Jacy Todd is a retired high school football coach. Todd spent 20 years coaching high school football with stops at Daphne, Fairhope, Auburn, Northridge and Baker. He was defensive coordinator at each of his last four stops. Each week he breaks down one of the state’s biggest games.

Coming off its biggest win of the year last week at Fairhope, Baker hosts Class 6A power Mountain Brook on Thursday night in an intriguing matchup of a Class 7A Mobile team against a Class 6A Birmingham power.

Both teams already have clinched the second seed in from their respective regions and will host playoff games next week. It will be intriguing to see how both coaches – Baker’s Steve Normand and Mountain Brook’s Chris Yeager – handle this week’s non-region game.

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The Hornets won two of their last three games to go from the outside of the playoffs to the No. 2 seed from Class 7A, Region 1. Mountain Brook lost 29-28 last week to Class 6A, Region 5 rival Gardendale.

Todd breaks down three keys for each team to win Thursday and garner momentum heading into the postseason.

BAKER

1. Can Baker limit the turnovers? Baker has a very explosive team, but turnovers have led to some losses that probably should have been victories. Three games come to mind. The first was a heartbreaking loss to Wetumpka when a fumble was returned 99 yards for a touchdown. The second happened in the Daphne game. While driving in the red zone for the go-ahead score, Baker had an interception returned for a score that ended the possibility for a great comeback. Finally, the turnover bug bit against rival MGM, turning a Hornet lead into a double-digit loss. Baker showed in last week’s win at Fairhope how tough it can be if it limits turnovers.

1. Can Baker’s defense stop a Mountain Brook offense that uses multiple packages and shifts pre-snap to confuse and out leverage a defense? Mountain Brook is averaging more than 35 points a game. If the Hornet defense could hold the Spartans to 21 that might be enough to secure a victory.

3. Can the Baker offensive line protect junior quarterback Josh Flowers and create a push for the running backs? The Mountain Brook defense is allowing a little over 15 pts a game, which makes it a test for any offensive line. Mountain Brook has a quality playoff defense that will give Baker a great test going into the last week of the season.

MOUNTAIN BROOK

1. The first key is the easiest to identify but the toughest to execute. Can Mountain Brook limit the production of Flowers? The Hornets’ QB has been a dynamic player both running and throwing the ball this year. How will Mountain Brook choose to defend him?

2. Mountain Brook is well coached on offense and knows exactly what its identity is. I am sure the Spartans will try to string together long scoring drives that keep the Baker offense off the field. With multiple personnel packages and pre-snap shifts, the offense will always keep the defense guessing.

3. Win the special teams battle. Mountain Brook is a team that takes advantage of other teams’ mistakes and makes them pay with solid special teams. The Spartan special teams could be the difference in a close game.

WHAT WOULD JACY DO?

If I am either coach, my game plan is simple. Shorten the game as much as possible. Both teams are in the playoffs and will be able to host during Round 1. This is a great test for both teams heading into the playoffs but, in the grand scheme of things, really won’t affect ether team in terms of seeding. Run the ball as much as possible, play great defense and try to limit your mistakes.

MOUNTAIN BROOK (7-2) AT BAKER (4-5)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Thursday, Hornet Stadium, Mobile

Last week: Mountain Brook lost to Gardendale 29-28; Baker defeated Fairhope 42-10

On the air: NA

Region standings: Mountain Brook finished 5-1 in Class 6A, Region 5 and is the second seed for the playoffs; Baker finished 4-2 in Class 7A, Region 1 and is the second seed from that region.

The skinny: The Spartans and Hornets have never played. … Mountain Brook has lost two of its last four games (to Hoover and Gardendale) after starting the season 5-0. Chris Yeager’s team has scored 345 points and given up 123. Mountain Brook led Gardendale 28-14 in the second half last week on a pair of Mac Palmer interception returns for a touchdown before the Rockets rallied for the win. Yeager is 140-60 overall in his 17th year at Mountain Brook and 165-80 in 21 years as a head coach. He has led the Spartans to the Class 6A semifinals three times, including 2020 and 2021. … Baker won its way into the playoffs last week with a dominating win at Fairhope. The Hornets went from the outside looking in to the No. 2 seed and a home game. Junior QB Josh Flowers passed for two scores and ran for another in the victory. The Hornet defense intercepted Fairhope QB Caden Creel 3 times and held the Pirates to their lowest point total of the season. Baker is in the playoffs for the 3rd straight year under head coach Steve Normand. The Hornets haven’t won a playoff game since 1984.