CATCH US IF YOU CAN
Zeke Whittington is well known to opposing teams even with just 10 career regular season games under his belt.
Whittington caught 62 balls last season as a freshman, tied for third most in school history for a season (Donnie Curry, 2018). He figures to get attention from defenses, as running back Blandon Grizzle is the second-highest returning receiver this year - with four catches.
Whittington caught five balls for 167 yards and a touchdown last week, a score that covered 95 yards on a double move one play after a ball snapped over the quarterback’s head.
Some of the new receivers showed themselves last Friday, though, including Landyn Savage (39-yard TD), Jonah Wilson (18-yard catch) and Canon Wilbanks (2 catches),
Braden Henslee and Slade Dover did a little catching of their own on defense, picking off East Hall passes during the jamboree.
THE LONGEST DRIVE
The drive that ended with Whittington’s long touchdown could not have started in stranger fashion.
Grizzle broke loose on a long run starting at the Raiders’ 20, and would have had the ball down inside the red zone with one gallop, if not for two flags.
Both were enforced, as there was a hold downfield and an unsportsmanlike call against the sideline. Suddenly, it was 1st-and-5 from their own 25 again.
After losing 20 yards on the errant snap exchange, Whittington took off and ran under Cooper Smith’s pass for the score.
Technically, the Raiders gross gained yardage on the drive was 125 yards, for a 105-yard scoring drive net with the loss included. Not even Canadian football fields are that long.
GUEST HERE TO STAY
Sammy Guest missed some time last season with injuries, but he figures to be the main place kicker this season after a strong sophomore year in 2020.
Five different kickers attempted extra points in 2021, including Guest going 3-for-3 when he returned.