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ESPN.com Big 12 blogger David Ubben says Baylor QB Nick Florence of South Garland, Oklahoma State WR Josh Stewart of Denton Guyer and Texas RB Joe Bergeron of North Mesquite are three players to watch in the Big 12 this year.

WACO, Texas -- Nick Florence didn't have to come to Baylor. He didn't have to stay.

If football has been his only reason for coming to Waco, it'd be easy to see why he might've gone elsewhere.

But Florence did.

He stepped in as a freshman when future Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III tore his ACL, then stepped off the stage for the next two seasons while Griffin wrote his legacy.

Plenty of quarterbacks would have waved goodbye.

Florence didn't.

Here's why.

--

Florence didn't lose a game as a freshman at South Garland (Texas) High School. A year later, he took over the varsity squad in midseason and carried the team to a third-round loss in the state playoffs to Lufkin, led by Dez Bryant, now a receiver for the Dallas Cowboys.

"The QB that started the year as the starter, every opportunity Nick had, he would encourage him," said Mickey Moss, Florence's high school coach who now heads up a program in Rockwall, Texas. Throughout his career, Moss has put about 50 players into Division I programs like Nebraska, Oklahoma and Missouri.

"When Nick took over, he'd lead the senior linemen and just encourage them and give them confidence and praise. I was like, 'I’ve never seen a kid like this who had such confidence and maturity.'"

Florence earned a reputation on and off the field. Before school began, he and teammates would walk through the school's hallways while praying for classmates who would congregate there during the school year, which began in a few weeks. When school began, he'd join his twin brother, Luke, and others to often pray for classmates before class during the week.

"That’s just who he was and he believed in making a difference in the lives of other people," Moss said. "His leadership? He’s just got it."

His youth pastor at Lake Highlands Church in Dallas eventually took a job at Antioch Community Church in Waco, and Florence wanted to join him.

Florence pestered Moss to make a few calls down to Baylor. Moss did so and asked coaches if they'd seen Florence on film.

Minutes later, he got a call back.

Baylor offered Florence his first major scholarship offer, and Florence made it his only one.

"Nick just felt like this was where God wanted him to be, and that’s Nick," Moss said. "He does so much based on faith."

The problem? The coach who called back with that offer was Guy Morriss, who was fired after the 2007 season. Enter Art Briles and a kid from Copperas Cove whom nobody thought could play quarterback.

Briles, then at Houston, brought Cougars commit Robert Griffin III to Baylor with him, the two having faith of their own that they could win in Waco, which hadn't seen a winning football season since 1995.

Briles had his man, but honored Morriss' offer to Florence, whose playing time looked like it would be sparse.

"If God wanted you to be here and that’s what you believe, he doesn’t change his mind," Moss says he remembers telling Florence. "Knowing Robert Griffin was going to be the quarterback didn’t faze him."

Along the way, Florence kept working. He earned the respect of teammates. In the meantime, he got his business degree, worked closely with his church and married his wife, Rachel, last May. The two plan to enter the ministry whenever Florence's football career is over.

"His pastor told me, in all the locker rooms he’s been in, he’s never let his eyes view another naked woman in his life in print on TV or anywhere else until his wedding day. That says a lot about who he is, but also how others respect him," Moss said. "He doesn’t throw his faith in your face. Not at all. He has a genuine care, concern and love for people, and he’s always looking to make a difference. ... He’s going to compete, but the biggest thing I always believed he was going to do was make an impact in the locker room with his character and integrity."

Florence had been on campus a couple of years but RG3 was proving his mettle as the man at Baylor. Briles met with Moss and gushed about his backup.

"That kid is a winner," Moss recalls Briles saying.

He's done it since he was a freshman in high school, and now that the starting job at Baylor is nearly Florence's officially, he doesn't plan on that changing.

"You watch him play and it’s like, what’s special about him?" Moss said. "He wins. He leads. He makes plays. His throwing motion wasn’t the greatest. His speed wasn’t the greatest. His strength wasn’t the greatest. But the kid won, and then he influenced everyone around him."

