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 For the third straight season, the Senators enter the game with
playmaker Tyrell Bolden behind center.
And for the third straight season, the Railers have spent the week
preparing for Bolden's dynamic ability to make plays with his legs,
not just his arm. Bolden has thrown for 917 yards and 10 touchdowns
this season, while running for 535 yards and 10 touchdowns.
According to Lincoln coach Jared Shaner, the challenge Bolden
presents for opposing defenses is that his biggest running plays
aren't on designed runs, but on broken-down pass plays.
Those types of situations, Shaner says, are hard to script in
practice.
"They'll try a few designed runs, but what makes him special is that
he does a lot of things in an impromptu way," said Shaner. "It might
be a situation where our defensive backs are doing a really good job in pass
coverage and, instead of throwing it into coverage, he'll tuck it and take off
running."
Last season, Bolden completed 5 of 11 for 30 yards and a touchdown
and ran 20 times for 115 yards. In 2008, Bolden completed 8 of 13
passes for 155 yards and a touchdown and took on 12 carries for 34
yards and a touchdown.
So, not only is Bolden an explosive, multi-threat quarterback, he's
also an experienced one.
"I told the kids, he's one of the top three or four athletes in our
conference," said Shaner. "He just does things on the field that you
can't teach. He's pretty impressive."
Leisinger lying in CS8 weeds While Bolden's had three years to
build his resume, Lincoln quarterback James Leisinger is quietly
raising his own status as a dual-threat quarterback.
Leisinger is currently fifth in the Central State Eight conference
in passing yards with 890 yards, completing 55 of 103 attempts. He
is second in the CS8 in passing touchdowns with 12.
Lately, Leisinger has also been a threat as a runner. In the Railers'
last two games, Leisinger has 23 attempts for 105 yards. Over the
course of the season, Leisinger has totaled 203 yards on 52
attempts.
Those numbers combine to put Leisinger at fourth place in the
conference in total yards from scrimmage. With a strong finish
throwing the ball, the Railer quarterback could finish as high as
third in the conference in passing yards.
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Shaner said he's proud of his quarterback for the season he's had.
"I'm very proud of him. Last week, honestly, was probably the first
game this season where he had some poor throws," said Shaner. "But,
my quarterback coach and I were talking, and we really can't think of too many
mistakes that James has made this season. He's really done a good job." Shaner pointed out that while Leisinger isn't physically a prototype
quarterback; the junior has excelled at many of the little things
a coach requests of the leader of the offense.
"He's basically a fullback playing quarterback," said Shaner. "He
really might be the toughest kid on the team. And it shows by the
way he plays the game, the leadership he shows on the field.
"He's one of those kids who just loves to play football. He'd play
every down if you let him."
Always a classic While Springfield enters Friday's contest with a
superior 4-2 record compared with Lincoln‘s 2-4 mark, recent history
would seem to indicate a game that will be up for grabs.
In the last five meetings between the two teams, the average margin
of victory is roughly 10 points. The Railers have won two of those
meetings, in 2005 and 2007.
Last season's game came down to a last-minute Lincoln drive that
came up a few yards short.
Asked if last season's narrow defeat made him want tonight's game
any more than usual, Shaner said, "Absolutely."
"These games are always close ones," said Shaner. "I can't remember
one time in my tenure where one team has really come out and dominated. I think
this year will be the same way -- another close one."
[By JUSTIN TIERNEY]
(Justin
Tierney's Railer
articles)
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