WHAT WE SAW: Clinton’s Power Run Game Downs Chapman
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<p>INMAN | Clinton Football.</p>
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<p>Those words conjure a certain set of expectations among fans in South Carolina. A rugged running game. A stout, hard-nosed defense. Ball-control. An opportunistic passing attack.</p>
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<p>All of that was on display Friday night, as the Red Devils went on the road and beat Chapman 49-19.</p>
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<p>"Our guys did a good job executing tonight, our coaches did a good job of preparing a gameplan, and I'm excited how it turned out," Clinton coach Corey Fountain said.</p>
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<p>Clinton leaned on a physical running game behind a big, talented offensive line. The Red Devils rushed for 478 yards on the night, and piled up 592 total offensive yards. <strong>Naiim Mays, Jay Martin,</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='241184' first='Rion' last='Gordon'], <strong>Burt Dendy</strong>, and <strong>Dre Aiken</strong> dominated the line of scrimmage for Clinton.</p>
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<p>"I think we did a good job mixing it up with the pass and the run," Fountain said. "We did a good job of stretching them out vertically so they couldn't pack the box."</p>
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<p>Oddly, there wasn't a breakout guy for Clinton. <strong>Bryson James</strong> rushed for 124 yards on 11 carries, and scored once. <strong>Jishun Copeland </strong>had nine carries for 104 yards and three TDs. <strong>Jayden Robinson</strong> added 92 yards and a score, and all three averaged more than nine yards per carry.</p>
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<p>"Having three guys that can run it definitely helps, but none of it's possible if those guys up front don't block," Fountain said. "Coach Bennett did a good job of preparing them, and the backs blocked really well for each other tonight, too."</p>
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<p><strong>Austin Copeland </strong>showed a great grasp of what the Red Devils need him to do. He ran the offense well, and completed five passes for 114 yards on the night for Clinton. Copeland's arm does plenty to keep defenses honest.</p>
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<p>For Chapman, [player_tooltip player_id='146361' first='Abraham' last='Fyffe'] is a problem. He can play in multiple spots on the defensive line, and was a huge disruption on Clinton's first two offensive possessions. Fyffe started with a tackle for loss, a sack, and drew a holding call on three of the Red Devils' first six plays from scrimmage before they were able to adjust.</p>
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<p><strong>Devin Roe</strong> was also a bright spot for the Panthers. He caught six balls for 96 yards and two touchdowns, including a 57-yard bomb.</p>
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INMAN | Clinton Football.
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