that time. I watched Plano and Mesquite at Texas Stadium and before the second half of that game I felt like Mesquite could beat Plano. But starting the second half of that game Plano has looked unbeatable. Plano totally out played Skyline on Saturday and looked extremely well coached and disciplined. Skyline came out talking a lot of trash to the Plano players and the Plano players would not allow themselves to get into the trash talking. Plano pushed Skyline all over the field and did it with class. Congratulations to Plano. This Mesquite fan looks forward to you winning STATE. GO PLANO !!!! "