When Griffin's knee injury meant Florence had to step in as a wide-eyed freshman, it also meant winning wasn't going to happen. It didn't. Baylor fell to 4-8 and won just one conference game, at Missouri when Florence set the school record for passing yards.

"He’s a different guy, just like I am since 2009 and like everybody. As you grow you mature, you learn to get better in everything you see act or do," Briles said. "He’s a guy that was thrown into a fire as a true freshman. Now, he’s had a chance to sit back and learn the system, understand what his strengths are, how to use them and what he needs to do to help this team grow."

Said Florence: "I'm not that 180-pound freshman anymore."

Baylor got a preview of its 205-pound senior in November when a concussion sidelined Griffin at Cowboys Stadium, near Florence's hometown.

Florence hopped off the bench just before halftime and completed 9 of 12 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns to help Baylor keep its winning streak alive with a 66-42 victory over Texas Tech. That streak reached six games by season's end, the longest current string among AQ schools in college football.

Florence logged a memorable moment, but he also logged enough playing time to burn his redshirt and leave him with just one year of eligibility remaining entering 2012.

"He’s a guy who’ll do whatever and whatever happens in life, he’ll deal with it. If that means he has one year left to play, that means that’s what God’s will is. He’s obedient," Moss said. "If the team needed him to come in there and help win that game and burn his redshirt and then not play again the rest of the year, that’s OK with him."

Baylor needed Florence to come in and win that game. He did it. Now it's time to take over the full-time job of being the man who follows the man who did the unthinkable: winning a Heisman Trophy at Baylor.

"We don’t talk in terms of replacing. It’s just, what do we need to do now to do what we need to do at the end of July?" Briles said. "That’s the most important thing. We may not be able to do some of the same things we were able to do prior, so we’ve got to figure out different ways to do things and still have success."

Florence is no hurdler. He can't run 40 yards in 4.4 seconds and doesn't have an arm that will have NFL scouts drooling. For the time being, though, he does have the keys to Baylor's offense.

"It’s a great opportunity not everybody gets. I want to make the most of it and take advantage," Florence said.

That offense is going to look a little different now. Briles says time will show just how different it'll be.

"That’s the exciting part about it," Briles said. "We’ve got to expand and become better in all other areas scheme-wise, coaching-wise, player/individual technique-wise, and so that to me is the very exciting part, because we have to become a better football team."

Florence wants his chance to show he's the man to make Baylor a better team. Florence has proved his intangibles since high school, and as he's gotten older, they've only become more ingrained. Now is his chance to show them off to everyone outside of Baylor's practice field.

"When guys come in the huddle they have great confidence and respect in him. They know who he is. They know there’s not a selfish bone in his body, but at the same time, they know he’s a heck of a competitor," Moss said. "I’ve never been around a kid like Nick Florence, and I imagine I never will again."

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, Texas -- The makeup changed very little or not at all in four of the area’s nine Class 5A districts at Thursday's UIL reclassification and realignment.

*The current District 4-5A (five Arlington schools, Fort Worth Paschal, North Crowley and Weatherford) remained intact but, because of district consolidation in West Texas, changed its number to 3-5A.

That’s an agreeable change, said Anthony Criss, football coach at Arlington Sam Houston and former Arlington ISD assistant athletic director.

“It’s great for Arlington because it means we stay in the area for first-round playoff games instead of going to West Texas,’’ Criss said. “We’d still go west once, but not until the second round.''

*The current District 5-5A retained seven of its eight members in the new District 7-5A: Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Duncanville, Grand Prairie, South Grand Prairie, Mansfield and Mansfield Timberview. The only change is Mansfield Legacy drops down to Class 4A and powerhouse DeSoto takes its place.

“A tough district just got tougher,’’ said Grand Prairie coach Gary Bartel.

*In District 9-5A, Dallas Samuell dropped to Class 4A and was replaced by Richardson Pearce, which is moving back up to 5A. The other seven members are unchanged: Dallas Jesuit, Dallas Skyline, Dallas Sunset, Dallas W.T. White, Richardson, Richardson Berkner and Lake Highlands.

