Plainfield Central's offense has double-wing look
Too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth. Pardon Plainfield Central High School football coach John Jackson for carving that food-preparation proverb to shreds, especially concerning his running-back recipe of Anthony Bjorklund, Brian Meeks, Matt Lancor, Brock Douglas and Alonzo Morgan.
As the Wildcats' offensive coordinator as well, Jackson ran the spread the past couple of seasons, handing the cutlery to quarterback Cyle Schultz. For 2008, Jackson put on his chef's cap and pulled out the double-wing menu, sprinkling a dash of Meeks with the wallop of Bjorklund and the additional spice of Lancor, Douglas and Morgan.
michael r. schmidt/staff photographer
Having five running backs sharing the load can be construed as being as unique as the Canadian sketch comedy troupe "The Kids in the Hall." But while Meeks and Bjorklund have been Plainfield Central's breakout backs, opponents cannot discount the dish served by Lancor, Douglas and Morgan, begging the obvious question.
<Who is the headliner?
"I'm not going to say anything like that," Bjorklund nodded with a grin. "We're all good and we all have our special talents. Brock has the stiff arm, 'Zo' has vision, Meeks has speed, I have power and Lancor has quick feet. Everybody has their own special keys. We do what we have to do, we all block, and that is what makes it all good."
Sans a 36-21 Week 2 loss to Neuqua Valley, Plainfield Central has been all good in the neighborhood behind the benefit of its five-course backfield meal. Homecoming sits as the next feast for the Wildcats (3-1, 2-0), who host district rival Plainfield South (4-0, 2-0) in a Southwest Prairie Conference buffet of unbeatens Saturday afternoon at 2.
OK, enough of the cooking analogies. Still, suffice to say -- even though Bjorklund would not -- that the Wildcats have a red-hot combination in the 5-foot-10, 160-pound Meeks (54 carries, 313 yards, 3 touchdowns) and the 5-11, 190-pound Bjorklund (48 carries, 308 yards, 6 TDs). Toss in the 83 carries, 428 yards and 6 TDs from Douglas, Lancor and Morgan and voila.
"I think it is a unique thing," Meeks said. "I've never heard of a high school that has five backs who can run the ball pretty well. That's cool."
"It is pretty cool," Douglas agreed. "I like it, and it mixes it up for the other people we have. It works for us."
"We're striving together," Morgan said. "If one of us has a problem, we help each other out. We bust our butts in practice and it shows in games."
nnn
In last week's game, a 29-3 victory over Oswego East, Plainfield Central started the show with the fullback stylings of Bjorklund, who turned 15 carries into 125 yards and 2 TDs. Meeks, a wingback, contributed 14 carries for 138 yards and another touchdown, a 46-yard run that recaled Matt Forte's jet-setter in the Bears' opener against Indianapolis.
From there, Jackson had senior quarterback Alex Parks spread the handoffs equally between Morgan (6 carries, 37 yards), Lancor (6 carries, 31 yards, 1 TD) and Douglas (6 carries, 27 yards). Parks, meanwhile, completed 4-of-6 passes for 33 yards.
Although Bjorklund and Lancor are Parks' classmates, Meeks, Douglas and Morgan are juniors -- backs for here, backs for now, backs for the future.
To them, it is ideal.
"It's perfect," Bjorklund said. "Nobody is getting tired, and at the end of the game, everybody's legs are fresh. I play both ways, but I feel good because I have 'Zo' backing me up. Everybody's getting their carries and it's not like it's all about 'me' or 'I' -- it's about what's good for the team."
"It has been working well," Meeks said. "Just in case somebody gets tired, we have fresh legs. If we keep the ball moving, we keep the defense on the field and they get tired. And it's good."
As good as Meeks and Bjorklund have been as Plainfield's primary rushers, the 5-10, 160-pound Lancor lands third with 173 yards on 32 carries with a touchdown as the other wingback. He also plays slot receiver when the Wildcats bring out the shotgun spread.
"It works out well because teams can't just key on one back," Lancor said. "We have five backs who can do it all, who are starting-caliber backs. We all know we have to block for each other. Meeks and I get on each other, saying, 'Nice block, man.' We encourage each other, and I'm good with it. I love the other backs going in because that means I'm fresh for the whole game."
For freshness, the 5-10, 190-pound Douglas (26 carries, 121 yards, 2 TDs) and the 6-1, 175-pound Morgan (25 carries, 134 yards) hit the holes, rotating in at wingback and fullback, respectively. Chemistry applies again.
"I think it matters a lot," Douglas said. "We get along better and we don't yell at each other after every play. We tell each other good job or forget about it. We support each other."
"We all get along," Morgan said. "We're not competing against each other. We're trying to win and we're trying to do what's best for the team."
