Checking in with the Ruston Bearcats

Ruston is back in a familiar waiting game this postseason, preparing for the winner of No. 14 Zachary and No. 19 Sam Houston tonight to make the trip to Hoss Garrett Stadium for the second round next week.

No. 3 Ruston (8-2) wanted a first-round bye for obvious reasons: rehabbing injuries, working on details, and taking an overall break from the grind of weekly games. So, after ending the regular season with a 36-0 win over West Monroe — the third straight win over the Rebels — how did the Bearcats use this week away from game action? Head coach Jerrod Baugh believes it’s been time well spent.

Working on the details
Playoff football rarely ends in a blowout. In November, with the best of the best taking each other on, one slip-up in execution can be the difference between advancing or going home. Baugh and his Bearcats know this first-hand, so it’s why most of this week’s practice has centered on game situations and small aspects of a game that can add up to a win or loss.

“I think we’ve taken advantage of the opportunity that we had,” Baugh said. “I thought Tuesday we had a lot of false starts and offsides in the four-minute segments of practice, which is a big deal. If you’re trying to run out the clock, that ain’t a good way to do it. Defensively, if you’re jumping offsides, you’re giving them first downs or gaining yards. I thought we came out during the period Wednesday and did a better job of that.”

Ruston had just two penalties last week against West Monroe — a welcomed sign for a team that’s had infraction issues throughout the season. Baugh credits his team for their focus in practice leading up to the game and expects the same as the playoff run begins soon.

The Bearcats also held West Monroe to just 1-of-10 on third down with just five first downs in the game, another area Baugh highlighted this week.

“We ended up working four of five different two-minutes (live periods) and four or five
different four-minutes. Worked a lot of third downs, a lot of goal-line situations, two-point plays,” Baugh said. “That’s what I told them is you don’t know what any ball game is going to boil down to.”

Preparing for Zachary
Ruston will be prepared for whoever comes out of the Zachary and Sam Houston matchup, but Baugh admits he’d be surprised if the Bearcats aren’t facing the Broncos next week.

“I feel like I’d be crazy to not think like most people that already put Zachary in that boat. And it’s absolutely nothing against Sam Houston. Zachary has proven that. They’ve earned that respect they’ve gained,” Baugh said. “I would be surprised if that weren’t the case. We’ll be prepared for whoever, but I think coaches have already started pulling out old things from the previous two years.

Obviously, both teams are familiar with each other. Personnel changes, so people can change what they do offensively and defensively but at the end of the day the nuts and bolts are the same. It’ll boil down to who gets out and prepares themselves the best.”

Zachary has made the semifinals or the state championship game in nine of the last 10 years.

Ruston defeated Zachary 31-17 in the 2023 Division I Non-select championship and 37-22 in the 2022 semifinals.

Health looks good
Baugh will knock on all the wood he’s got, but it appears Ruston’s nagging injuries have benefited from the bye week to heal.

A handful of the Bearcats’ top players have had injuries throughout the year, with some missing a game or two, but Baugh expects Ruston to come out of its off week in good shape from a health standpoint.

“We’ve had some contact this week but not a lot of it which has allowed some of those that have some reaggravating things to rest some on it,” Baugh said. “That gives you Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday really for us is a low day too. I don’t foresee, of course you never know, but I don’t foresee anybody being in bad shape.”