Thibodaux High looking for rounded offense

Throughout this spring Thibodaux High Head Coach Dennis Lorio has worked with his players implementing “his system.”

After returning to the Tiger sidelines for the first time since the early ’90s, Lorio wanted to make sure his players felt comfortable with him and vice versa.

So far, things have gone the way the coach had originally hoped.

“I feel real good about how they have responded,” Lorio said. “We have a strong senior class, a lot of kids who are hungry for success. Our two elected team captains, Blake Poincon and Donnie Morgan, have done a great job of leading by example. I think the kids have been a real blessing to work with.”

Instead of running the triple option like they did last season, Lorio plans on using a two-back system; sometimes motioning or lining up into a one-back set. One thing Lorio made clear is even though he will try to establish a running game, this year’s team will not be afraid to throw the football.

“I believe that in order to win games any team must be able to run the ball but we will not be afraid to throw the ball,” Lorio said. “We want to throw the ball when we want to, not when we have to. We will throw it on any down from anywhere on the field.”

Besides implementing the new offensive system, Lorio also used the spring to try guys out at their new positions. This year, Trovon Reed will be the Tigers full-time quarterback.

While Reed saw some playing time as quarterback last season, he split duties with Donnie Morgan. Morgan moves to tailback, where he will share the backfield with fullback Brandon Duncan. Brandon Thompson and Carmichael Green have impressed Lorio at the receiver position while Ethan Lagarde will likely play tight end.

The strong point on offense for the Tigers this spring has been their offensive line, which has three returning starters from last year’s team (Peyton Martinez, Brett Babin and Matt Pellegrin.)

Despite all the change, Lorio said he expects the Tigers to be more consistent on offense.

“If we want to win games, we have to be much more consistent on offense,” Lorio said. “If we do that, I expect us to compete.”

Last season, the Tigers’ strongest spot was their defense. Lorio expects the same this season, as the Tigers will stick with their traditional 4-3 defense.

“We had a lot of returning starters on defense who did a real nice job this spring,” Lorio said. “Carlos Coler had a very good spring on the defensive line. He’s been a standout for us. Blake Poincon led the linebackers. We have four new starters in the secondary. They are all going to be juniors, but they are talented.”

Lorio added, “Defensively we need to set a goal of holding people to 17 points. From what I’ve seen in the spring this team has a chance to be strong on the defensive end of the ball.”

Despite finishing 5-1 in district last season, the Tigers were a woeful 0-4 in their non-district slate. For Lorio, the first step toward getting over that first-round playoff hump which has plagued the Tigers is to be competitive in non-district, even with a tougher schedule.

“The early talk I hear is West Monroe is one of the early favorites,” Lorio said. “Lutcher is a multiple state champion and Vandebilt and E.D. White always have great teams.

When you don’t have any non-district success, if you make the playoffs you are going to have a low seed and play a powerful team at their home. The odds are tough, so you have to get yourself in a better position. We hope we can have more success in non-district and finish in the top half of the district.”