For the Daily Journal
BROWNSBURG
First-year Franklin football coach Chris Coll didn’t need to break down any film to know a major part of what went wrong Friday night.
“From where I was, it looked like there was too much speed, too much size, too much strength, there was a little too much of everything,” Coll said of Brownsburg.
Brownsburg scored 52 points in the first half en route to a 59-0 rout of visiting Franklin in a nonconference game.
The Grizzly Cubs fell to 0-3.
With the help of Franklin’s two lost fumbles and interception, the Bulldogs (2-1) scored 35 points in the first quarter. Junior wide receiver Bryce Kirtz took the first play from scrimmage and ran 80 yards for the score.
“It starts with the O-line,” Kirtz said. “They got the hole wide open and all I had do was run with it.”
That set the tone. Kirtz then scored on 40-yard TD pass from Kyle Strakis.
The Bulldogs added TD runs from Donovan Marcus (8 yards) and 6-4, 260-pound R.J. Decker (1 yard).
The Bulldogs added a field goal, and Strakis tacked on a 5-yard touchdown run and an 8-yard TD pass in second quarter.
Brownsburg subbed heavily throughout the second half and managed only one more score. The game was moving along with a running clock for part of the fourth quarter.
“We’re a little outmatched, we’re not quite there yet,” Coll said. “It is what it is; we are just going to keep working, that’s the only way to go about doing it.”
Coll did see some positives in his players’ attitudes despite the Bulldogs’ dominance.
“We competed; I don’t know how well we executed,” Coll said. “There wasn’t any negativity. We weren’t do anything away from what we’re trying to build. I don’t know how well we played in the second half, but I appreciate our kids going out there in that kind of situation and not playing all frustrated and upset. They just played.”
Coll said he was pleased there were no unnecessary penalties due to frustration.
“I was proud they didn’t quit and there weren’t any stupid penalties,” Coll said.
The Grizzly Cubs’ longest play was a 35-yard run by senior running back Tyler Fromer in the second half. Franklin struggled to get any running game in the first half and also had just 24 passing yards before halftime.
Franklin hosts Whiteland in Mid-State Conference action next week.