“I wasn’t sure Jesuit would stay in,’’ said Skyline coach Reginald Samples. “In fact, we had agreed to play them in a nondistrict game if they weren’t in our district.’’

*The seven Garland ISD schools that made up 10-5A in the last realignment are now without McKinney Boyd as they go forward as District 11-5A with this lineup: Garland, Garland Lakeview, Garland Naaman Forest, North Garland, Rowlett, Sachse and South Garland.

Garland’s win over Rowlett on Friday put the Owls in a strong position to win District 10-5A, but what about the rest of the district?

There’s still a lot to be decided. Sachse, McKinney Boyd and Rowlett are all tied at 3-1 behind Garland (5-2, 4-0), and even South Garland (2-4, 2-2) still has a shot to get in despite a slow start to the season.

As it turns out, many of the key games in the district come at the end of the season, particularly for Sachse, which is trying to make the playoffs for the first time in school history.

Sachse (6-1, 3-1) closes the year at Boyd, at South Garland and at home against Garland, with its one loss of the year coming against Rowlett.

After playing Sachse this Thursday, Boyd (5-2, 3-1) plays at Rowlett and at home against South Garland.

Rowlett (4-3, 3-1) may have the easiest path heading forward. It has games against North Garland and Garland Lakeview Centennial sandwiched around its bout with Boyd.

District 10-5A matches up with 9-5A in the first round of the playoffs. That means someone from the district will get the unenviable position of facing Dallas Skyline (7-0, 4-0 in 9-5A), the No. 2 team in ESPNDallas.com's 5a area rankings, in bi-district.

Boyd is the largest school in the district followed by Garland. Because Garland has already beaten Boyd, the Broncos are more than likely to face Skyline if it gets into the playoffs. If Boyd collapses, the hot potato is passed to Rowlett, the third biggest school.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Two talented running backs and only one football might be a problem for some teams, but not Arlington Martin.

Cameron Williams and Kyle Hicks are perfectly satisfied to cheer and block for each other’s success.

Hicks ran for three touchdowns and Williams had one in Martin’s 43-10 Class 5A nondistrict victory over South Garland on Friday night at Cravens Field in Arlington.

Martin, No. 5 in ESPNDallas.com's Class 5A Top 10, improved to 2-0. South Garland fell to 0-2.

“Kyle and I grew up playing peewee football together,’’ explained Williams, a 5-foot-9, 195-pound senior. “We weren’t on the same team, but we’ve always been good friends, practically like brothers. There’s not any controversy with us.’’

Williams gave Martin the lead for good with a 53-yard touchdown run late in the first period. He totaled 88 yards on five carries.

Hicks, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound junior, said a team needs two running backs.

“This way, you know that you have to take advantage of the chances where you get them,’’ said Hicks, who scored on runs of 15, 13 and 10 yards and finished with 126 yards on 12 carries.

Hicks’ personal favorite, a 15-yarder that increased Martin’s lead to 16-7, featured a couple of spins and an off-balance finish when he appeared to be falling but managed to find the end zone.

“That was what coach tells me to do, rumble and stumble,’’ Hicks said. “I had no idea I was even in the end zone.’’

Martin coach Bob Wager said he and his coaching staff insist on unselfish play.

“We want them to take as much satisfaction blocking for each other as scoring a touchdown,’’ the coach said. “They are different kinds of backs. With Cameron, it is hard to find a place to hit him. He’s physical. Kyle is such a good receiver we’ll split him out at times and throw to him.’’

According to Williams, Hicks’ nickname is Cadillac, because he runs so smooth.

“I’m more of a downhill runner,’’ Williams (nickname C-Will) said. “I’ll run you over.’’

With the running backs leading the way, Martin reeled off 33 consecutive points after being shocked on the first play of the game when South Garland running back Marqeul McNac broke an 80-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead 13 seconds into the game.

