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Small Lin, InexperienceR. L. Turner Coach Joe Crousen has his work cut out for him. At least to listen to him, you would think the world was coming to an end.“We have a lot of problems to work out.”Crousen’s problems concern small linemen and inexperienced players. On top of that, Crousen is installing a new football program in Carrollton as first year head coach of Turner.Coach Joe Crousen“We are real small in size,” Crousen said. “We are extremely small for a AAAA school.”Crousen, who came to Turner from AAA Athens, has only two players on his squad of 35 that top the 200 lb. mark. Jimmy Ramos is the big man of the team, weighing 2301b. in a short 5-9 stature.“Ramos is a real outstanding defensive tackle,” Crousen said. “He has great quickness for his size and started as a sophomore.”Turner is hurting at their interior line positions on offense and the front on defense. Both tackles listed on Crousen’s tentative starting offense weighed in at less than 155 lb.“We are a lot stronger at guard and center with Greg Morrison and Mark Nevels,” Crousen said. “We hope to have Don Koesling at center. He was hurt recently and will miss a few games. But when he is healthy and back the line-up, he will give usmore size and experience in the interior.”Because Plano and R. L. Turner don’t meet until Nov 1, it is probable that Koesling will be in the line-up Koesling weighs 193 lb. while his adjacent guards, Morrison and Nevels, weigh 195 lb. and 176 lb. respectively. Morrison is Turner’s only returning offensive player.“We are about average in team quickness,” Crousen said. “We have Roy Morales who runs the 100 in 10.4. Steve Cagle does it in 10.5. We aren’t just setting the world on fire but we are adequate.”Morales and Cagle are both expected starters for Turner. Morales is one of only two projected two-way starters, going at tailback and defensive halfback. Cagle is a returning starter who played tailback last season but is listed only for defensive duty this season.Crousen is installing the wishbone offense at Turner, which he used his six years at Athens. Crousen believes he has the passing half of the wishbone offense licked but the running game is a different story.‘‘We have good receivers,” Crousen said. ‘‘We are blessed with several outstanding ends and our backs catch the ball real well.”Throwing the passes will be Buddy Nelson, a senior letterman measuring 5-11and 170 lb. Receiver candidates are ends Rick Townson and Rick Powell, at 160 lb. and 156 lb. respectively.Turner is stronger at defense than offense and Coach Crousen feels it will remain that way through the first part of the season.“We are very strong at linebacker,” Crousen said. “We have more depth at linebacker than anywhere else on the squad. We have quality people two deep but in our defensive line depth doesn’t exist with the exception of Ramos.”Morrison and Bryan Riddle are listed as starting linebackers. Riddle is listed at 152 lb., more than 20 pounds lighter than Morrison.Defense at Turner takes the form of four down men and three linemen. “Wrewill move our linebackers quite a bit,” forcasted Crousen.“Going into the season, our defense is way ahead of our offense. We hope to have things level out.”DISTRICT PREDICTION: “All I’ve seen is a lot of films but I have seen Plano in the playoffs before,” Crousen said. “Plano is probably ahead of everyone else. The district will probably play real close with the exception of Plano, who will probably leave everyone behind. It will be an interesting district between the other teams for second place.”Turner has a relatively tough schedule, going with State AAAA Champion Tyler John Tyler their third game.“With Tyler we got more than we can handle. With Thomas Jefferson and Hillcrest we can hold our own. We should do well on our district record if we aren’t crippled up after Tyler.”
Newspaper Details
Plano Daily Star Courier
Plano, Texas, US
Sun, Sep 01, 1974
Page 21
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