Richmond's attention to the details has helped the Musketeers sprint into region play 6-0

Mason Cobb connected with Clydell White for two TD completions in Friday's overtime win.

***This feature, which is brought to you by AugBball and the CSRA All Star Bowl, previews this Friday's Co-Game of the Night, between undefeated Richmond and the visiting Baldwin Braves.***

Head coach Lyle Burns quickly answered my question Tuesday about the lessons his team has learned during their unbeaten run through the pre-region schedule:

"A lot of people just focus on the end. But in all those individual plays there are two and three reads and progressions you go through," coach Burns explained. "We just hope that we're getting better at that philosophy and that system as we go into these games that have circumstances."

A lot of coaches talk about focusing on "process over results." But for coach Burns, a dedication to the details, and to the proper technique in each circumstance, seems to permeate through every aspect of Richmond's program. At a lively practice Tuesday ahead of Friday's region schedule opening clash against league rival Baldwin, Burns took the time to explain and demonstrate in detail almost every offensive player's alignment, what reads they were expected to make, depending on how particular defenders would align and react, and what proper execution would look like in each case.



Burns' attention to the details, and that of his players, came through again when I asked him to describe defensive back Christopher Murray's game sealing interception in overtime last Friday in Richmond's 20-14 overtime win at Greenbrier:

"He just did a good job. He had the right leverage on the receiver. And he broke at the proper time. He's a deep third defender, but when the hand separates to throw he can break on it and he did," said Burns. "He had good position. If he had aligned wrong he wouldn't have made the play. So he did all of the things before the interception that gave him a chance to make the play."

Game of the Night Preview
Baldwin (1-5, 0-0) at Richmond (6-0, 0-0)
Class 4A, Region 3

A team made up of players who are taught to focus this intensely on the details doesn't need to be reminded that Baldwin's 1-5 record can be deceiving. The Braves' 5 losses all came to statewide powers like Jones County and Warner Robins. And Baldwin's win came at Greenbrier, from where Richmond narrowly escaped with a win last Friday.

"Every game has an impact on the end of the year in whether you're going to play or not," Burns said of the importance of the coming four game stretch of league play. "And you never know how it's going to fall, so each game is important."

The Musketeers will rely on an explosive offense that posted 28 touchdowns during the team's first six wins, the school's most to start a season since 1961, per the Prep Sports Report's Ashley Brown.

Torri Taylor - Richmond

Running back Torri Taylor (above) has posted the kinds of statistics that would make good "area player of the year so far" argument material. The senior, who also plays in the defensive backfield, has scored 8 touchdowns and rushed for 793 yards already this season.

Quarterback Mason Cobb has been remarkably consistent, passing for more than 100 yards in 4 of the team's six wins and throwing 10 touchdown passes against only 1 interception for the season. Against Greenbrier, Cobb connected on touchdown throws twice with Clydell White, a versatile player who accounts for an average of more than 100 all purpose yards per game in every possible way, including receiving (45 yards per game and 5 total touchdowns), rushing (25 ypg and 2 TDs), and kick returning (42 yards per game).