Being the best athlete on the field comes with greater expectations.
So it is with Morgan Park senior safety Darrell Mattison, who made the biggest defensive play in the Mustangs’ 26-10 win Saturday afternoon against Notre Dame at Hanson Stadium.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Notre Dame running back Christopher Love raced around the right side toward the end zone. Mattison chased him down from behind for a touchdown-saving tackle, and the Dons wound up turning the ball over on downs.
Had Love scored and the Dons made the two-point conversion, the game would’ve been tied at 18. But Morgan Park (1-1) stayed ahead and sealed it when Ronald Smith Jr. and Dacari Blandin teamed up for their second touchdown with 1:21 left.
Mattison is a four-star prospect who decommitted from one of the best programs in the country (Michigan) this summer to commit to another one (Ole Miss).
Mustangs coach Chris James saw Mattison’s tackle of Love as routine — for him.
“It’s something he’s supposed to do,” James said. “Like, if you’re a D1 athlete, you’re supposed to give maximum effort. . . . If you’re a four-star guy, then you make that play. And he made that play.
“But he’s got to play better, and I want him to know that. He leaves too many plays on the field where those are plays that a guy with that ability should make. . . . And he won’t mind me saying that.”
Mattison had five tackles, broke up several passes and drew a pass-interference call on one of his offensive snaps.
“He’s got to make a few more [when] he’s got his hands on the ball, like that one-handed pick. I expect him to make that play. . . . So I expect him to play way better in Week 3.”
Mattison is comfortable with straight talk from coaches. It’s one of the things that attracted him to Ole Miss, where Pete Golding was promoted from defensive coordinator last November when Lane Kiffin left for LSU.
“He’s just a great guy,” Mattison said. “He’s a real funny guy, really up-front and blunt. He’s gonna keep it so real with you.”
Mattison isn’t looking ahead, though. After losing to ranked Downers Grove North by five and beating Notre Dame, he said his goal — like James’ — is to keep improving.
“It’s just small details,” Mattison said. “Just doing the things we’ve got to do, the small things like getting set, getting ready, make the plays.”
Morgan Park’s offense made its share of plays. Smith Jr., back as the Mustangs’ quarterback, was 15-for-20 for 182 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. Blandin had six catches for 63 yards and two touchdowns, and Will Smith Jr. had 19 carries for 152 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown.
“[Ronald Smith Jr.] is a guy that, with time, he just gets better,” James said. “He made the plays he needed to make, but he has got to be more consistent, too.”
For Notre Dame (1-1), quarterback Eric Couper completed 13 of 29 passes for 122 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown to Jon Miro. Love had 21 carries for 80 yards.
“Morgan Park’s everything we thought they were: speed athletes all over the field, big kids, well-coached, execute very well,” Dons coach Dan DeFranza said. “I also think that we proved that we’re a pretty good team ourselves. . . . The fact that we faced a team like Morgan Park before we get to the Catholic League, to see that speed and physicality is good.”