To develop a balanced offense, Rowlett has been calling more passing plays.

"People do think of us as more of a running team," coach Kiff Hardin said.

Pass attempts for Rowlett (1-2) have gone from 18 to 27 to 43. Brandon Loy threw for 264 yards and three touchdowns in Rowlett's last game, a 45-26 loss to Allen on Sept. 13.

Loy, in his first year as the starting quarterback, said that even though his pass attempts have more than doubled, he feels no pressure.

"In our offense, it's usually a lot of short passes. That's just like running the ball," Loy said, adding that throwing more also adds to his confidence.

Rowlett meets South Garland (2-1) in a District 10-5A opener at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Garland's Homer B. Johnson Stadium.

Greg Tepper