High school football: Defense key to Bishop McGuinness' success

Jones points to the players' ability to stay focused on their assignments, rather than worrying about individual success.

The Irish have four players with at least 30 tackles, and nine with 18 or more. Jeffreys, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound linebacker, leads the unit with 43 stops.

“We're confident in our defense's ability,” Jeffreys said. “Our defensive line has been really good, and that makes our jobs easy behind them.”

That defensive line is in for a test against a strong offensive front at Carl Albert, which hosts the Irish Friday night.

Love and Bobby Sweeney have been strong at the end spots, with Andrew Williams and Johnathan Higgins anchoring the middle of the line.

With Carl Albert at 1-3 on the season, Jones is preparing his squad to face an angry team that is more talented than its record would suggest.

“We expect it to be a dogfight,” the coach said. “We know they're backed into a corner a little bit. We're a team that needs a quality win against another quality opponent, so it's a big-time opportunity for our kids.”