Llano center taking charge of strong offensive line

JENNIFER FIERRO • STAFF WRITER

LLANO — As he reflected on new starters quarterback Wyatt Casey and center Colton Center, Llano High School head football coach Craig Slaughter used a baseball analogy.

Most coaches on the diamond believe putting speed players in the middle at second base, shortstop and center field maximizes the defense’s ability to get to the baseball and rob base hits from hitters.

For Slaughter, the middle of the football team’s offense is similar to a baseball team’s defense – it’s important to be strong, quick and decisive in robbing the defense from game-changing plays.

“You build your team from the inside out,” Slaughter said. “Our center and quarterback are two solid pieces.”

Though Center will play center for the first time ever, Casey said there’s familiarity for the two seniors. After all, they’ve played together since the seventh grade.

“It’s very comfortable,” he said. “He and I have known each other for years. He knows the position and knows what to do.”

Center said he knew immediately this Yellow Jackets team was different than the previous ones on which he’s played. He called the first practice of training camp Aug. 3 a better session than some of the best ones from a year ago. And a lot of the reasons had to do with the offensive linemen.

“We have size all around and mental capacity,” he said.

His head coach agreed. Since the start of training camp, Slaughter said the offensive line has been one unit that has shined. During the intersquad scrimmage Aug. 7, the offensive line gave Casey time to throw the football and allowed receivers time to get open. The line also opened holes for running back Mason Greenwood that forced linebackers to chase him and defensive backs to make plays.

Slaughter said Center didn’t have a bad snap during the 90-minute scrimmage.

Casey said he wasn’t surprised by the success of the run game.

“I felt confident with Mason and our backs,” he said. “I was a little disappointed with some of our passes that could have been easier. I felt a lot more confident as the day (went) on.”

As the quarterback is at the line of scrimmage calling out the play, Center is calling out blocking assignments to the offensive line, something he didn’t have to worry about doing in the past. But it’s a change he welcomes, he said.

“I’m an alpha-male type,” he said. “I like telling people what to do. I like being in control. It’s a change, but a good change.”

One area the two continue to work on is the shotgun snap.

“We’re still getting it down with muscle memory,” Center said. “It’s something you have to get down.”

Center was unsure if he’ll fill in as the long snapper. That’s because he may be called on to kick field goals.

Keeping a positive attitude and passing it to his teammates is something Casey added to his own playbook, he said. He’s making a point of picking up a teammate after an error and has noticed Center doing the same thing.

“I thought it was one of the most important things, focus on everything as a whole,” he said. “Two of the four captains looking out for everybody. Overall, it helps the team in a lot of ways.”

Center said he had one word to sum up the feelings of this Jackets team as they continue to prepare for the season against Wall.

“Redemption,” he said. “Every poll has picked us last, to not win a single (District 13-4A Division II) game. What we’re doing is to prove everyone wrong.”

The Yellow Jackets will travel to Burnet for a scrimmage Aug. 14 at Bulldog Field, 1000 The Green Mile. The sub-varsities start at 6 p.m. with the varsities following at 7:30 p.m.

Llano begins the 2015 season at Wall at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 28. The game will be at Hawk Stadium, 8065 Loop 570 in Wall.

jfierro@thepicayune.com