Martin’s lead was 9-7 early in the second quarter when a goal-line stand by the Warriors’ defense shifted momentum their way.

Matt Waller and Eric Amoako secured a tackle on McNac for the loss of a yard on fourth-and-goal from the 1.

“That’s what really killed us,’’ McNac said. “Our confidence level went way down after that. We had too many mental mistakes. But I still think we are going to be a good football team.’’

Welcome to Week 1, football fans! We have live updates from three games tonight, with Jeff Andrews covering Hurst L.D. Bell-Southlake Carroll, Travis L. Brown at Dallas Lincoln-Lancaster and Randy Jennings taking in South Garland-Arlington Martin. The guys will also be glad to answer any of your football questions, and we'll provide updates on area scores as they become available. Thanks for joining us!

DISTRICT 10-5A

• Garland (7-4, 5-2), lost in DI bi-district. Coach: Jeff Jordan.
• Garland Lakeview Centennial (3-7, 0-6 in 10-5A). Coach: Don Willis.
• Garland Naaman Forest (2-8, 1-6). Coach: Mark Elam.
• McKinney Boyd (9-3, 6-1), lost in DI area. Coach: Don Drake.
• North Garland (1-9, 1-6). Coach: David Farris.
• Rowlett (9-3, 6-1), lost in DII area. Coach: Kiff Hardin.
• Sachse (5-5, 3-4). Coach: Mark Behrens.
• South Garland (8-4, 5-2), lost in DII area. Coach: Mark Cox.

THE BIG QUESTION: Can Garland rebound after a subpar 2010?

Winning seven games and making the playoffs would constitute a successful season for many area football teams.

Not for Garland.

The tradition-rich Owls stumbled last season, at least by Garland standards, finishing fourth in District 10-5A before bowing out to Dallas Skyline in bi-district.

But with quarterback Seth Russell returning and a stacked defense, Garland could find itself back among the elite in 2011.

Russell, a Kansas commit, will look to build on his junior season, which statistically did not go well -- 779 yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions.

Even with an experienced quarterback, Garland will look to recommit to the power running game behind a new stable of running backs.

The Owls could have one of the better defenses in the district, as the unit returns several college recruits, including Damien Neroes and London Dial.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

QB Seth Russell, LB Damien Neroes, WR Ja’Taveon Green, Garland; WR Jarvis Baxter, WR Sherrod Haynes, DB Deonte Morrison, Garland Lakeview Centennial; DE Lionel Phillips, LB Andrew Schobelock, WR Marcus Perkins, Garland Naaman Forrest; DE Jamal Palmer, WR Cameron Decell, RB Bryan Driskell, McKinney Boyd; WR Dai'Qwan Washington, DB Thomas Trimble, DE Derrick Phillips, North Garland; QB Grant Bothun, QB Colton Kalmus, WR Corey Chappell, Rowlett; QB Trent White, TE Jeff Guckenberg, OL Shane Weeks, Sachse; QB Trey Porter, DB Brice Brooks, OL Daniel Gutierrez, South Garland.

DID YOU KNOW?

Mark Cox takes over as head coach of South Garland after the retirement of Keith Wright. … Sachse has yet to make the playoffs in its seven years of existence. … Boyd RB Bryan Driskell is the younger brother of former Boyd standout James Driskell.

PROJECTED PLAYOFF TEAMS

1. Garland
2. Rowlett
3. South Garland
4. McKinney Boyd

DALLAS -- Longview's ground game was too strong for South Garland as the Lobos took down the Colonels, 27-14, in a Class 5A Division II area round game at Kincaide Stadium.

The final score to this game can come off as deceiving. On paper, this game looks like one team outlasted the other thanks to a couple extra stops on defense. What many do not see or had the chance to experience was the actual dominance Longview had leading into the second half.

The first half of this game played out perfectly for the Longview (8-4), as its defense allowed only 23 total yards in the first half. South Garland (8-4) was able to come up with one first down, but that first down was the last play before halftime.

