Week 2 Review: Mullen Mustangs vs Erie Tigers

A look at the five best performances from this cross-division matchup.   Review   Coming into this Week 2 matchup, many didn't expect the Mullen Mustangs to put up much of a fight against the 16th ranked Erie Tigers. Unfortunately for the Mustangs, the game was never really close although they did put up a good fight to the contrary of what many people might have thought going into the game. The scoring started early and often for the Tigers, as they came out of the 1st quarter holding a commanding 22-0 lead. Early on in the 2nd quarter, it felt like more of the same for the Mustangs, as the Tigers would score to extend their lead to 29-0. The Mullen offense would add a score, but Erie would respond quickly with a score of their own to widen the already significant lead to 36-6. The Mustangs wouldn't quit though, scoring on consecutive possessions to make the score 36-20 going into the locker room at halftime. The 2nd half wouldn't be much different than the 1st half for the Mustangs, as the Tigers would continue to extend their lead, tacking on two more touchdowns in the 3rd quarter to make the lead 49-20. Both teams would add touchdowns in the 4th quarter but it was obvious well before the 4th quarter that the game was out of reach. Erie would walk away with the dominant 56-26 victory, but Mullen didn't roll over at any point in this game. Keeping that in mind, here were the five players from this game who I felt had the strongest showings.   Players of the Game   [player_tooltip player_id='760516' first='Koa' last='Dietrich'], Mullen Mustangs (QB)(Fr.)(18) - Despite being only a freshman and on the losing team in this game, Dietrich was the most prolific passer from this contest even knowing that future Kansas State Wildcat [player_tooltip player_id='143622' first='Blake' last='Barnett'] was the signal-caller for the Erie offense. Dietrich put up some rather remarkable numbers for a freshman against a very talented Erie defense as he went 19 of 41 (46%) for 255 yards passing, 3 passing touchdowns against an interception, and a QBR of 91.0 while also adding 18 yards rushing on the ground as well. When you turn on the film of the freshman passer's night against the Tigers defense, the first thing that jumps off the tape to you is Dietrich's lightning quick release and compact throwing motion that allows him to quickly get the ball out before the pass rush has time to hit home. Displays an uncanny ability to improvise, consistently showing the ability to create plays outside of structure. Shows an excellent ability to elude pass rushers in the pocket and complete short to intermediate passes in the face of pressure. Displays great accuracy while throwing off-platform, on-the-run, and from different arm angles to all levels of the field. Outstanding ball placement on passes downfield and through throwing lanes in between zones in coverage. Combination of excellent arm strength and his quick release that allows him to consistently hit throws to every level of the field with ease. Shows good footwork when moving around in the pocket and going through his progressions, keeping his feet flat and ready to throw. Shows good top-end foot speed and elusiveness as a ball carrier that presents a 2nd dimension to his skill set that defenses have to account for. The rankings for the class of 2027 haven't been released yet, but if Dietrich can continue to grow as a QB, there's no reason to believe he won't be one of the highest - if not the highest - rated passer in the class.   [player_tooltip player_id='143622' first='Blake' last='Barnett'], Erie Tigers (QB)(Sr.)(3) – Barnett showed exactly why he's considered a blue-chip QB prospect with his performance against the Mustangs. The Mullen defense struggled to slow down Barnett all night as he went 17 of 23 (74%) for 250 yards passing, 3 passing touchdowns against 2 interceptions, and a QBR of 112.3 while also adding 18 yards rushing on the ground. Looking at the Kansas State commit's tape from his night against the Mustangs, you can see that he's a big, powerful, and extremely athletic QB that looks more like a RB with the ball in his hands than a QB. Highly explosive runner that can take it the distance if given the smallest amount of daylight. Well balanced, highly physical runner that can gain the tough yards in between the tackles while also being able to run through arm-tackles/smaller defenders at the point-of-contact. Very strong-armed passer that generates more than enough velocity to hit all the throws at every level of the field, routinely stretching the back end of the defense with his deep balls. Extremely quick release with a ball that seems to jump out of his hand. Exceptionally accurate passer at every level of the field, with consistent ball placement on short, intermediate, and deep passes. Displays incredible accuracy when off-platform, on-the-run, or when being forced to ad-lib. Smart passer that rarely makes bad decisions with the ball that lead to turnovers. Barnett is currently ranked the number 1 QB and the number 3 player overall for the class of 2023 and, given his performance against the Mullen defense, it's easy to see why. He'll look to close out his senior year with a state title before heading to Manhattan, Kansas in 2024.   