Deandre Murray entered the season as one of the most highly regarded running backs in the state. His first two games have certainly solidified his position as such.
Murray put up his second straight 200-yard rushing performance Friday in Springdale High’s 41-6 romp past Tulsa (Okla.) Central.
Murray had 20 carries for 213 yards and touchdown sprints of 66, 21, 47 and 1 yards. Had a long run not been called back on a penalty, he would have had more. His performance earned him this week’s 7A/6A-West Conference Player of the Week honors.
“It was around 50 yards, so he could have been up around the 250 range,” Springdale coach Shane Patrick said.
In the season opener against Batesville, he rushed for 200 yards and had touchdown runs of 3, 54 and 59 yards.
Long touchdown runs are common for Murray, who is truly a home run threat.
“There’s no doubt about that,” Patrick said. “When he gets out there in the open field, I’m not going to say there’s nobody that’s going to catch him, but there aren’t many people around that’s going to catch him.”
Last year, Murray ran for 17 touchdowns, and his average touchdown run was 39.9 yards. He had 10 touchdown runs of 40 yards or longer. Murray rushed for 1,421 on 189 carries, and 679 of the yards came on his 17 touchdown runs.
“He’s a little bit heavier and stronger this year,” Patrick said. “He’s added some acceleration this year when he gets out and gets on the go. The process of offseason, now it comes down to staying in game shape. He should get stronger each week as he gets more conditioning from playing games.”
A rebuilt offensive line has paved the way for Murray and the rest of the Bulldogs, who are averaging 403.5 yards per game.
“We’re really pleased,” Patrick said. “Right tackle and left guard have really, really come on. The first two weeks the right tackle has probably played better than anybody. The other guys are coming along. There’s some newness there and some things we need to work on, but we’ve been pleased.”
Right guard Edwin Espinoza has started all 23 games of his career. Right tackle Jose Ambriz, center Daniel Salas, left guard Adam Thompson and left tackles Caleb Wade and Braxton Bradley, who rotate there, are all juniors who are starting for the first time.
As the line continues to mature, Murray’s numbers should keep going up.
“He’s a really, really talented guy,” Patrick said. “He would be the first to tell you that he has some things to work on and continue to improve at, but he has all of the tools to be really, really good if we block for him up front and he stays within what we’re trying to do. He can do really well this year.”
GREEN’S LAW
Fayetteville’s Dre Greenlaw has turned in big plays in both weeks for the Bulldogs.
On Friday, Greenlaw intercepted a pass and returned it 68 yards for a touchdown in a 34-24 win against Jefferson City, Mo. In the season opener against Warren, Greenlaw returned a punt 91 yards for a touchdown in a 35-21 win.
“He’s one of the kids that we expect big plays from,” Fayetteville coach Daryl Patton said. “He’s delivered thus far.”
Both returns gave his Bulldogs 14-0 leads in the games.
“In both of those games, we did some things, and they came back and made it 14-7,” Patton said. “We made some penalties, and Warren came down and scored. Against Jeff City, we forced them to punt and maybe put the nail in the coffin, and Drew muffed a punt. They got the ball about the 15 and scored. If we could have made a stop and found a way to make it 21-0, now you just never know, but we really needed his big plays.”
Greenlaw was moved to safety from cornerback and provided the Bulldogs with experience.
“We’re young,” Patton said. “We have so many kids that haven’t played much. They’re excited, nervous and uptight. They’ve got to get over the jitters and play ball. He’s one of those kids with experience coming back, we’re leaning on him in the secondary. He’s one of our leaders.”
KNOCKED OFF
The top three teams in the Associated Press poll fell in nonconference play on Friday, all at home to top-notch competition.
Top-ranked Bentonville lost to Broken Arrow, Okla., 24-17. North Little Rock, ranked second, lost to Batesville, Miss., South Panola, 24-23, while No. 3 Springdale Har-Ber was beaten by Columbia, Mo., Rock Bridge, 55-29.
Broken Arrow is ranked No. 3 in Oklahoma’s largest classification behind Jenks and Tulsa Union. South Panola is nationally ranked. Rock Bridge is ranked No. 2 Missouri’s largest classification.
Broken Arrow used a double pass with 2 minutes, 6 seconds left to crack a 17-17 tie against Bentonville. South Panola racked up 537 yards against North Little Rock but needed a used a fake punt to convert a 4:17 to pick up a first down and use up almost all of the remaining time.
It is believed to be the first time in the history of the Associated Press poll for the top three teams to lose in the same week.