The Lobos offense took control of the clock with a run game that consisted of three parts: senior quarterback LaDarrin Robertson and the two-headed running back monster of junior J'haston Faggans and senior Dakota Anthony. With these three components and a line that had a push on just about every play of the first half, this group could not be kept off the scoreboard.

The three leaders of the Lobo running game ran for 118 yards in the first half that set up three scores, one of which being a field goal by kicker Kyle Jenkins. All Longview had to do for the remainder of the game was maintain, and for the most part it managed to do so.

South Garland came out in the second half and managed to score on its second drive of the half on a 31-yard wheel route to senior running back John Lacour, completing an 80-yard drive that alone quadrupled the Colonels' total yards on the game.

Momentum even began to shift after South Garland junior running back Brice Brooks collected his eighth interception of the season. Unfortunately, the offense was held from producing anything on the ground or in the air.

Longview ended up adding another field goal and a 9-yard touchdown run from Faggans for insurance. South Garland would add one last score with a minute left on a 3-yard run from senior fullback Cory Sherman, but it would be too late.

South Garland coach Keith Wright said that although the loss is tough to take, the season was not a failure and he is more than proud of his team.

"We just lost to a really good program, and the Longview Lobos deserve all the credit tonight," Wright said. "I am not worried about who we are losing yet. I just want everyone to enjoy what we have accomplished."

For Longview coach John King, defeating South Garland felt great, but the next round will be against an unfamiliar team in Tomball.

"I think it was a hard-fought game. We beat a fine South Garland team, and our offense managed to move the ball when we had the wind in our face," King said. "I don't know much about Tomball. I know it's a Saturday game in Waco and we are going to have our hands full."

Longview will meet Tomball next Saturday at 7 p.m. at Floyd Casey Stadium.

The high school football playoffs have reached the second round, and we'll have live updates from the area's biggest games.

On Friday, Travis L. Brown tackles West Mesquite-Sherman and Rowlett-Mesquite Horn, while Randy Jennings chronicles Dallas Skyline-DeSoto. Jeff Andrews joins you for Frisco Liberty-Dallas South Oak Cliff.

The action continues Saturday with Cedar Hill-Denton Guyer, Colleyville Heritage-Southlake Carroll, Euless Trinity-Allen, Duncanville-Coppell and South Garland-Longview.

Cedar Hill and Denton Guyer produced one of the best spectator games of the season when the two met on Labor Day at Cowboys Stadium.

A rematch 10 weeks later at the same venue is a stroke of bracket luck for fans. Kickoff is 11 a.m. Saturday in the first of four area-round playoff games that will last well into the night.

AREA-ROUND OVERVIEW
Watch ESPNDallas.com's Travis L. Brown and Randy Jennings break down the second round of the UIL football playoffs. Class 4A   Class 5A Brackets: 4A DI | 4A DII | 5A DI | 5A DII »

It took a comeback and an overtime period for Cedar Hill to prevail, 42-41, on Sept. 6.

The game was marked by outstanding performances by the quarterbacks, J.W. Walsh of Guyer and the Longhorns’ Driphus Jackson.

Walsh, who has committed to Oklahoma State, rushed for 202 yards and five touchdowns and threw for 143 yards and one score.

Jackson, a three-year starter known for leading comebacks, completed 18-of-25 passes for 282 yards and four touchdowns. He rushed nine times for 71 yards. Jackson has received numerous offers but had not yet made a college commitment.

The two quarterbacks combined for 698 yards, with Jackson getting the better of Walsh by eight yards, 353-345.

And the award for Best Supporting Quarterback goes to…

Colton Kalmus.

The junior has played at a high level and helped Rowlett reach the area playoff round filling in as starter the last three weeks for injured Grant Bothun.

Bothun suffered a lateral fracture of his ankle in the final seconds of a 17-10 win over North Garland on Oct. 22.

Kalmus, who threw only six passes in the first eight games, has completed 46-of-68 for 588 yards and seven touchdowns in three starts.

The 5-11, 170-pound junior is coming off a 322-yard, three-touchdown performance in the Eagles’ 35-28 Region II bi-district win over Dallas Jesuit.

