Hey, Bubba: Yoe power rushing attack trumps Academy

It was not all that long ago that Cameron based out of one offensive formation - the spread. The Yoemen still use the spread as their main offensive set, but field conditions on Friday night from John Glover’s Stadium in Academy were less than ideal for that type of game plan.

This season, Cameron has implemented a “Bubba” package, which brings more bodies tight and relies on a more physical running attack. It proved to be the difference, as the Yoemen scored all of their touchdowns out of the bruising set on this night in a 35-16 win over the Bees.

Nico Vargas (15 rushes, 65 yards) and Anthony Steamer (18 rushes, 159 rushes) accounted for over 80 percent percent of Cameron’s total yards and all five touchdowns in the win.

“It’s one to remember,” said Vargas, who took over for Braden Brashear at quarterback in order to run the wildcat. “We had real fun out here tonight and I will never forget playing on this field and I enjoyed it.”

Steamer is Cameron’s starting defensive lineman, but has had some running back experience at the lower levels. “I’m happy to help the team out, coming out and doing what I can do,” said Steamer. “I thank the offensive line for blocking for us.”

Yoe coach Tommy Brashear was honest when he said he was not sure how things would have turned out if his team only had the spread, which on this night did not pick up a first down and accounted for just 5 total passing yards.

“This is why we work on the run game and put the two-back, power stuff in,” said the coach. “If we didn’t have that tonight, I hate to think how this would have turned out. It would have been real difficult. I’m liking the physicality of our offensive line and the physicality of running back as well.”

There was some talk of potentially moving the game to a neutral site that had turf or moving the game to Cameron, but those talks never materialized. Instead, there was plenty of mud.

“As soon as you put the ball down, it’s wet and muddy,” said Brashear on the field conditions. “It rained Monday here pretty good and then it didn’t rain much the rest of the week, but they had a cell come in today about the time we were leaving Cameron. We talked about a neutral site and about coming to Cameron, but they felt this was going to be okay.”

Cameron quickly drove down the field to open the game, capping off a 63-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown run from Vargas, who also ran in the two-point conversion to put his team up, 8-0. Academy managed to tie the game back up on their next possession, with a 75-yard drive that was finished off with a Johnnie Rouse 14-yard run and 2-point run, knotting it up at 8.

Cameron then created the separation that was needed, with Vargas (2) and Steamer producing a combined three touchdowns the remainder of the half to put the Yoemen up 29-8.

Academy made a small push in the third, as a Taygen Jones 17-yard run brought it back to two possessions before Vargas scored his fourth touchdown of the night late in the fourth to seal the deal.

Brashear only finished 2-6-1 in passing with 5 yards and Davion Bynaum had 4 rushes with no yards gained.

“I tried to throw one with Layne down there because he has a little bigger hand than the other two guys,” said Brashear. He told me once they set it down it had mud on it. Davion relies on his speed, and these are not good conditions for that. It’s just not conducive to our offense with our speed and the ability to throw the ball.”

Scoring

1st Quarter

Cameron: Nico Vargas 10-yard run - Vargas run - 8-0 Yoe - 7:31

Academy: Johnnie Rouse 14-yard run - Rouse run - 8-8 - 4:06

Cameron: Nico Vargas 2-yard run - run failed - 14-8 Yoe - 0:26

2nd Quarter

Cameron: Anthony Steamer 4-yard run - Ulices Cardona kick - 21-8 Yoe - 9:34

Cameron: Nico Vargas 5-yard run - Steamer run - 29-8 Yoe - 1:38

3rd Quarter

Academy: Taygen Jones 17-yard run - Rouse run - 29-16 Yoe - 11:08

4th Quarter

Cameron: Nico Vargas 3-yard run - pass failed - 35-16 Yoe - 2:56

Stats

Cameron

First Downs: 13

Rushing: 45-253

Passing: 2-6-1, 5 yards

Punts: 3-34.8

Fumbles/Fumbles Lost: 3-0

Penalties: 5-45

Rushing: Nico Vargas, 15-65; Anthony Steamer, 18-159, J.D. Wilson, 8-33

Academy

First Downs: 5

Rushing: 30-121

Passing: 4-10-3, 28 yards

Punts: 3-31

Fumbles/Fumbles Lost: 2-0

Penalties: 5-25

Rushing: Taygen Jones: 9-64; Johnnie Rouse, 10-48