"It's a significant factor," Lancor confirmed. "No one is asking for carries. No one is moaning about they didn't get as many carries as the other guy. We understand that as long as we're winning, it doesn't matter who gets the carries or who scores the touchdowns."
nnn
After Plainfield produced 1,729 yards passing and 16 touchdowns last year on Schultz's 129-of-213 accuracy, few would have predicted the Wildcats' segue from the spread to the double-wing, particularly since 343 rushes in 2007 yielded a mere 1,196 yards (averaging 3.5 per carry) and 12 TDs.
Already, Plainfield's five-peat have accrued 1,023 yards rushing on 204 attempts with 15 TDs -- a striking 5.0 yards per carry and 255.8 yards per game. Meeks (22 carries, 107 yards, 1 TD) and Lancor (16 carries, 47 yards) were the lone returnees with any varsity experience as running backs.
How did this happen?
"It's different from last year, but every year since I was a freshman, our lower-level teams were always about running the ball," Bjorklund pointed out. "We pass the ball a little, but running the ball was what we do. It's basically stop the run if you can, and the spread is still there. But now, we run the spread once in a blue moon."
"Throwing the ball last year was fun and stuff, but we didn't get to run the ball that much," Meeks said. "This year, we have a lot of backs who can run the ball, so offensively, we're versatile. It has been real fun to do."
Two-way fun for Plainfield features Bjorklund (22 tackles, 9 solos, 13 assists; 1 interception, 57-yard return; 2 fumble recoveries) and Morgan (3 tackles) at linebacker. Take those two out of the equation and the Wildcats have more than enough mojo for a major double-wing deal due to the platoon of Douglas, Meeks and Lancor.
According to Morgan, Bjorklund "has it the hardest. He's always at linebacker, too. Sometimes I play linebacker, sometimes I practice at linebacker, sometimes I get to run the ball. We all like to do our own thing, and wherever we're needed, that's where we go." Other responsibilities for Meeks, Douglas and Lancor include kickoff returns and coverage.
"We're all different in the things we have to do," Morgan said. "But unlike other schools, I think we're so diverse with our running backs. We don't have that one guy you have to key on, but then together, we're all pretty good."
That togetherness translates into success out of the double-wing, with a 47-25 win over Elgin in the opener plus a 16-14 win over Plainfield North and last week's rout of Oswego East to kick off the conference schedule. The Wildcats' current spread sounds like butter on bread, as in spreading the carries.
"I like it that way," Douglas said. "Almost every game, when we get into the rhythm of moving the ball, it gets hard for the teams to stop us."
"Our freshman and sophomore years, that was all we ran," Lancor said. "We knew when we got up to the varsity that we were mainly going to be a running team. Last year, we didn't have the amount of running backs we have this year, and we're utilizing the fact we have a big offensive line. I have to give them credit."
nnn
A four-week-old laundry list of Plainfield Central's ground game begins with Bjorklund at fullback, resounds with Meeks' streaks at wingback, continues with Lancor's flexibility at wingback and culminates with the bruising doses of Douglas and the surgical strikes of Morgan.
In their own words, Bjorklund's No. 39, Meeks' No. 32, Lancor's No. 28, Douglas' No. 3 and Morgan's No. 33 represent the distinct digits that create -- when blended -- a winning formula.
To them, it is the appeal.
"I'm strictly power," Bjorklund said. "I'm not too fast, but I'm not too slow, and I'm going to hit you hard."
"I like to describe my running style as L.T.," Meeks said, referring to San Diego Chargers tailback LaDainian Tomlinson. "I like the way that he runs. I like to run hard and I also like to mix in my speed as well."
"I can rotate in at all three positions," Lancor said. "I can play the two-back, the four-back, fullback, and I can play slot receiver in the spread."
"I'm more of a precision person," Morgan said. "I like to see where I'm going before I run and everything, and I'm pretty fast once I get into the open, but I'm more into precision."
"I'd say I'm a tough, hard-nosed runner," Douglas offered. "When I find the hole, I hit it as fast as I can."
Douglas, for one, is accustomed to the attention. His brother Brett played fullback for Plainfield Central last year, gaining 305 yards on 88 carries with touchdown. He's a redshirt freshman for Northern Illinois University. Their father, Bruce, played basketball for Illinois, in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings and later in the CBA.
The Douglas children understand the spotlight, and with Plainfield South and homecoming among this weekend's festivities, each Wildcat running back spoke of avoiding the distractions and the hoopla, staying focused on practice and the kickoff.
Thereafter, Bjorklund and Meeks will carry the load, Lancor, Douglas and Morgan will share in it, and Meeks knows what call he would cook up.
"My favorite is 'Rip 52 Blast,'" Meeks said. "I love that play. I get to follow my man Tony Bjorklund straight up, and it's the best play in the world."