It doesn’t hurt that Rowlett surrounds its quarterback with talented skill position players.

Running back Treyvon Green, a Northwestern commitment, rushed for 147 yards and two touchdowns against Jesuit and receiver Logan Brown made 12 catches for 198 yards and two touchdowns.

Speculation on Bothun, a 5-10, 175-pound junior, at the time of his injury was a possible return for this week’s second-round playoff game against 7-4 Mesquite Horn (9 p.m. Friday at Cowboys Stadium).

If Bothun isn’t ready, it must be a comforting feeling for the Eagles to know that Kalmus is in the bullpen.

Colleyville Heritage hoping to reverse trend against Southlake Carroll

The sight of Southlake Carroll’s helmets with the unique Dragon emblem have become symbolic of the end of the Colleyville Heritage football season, as sure as the closing credits at a movie theatre.

Three times in the last four years, Southlake Carroll celebrated robust playoff victories at the Panthers’ expense.

The common thread in all three losses -- Colleyville Heritage scored exactly seven points each time while Southlake Carroll never scored less than 31.

The most lopsided of the three was last year’s 55-7 rout in a Division II bi-district game.

The teams met in the same spot in the Division II bracket in 2008 with the Dragons winning, 31-7.

In 2006, it wasn’t until the Division I Region I final that the two schools crossed paths, with Carroll winning, 33-7.

Colleyville Heritage coach Mike Fuller said that what has happened in the past has nothing to do with this year’s game, which is set for 2 p.m. Saturday at Cowboys Stadium.

“Our 2010 team has not played Southlake Carroll,’’ Fuller said.

Run game carries South Garland to second round

In last week’s 42-10 bi-district manhandling of Dallas Lake Highlands, South Garland quarterback Stephan Turner attempted only five passes.

That’s because South Garland averaged 9.0 yards on its 38 running plays. Six turned into touchdowns.

The running game is a nice complement to South Garland’s solid defensive play this season. The Colonels allow 288 yards per game, one of the lowest numbers in the area in Class 5A.

South Garland (8-3) should face a tougher challenge from Longview (7-4) at 4 p.m. Saturday at Dallas’ Kincaide Stadium. The Lobos made it to the Class 4A state finals each of the last two seasons.

DALLAS -- South Garland blew out Dallas Lake Highlands in a scrimmage before the 2010 season began at Wildcat/Ram Stadium. However, at that point, Lake Highlands was trying to find its identity and a quarterback, as Michael Ketchmark and Trent Jones split time.

Fast forward to the first game of the postseason for both these teams and the outcome was the same. South Garland beat Lake Highlands, 42-10, at SMU’s Ford Stadium in the first round of the Class 5A Division II playoffs.

“It’s a matter of us lining up and playing well today and executing our game plan,” South Garland head coach Keith Wright said. The kids were tremendous today.”

The South Garland rushing attack was unstoppable. John Lacour led the way with 144 yards and three touchdowns.

“My line came out and played a great game,” Lacour said. “We were pushing and working hard this whole week. Coach told us we can beat these guys. We had to be more physical and it paid off today.”

The Colonels struck first on a 14-yard run by quarterback Stephan Turner on South Garland’s first play from scrimmage.

The Wildcats were able to cut the deficit with a 23-yard field goal, but just minutes later Lacour ran in his first score of the game from 59 yards out. He had reached the end zone just a few plays before from 76 yards out, but the play was called back on an offensive penalty.

The Wildcats have a bright future in junior running back Devonte Sunwengham, who powered his way into the end zone from 3 yards away in the second quarter. The Wildcats' only touchdown was set up by a 42-yard flea flicker that was caught by Sunwengham at the South Garland 3.

Lacour gave the Colonels the final say in the half on a 2-yard touchdown run, sidestepping his way past defenders into the end zone, bring the score to 21-10 at the half.

