Demopolis preparing for unique Satsuma attack

Demopolis’ first ever meeting with Satsuma will see the Tigers contending with more of a throwback style of offense as they look to move to 8-0 for the first time since 2005.

“What they do offensively is very unique. It’s kind of a combination between the single wing and the Notre Dame box,” Causey said of the somewhat archaic attack employed by the Gators. “We’re having a little history lesson with our players this week, defensive players – and offensive players having to run it. We’re going to have to be on our toes as far as assignments go and reading the keys. It’s going to be an adjustment for us because we’ve never seen it. We kind of get a taste of our own medicine I guess by running the option that we give folks. It’s going to be tough because we’ve seen all these spread offenses over the last five or six weeks. To see this style of offense is going to be tough on our defense for sure.”

The Satsuma attack has produced just one win for the Gators this season, a 27-12 victory over Sumter Central back on Sept. 14. The occasion marks just one of two times the Gators have scored 20 or more points in a game this season, the other coming against Jackson Oct. 5.

“They’ve hit a stretch now where they’ve lost a few games. But, you watch them on film, those jokers are resilient. They get after it. They played Jackson a couple weeks ago. Last week they had a huge rivalry game with Citronelle and it was a dogfight. We’re catching them at the end of the year,” Causey said.

Despite Satsuma’s struggles, Causey said his team is prepared for a considerable challenge when it heads to Copeland Field Friday night.

“We go into each week preparing for the best football team we could possibly see on Friday night. Satsuma will be no different,” Causey said. “We’re expecting their very level best and we’re preparing for their very level best. Everything they do dangerous is what we’re preparing for.”

Accomplishing that task for the Tigers has meant remaining focused on the task at hand throughout the season, something Causey said he and his staff have consistently stressed to the team.

“Kind of the way we’ve gone about that this year is really each day. It’s not so much about who our opponent is on Friday. All the way through. Kind of the team motto or team theme has been ‘Don’t lose a day.’ Don’t lose a day of preparation before the end of the season, whenever that is. Let’s don’t lose a day. Let’s take advantage of every day we have to get better. The maturity level of our team gets tested a good bit when you have change in schedules and rain. Those things test maturity level,” Causey explained. “They’ve been pretty focused one day at a time. Whatever the scheme is that you have to attack, let’s take care of it right then. Let’s don’t look past this. Let’s take care of today. I think if we continue to do that, we’ll get better.”

The Tigers head to Satsuma Friday night fresh off a blowout win over Sumter Central that marked the fifth time in seven games Demopolis has scored 40 or more points in a contest. All of those points came in the first 16 minutes of action last week, allowing Demopolis to get its starters off the field for the remainder of the night.

“There is a fine line there between getting your reps and staying consistent with getting better and being able to rest them a little bit. Last week we didn’t expect that. We went into the ball game expecting it to be a dogfight and Sumter Central to be really excited about playing us,” Causey said. “I think some big plays early in the game, a big hit on the opening kickoff and big plays offensively to get quick scores and the turnover in the kicking game, I think those things kind of ran them out of that mode.”

The win over Sumter Central guaranteed Demopolis will finish no worse than second in Class 5A, Region 3, clinching for the Tigers the right to host at least a first round playoff game. The Tigers will face Jackson next week in what will essentially serve as a de facto region championship game.