RivalsHigh 100 Week Zero Update | Vote: Where is the best football played? | High School Network

Steve Brawner
Special to Rivals High

And he's the backup.

Allen's quarterback tandem of starter Matt Brown and backup Tucker Carter is just one of the challenges facing Allen's opponent, Longview High School, on Friday in this week's RivalsHigh.com Game of the Week.

Allen finished last season with a 15-1 record and was ranked No. 2 in the nation by RivalsHigh.com. They open this year ranked No. 3.

Brown is a three-star recruit and an Arizona commit who passed for almost 2,000 yards and ran for 1,134 before being injured in the 12th game last season. Rivals.com ranks him the nation's No. 11 dual-threat senior quarterback.

Brown will play the first two series against Longview and Carter will play the third, Allen coach Tom Westerberg said.

The offensive line, which returns all but one starter, is led by Cedric Ogbuehi, a 275-pound, four-star recruit and Texas A&M commit ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 15 offensive tackle in the 2010 class. Other returning starters on the line are 270-pound Luke Burleson, a Baylor commit and three-star recruit, 285-pound center Richard Greer and 287-pound Taylor Pearson. Junior 292-pounder Brad McNulty will be the other starter.

Allen is not invulnerable. The Eagles lost 42 lettermen. Brown and Carter will hand the ball to an inexperienced corps of running backs. The leading returning receiver, Alex Pastor, caught only six balls for 57 yards last year. The defense returns only two starters, defensive back Josh Reed and linebacker Cheyenne Urban.

But while none of these returnees started, most - such as junior linebacker Melvin Spears - saw significant playing time. And Westerberg said the team isn't dazzled by all the preseason hype and lofty national rankings.

"They know that's all based off of what happened last year," he said. "We're with a new group, new team, and they're anxious to get on the field and see what they can do in the pressure situations."

Longview is more than just a speed bump in the Eagles' march to another state championship. The Lobos, ranked 47th nationally by Rivals.com, return 13 starters from last year's 4A state runner-up team.

The Lobos are hungry for a state championship after losing in the finals last year to Lake Travis, 48-23. They finished the year with a 13-3 record, but one of those losses was a game against Shreveport Evangel that they won on the scoreboard, 52-22, but had to forfeit because one ineligible player played one snap.

Longview played Allen tough in last year's clash, losing 21-7 on the road. The Lobos actually outgained the Eagles, 353-260, but Allen scored one touchdown on a 52-yard punt return and the Lobos fumbled five times, though they lost only one.

"They made plays when they needed to, and they found a way to win the ball game, and we didn't," Longview coach John King said.

Longview's offense runs multiple sets and is led by quarterback Aaron Johnson, a Houston commit who threw for 1,628 yards while rushing for 927. The leading running back, Tyler McCray, rushed for 1,724 yards last year, but he had offseason surgery for a high ankle sprain. King held him out of last week's scrimmage against John Tyler High School and said he may not be 100 percent, but Da'Cedric Hunt shined in his absence by rushing for 110 yards.

The offensive line is led by senior Bryce Redman, another Houston commit, while the receiving corps is led by Carey Fortson and junior Ladarius Robertson. On defense, the Lobos will be led by senior defensive back Alont?arden, linebacker Chris Weaver and senior defensive end Jeremiah Farley, another Houston commit.

Westerberg knows not to take the Lobos lightly, and he said the Eagles aren't having trouble getting motivated playing a team from a smaller classification.

"It doesn't matter if they're 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A," he said. "They're pretty talented."

GAME OF THE WEEK: No. 3 Allen Eagles vs No. 47 Longview Lobos
KEY TO THE GAME: Allen Eagles
Allen	The Eagles have two quarterbacks who could start for most teams and a talented, experienced offensive line. Their running backs and receivers did not see as much action last year and will have to step up. The defense, which returns only two starters, will have to come together quickly.
KEY TO THE GAME: Longview Lobos
Longview	Is running back Tyler McCray fully recovered from surgery for a high ankle sprain? The answer to that question could determine the Lobos' fortunes against a very talented Eagles team. Quarterback Aaron Johnson needs to have success against an Eagles defense returning only two starters.
Note: Big Game Performance
Allen is the defending 5A Division I state champion, while Longview is the 4A runner-up. Allen beat Longview last year in Allen. This year's game is in Longview.
RivalsHigh Prediction. 2009 record (1-0)
These teams are very familiar with one another and this should be a clash of titans. Both teams have their eyes on state titles in 2009, but only one will get out of the blocks fast. Allen lost a lot on offense but still has two, strong-armed quarterbacks to fall back on. This is one of the more talented Longview teams in recent memory. Last season Longview gave Allen all they wanted on the road, this year they get the Eagles at home. Expect a little higher scoring affair, and potential upset, but Allen pulls it out late, Allen 34, Longview 30.