So far, so good

So far, so good
Detroit Free Press
MICK MCCABE
August 26, 2007


Okemos accomplished something in Friday's opener that it couldn't do in any of its nine games last season: score 22 points.

After a 2-7 season in which the Chieftains totaled only 70 points, Okemos coach Paul Palmer installed the single wing offense.

The single wing is an offense that snaps the ball directly to a running back and the quarterback is a glorified guard who occasionally catches passes. Menominee, which won the Division 5 state title last year, is one of the few teams in the state to use the single wing.

Palmer spent three days with Menominee coach Ken Hofer in the spring and the Chieftains are 1-0 following their 22-6 victory over Mason.

"That's our deal now," Palmer said of the single wing. "We're another Menominee that doesn't run it half as well as they do, but we're trying."

Okemos totaled 17 first downs against Mason and threw only eight passes, but two were for touchdowns.

"We were able to control the ball on offense," Palmer said. "The toughest thing for us is getting used to the different defensive fronts we're going to face. Menominee has seen them all, but it takes us a little time to figure it out."

Okemos' single wing will be severely tested in the next two weeks when it faces Grand Ledge and Holt.

Contact MICK McCABE at 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com.

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