Marble Falls football to make short trek to Llano

CAPTION: The Marble Falls defensive front seven that includes senior linebacker Noah Lyon and junior linebacker Brody Graham, wants to control the line of scrimmage to get ensure the Llano Yellow Jackets aren’t able to move the ball. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography

The Marble Falls High School football team will face the Llano Yellow Jackets at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13 at Llano Stadium in the third game of the season.

It’s the Yellow Jacket’s home opener.

Both teams enter the contest with 1-1 records.

Llano lost to Comanche 34-21 after shutting out Lytle 47-0 in the season opener.

“They’re a good football team,” Mustangs head coach Keri Timmerman said. “They’re really athletic at quarterback, got a big, strong offensive line. Good skilled kids. They play hard.”

Llano is led by sophomore quarterback Luke Davis, who is in his second year starting at the position. He took over midway through the 2023 season.

This year Davis has completed 22 of 42 passes for 226 yards, four touchdowns and an interception and has seven carries for 44 yards and a score. Senior running back Trey Mote has 25 rushes for 176 yards and two touchdowns. Senior athlete R.J. Coplin has seven receptions for 79 yards and a score, while senior receiver Carter Bickett has six catches for 47 yards and two touchdowns.

The Mustangs will counter with a front seven that wants to get into the backfield in a hurry led by senior linebacker and junior linebacker Brody Graham.

“Defensively, they’re multiple,” Llano head coach Matt Green said. “They’re trying to confuse the quarterback. We’re going to have to do a really good job of knowing what they’re in and what they want to do.”

Defensively, the Jackets are led by a defensive line that’s strong and a trio of linebackers. In short, the front seven wants to cause havoc in the backfield. Senior Tate Morgan, junior Carsten Hays and senior Colton Bailey lead the team with 24, 22 and 18 total tackles, respectively.

The Mustangs will counter with juniors Doak Timmerman, a quarterback, and Joaquin Aguilar, a running back, and seniors Kole Becker, a receiver, and Lyon, a tight end.

Keri Timmerman is very familiar with the way Llano defensive coordinator Matt Anastasio prepares his defenses and how he puts his athletes in position to make plays.

“Those guys play an aggressive front, and we’ve got to execute,” he said. “We’ve got to be able to do both – got to be able to run and pass and find some success in that. And we gotta get Joaquin in a groove early and then be able to take advantage of the edges, so we’ll see. They do a good job. Matt does a great job with that. Impressed to watch those guys. They go hard at all levels and defensively, they do a good job.” 

In the last two games the Mustangs have used both Doak Timmerman and senior Colton Minor at quarterback. So the Jackets have been preparing to face both throughout the week.

“They both bring a different element to the game,” Green said. “They played a good game against Jarrell. I thought they had a chance at a win. I see them improving on film. They’re better than they started out. They’re a team you have to play well to beat. They’re going to play hard. They have some depth, they have some talent.”

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