Alex Sweeney, Erie Tigers (WR)(Sr.)(1) - Sweeney was easily the most electric receiver for the Tigers last Friday. The Mullen defensive backfield was gashed by Sweeney all night as he accounted for 118 yards receiving and a receiving touchdown on 8 receptions (14.8 YPR). When you dive into the film of Sweeney's performance against the Mustangs defense, you can see he displays a knack for finding soft spots in zone coverage, consistently turning catches up the seam into chunk plays downfield. Tall, long slot receiver (6'3, 175 lbs) that knows how to use his frame to box out defenders when high pointing a ball on fade routes or when making contested catches in traffic over the middle. Strong handed, extremely physical receiver that doesn't shy away from contact and being physical with the defender while working down field. Willing and able to make tough catches on short and intermediate routes in traffic, consistently making catches in gotta-have-it moments in the game. Good athleticism and top end foot speed allow him to consistently pull away from less athletic 2nd and 3rd level defenders. Highly elusive ball carrier after the catch, that can consistently break tackles in one-on-one situations if given enough space. Requisite ability as a blocker against smaller DBs and LBs. Sweeney is currently unranked on recruiting boards for the class of 2024, which is fairly surprising to see. Regardless, he's a very talented player that will be a key component to an Erie state title run this season.   Preston Terranova, Erie Tigers (DB)(Sr.)(24) - Terranova had, arguably, the strongest night of any DB in this game - locking down his end of the field the whole night. Terranova was the definition of a ball hawk against the Mullen offense as he accounted for 3 tackles, a tackle for a loss, a pass deflection, and an eye-popping 4 interceptions - including one that was returned for a touchdown. When you turn to the tape of Terranova's stellar showing against Mullen, you can see his tremendous athleticism, agility, and speed allow him to excel at both the boundary corner role, in either man or zone coverage, or the deep middle safety role in a cover 3 alignment. Despite his smaller frame (5'8, 155 lbs), he can also play in the box to support the run. Excellent lateral agility allows him to cover hash-to-hash or run with even the fastest receivers on the boundary. Sticky DB in man coverage that has the short-area quickness and awareness to recover quickly if the opposing receiver gains leverage. Highly intelligent and savvy DB that is rarely caught out of position in pass coverage while also showing an outstanding ability to bait the opposing QB into risky throws. Terranova is currently unranked on recruiting boards for the class of 2023 with his smaller frame for the position probably explaining why. Either way, he is a very gifted player that is a tremendously valuable piece of the Erie defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='875554' first='Jordan' last='Leslie'], Mullen Mustangs (DB)(Sr.)(2) - Although the Mullen defense as a whole had a rough night against the Tigers, Leslie played about as well as he could have, all things considered. While big plays for the Mustangs defense were few and far between, Leslie certainly made several as he registered 4 tackles, a tackle for a loss, a pass deflection, and an interception. Diving into the tape of Leslie's night against the Erie offense, you can see he has elite explosiveness out of his stance/back-pedal, whether he's breaking downhill for run support or while turning up field to run with a receiver on the boundary. Intelligent, technically sound DB that doesn't surrender technique while maintaining excellent top-end foot speed and lateral agility, which allows him to stay on top of receivers that are running up field while also allowing him to maintain tight coverage on sharper breaking short and intermediate routes. Displays good pop/force at the point-of-contact with the ball carrier when making a tackle, consistently driving the ball carrier back several yards through the initial contact. Shows a good understanding of how to stack-and-shed blocks on the boundary and seal the edge while not surrendering the boundary. Extremely physical and aggressive DB that doesn't solely rely on speed and athleticism to win against the opposing receiver. Leslie is currently unranked for the class of 2024, with him more likely playing basketball at the collegiate level than football. Regardless though, he is an incredibly talented player on the gridiron as well that will easily be one of the more important players on the Mullen roster.

A look at the five best performances from this cross-division matchup.