From the Herald and News

Klamath travels to Brookings Saturday

March 30, 2007

Outscoring their opponents by a count of 78-16 in two home games put the Klamath Crusaders atop the early Oregon Football League standings and became a positive step toward rebounding from a sub-par 2006 campaign.

On Saturday night, the real season begins.

Klamath will travel to Brookings to face Siskiyou in the Crusaders' road opener - and the Savages' season opener. Siskiyou's last game also was against Klamath, when the Savages earned a 26-8 victory to finish the season 4-4.

“They've got some Division I players, and they've got a really good tight end too. He's extremely big and very, very athletic,” coach Don Nelson said. “The quarterback (Tim Crochet) is pretty much comparable to (Klamath's Matt) Miles. Same size, same everything.

“They're probably the No. 2 team in the league right now.”

Miles' play in the passing game will be a key to the Crusaders' success, as Klamath will again spread the field early and often.

“We're gonna go with pretty much the same offense. We're gonna spread it out,” Nelson said. “When we do that, that gives our running back, (Landon) Trammell, more areas to run.”

Trammell dominant

Trammell's abilities are hardly a mystery to OFL opponents, and he is off to a tremendous start in his sixth season. The 5-foot-11, 208-pound Mazama grad has 499 yards and six touchdowns in victories over Columbia River and Salem, and he did it all on just 51 carries.

“He's always been one of the top backs in the league,” Miles said. “He makes guys miss, he's an elusive back, but also if he's boxed in, he'll run you over. All linebackers have to key on him coming their way, so it helps open up the pass.”

The Crusaders' air attack has some obstacles, which may also affect the run. Siskiyou has young cornerbacks who are capable of success in one-on-one coverage, Miles said, which gives the Savages the ability to put more defenders in the box to try and stop Trammell. Also, Klamath receiver Jason Allen will likely sit after a knee injury suffered in last week's 27-10 win over Salem.

Defense ready

Klamath's defense has shut down opponents so far, holding Salem to a single yard rushing on 22 attempts. The Crusaders have relied on smart, strong athletes to lead, and they have responded.

“We've got some players there, like Jason Allen, Rocky Nelson, Jake Juhl and Jantz Kahl, that have a lot of experience and are big and strong,” Nelson said. “They have a lot of experience reading the offense, and that of course comes from playing at a higher level.”

That higher-level experience should help this week, as the Crusaders try to shut down a Siskiyou rushing attack that is effective, especially between the tackles.

“We've been watching game films, and our biggest thing is to stop the run,” Nelson said. “They do a lot of trapping, and they've got two very good running backs.”

Hit the road

Klamath will play four of its final six regular season games on the road, and that carries its own issues.

In the past, a 35-player roster for home games has dwindled to 20-25 when the Crusaders leave Viking Field, and the team often didn't know who was playing until it got to the field. This year, the team has an extra van that should help more players have the opportunity to make road trips.

“This league is all about making adjustments and putting the right guys in,” Miles said. “We're hoping to have a pretty good turnout.”

- Josh Petrie