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Published September 16, 2009 09:23 pm -
Harmon clicks in new PN-G attack
By Tom Halliburton
The Port Arthur News
PORT NECHES -- Caleb Harmon only needed to look at Brandon Faircloth. Just one look. That's all it took.
Harmon had been an integral member of the Port Neches-Groves football program before that point. He liked being an Indians' running back before Faircloth arrived in February as its new head coach.
Yet the 5-10, 195-pound senior really clicked and changed to a different gear under the Indians' new regime.
Harmon cared and appreciated the Tribe's former coaching staff way too much to convey his thoughts in an uncomplimentary way. He smiled the whole time that he tried to explain it.
"I knew coach Faircloth would win from the first day I looked at him," the 17-year-old son of Dale and Susie Harmon said. "Then when the whole coaching staff showed up, I really knew we were going to be successful because they know what they're talking about."
Consequently Harmon is far from being in a state of shock about this delightful 3-0 start to Faircloth's first head-coaching season on The Reservation. Caleb expected that part. He knew Brandon would scalp 'em.
And he knew the Indians would display an offense under Faircloth that would prosper.
"I knew with the coaching staff and how good that the line was becoming, that it was going to be able to happen for our offense," he said.
There's one aspect of the current scenario which has totally surprised Caleb. He never imagined in his wildest thoughts that he would lead all District 20-4A rushers in mid-September with 365 yards.
"I didn't figure that," Harmon admitted. "But you know, I really figured that I had to prove myself first and really that's the way it's been."
A younger brother by 11 years to a former Indians' football player, Caleb looked up to older sibling Corey Harmon. A 29-year-old banker in the Houston area, Corey drives home each weekend to watch Caleb run on the Indians Stadium fieldturf. Three games into the season, Caleb makes each trip worthwhile.
Six and seven months after first meeting this teen-ager, the Indians' coach has observed a pleasant maturation process in Harmon, who primarily served as a blocking back last season.
"I've seen Caleb mature a lot, through the weight room and in his leadership skills," the new Indians' chief said. "But it wouldn't matter about the system. Caleb was a good player last year.
"He's a downhill runner. He's hard-nosed, very intelligent. One of his biggest improvements is his blocking. He's a complete back. He can block, carry the football and catch it."
When Harmon evaluates PN-G's offense so far, he figures its best game to be the 37-7 win over Crosby. He considers his own best game to date last week against Texas City.
Although the Indians had to wish that a 16-0 halftime lead had not slipped away, their primary running standout said he welcomed the opportunity to enter the overtime period with Texas City.
Blake Brooks recovered a Texas City fumble during the first overtime series. Harmon dented Texas City's defense for two consecutive counter-trap attempts. The first gained two yards. The second covered 23 and enabled the Indians to go to the house with a 22-16 victory.
"It happened so fast that I didn't remember who made the blocks," Harmon said.
Blocking back Ryan St. Clair, left guard Gabe Langlois and Spencer DeRon (lined up at tight end) produced key blocks and that's OK if Harmon did not realize it. Caleb just needs to run, not fumble, run, and keep on running.
Indian Inklings
Another priceless aspect of Caleb Harmon's game has been the way that he keeps his teammates trucking along during PN-G practice sessions... The Indians get a very favorable scouting break in this week's schedule. Only three teams in District 20-4A have games this weekend. PN-G and four other schools in 20-4A have open dates. But those three teams with games just happen to be PN-G's first three district opponents. Therefore the staff will divide up and will examine games between Nederland at Friendswood and LC-M at Cleveland on this Friday night. Faircloth leaned toward seeing the Nederland-Friendswood matchup.... Returning inside linebackers Christian Kerr and Kane Benoit headed the tackle chart numbers against Texas City. Kerr had nine solos and six assists while Benoit had five solos and six assists. Junior linebacker D.J. Schexnider belonged right with the group, collecting five solo tackles and two assists... Faircloth paid PN-G's defense a tremendous complement when he evaluated its first-half performance against Texas City.... No injuries or lineup changes resulted from the Texas City game which Faircloth expected as of Wednesday....
http://www.panews.com/sports/local_story_259222555.html
