Football: Permian sets playoff plans

Permian will open the Class 5A Division I playoffs against Mansfield High at 1 p.m. Nov. 17 at Gordon Wood Stadium in Brownwood, Panthers coach Darren Allman announced on Tuesday.

Permian has clinched the No. 1 seed out of District 3-5A for the Division I bracket, while Mansfield High will be the No. 2 seed from District 4-5A.

Permian, ranked fifth in this week’s Associated Press Class 5A poll, is 9-0 going into Friday’s regular-season finale against Midland High.

Mansfield High (8-1) wraps up its schedule Friday against Mansfield Timberview.

Advance tickets for the playoff game are $7 for adults and $2 for students. All tickets at the gate will be $8, and all seating will be general admission.

Permian will be the home team.

Gates will open at 11:30 a.m. at Gordon Wood Stadium, which has a capacity of 7,800.

>> PICKING UP THE PACE: In Friday’s 49-13 victory over Odessa High, Permian put up offensive numbers in the first half that exceeded production for some games.

Permian averaged 408.5 yards and 43.1 points before Friday’s game, and the Panthers had 398 total yards and 42 points at halftime.

Allman said forcing the tempo was part of the plan.

“We feel like, especially when we’re needing a spark offensively, it’s one of the tools we like to use,” he said. “Get to the line of scrimmage, get another play going and try to wear the defense down, especially when we get the ball back quickly, and that’s what was happening. The defense was getting a lot of three-and-outs, and when an opponent’s defense is spending a lot of time on the field, you don’t want to give them a lot of time to catch their breath.”

As well as things went Friday, it was the fourth game in a row that Permian didn’t score until its third offensive possession.

“It doesn’t always work out the way you want it to,” Allman said. “Early on in a game, a lot of time we don’t know how people are going defend us. It takes a couple of series where we’ve got to do more check offense trying to figure that out. As our coaches get a feel for the other team and what we want to go to, we can pick up the tempo offensively and run more plays in a shorter amount of time.”

>> ANOTHER RECORD: Permian quarterback Taylor Byrd broke the single-game completions record Friday by going 22-for-31 for 282 yards. The old mark was 21 completions by David Durell in 2002 against Midland High.

Byrd’s yardage total was the sixth-best in Permian history, and he now has four of the top eight yardage games. He set the single-game record with 328 yards against Amarillo High earlier this season.

>> INJURY UPDATE: Defensive tackle Seung Yoo will miss at least two weeks after suffering a knee injury in the second quarter against Odessa High.

Allman said the senior, who has 18 solo tackles with a sack and two tackles for loss, may be able to return if the team goes far enough in the playoffs.

“It may be a situation where he can play with a special brace,” Allman said. “We know we’ll be without him this week and probably next. We’ll just have to evaluate his progress once he gets braced up and whatever decision he makes on what he wants to do.”

Allman said senior receiver Melvis Pride will be available this week after aggravating a foot injury while catching a touchdown pass against OHS.

“He was actually fine (Friday night) by the end of the game,” Allman said. “It just happened to be an out route where he had to stick that foot in the ground pretty hard making that cut. He went through some pain, but he’s OK. He looked pretty good in practice (Monday), it’s just going to be a long process.”

>> DEFENSIVE LEADERS: Defensive end Ross Forrest had five solo tackles, two sacks and three tackles for loss.

Cornerback Anthony McDowell also had five solo tackles and recovered a fumble., while safety Eugene Neboh had four solo tackles and three pass breakups. Linebackers Joey Mendez and Josh Taylor each had four solo tackles.

PERMIAN PLAYER OF THE WEEK

RYAN RUMBAUGH

>> Height: 5-foot-11.

>> Weight: 168 pounds.

>> Class: Junior.

>> Position: Wide receiver.

>> Highlights: Rumbaugh had a season-high eight receptions for 99 yards in Permian’s victory over Odessa High. He caught seven passes in the first quarter when the Panthers jumped out

to a 21-7 lead.

THE BASICS

PERMIAN VS. MIDLAND HIGH

>> When: 7:30 p.m. Friday.

>> Where: Ratliff Stadium, N. Grandview Ave. and Yukon Road.

>> Records: Permian 9-0, 4-0; Midland 4-5, 1-3.

>> Last year: Permian 31, Midland 28.

>> Radio: KHKX-FM (99.1).