(Geronimo) — After opening the season with a road victory, Navarro returns home Friday night looking to make it three head-to-head wins in a row against a Floresville team that has already caught Panthers head coach Glenn Hill’s attention.
Navarro defeated Austin McCallum by nearly two touchdowns in its season opener last Thursday, giving the Panthers an extra day to recover and prepare for their first game of the year at Erwin-Lee Field.
That extra time proved particularly useful after Navarro’s coaching staff attempted to scout Floresville in person during the Tigers’ game against Jourdanton, only for lightning delays and severe weather to disrupt those plans.
“We were able to give them some rest and recovery time, and jumped right into Floresville,” Hill said.
The Panthers entered the season looking to establish a new group of playmakers, and several emerged immediately against McCallum.
Quarterback Eli Baker accounted for two touchdowns off 15-of-27 passing, while Emerson Elder had 113 yards rushing and Brody Zoeller finished with 102 receiving yards.
Elder and Zoeller also start defensively for Navarro, making managing their workload especially important in the Texas heat. Hill said both have demonstrated the explosiveness that makes the Panthers want to find different ways to put the football in their hands.
“They wear a lot of hats for us,” Hill said. “They’ve proven that when the football’s in their hands, they can do good things for us. So that’s up to us to try to get them the ball as many ways as possible.”
Navarro’s production was not limited to those two.
Running backs Ricardo Pates and Julius DeLeon also contributed carries, while tight end Jeremy Hamilton caught four passes. Hill said that variety gives Navarro the flexibility to take what opposing defenses provide rather than entering games determined to manufacture a certain number of touches for one player.
That versatility could be important against a Floresville defense that Hill described as multiple and difficult to decipher on film.
“They’ve got a lot of safeties, it seems, in the mix,” Hill said. “The style of defense they play sometimes when you’re watching film, it almost seems like there’s 12 players out there.”
Navarro’s larger concern, however, may come when Floresville has the football.
Hill said the Tigers possess an explosive offense led by a quarterback who becomes particularly dangerous once he escapes the pocket. Floresville also has enough talent around Drake Coronado that Navarro cannot devote its entire defensive game plan to stopping one threat.
The Panthers’ answer is less about trying to make spectacular individual plays and more about ensuring all 11 defenders handle their assignments.
“We need to not try to go out of our way to be Superman,” Hill said. “We need everybody to do their job and try to contain him as best as possible.”
Hill acknowledged Floresville’s quarterback will likely create plays with his legs at some point. Navarro’s objective is to prevent those moments from becoming the explosive plays that swing the game.
“Just trust what our job is and know that if I do my one-eleventh, we’ll be in good shape,” Hill said.
Several Panthers emerged as defensive leaders in the season opener.
Defensive tackle Hudson Stadler has impressed Hill with a relentless motor up front, while middle linebacker Dax Harborth has assumed a quarterback-like role for the defense by communicating assignments and making late adjustments.
Outside linebacker Joel Yazzie is another player to watch after recording double-digit tackles against McCallum.
Yazzie’s versatility allows Navarro to use him inside the box as a traditional linebacker before moving him into space in spread formations, where he takes on responsibilities more reminiscent of a safety.
“He’s able to wear both of those hats seamlessly,” Hill said. “He’s fast. He’s strong. He’s a really smart kid, and when his opportunities are coming up, he’s making plays.”
That adaptability will be tested by a Floresville offense Hill believes can attack through both the running and passing games.
For Navarro, Friday’s challenge is to remain sound enough to handle all of it without abandoning the fundamentals that helped the Panthers leave Austin with a season-opening victory.
“We cannot just focus on one thing,” Hill said. “Just making sure we have got all of our basics down and we are able to adjust on the fly if we need to.”
After eight days between games, Navarro will get its first opportunity to do that in front of its home crowd Friday night against Floresville at Erwin-Lee Field.
The Floresville Tigers enter their second straight road game 1-0 after beating Jourdanton 48-14 last Friday. The Tigers’ win was powered by senior QB Drake Coronado’s five touchdowns and 306 yards.
Kickoff will be 7pm tonight at Erwin-Lee Field.