It was all South Garland when the teams came back onto the field after the break, as the Colones scored four more unanswered touchdowns. The scores were highlighted by a 92-yard touchdown run by Reece Lyod on his second touch of the game to end the South Garland scoring.

The Colonels move on to play the winner of Saturday’s Belton-Longview matchup at Dallas’ Kincaide Stadium.

“We’re right where we want to be,” Wright said. “A first-round victory and looking forward to the Longview-Belton game tonight.”

Division II appears to truly be the land of opportunity in this year’s Class 5A football playoffs.

It's light on state-ranked teams and unbeaten records, perhaps, but stocked with some of the area’s best passers.

From the Dallas/Fort Worth area alone, the Division II bracket can boast five quarterbacks averaging over 200 passing yards per game:

[+] Enlarge
Travis L. Brown for ESPN.comDenton Guyer quarterback J.W. Walsh rushed for five touchdowns in a Labor Day overtime loss to Cedar Hill, and he might see the Longhorns again in the second round of the playoffs.
• Paul Millard of Flower Mound, 4,188 passing yards and 45 touchdowns.
• Driphus Jackson of Cedar Hill, 2,524 yards and 24 touchdowns.
• Mike Savage of Dallas Jesuit, 2,478 yards and 25 touchdowns.
• J.W. Walsh of Denton Guyer, 2,107 yards and 23 touchdowns.
• Collin Strahan of Mesquite Horn, 2,027 yards and 19 touchdowns.

In the playoffs, beware the quarterback with a hot hand.

The big question: Can Flower Mound win with a defense that allows 46.3 points per game?

Somewhere along the line, the Jaguars missed the passage in the coaching manual that points to a running game and strong defense as pillars of success.

Refreshingly, Flower Mound flings it (438 passing yards per game) and is comfortable outscoring, rather than shutting out, opponents. And if it takes 50 points to win, that’s fine. The Jags average 51 points per game.

Hunter Lee (33 touchdowns) and Josh Brake (16 touchdowns) have each gone over 1,000 receiving yards for the season. No team has held the Jaguars (7-3) to fewer than 37 points this season.

But only once did the Jaguars hold an opponent under 28 points.

Flower Mound will get an early test against Southlake Carroll in a bi-district game 7:30 p.m. Friday at Justin Northwest.

Which TD producer will celebrate a bi-district victory: Jeff Calvert or Damon Bullock?

PLAYOFF PREVIEWS
Watch ESPNDallas.com's Travis L. Brown, Randy Jennings and Jeff Andrews break down the UIL football playoff brackets. Class 4A   Class 5A

These two seniors do it differently but know the way to the end zone. Calvert, the Colleyville Heritage quarterback, has thrown for 1,828 yards and 19 touchdowns and rushed for 665 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Bullock, Mansfield’s running back, has rushed for 1,507 yards and scored 22 touchdowns.

The bi-district game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Pennington Field in Bedford.

Dark horse: Mesquite Horn

A 6-4 record allows the Jaguars the opportunity to fly under the radar. But on closer inspection, Horn appears a lot better than its record. All four losses were to playoff teams: Coppell (13-0), Denton Guyer (34-31), Longview (13-8) and DeSoto (61-47.)

Collin Strahan to Jakeem Grant is one of area’s best passer-receiver connections.

Horn has a difficult first-round draw against a top-flight Central Texas program, 9-1 Copperas Cove, but the game will be played Friday in Stephenville, where Horn won it final non-district game in September.

Battle of runners: Desmond Roland vs. John Lacour

Saturday’s bi-district game matching a pair of 7-3 teams, Dallas Lake Highlands and South Garland, could be decided by the 1,000-yard running back that has the best day at SMU’s Ford Stadium.

Roland, a 6-2, 195-pound Lake Highlands senior, rushed for 1,255 yards and 21 touchdowns in the regular season.

Lacour, a 5-10, 176-pound senior, has gained 1,000 yards and scored 10 touchdowns for South Garland.

Best potential second-round matchup: Cedar Hill vs. Denton Guyer

A rematch of one of the best games of the season is a possibility, contingent on a Cedar Hill bi-district win over Hurst L.D. Bell and a Guyer victory over Flower Mound Marcus.

