Week 6 – Offensive Players of the Week

Week 6 of high school football action in Colorado is in the books and there were some impressive performances from last week's slate of games. With that being said, here’s a look at the top offensive performances from week 6 and the traits that made them possible. <strong>Players of the Week</strong> <a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/braelon-tate/D55E-Gg8EeiAyNdjx8XCRA/default.htm" target="_self" rel="noopener">[player_tooltip player_id="153703" first="Braelon" last="Tate"]</a>, Legacy Lightning (RB)(Sr.)(4) - Tate had himself one of the more impressive single-game performances we’ve seen from anybody, regardless of position, so far this season in the Lightning’s 38-8 domination of the Fairview Knights. On the night, Tate posted a remarkable 301 yards rushing on 24 carries with 4 touchdowns to boot. He also added 7 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, a sack, and an interception on defense on top of his dominant offensive performance. When you put on the tape, you can see that Tate displays outstanding balance and power at the point-of-contact despite his small, but stocky, stature (5’9, 178 lbs) thanks to his very strong core and lower body. While being a shorter back, this actually works in his favor against many second and third level defenders, easily breaking through arm tackles because of his low center of gravity. Explosive, north-south runner that quickly looks to find daylight if given enough space. Enough top end foot speed to pull away from pursuing defenders if a bad angle is taken. Tate is currently rated the number 2 RB in the state and the number 28 player overall and it’s fairly easy to see why. He was a one-man wrecking crew against Fairview and will be an exciting player to follow the rest of this season. [player_tooltip player_id="22726" first="Keegan" last="Patterson"], Longmont Trojans (QB)(Sr.)(15) - This is the third time Patterson has made my weekly list, tying him with fellow passer [player_tooltip player_id="206494" first="Bekkem" last="Kritza"] for the most. His performance in the Trojans 49-28 win over the Grand Junction Central Warriors was more of what we’ve come to expect from one of the state’s leading passers. The senior went an impressive 22 of 31 (71%) for 386 yards and 4 touchdowns. Patterson also added 21 yards rushing on 10 carries and another touchdown on the ground for good measure. When you look at the film, Patterson displays outstanding touch on deep ball and boundary throws, routinely dropping it on the outside shoulder of the receiver just passed the defender’s reach. Overall ball placement is good, as he consistently gives his receivers the best chance possible to make a play on the ball on contested catches, while also consistently hitting receivers in stride on short and intermediate level throws. Very savvy passer that can quickly identify the shell of the defense (middle of the field open/middle of the field closed) and understands where to go based off that look. Good athleticism that allows him to escape the pocket and buy time to throw, while also presenting another threat for the opposing defense in the running game. Patterson continues to impress this year and should be a player to watch come the end of this season and into the playoffs. [player_tooltip player_id="62236" first="Logan" last="Miller"], Skyline Falcons (WR/RB/QB)(Jr.)(7) - Throughout most of this season, Miller has played just about every skill position on the offensive side of the ball - lining up at QB, RB, and WR. While Miller is the definition of a utility player, he was the state’s leading receiver last week in the Falcons 34-23 win over the Greeley Central Wildcats - posting an outstanding 5 receptions for 191 yards and a touchdown on the night. The first thing that jumps out about Miller on tape is his size, as he’s a big bodied receiver that has the frame necessary to box-out defenders and high point the ball on fade routes in the red zone and other jump-ball scenarios. Outstanding tracking ability when working back on under-thrown balls and on over the shoulder catches where he has to work the sideline. Good, reliable hands when working shorter and intermediate routes through traffic over the middle. Excellent, consistent blocking ability on the perimeter, often driving the defender downfield through the whistle. Miller is currently rated the number 7 athlete and the number 48 player overall in the state for the class of 2023. If he continues to show this level of dominance, while being as versatile as he is, there should be at least a few schools that give him a deeper look.