By Neil Robertson
MaxPreps.com
Someone please reveal the secret in the lockerrooms of Odessa Permian. After a 42-17 win over Amarillo Tascosa Thursday night, one might have thought Austin Powers had time traveled back to 1988 and found that potent elixir of Mojo. Groovy Baby!
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The legendary Mojo of Permian High has been locked in a time-warp since coach Gary Gaines' Panthers annually stampeded deep into the Texas 5A playoffs and won the Texas big school state championship in 1989, (along with that mythical national championship) and again in 1991.
Thursday night at Amarillo's Dick Bivins Stadium, Permian second-year coach Darren Allman showed his former Hardin-Simmons teammate, Heath Parker of Amarillo Tascosa, what Mojo is all about. Air Mojo, that is.
Two birds patrolled the Tascosa air space all night - correction, one Bird and another Byrd. Backup junior quarterback Taylor Byrd relieved injured starter Tate Smith early on and immediately went to the air, connecting to Bront Byrd and LaVorick Williams for long yardage. When the air assault was over, Byrd had passed for 276 yards on 13 of 22 attempts and no interceptions.
Tascosa's starting secondary was grounded from the start. Joe Ledoux shifted to quarterback, while Scott Rutledge and Brady Gregor were benched by prior injuries. Knowing that, Allman planned the Permian air assault, out of character for a team known for their bulldozer-like running game.
Notes: Permian debuted their all-white road uniforms.first-year Amarillo coach Brad Thiessen was present in the Dick Bivins' press box, already scouting the newly-revived Mojo for their match-up at Odessa's Ratliff stadium in two weeks.