Cedar Hill defeated Guyer in overtime, 42-41, on Labor Day in the Herbstreit Classic at Cowboys Stadium. Guyer quarterback J.W. Walsh rushed for 202 yards and five touchdowns that day. Cedar Hill quarterback Driphus Jackson threw for 283 yards and four touchdowns.

Around the state in Division II

Defending Class 5A Division II state champion Abilene (7-3,) led by the Sims cousins, quarterback Ronnell and running back Herschel, will attempt to defend its title.

Top challengers include:

• From Region I, Abilene Cooper (9-1,) which defeated Abilene, 45-28, in a district game.
• Region II power Lufkin (9-1) has been on a roll since the return of running back Jamarcus Walker from injury.
• Region III favorite Alief Taylor (9-1) suffered its only defeat at the hands of powerhouse Katy in Week 1.
• San Antonio’s best, MacArthur (9-1,) could prove the team to beat in Region IV with running back Darik Dillard (1,467 yards) leading the way.

McKinney Boyd came into the year hoping to clinch its first playoff berth as a Class 5A program.

Now it’s eyeing a district title.

The Broncos (7-2, 5-1 in District 10-5A) are in a three-way tie for first place in 10-5A with South Garland (7-2, 5-1) and Rowlett (7-2, 5-1). Having already beaten Rowlett, Boyd can take the 10-5A crown with a win over South Garland on Friday.

If South Garland beats Boyd and Rowlett beats Garland Lakeview Centennial (1-8, 1-5), Rowlett would win the district. Having lost to Rowlett earlier in the year, South Garland needs a win and a Rowlett loss to win 10-5A.

Garland’s (6-3, 4-2) game against Sachse (5-4, 3-3) on Thursday is essentially a play-in game for the final playoff spot in 10-5A.

Rowlett can wrap up the District 10-5A title with a road win over McKinney Boyd on Friday.

The 10th-ranked Eagles (7-1, 5-0) have won five straight since its lone loss to Wylie and have already knocked off 10-5A powers South Garland, Garland and Sachse.

It’s shaping out to be the most successful season for Rowlett since it won nine games and went two rounds deep in the playoffs in 2005.

The status of quarterback Grant Bothun, who left with a leg injury in the final minute of Rowlett’s win over North Garland last week, is unknown. But Rowlett relies heavily on its ground game and running back Treyvon Green, who has 1,042 yards and 13 touchdowns on the season.

Whether Bothun plays or not, Rowlett will need to bottle up Boyd quarterback Jonovan Griffin, one of the most dynamic players in the area. He has accounted for a little less than 2,000 total yards and 24 total touchdowns. Wide receiver James Driskell (53 receptions, 801 yards) is his favorite target.

Griffin is leading Boyd to its best season since going 5A in 2008. Boyd (6-2, 4-1) has never made the playoffs as a 5A program.

If Boyd beats Rowlett and South Garland beats Sachse, there will be a three-way tie for first among Boyd, Rowlett and South Garland heading into the final week of the regular season.

District 10-5A teams resume play after a bye week, and there’s still much to be determined.

Rowlett (5-1, 3-0) remains on top, while four teams -- Garland, Sachse, South Garland and McKinney Boyd -- have 2-1 district records and Garland Naaman Forest (2-4, 1-2) remains within striking distance of the playoffs.

After beating South Garland before the bye, Rowlett could take a stranglehold on the top seed with a win over Garland on Friday.

Resurgent Sachse will need to tally some key wins to get into the playoffs as it closes the season with games against Boyd, South Garland and Garland.

The worst is past South Garland, which lost to Rowlett but beat Garland. Key games remaining include Sachse and Boyd.

Boyd survived an injury scare with do-it-all QB Jonovan Griffin. He missed the Broncos’ last game but will return this week against winless North Garland.

Boyd couldn’t afford to lose Griffin now. The Broncos face Sachse, Rowlett and South Garland to close the season.