by Malcolm Butler
Home run ability.
That’s how Tech head coach Sonny Cumbie described Dylone Brooks heading into Saturday night’s matchup against Army.
Brooks showed why.
The Ruston High School product totaled 200 yards of offense on just nine touches and scored two long touchdowns to ignite the Bulldogs to a 31-29 victory over the Black Knights at Joe Aillet Stadium.
“It was a great opportunity,” said Brooks, who scored on a 72-yard run and a 74-yard reception. “I had a great week of practice. … I knew I needed to capitalize.”
And capitalize he did.
With Tech and Army knotted in a 7-7 tie midway through the second quarter, Brooks took a handoff up the middle and disappeared into a pile of human bodies.
He disappeared momentarily.
Then No. 26 re-emerged, broke a tackle and outraced an Army defender to paydirt.
“I just never stopped churning my feet,” Brooks said of the play. “They teach us to run through contact and just never let your feet die. And they didn’t grab me, so I kept running.”
And running and running and running.
Brooks’ next home run came after Army had taken a 15-14 lead on the Black Knights’ first possession of the third quarter. Tech called a double pass, and Marcus Calwise Jr. hit Brooks in stride for a 74-yard scoring pass. Trey Kukuk then found Jalen Mickens for the two-point conversion and a 23-15 Bulldog lead with 11:47 to play in the quarter.
“It was a tremendous call by Coach Young. It was executed perfectly,” said Cumbie.
Brooks wasn’t alone in finding success on the ground.
The Bulldogs rushed for 244 yards, led by Brooks’ 119 yards on only seven carries. Andrew Burnette added 54 yards on 10 attempts, while Kukuk rushed for 40 yards and a touchdown.
“Dylone had two great weeks of practice. He works extremely hard,” Cumbie said. “The game is slowing down for him, and we have been challenging him, knowing that he has big-play ability. You can see that with his incredible run there in the second quarter.
“Andrew had some tough yards. Trey did as well. When you run the football like we did, it opens a lot of play action.”
Kukuk’s 7-yard touchdown run later in the third quarter extended Tech’s advantage to 28-15 heading into the final 15 minutes.
And as explosive as Tech was offensively, the Bulldogs’ defense did its part against one of the nation’s most difficult offenses to defend.
Army entered the night averaging 355.7 yards rushing per game, but Tech held the Black Knights to 270 yards on 45 attempts — more than 85 yards below their season average.
The Bulldogs also forced the game’s only turnover when Jordan McRae intercepted Cale Hellums at the Tech 40-yard line with 4:15 remaining in the second quarter, helping Tech take a 14-7 lead into halftime.
“Coming out of the bye week, we had extra time to practice what they were going to do,” McRae said. “We had to make sure our eyes were in the right spot in order to make the play.”
Tech held Army scoreless in the second quarter and didn’t allow the Black Knights to regain the lead after Brooks’ 74-yard touchdown reception put the Bulldogs in front early in the third.
But Army didn’t go quietly.
The Black Knights put together a 14-play, 74-yard drive that took almost eight minutes off the clock and pulled within 28-22 on Hellums’ 1-yard touchdown run with 13:11 remaining.
Tech’s offense answered with an important drive of its own.
The Bulldogs marched 61 yards in 10 plays, taking 5:43 off the clock before Haden Rioux connected on a 32-yard field goal to extend the advantage to 31-22 with 7:28 remaining.
Those three points proved to be the difference.
Army mounted one final charge, driving 95 yards and scoring on Hellums’ 6-yard touchdown pass to Parker Poloskey with 1:07 remaining to cut Tech’s lead to 31-29.
The Bulldogs recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock to secure the victory.
Tech finished with 503 yards of total offense, including 244 on the ground, while averaging 8.8 yards per play. Kukuk completed 16-of-22 passes for 185 yards and added the rushing touchdown.
Brooks was the catalyst.
He averaged 17 yards per carry and 40.5 yards per reception, accounting for 200 yards from scrimmage on nine touches.
For Brooks, doing it just across the street from where he starred at Ruston High made the night even more meaningful.
“It’s great. It’s a blessing,” Brooks said. “I’m glad they gave me the opportunity to come in and play. It’s my opportunity, and I’m grateful for it.”
The victory improved Tech to 2-2 and gave the Bulldogs their first win over Army in four all-time meetings.
