Football: Martin comes through at key time for Panthers

Last week, Keith Robinson kept showing off his leg.

Kicking with soccer cleats, Robinson — a former kicker at UTEP who now serves as a kicking coach for the Permian football team — kept booming long-range field goals through the uprights.

And Panthers senior kicker Taylor Martin couldn’t stop looking at his shoes.

“They’re just soccer cleats,” Martin said. “And after I saw him, I had to get a pair.”

True to his word, Martin went out last week and bought a pair of black-and-white Adidas cleats, then started kicking with them the next day.

Martin has had a rough year.

Coming back as a senior kicker with experience, Martin expected to provide some scoring punch to the Panthers.

Especially with Robinson on board to help out.

Right before the season began, though, Martin injured his right quadriceps. Through the first five games, the injury lingered.

Martin sat out the game against Midland Lee because of the injury.

“I’ve had a rough season this year, with all the injuries,” Martin said. “It’s been perfect since I came back.”

But Martin still hadn’t made a field goal this season until Permian head coach Gary Gaines called on him Saturday.

No worries. Martin drilled a 22-yard field goal that provided the margin of victory in the Panthers’ nail-biting win.

“I knew Coach Gaines had faith in me,” Martin said. “And we do this every day, so it was just like practice.”

>> BALANCED DIET: Under former offensive coordinator Brandon Faircloth, the quarterbacks had a simple three-word motto.

KYP.

“Know your personnel,” Permian quarterback Steven Pipes said. “Know who you’re throwing to, and put it where that guy can get it.”

Keeping track of every talented receiver the Panthers have can’t be easy.

Through 11 games, Tommey Morris has 521 receiving yards, Felix Neboh has 521 receiving yards and Talon Smith has racked up 520 yards. Talk about balance.

Throw in the production of the Panthers’ other receivers — like the 40-yard catch Alfonso Zubiate made to set up Martin’s field goal against the Aztecs — and the defense can’t focus on any single receiver.

“They don’t ever know who we’re zoning in on,” Pipes said.

>> NOSE JOB: Playing over the center in the 3-4 doesn’t allow a defensive lineman to pin his ears back and rush the passer.

And senior nose tackle Colby Koenig didn’t have a sack this season heading into the Panthers’ Class 5A Division I bi-district matchup.

Koenig picked the right time to get a quarterback hit.

With the Aztecs facing a third-and-four at their own 38 on El Paso El Dorado’s first drive of the second half, Koenig sacked quarterback Josh Huerta to set the tone for a Panthers’ defensive effort in the second half that suffocated the Aztecs.

“Nose tackle is one of the hardest spots to get a sack from,” Koenig said. “But it finally opened up, I just kept moving my feet and ran through the quarterback.

>> PLAYING BIG: Listed at 5-10, right cornerback Richard Murry isn’t the biggest defensive back Permian can put on the field.

But Murry more than makes up for his lack of size.

Walled off by the Aztecs’ 6-foot-5, 220-pound receiver M.J. McFarland in the end zone, Murry broke on the ball and slapped the pass away. That set up Murry’s blocked field goal a play later.

“He wasn’t the fastest receiver,” Murry said. “I just had to play physical.”

Late in the third quarter, the Aztecs faced a third-and-five at the Permian 12, and Josh Huerta tried to snap a quick throw out to Vance Chavez in the flat. Murry nailed the receiver for a 1-yard loss. On the next play, Haesten Wood sacked Huerta and forced El Paso El Dorado to turn the ball over on downs. 

>> PERMIAN VS. ARLINGTON MARTIN

When: 1 p.m. Saturday.

Where: Shotwell Stadium, Abilene.

Records: Permian 8-3; Arlington Martin 7-4.

Last year: Did not play.

Radio: KHKZ-FM (99.1). 

>> PERMIAN PLAYER OF THE WEEK

TOMMEY MORRIS

Height: 6-foot-0.

Weight: 196 pounds.

Class: Junior.

Position: Wide receiver.

Last Week: Morris picked up 51 rushing yards on 12 carries, caught three passes for 82 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown to give the Panthers a 10-7 victory over El Paso El Dorado.

Season: Morris, a wide receiver who has been taking increased snaps at running back, has 28 catches for 521 yards, 195 rushing yards on 41 carries and a team-high 13 touchdowns this season.