3A football preview: Ogden at Union

Published: Wednesday, Oct. 24 2007 11:15 a.m. MDT

Ogden (3-7, 2-3) at Union (7-3, 3-1)

3A State Tournament first-round game

Friday, 4 p.m.

Parry's Power Guide: Union by 29

All-time series: Ogden leads 1-0.

Last meeting: 1997 first round, Ogden won 28-13

Not that there's ever really a good time to face Union star quarterback Rhen Richard, but it doesn't exactly look like the Ogden Tigers are hitting Richard and his Cougars when you would want to.

Coming off a disappointing 24-21 loss to Wasatch last week, a defeat which cost Union an outright Region 10 title and the league's No. 1 seed, the third-ranked Cougars will look to rebound in the opening round of the 3A playoffs against Ogden Friday afternoon.

Things were going awfully well for Richard and for Union — until last week's Wasatch contest.

Three major factors went against the Cougars' stellar passing game that day: Union struggled against Wasatch's zone defense packages, Wasatch's field was largely covered in snow that had fallen the previous night, and talented receiver David Gilbert, who has 993 receiving yards and 12 TDs on the season, went down early with an injury.

Add it all up, and the Cougars never really managed to get their lethal passing attack on track.

Undoubtedly, Richard will look to quickly prove that the struggles against Wasatch were an aberration by lighting up Ogden's defense, which has given up 28.8 ppg. Richard, a senior, leads Class 3A and is second in the state in passing, as he averages 258 yards-per-game and has thrown 26 touchdowns.

One player he should watch out for is Ogden's Eli Garcia, who has picked off five passes in 2007.

Offensively, running back Lance Bowen (10 touchdowns) leads the way for the Tigers.

Ogden Tigers statistical breakdown