The North Moore Mustangs football team is champing at the bit to take the field.

The Mustangs will do that tonight when they face the Princeton Bulldogs at 7:30. The Bulldogs enter the game 1-0 after a 19-12 win in the opening week.

Mustang head coach Butch Cleaveland knows his team is facing a tough opponent.

"They are a spread offense that has a good quarterback who makes big plays," Cleaveland said. "Defensively they play a difficult defense that blitzes a lot."

Cleaveland said his offense, which will feature second-year quarterback Xavier Scotten and junior running back Jamar Brower, will have a different look tonight thanks to the tough Bulldog defense.

"We've been running a Wing-T offense all summer, but tonight we will have a different offensive package," he said. "I think our kids are flexible enough that they can handle a different game plan."

The game plan for the Mustang defense will be containment.

Cleaveland characterized the Bulldog offense as one that can score quickly thanks to its reliance on big plays.

"Their quarterback is elusive," Cleaveland said. "If our defensive line can keep him in the pocket, we can make some big plays."

Last year the Mustangs relied heavily on their defense to keep them in games, thanks to an inexperienced offense that lacked overall team speed.

"Winning football games is all about speed," Cleaveland said. "We, as coaches, can draw up plenty of plays, but it helps to have the speed to execute them. This year we have more speed than we did last year."

Last year the Bulldogs handed North Moore a 25-0 defeat in the opener. The Bulldogs scored 23 seconds into the game on a 62-yard flea-flicker pass from quarterback Dylan Myers to wide out Dillon Daughtry.

The Mustangs fumbled five times in last year's game.

"The key for us is to control the ball offensively," Cleaveland said. "Defensively we have to prevent them from hitting those big plays."

Contact Tom Embrey at 693-2477 or by e-mail at tembrey@thepilot.com.