Memorial coach Brian Morgan characterized the recent bye week as “Get Better” week, even though the Titans have started 3-0 for the third year in a row.

The Titans met many expectations in beating Beaumont United on Sept. 15, but the 10-3 final score was too close for comfort for some prognosticators. Still, it was the second time this season Memorial had beaten a 6A team, after starting the season dominating Deer Park in Port Arthur.

“Their record was definitely better than 0-2 when we played them, and I tried to get our guys to understand that,” Morgan said of United. “It’s still better than 0-3. They have a bunch of talented guys, especially on the defensive side of the ball at the skill positions. They played extremely hard on defense. They came up and would hit us. I don’t know they did anything that surprised us, but they’re very capable, and they’re going to win plenty of games this year. I think plenty of people are mistaken when they look at their overall record.”

The Titans rank second in District 9-5A Division I in total defense at 157.3 yards per game. That’s only behind Galena Park’s 111.3, and on Friday, the Yellowjackets (2-1) and Titans will square off in the first week of the newly formed district.

Memorial’s offense scored 40-plus points twice this season (against Deer Park and Houston Madison), but Morgan used the off-week to help the Titans “clean up” mistakes at each position after only scoring 10 points on United.

“Our defensive guys, although they’ve been playing well, there are some fundamental things that can get better when you watch film,” Morgan said. “Offensively, against United, we obviously had some snap issues, and I think we got that cleared up. [We hope] just to get back in rhythm on offense and get back hopefully for a long run the rest of the season.”

Memorial has reached the 5A Division I Region III semifinals, or third round, the past two seasons.

 

Nederland’s focus: 1-0, not 3-0

The Nederland Bulldogs didn’t necessarily think about starting the season 3-0 or hoping to avoid a 0-3 record.

“We just focused on each week,” second-year coach Monte Barrow said.

Each week, Nederland went 1-0. Now, the Bulldogs are 3-0 for the second year in a row. They last started with four straight wins in 2007, when Port Neches-Groves ended a 5-0 start to the season.

“As soon as the bye week started, everybody pushed the reset button to 0-0,” Barrow said.

Like in 9-5A-I, District 12-5A Division II offers longtime rivals Nederland, Port Neches-Groves, Baytown Lee and Vidor new opponents. One new face of theirs, Santa Fe (1-2) is playing with plenty of inspiration following the May 14 on-campus shooting there that claimed eight students and two teachers.

Barrow said the team has not planned to do anything to commemorate the tragedy ahead of Friday’s game. Santa Fe’s and Nederland’s spirit leaders, as is common in UIL football games, will do a traditional good sportsmanship exchange prior to the national anthem.

Quarterback Blaysin Fernandez will start against Santa Fe after leaving the Sept. 14 win at Silsbee with a left knee injury. He did not play the second half.

Junior Bryce McMorris has finished out all three of Nederland’s wins in Fernandez’s stead.

“We don’t change a lot when one or the other’s in,” Barrow said. “Knowing when your backup’s in, you try to keep him safe as far as certain run plays.”

Fernandez likes to run the ball more and McMorris favors passing over running, Barrow said.

 

No panic over PNG’s 1-2 start

The non-district slate Port Neches-Groves coach Brandon Faircloth organized helped him to learn about his Indians.

“When we make our schedule, you want to be put in some adversity,” the 10^th-year head coach said. “I’m proud of the effort. When they get out there, it’s a 48-minute game.”

After 144 minutes, however, the Indians are 1-2, their worst start since going 2-8 in 2012.

Faircloth, whose teams shared the last three District 22-5A championships, isn’t panicking.

“A lot of our issues were self-inflicted,” he said. “We made some mental mistakes that you can’t make in the fourth quarter.

The Indians have been outscored 24-0 in their past two games, both losses to Huntsville and Tomball. PNG held a 21-14 lead going into the final quarter against Tomball.

Faircloth, however, was positive about the play of some seniors who didn’t get to play much last season, including backup quarterback Grant Rogers and running back Jaylan Williams.

Rogers took over the offense for an injured Roschon Johnson, who’s expected to return for Friday’s game at Baytown Lee, and threw for 218 yards and two touchdowns with two fourth-quarter interceptions. Williams rushed for a season-high 68 yards on nine carries and a touchdown against Tomball and is sharing duties in the backfield with junior Gavin Deslatte.

“We switch them every series,” Faircloth said. “You’ve gotta run two backs.”