It definitely is the worst week for the top three since 2007, when the top three teams were winless in week three. Top-ranked Little Rock Central managed just 103 yards and three first downs in a 13-7 loss to No. 4 Texarkana, whose two touchdowns were on punt returns by Dennis Johnson. Second-ranked Bryant and third-ranked Fort Smith Southside battled to a 21-21 tie with Bryant missing a 31-yard field goal with nine seconds left. Texarkana won the Class 6A state title that season.
In 1996, the top three teams were also winless in the second week of the season. Top-ranked Pine Bluff yielded 417 yards to Monroe (La.) Neville in a 28-12 loss. Second-ranked Van Buren was tied by No. 6 Texarkana, 24-24. Fort Smith Northside, ranked third, gave up 446 yards to Tulsa (Okla.) Union and lost, 42-24. All three of stayed competitive throughout the season. Van Buren beat Pine Bluff, 34-13, in the second round of the playoffs and went on to win the state championship, beating Northside, 28-7.
In 1994, three of the top four teams lost in week four. Top-ranked Pine Bluff lost to No. 10 Little Rock McClellan, 19-14. Northside, ranked third, lost to Fayetteville, 17-7. Southside, ranked fourth, lost to No. 2 Russellville, 20-14. Pine Bluff went on to win the state championship, beating McClellan, 25-21.
OUT OF TOWNERS
The conference went 3-3 against out-of-state opponents this week.
In addition to Bentonville and Har-Ber, Van Buren gave up an 88-yard touchdown late on the hook-and-lateral and lost to Poteau, Okla., 43-40.
Fayetteville beat Jefferson City, Mo., 34-24, Springdale rolled to a 41-6 win against Tulsa Central and Rogers High beat Tahlequah, Okla., 41-6.
The conference is 9-6-1 overall in nonconference play, including 5-3 against out-of-state teams.
Three teams go against out-of-state opponents this week, including Bentonville’s megamatchup against Euless (Texas) Trinity. Fayetteville travels to Muskogee, Okla., while Springdale High hosts Bixby, Okla.
THAT FIGURES
39.9 – average touchdown run last year by Springdale’s Deandre Murray
13 – turnovers committed by Van Buren, Siloam Springs, Har-Ber and Bentonville, which all lost Friday
4 – turnovers committed by Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers and Heritage, which all won, Friday
0 – wins Friday by the top three teams in the Associated Press poll
7A/6A-WEST CONFERENCE STATISTICS
TEAM OFFENSE
TEAM^RUSH^PASS^TOTAL^AVG/GM
Rogers High^764^86^850^425.0
Springdale Har-Ber^486^345^831^415.5
Springdale High^551^256^807^403.5
Van Buren^266^540^806^403.0
Rogers Heritage^416^377^793^396.5
Fayetteville^303^447^750^375.0
Siloam Springs^261^454^715^357.5
Bentonvillle^323^315^638^319.0
TEAM DEFENSE
TEAM^RUSH^PASS^TOTAL^AVG/GM
Rogers High^198^110^308^154.0
Springdale High^335^134^469^234.5
Bentonville^226^445^671^335.5
Fayetteville^383^334^717^358.5
Van Buren^364^367^731^365.5
Rogers Heritage^393^363^756^378.0
Springdale Har-Ber^475^365^840^420.0
Siloam Springs^416^718^1134^567.0
OFFENSIVE SCORING
TEAM^RUSH^PASS^DEF^SPEC^TOTAL
Rogers High^11^1^1^0^13
Springdale High^8^3^1^0^12
Springdale Har-Ber^6^4^0^0^10
Van Buren^5^5^0^0^10
Fayetteville^1^6^1^1^9
Rogers Heritage^5^4^0^0^9
Siloam Springs^2^5^0^1^8
Bentonville^4^1^0^0^5
DEFENSIVE SCORING
TEAM^RUSH^PASS^DEF^SPEC^TOTAL
Rogers High^0^1^0^0^1
Springdale High^4^0^1^0^5
Bentonville^1^5^0^0^6
Fayetteville^5^1^0^0^6
Rogers Heritage^7^2^0^0^9
