WEST POINT – Two weeks ago, West Point quarterback Josh Ewing looked around and thought to himself he was all his team had left behind center. And it was a comforting feeling.
No longer was Ewing, the senior quarterback that has orchestrated the precision of the Green Wave’s ground attack, worried about making mistakes or when he’d be asked to sit out a play or possession in a game. The responsibility of the offense designed by head coach Chris Chambless was all his and his alone and he’s flourished.
“We really needed a game like this and I knew it was on my shoulders to make sure we executed perfectly despite the conditions,” Ewing said after the game last Friday night. “I’m feeling very confident about my play and how much I can trust the skill teammates around me to make big plays.”
Chambless said it’s no coincidence or even horrible weather conditions that can explain Ewing’s 55-yard performance in the pouring rain last week in a 14-6 victory at Noxubee County. It was also not a coincidence that win the Green Wave (2-2) needed to put the game away, they trusted their quarterback to make a play.
“I really think when Dason Thomas went down with a shoulder deal, Josh began to realize that it was all up to him to make sure we had a leader at quarterback,” Chambless said. “I could see immediately he started to take his game to another level because he knew we added a layer of pressure on him right then. He relished in that environment.”
Thomas, a more athletic wildcat option at quarterback for the Green Wave, injured his shoulder in the season-opening 55-33 loss at South Panola. However, Chambless and the West Point staff expect to see some action from him Friday night as he was medically cleared for contact early this week.
Ewing will be asked this week to coordinate an offense that will be the polar opposite of the home sideline’s plan when they travel to Oxford for the Class 5A Region 1 opener for both teams. West Point is going to try to control the tempo with Ewing and four-star tailback Aeris Williams in order to keep the high powered Oxford offense off the field.
“I just look around sometimes and think I have the best job anywhere when I can hand it to the best running back in the state or run behind the state’s best offensive line,” Ewing said. “If you look at it in the right way, my life is easy as long as I know what I’m doing.”
Oxford (4-0) has averaged 33.5 points per game thanks to the talent of sophomore quarterback Jack Abraham. The 6-foot-1 signal caller threw three touchdown passes in the final 16 minutes of play in a come-from-behind victory at Starkville. Oxford will try to test West Point’s pass defense that has held up against South Panola and Noxubee County by putting pressure on the quarterback.
“It’s really hard to simulate what they do offensively in practice because we’re just not set up to move the ball that way ourselves,” Chambless said. “We try to do the best we can but it’s a different tempo and speed when they’ll line up on Friday.”
Chambless said Wednesday he’s concerned about Oxford’s quick strike running attack that saw sophomore Kenzie Phillips scamper for 123 yards on just 11 carries in a 35-24 victory over Starkville.
“I know people get caught up in how they throw it but they’ll catch you in a look and then run a draw or quick run and immediately get a big gain that way too,” Chambless said. “It’s a pick your poison offense that’s for sure but it does all slow down with pressure in the backfield.”
However, the common denominator of Friday’s contest will be the physicality up front on defense between both teams. Oxford, whose team gets more attention with its wide-open offense, just held Lafayette to just 80 yards rushing on 40 carries in a 30-0 blowout last week. The Chargers have outscored its non-region opponents 134-44 in the last four games.
After getting a momentum generating win Friday at Noxubee County, Chambless saw a resurgence in the energy level of his young group that was desperately needed. The leadership, including players like Ewing, needed to assert themselves and make a statement on the road that West Point football was back as Class 5A title contender.
The Green Wave must make the same kind of impact in a hostile environment when they travel two hours north to Oxford.
“It’s Oxford week around here and you know it when it comes up because you feel it around the halls and around the school all week,” Chambless said. “The one thing I love about this group of kids is how mentally strong they are and that’s going to carry us what is still left of a long season.”
Follow Matt Stevens on Twitter @matthewcstevens.
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