There were few questions about Aledo’s offense before the team even began fall practice. With junior quarterback Jake Bishop and junior running back Jase McClellan returning there is no doubt the offense would score points.
But who would be Bishop’s favorite target when he drops back to pass?
Aledo’s top three receivers from last year are all gone. Seniors Hunter Rossen (40 receptions, 610 yards) and Beau Mask (14 receptions, 278 yards) are both graduated. Sophomore Money Parks, who had 30 receptions for 429 yards, transferred to a private school.
Sophomore Jo Jo Earle answered that question in a big way with Friday’s performance. Earle had 8 receptions for 106 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Bearcats’ 40-0 win at Denton Guyer. Last season, Aledo only had a receiver have more than 100 yards receiving in a game (103) all year. And no receiver have more than five receptions in any game all season.
Earle did this all while making his varsity debut after being the starting tailback on last year’s freshman team.
While people outside the program may have wondered who was going step up in the receiving corps, Aledo coach Steve Wood knew what he had in Earle.
“He was a freshman tailback and he didn’t get tackled very much back there. We tried to defend him all spring and all fall camp. I knew what that guy could do,” Wood said.
Earle said he had no idea the ball would be coming his way so much in his debut.
“To be honest, I was kind of nervous before the game,” Earl said after the game. “But after my first touchdown me and Jake (Bishop) talked sideline and we got our connection down he started throwing the ball more to me.”
The sophomore said he loves the change in position.
“I’m liking receiver a lot more than running back. I can do what I love. I can catch the ball and run the ball,” Earle said. “It’s fun.”
It may not be fun for opposing defense trying to cover him this season.
Earle was at least 5 yards behind the defenders on each of his TD passes. He was also wide open in the end zone on another play when the ball was thrown too high for him to catch. Defenses will have to worry about whether they want to play off of him at the line to make sure he doesn’t get the long TD passes or if they want to try and play him tight to take away the short routes.
Earle said he expects things to get even better once he and Bishop have played together for a few games.
Listen to all of his comments in the video clip below.
There were few questions about Aledo’s offense before the team even began fall practice. With junior quarterback Jake Bishop and junior running back Jase McClellan returning there is no doubt the offense would score points.
But who would be Bishop’s favorite target when he drops back to pass?
Aledo’s top three receivers from last year are all gone. Seniors Hunter Rossen (40 receptions, 610 yards) and Beau Mask (14 receptions, 278 yards) are both graduated. Sophomore Money Parks, who had 30 receptions for 429 yards, transferred to a private school.
Sophomore Jo Jo Earle answered that question in a big way with Friday’s performance. Earle had 8 receptions for 106 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Bearcats’ 40-0 win at Denton Guyer. Last season, Aledo only had a receiver have more than 100 yards receiving in a game (103) all year. And no receiver have more than five receptions in any game all season.
Earle did this all while making his varsity debut after being the starting tailback on last year’s freshman team.
While people outside the program may have wondered who was going step up in the receiving corps, Aledo coach Steve Wood knew what he had in Earle.
“He was a freshman tailback and he didn’t get tackled very much back there. We tried to defend him all spring and all fall camp. I knew what that guy could do,” Wood said.
Earle said he had no idea the ball would be coming his way so much in his debut.
“To be honest, I was kind of nervous before the game,” Earl said after the game. “But after my first touchdown me and Jake (Bishop) talked sideline and we got our connection down he started throwing the ball more to me.”
The sophomore said he loves the change in position.
“I’m liking receiver a lot more than running back. I can do what I love. I can catch the ball and run the ball,” Earle said. “It’s fun.”
It may not be fun for opposing defense trying to cover him this season.
Earle was at least 5 yards behind the defenders on each of his TD passes. He was also wide open in the end zone on another play when the ball was thrown too high for him to catch. Defenses will have to worry about whether they want to play off of him at the line to make sure he doesn’t get the long TD passes or if they want to try and play him tight to take away the short routes.
Earle said he expects things to get even better once he and Bishop have played together for a few games.
Listen to all of his comments in the video clip below.
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