While this Friday night represents Greg Boyne’s debut as head football coach at his alma mater of Hahnville – and his first game as a head coach overall – he said while it’s crossed his mind, his focus hasn’t been on that fact at all.
“Maybe it’s just that I’m getting old,” said Boyne, “but I really haven’t (been thinking in those terms). Obviously, it’s in the back of your mind, but you get so caught up in the preparation part of it. Today, we’re talking about comp tickets, seating, getting the microphone working – and you realize, ‘OK, those things are on me now.’ But coaches coach. I’ve never really got caught up in ‘Oh, this is a big game.’
“But I’m obviously excited. I’m more excited for the kids than anything. I think we’ll have a good product. The kids have been working hard and I’m excited to see how they react this Friday night.”
That first game sees Booker T. Washington visit Tiger Stadium on Friday night.
Washington went 4-6 last season, qualifying for the Division II select playoffs and bowing out to Peabody in round one.
Washington played a challenging early schedule last season, going 0-4 against Salmen, Ehret, Warren Easton and St. Amant. It seemed to pay off once the Lions got into the season’s home stretch, going 4-2 over the final six weeks of the regular season.
For Hahnville, this will be the first of several home games over the first half of the season – four of the Tigers’ first five games will be played at Tiger Stadium, offering an opportunity for a strong start in Boyne’s first season as head coach.
BTW is coached by Wayne Reese Jr., son of Hall of Fame football coach Wayne Reese.
Demico Barnes leads the offense as a returning 1,000 yard rusher at running back. The secondary figures to be a defensive strength, with a senior-laden group covering the back end. Those at Tiger Stadium Friday figure to see plenty of Jamiante Barnes, who plays on both sides of the ball as a receiver and a defensive back. Quarterback Corey McTraney steps in to the quarterback role in his first season as starter there.
Boyne said one player who really stands out is nose tackle Karon Lucas, who anchors the middle of the Washington defense. Given Hahnville’s desire to establish its running game behind rusher Calvin Smith and the Tigers’ offensive line, Lucas will be a key player this Friday.
Schematically, the Booker T. Washington defense brings a 3-3-stack to Tiger Stadium. That’s what the team has largely seen the past two weeks in its jamboree date with Fontainebleau and its scrimmage with St. James.
Recent familiarity aside, however, Reese’s team figures to present some hurdles for Hahnville in how the Lions attack defensively.
“They walk linebackers into the gap, blitz them sometimes, then back them off,” said Boyne. “It’s not easy to prepare for. They play man and they play zone. So, we’ll get some good work here. Sometimes a team sits in Cover 2, Cover 3 and it’s easier on the progression for a young quarterback. They do a variety of things. You have to read the defense.”
Which brings us to that question: who will start at quarterback for the Tigers? Junior Bennett Naquin and sophomore Landen Teague have battled it out throughout the past few months. Teague started the jamboree, Naquin the preseason scrimmage – which was the plan weeks ago.
That question doesn’t have an answer just yet. Boyne said he expects both will see time, but that one will obviously start. Both, he noted, are splitting reps in practice this week.
“I think they’ll both play,” Boyne said. “We’ll talk with them Thursday to let them know how we’re going to do it. But I think both will play, and that could be how we do it for at least the first couple of games. Part of it is, these guys are new to it. Both are stepping out there under the Friday night lights for the first time … you never know how it will be with inexperience. I want both guys to go out there relaxed. They’ve both done well.”
Boyne said the first day of practice this week had some inconsistency to it, but
that the team responded in a big way Tuesday.
“You get that sometimes with Labor Day practice. It wasn’t the best in the morning, but I like that we came back today. The defense actually had a good day on Monday. (On Tuesday) we were more balanced.
“We want to see a clean game, eliminate the penalties on Friday. Execute. And we preach physicality. That’s something we want to see this first time out.”
HAHNVILLE 27, FONTAINEBLEAU 0 – Southeastern committed running back Calvin Smith punched in a 9-yard touchdown run to get the Tigers rolling, and they never looked back as HHS continues to build momentum into the regular season with a dominating jamboree performance.
Savayon Weber and Raynell Gale each intercepted a pass, Bennett Naquin and Landen Teague each scored on QB keeper runs in the redzone and Fabian Celestine scored on a long run to fuel the blowout win.
