From The Stokes News 11/20:
www.thestokesnews.com http://www.thestokesnews.com/articles/2008/11/20/sports/doc49239c882502e569159683.txtQuarterback change provides boost for Wildcats11/20/08
By Jeremy Moorhouse
Sports Editor
Defense has driven West Stokes for much of this record-breaking season.
Now a recent shakeup has provided an all-new threat for the Wildcats’ offense.
For the second straight week, freshman Austin Fleming has gotten the nod at quarterback, with junior Matt Bennett sliding over to his more natural position at running back.
Bennett, a more than capable passer, has flourished as part of West’s rushing attack while Fleming has shown no signs of freshman nerves with two solid performances as the team’s signal-caller, including leading his team to a 35-21 win against McMichael in the first round of the NCHSAA Class 2-AA playoffs a week ago.
Making a quarterback change so late in the season wasn’t an easy one for West head coach Jimmy Upchurch.
"The hardest coaching decision I’ve ever had to make," Upchurch said. "Austin has become our quarterback and Matt has played running back his whole life. Austin has developed enough to where we can move Matt to a position that more suits him. We want to get Matt more on the defensive side of the ball. Moving Matt to running back now gives us two really good threats sitting side by side along with Jeremy (Cuthrell and James Hickman). Austin runs the ball pretty dang well himself. We’ve got four really good running threats right now."
"We experimented with him three or four weeks in a row until Atkins and he was 12 for 12 passing for 128 yards and no interceptions and ran the ball for another 40 something yards. He proved to me against Atkins he had the mental capability to do it so I felt very comfortable putting him in there Friday in the state playoff game."
A week after the 12 of 12 performance, Fleming completed 9 of 14 passes for 156 yards with no interceptions while rushing 11 times for 77 yards and a touchdown against the Phoenix.
"I felt like (Austin) grew up a lot," Upchurch said. "Matt is very gifted strength-wise. Both of them are very intelligent kids. Both work hard."
Bennett has completed 58 of 125 passes for 838 yards with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions on the season, but his strength has been in the ground game.
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound junior leads the Wildcats with 172 carries for 840 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Bennett has shared the primary running duties with the senior, Hickman (131 carries, 808 yards, 10 touchdowns). Upchurch is already looking to next season. With Hickman gone, Bennett will be a key running back.
"Looking down the road when James graduates I’ll need a big bulky strong kid to carry the football," Upchurch said. "We don’t have that kid in our program right now ... as a staff we talked about getting prepared."
"Matt is the most unbelievable kid as far as being a team player. He is about whatever is best for the team. He felt like it was in the team’s best interest. When Matt and I talked I didn’t think he would play quarterback in college. I told him I felt I was doing him a disservice using him at quarterback when in fact he’s probably going to be a defensive player, probably outside linebacker or strong side safety. Even potentially a tight end or a slot back ... there’s not a position anywhere that he can’t play. He’s just that talented."
Bennett said he first played running back in middle school and is happy to turn over the reigns at quarterback.
"I feel more comfortable there myself, giving something extra to the running game and (Austin) is going to help us out in the passing game," Bennett said. "It's going to open up more things for us."
Bennett noted Fleming’s vision on the field and his uncanny ability to scramble out of high-pressure situations, including a big run late in the game against McMichael last week.
Fleming said he’s gotten good support from his teammates during the transition to the starting role.
"(Matt) has helped me out quite a bit. At first I came in and didn’t know much about the offense. Just watching Matt do it. He did it right," Fleming said. "I didn’t have to come in and watch somebody do it for a half. He did it full speed."
"I just felt like they took me in as a teammate and made me feel good. I wasn’t nervous. The line played good. Matt and James ran the ball real good."
Bennett and Hickman both eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark a week ago for the Wildcats, who had more than 400 yards of total offense in the victory.
Up next are the Northwood Chargers on the road in a second round game.
West is in unprecedented territory after winning its first ever state playoff game in school history.
Both Bennett and Fleming are confident in their team’s ability to add to the record books.
"I’m really excited to be a part of something like this. I mean the first playoff victory that this school has ever had, that’s something really cool to be a part of," Bennett said. "The defense ... those guys are doing everything they need to do and the offense is clicking right now. If we keep that up Northwood is going to have a tough challenge in front of them."
"Everybody is pretty excited about it. Some of the kids are wondering if it’s a fluke but hopefully if we can win Friday and advance it will open up some of the doubters’ eyes, but for the most part everybody has been pretty supportive."
Added Fleming: "If offense plays like it did Friday with Matt running the ball and James running the ball and me breaking tackles and throwing the ball we’ll be all right. The defense, it’s hard to run on them. In practice it’s hard, I don’t know how Reidsville did it. Northwood’s defense is good. If we run the ball and do what we did Friday we’ll be all right."
