Jefferson City will have a few more options to choose from on offense when the Jays travel to DeSmet tonight for Week 4.
After running a spread offense through its first two games, Jefferson switched to a power formation in the third quarter last week as the Jays went on to claim a 25-7 win against Hickman.
Head coach Ted LePage said Wednesday he is open to running both offenses against the Spartans.
"We're going to go out and try to win a football game," he said. "If we have to do it running the football and take it four yards in a cloud of dust, we're happy to do that. If we have to open it up and run the spread system to win a football game, we're happy to that.
"It's nice that we have the capabilities to not only run the spread, but also run good old-fashioned power football."
With a heavy rainfall last Friday, the conditions were not conducive to running the spread. And after Denzel Wilson, who has split the carries with Elijah Pittman at tailback this season, left the game with a leg injury, LePage decided to switch things up.
Jake Pridgin, a receiver for the Jays the last three seasons, moved to tailback while Pittman lined up at fullback. That's also when Isaac Roling, Jefferson City's starting quarterback the first two games, took over for Gunnar See under center.
"It's been a work in progress of finding that good short-yardage offense," LePage said. "We've tried a couple of different ways and the one thing we've noticed is Isaac's capability to run the option and his savvy to do that.
"It worked (last week) and we continued to eat up clock and eat up yardage with it, so we stayed with it."
Pridgin had 123 yards rushing on 14 carries and scored two second-half touchdowns against Hickman. It was the first time the senior had carried the ball as a running back since his freshman year.
Despite Jefferson City's success with the power-option last week, LePage has no plans of putting the spread offense in his back pocket.
"We're going to see where our strength lies for that week," LePage said. "We're going to stay with our spread system, but we also know that Isaac has grown up in our system being an option quarterback. When you see Gunnar in there, we're going to be with a traditional spread (with) one back, trying to get it out and use his talents of throwing the football in space and get our athletes in space.
"We're not opposed to running either guy out there - we also have J.T. Bohlken, who can run both systems. We're not afraid to do whatever it takes to win a football game. That's the way our players have responded and they've responded to that very well."
Wilson, who has 40 carries for 128 yards this season, is still listed as questionable for tonight's game.
Regardless what Jefferson City decides to run against DeSmet, the Jays are sure about one thing: They're heading into Week 4 with some confidence after knocking off the Kewpies.
"It seems like our practices have been lively," LePage said. "We've had great attention. Now the end product is, will it come out (tonight). That's yet to be seen what the end product will be, but I do know our confidence is as good as we've had this year."
DeSmet (0-3) has had its struggles early in the season. The Spartans have been shut out in their last two games and opponents have outscored them 128-24.
Having a challenging schedule to open the year with a young team hasn't helped. The Spartans lost 49-24 to Hazelwood Central, now ranked sixth in Class 6, in Week 1 before falling 44-0 to Rock Bridge, now ranked ninth in Class 6, in Week 2. DeSmet most recently suffered a 35-0 loss to Chaminade.
"We know they have been playing great competition, and when you turn on the film, the thing that really alerts me is, this is a team that is ready to break out at any point in time," LePage said. "They've got athletes, they've got good linemen, they look just like the teams we've played in the past. You just hope they continue to struggle for another week."
DeSmet has predominately been a running team in the past, but the Spartans have been throwing the ball more recently in an effort to make up some ground late in games.
LePage expects DeSmet to stick with its running game early in the contest, much like the Spartans have done in their first three games.
"You've got to be careful anytime you play a zone power or stretch team," LePage said. "If you get too much penetration, that can allow cut lanes. They're looking for lanes to run through. Each person, against a good, fundamental stretch team has to have a specific gap that they're responsible for.
"I think that's one thing we're going to have to do this week - make sure you don't get out of your gap."
Tonight's contest, which starts at 7 p.m., will be the Jays first road game of the season. LePage doesn't think that makes a difference.
It actually makes us a little bit closer football team," he said. "Our players know that it's all business. Once we get inside the football facility and we get on the bus, starting at 2 o' clock, it's all about our opponent."
Read the latest issue of Goal Lines previewing this weekend's area high school football.
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