Siloam Springs^3^7^0^0^10
Van Buren^4^5^1^1^11
Springdale Har-Ber^5^6^2^0^13
TURNOVERS
TEAM^TAKEAWAYS^GIVEAWAYS^TOTAL
Rogers High^5^1^+4
Springdale High^5^1^+4
Rogers Heritage^5^2^+3
Bentonville^5^3^+2
Fayetteville^4^3^+1
Springdale Har-Ber^3^6^-3
Van Buren^2^6^-4
Siloam Springs^3^9^-6
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
PASSING
PLAYER, SCHOOL^COMP^ATT^INT^YDS^TD
Bradley Eversole, Van Buren^44^71^4^509^5
Chris Lampton, Siloam Springs^43^72^5^454^5
Mitch Marshall, Fayetteville^31^47^0^447^6
Josh Qualls, Rogers Heritage^35^63^0^377^4
Kyle Pianalto, Springdale Har-Ber^16^31^2^296^2
Caleb Daniels, Springdale Har-Ber^15^47^1^259^2
Fuller Chandler, Springdale High^16^28^1^256^3
Jake Slocum, Bentonville^18^30^0^191^1
Kasey Ford, Bentonville^9^17^1^124^0
Max Harrell, Rogers High^2^4^0^61^0
Cole Evans, Rogers High^1^1^0^25^1
RUSHING
PLAYER, SCHOOL^ATT^YDS^TD
Deandre Murray, Springdale High^45^413^7
Brandon Gates, Rogers Heritage^55^386^4
Sain Matthew, Springdale Har-Ber^43^306^2
Heliki Keliiliki, Bentonville^49^266^3
Braydon Cook, Fayetteville^40^250^1
Kyle Pianalto, Springdale Har-Ber^24^197^1
Preston Young, Rogers High^21^186^3
Tyrone Joseph, Van Buren^26^176^3
Rickey Hughes, Siloam Springs^25^153^1
Max Harrell, Rogers High^21^141^1
Cole Evans, Rogers High^6^118^3
Brandon Workman, Rogers High^9^105^1
Chris Lampton, Siloam Springs^31^100^1
Bryan Grigsby, Rogers High^13^92^1
Tim Faubus, Springdale Har-Ber^17^86^0
Fuller Chandler, Springdale High^7^83^1
Kahlil Gunn, Bentonville^10^67^0
Terrell Tyson, Fayetteville^20^62^0
Matt Garrison, Springdale Har-Ber^7^50^3
RECEIVING
PLAYER, SCHOOL^NO^YDS^TD
Chandler Gregory, Siloam Springs^19^200^1
Andrew Martin, Van Buren^12^224^2
Gus Vitt, Springdale Har-Ber^12^210^0
Jeremy Spickes, Rogers Heritage^11^130^1
Jimmie Jackson, Bentonville^10^112^1
Cheyenne O’Grady, Fayetteville^9^151^4
Cody Scroggins, Bentonville^9^125^0
Joey Saucier, Rogers Heritage^9^123^1
Jordan Dennis, Fayetteville^9^94^1
Tyrone Joseph, Van Buren^9^43^1
Parker Baldwin, Siloam Springs^8^107^2
Michael Cureton, Van Buren^7^43^1
Jake Freeman, Van Buren^6^139^1
Camden Scott, Springdale Har-Ber^6^114^3
Quiency Patton, Springdale High^6^103^2
Luke Rapert, Fayetteville^6^64^0
Chase Morse, Bentonville^6^57^0
Carlos Hernandez, Rogers Heritage^6^47^0
Matt Garrison, Springdale Har-Ber^5^101^0
Terry Mounce, Springdale High^5^66^0
Zane Washington, Siloam Springs^5^29^0
Ramsey Jones, Fayetteville^4^104^1
Zach Vaughn, Springdale Har-Ber^4^62^1
Micca Brown, Rogers Heritage^4^43^0
Ethan Hudspeth, Van Buren^4^17^0
7A/6A-West Conference
Team^Conf.^Overall
^W-L^W-L-T^PF^PA
Fayetteville^0-0^2-0-0^69^45
Rogers High^0-0^2-0-0^88-6
Springdale High^0-0^2-0-0^83-33
Bentonville^0-0^1-1-0^41^45
Rogers Heritage^0-0^1-1-0^66^66
Springdale Har-Ber^0-0^1-1-0^71^90
Siloam Springs^0-0^0-1-1^58^80
Van Buren^0-0^0-2-0^67^78
Last Week’s Scores
Broken Arrow, Okla. 24, Bentonville 17
Fayetteville 34, Jefferson City, Mo. 24
Rogers High 41, Tahlequah, Okla. 6
Rogers Heritage 38, FS Northside 21
Russellville 45, Siloam Springs 23
Springdale High 41, Tulsa (Okla.) Central 6
Columbia (Mo.) Rock Bridge 55, Springdale Har-Ber 29
Poteau, Okla. 43, Van Buren 40
This Week’s Games
Euless (Texas) Trinity at Bentonville
Fayetteville at Muskogee, Okla.
Rogers Heritage at Harrison
Gravette at Siloam Springs
Bixby, Okla. at Springdale High
FS Northside at Rogers High
Van Buren at LR Fair