Outlaws don’t mind hitting road for playoffs

When Marlow players walk out on the natural turf at Outlaws Stadium they feel excitement from the huge crowds that gather for each home game but for the most part they know little about the history of the famed stadium and the players who came before them.

While the big block letters on one pristine white wall offers a tribute for former player and coach Ron Newby, there are other bits of history that guys like Terry Brown know because they helped write the history of the program. The school now has three football state title, those coming in 1959, 1964 and then in 2021. Brown was a member of that 1964 team, playing for the legendary coach Sevil Pickett and earning a scholarship at Oklahoma State University and eventually was drafted and playing in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings. He was the first native-born Oklahoman to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl.

Brown loved the town so much he came back after his NFL career and opened an insurance business. However, that was just a “side job” he once told this writer. Around town he and D.B. Green were the football radio broadcast team for the local radio station. It was basically social media before anyone was thinking about Facebook, Twitter and the like. They’d talk about the best pie bakers in town, the best barber and anything they wanted to discuss.

This new group of Marlow football players are trying to make their own memories and if some local painter would go add that 2021 state title on the big sign at the stadium, it might just provide a bit of good luck as the playoffs continue this week on the road as the Outlaws will to face Tulsa Cascia Hall in a 7 p.m. Class 3A quarterfinal contest.

These days the local football stars are guys like Barron Gage, Jace Hunt, Zach Dawson and Kaden Lucas. Last month the Outlaws were unbeaten in District 3A-2 and gearing up for a strong finish. However, they lost a 14-13 heartbreaking defeat against Sulphur, then a 24-21 loss to Plainview and finally the Outlaws were edged 35-28 by top-ranked Heritage Hall.

Instead of finishing first or second and hosting a first-round game, they had to go on the road and face dangerous Tulsa Metro Christian. The Outlaws handled that assignment well, earning a 28-14 victory to keep their title hopes alive.

Now the next challenge comes Friday on the road at Cascia Hall, another tough Tulsa private school.

“It doesn’t really matter where, or who we play,” Gage said before Wednesday’s practice. “We are just happy to still be playing. In some ways I enjoy road games as much as home games. And most of our fans don’t care how far away the game will be, they aren’t going to miss it. We will have a large crowd up there this week.”

Gage’s family is all about Friday Night Lights. The 6-2, 180-pound senior plays wide receiver on offense and cornerback on defense. If he needs any help figuring out his defensive assignments, he’s just got to turn around and ask his dad Jeremy Gage who is the Outlaws’ defensive coordinator.

“We have been running the ball really well lately because the line has really been pushing people around,” Gage said. “These linemen are all guys who have been around for several years and they play well together as a unit.”

While the loses shook the Outlaws, it sure didn’t deflate them entirely.

“After losing those games we just tried to stay true to ourselves and not start complaining or getting on each other,” he said. “We know at this point in the season every team is going to be tough, so we just have to keep fighting and find ways to win.”

Marlow’s defense has been strong all season but that group has really turned it up in the playoff win last week.

“We’ve been really good at stopping the run all season and recently we’ve been able to handle the passing teams we faced with more confidence,” Hunt said. “Sometimes going on the road is a good thing because sometimes there are distractions when you are playing at home. This week we know they are going to try and throw the ball on us but we feel confident that we can control them if we get pressure on their quarterback and make him rush his throws.”

While one might imagine that the Gage family might talk football around the dinner table, Barron said that’s not the case.

“Normally we try and keep the football talk up here at the field and talk about other things at dinner,” he said. “I don’t follow my stats or anything beyond our wins and losses. I just know that this team will throw the football and we have to be ready with our blitz packages and coverage schemes.”

The Outlaws also know that it will take a good offensive performance to aid in their bid to make the semifinals and one of the big men up front, Kaden Lucas, knows he and his offensive line mates will need a solid effort if they want to extend their season.

“We work really well together and we try to be steady and not have highs or lows on the field,” the 6-2, 300-pound right guard said. “We need to have some long drives and keep their offense on the sidelines. This bunch is similar to Metro but they have some good defensive guys we have to contend with. We will use some double-team blocks at times and we also are trying to get to the second level and try to aid our runners as much as we can.”

Those running backs also have a big advantage and that is because 6-0, 180-pound senior Zach Dawson is the fullback who helps clear the path for the backs.

“Our goal is to get 3 or 4 yards runs whenever we run and if we can do that we extend drives and that works to wear down a defense,” Dawson said. “I don’t carry the ball; my job is to block for our backs. Jacob Crowson, Clint Ladon, Hudson Morgan and Johnny Brite are all good runners and we just try to give them a small seam and when they get a good run we know we are doing our jobs.”

Does it bother him that fullbacks are sometimes unappreciated?

“I guess it might seem like that at times but when we score, the offensive line and I know that we had a part in that touchdown,” he said. “They do have one pass for me but we haven’t run it this season. I am a team guy and we just want to win and keep our season going.”