Game Time Blog

Watching Potomac play Battlefield last Thursday, the first thing I thought was how much better the Panthers’ offense looked than it had in the season opener a week prior.

Against Gar-Field, Potomac looked like a team still learning the spread offense that was installed before the season began. There were quite a few penalties for lining up incorrectly and it seemed like a lot of just general confusion when plays were actually run.

When the Panthers headed out to Haymarket, Potomac experienced a bit of a slow start. Then, in the second half, the team found its groove. It just so happened that Battlefield found its, too, and the clubs battled back-and-forth with high-flying attacks almost at will.

Lilly
One big difference for Potomac was getting quality reps at practice for its offensive lineman, something coach Tony Lilly said he hasn’t been able to do since the preseason.

“These last two days is the first time in three weeks I’ve had the starting offensive line practice together,“ he said after the three-point loss to Battlefield. “We went into the first game with two of our starting offensive linemen out.“

That would explain some of the hurried throws and quick scrammbles by quarterback DeAirius Thomas against the Indians.

Speaking of Thomas, he might need an ice pack by the end of the year. In two games already, he’s thrown the ball more than 90 times. Versus Battlefield, he made 47 attempts, completing more than half of them (24). Despite an interception by Bobcats linebacker Chris Wendle on a heads-up play, Thomas threw for nearly 300 yards.

But there has to be more than just Thomas’ right arm for Potomac to succeed.

Potomac had just 30 rushing yards between four different players last week.

“I think he threw all over the field tonight,“ Lilly said. “We’ve got to get a little bit of a running game out of it.“