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More like ground chuck
As mentioned Horizon was a solid team from what I had heard (I couldn't get film on them) but knew they could score from talking to another coach. They also seemed to have a solid defense and ours was still shaky.
Speaking of our Defense, it is amazing how the same scheme, with the same types of athletes is so solid one year and then wildly inconsistent the next. Our problems this year stem largely from our linebackers not reacting to and trusting their keys consistently, as well as our secondary showing a propensity to get caught looking into the backfield and giving up the deep ball.
We worked extra special teams heading into this game and as we received the opening kickoff it was apparent it was still not enough. Horizon pooched the kickoff and recovered it. Not the way to start when you are looking to get well. They run a similar offense to ours (I call it a bastardized Wing-T)
but with a different variety of plays. Still the basics are the trap, sweep and boot and we should have been able to stop them. Not so fast my friend. It looked like we had never seen those plays as they shred us jumping to a quick 7-0 lead. We storm right back with a 7 play 71 yard drive. The TD comes on a 24 yard waggle pass from Louis G to Shayne M covering 24 yards, that sees our split end (Robby M) come back and crush a pursuing linebacker, who never saw him coming. (I love these blocks) We miss the extra point and trail 7-6.
All hell then breaks loose as they score on their second drive, recover yet another onside kick when we can't field a bad bounce and before you can blink it is 21-6. They then try ANOTHER onside kick, we recover and complete a short drive, capped by a 25 yd run by Shayne M on strong sweep to make it 21-12 after 1 quarter.
The D then comes up with a big play as Willie LB Jesus G gets under a curl route and picks it off. A 60 yard drive is finished by yet another score from Shayne M, this time from 17 yards out on strong sweep and we pull to within 21-18 after missing the 2 pt conversion.
We then hold the Huskies on 4th down from just inside our territory. Shayne gains 5 on the sweep and I notice they have widened the DE in their 4-4 scheme to a 9 technique on the strong side and also have their Sam linebacker outside the TE as well. Perfect! I call strong Belly, the strong guard gets a beautiful kick on the DE and Jamal D goes 49 yards barely touched for the score. We again fail on the try fo 2, but now lead 24 - 21. Why I went for 2 here I don't know. We have a good kicker and they were not stopping us at all. One of those decisions I would second guess later. Things are not finished yet though as we then proceed to trade touchdowns with Horizon twice more before the half. Ours come on a 22 yard run by Jamal D and a 72 yd run by Shayne M and when the smoke clears it is 37-34 at halftime for the good guys.
Our D coordinator and theirs both adjust nicely at the half and the only scoring in the third is a Horizon safety, which comes after an 86 yard TD run by Shayne is called back for a block in the back......25 yards behind the play!!
This is a 9 point swing and it will come back to haunt us.
Up 37-36 going into the 4th we get another stop on D, then put together a 5 play 69 drive in which we again begin to gash the the Huskies with sweep and belly to both sides. The score comes when Dylan U, in at fullback takes strong Belly 16 yards for the score. This kid would start for us any other year we did not have Jamal D. He runs hard, high knees, good balance and finishes. Jamal has anything but perfect technique, but he is fast, explosive and strong as hell and can go house at anytime. You will also never see him brought down by one tackler....ever.
Now up 44-36 we need one more stop. It appears we have it as they face a 4th and 9 at midfield and drop back to punt. Their QB is also the punter so we stay in normal defense. Everyone knows the fake is coming as their QB gets the snap, pulls up and throws a 40 yard strike down the sideline. Our corner is step for step with the Horizon receiver, who it appears pushes off and makes a very nice catch. The play happens on their sideline and is close, so I don't expect the call and don't get it. These are the breaks and I never blame a game on a call because it evens out over time and you never let a call decide a game. So, we need to deal with it and play D. Alas we don't, they score, go for 2, we have the QB sacked, he escapes and hits his receiver in the corner!!! 44-44 with just a little under 3 minutes left.....Perfect, just enough time to score. These are the moments I love.
Not so fast again my friend. We get a holding call and are stuck with 3rd and 12. I have one bullet left in the chamber. 209 sleeper is a variation of our weakside boot pass off of strong sweep action. Everything is the same, except here the Tailback (Shayne) instead of sitting down to block the edge on the strongside after the fake, keeps running on a wheel route. The QB starts to roll weak, pulls up and throws it back to the TB. It worked to perfection against Deer Valley and sure enough it is wide open as Louis G plants to throw back to Shayne......................................and slips!
The groan from the stands is audible. It was a sure first down and Shayne had to make only 1 player miss to score, not a difficult task for him. We are forced to punt and they quickly go to work, driving to our 16 yard line where it is 3rd down, with 16.7 seconds left. They throw a fade and Shayne M (Now in at corner with the game on the line) makes a great play to rip the ball loose. 4th down 11.2 seconds left. They try the same play to the other side and Tywon S knocks it down to give us one shot with 5.6 seconds remaining. I go with Flood pass at first, but they have their Linebackers 15 yards back and their secondary 30. We take a timeout and go with strong Belly. There is no way we will get a deep ball completed and I can't risk a pick 6 so this is the safe call. Plus if Jamal D gets into the open field anything can happen. Well he goes 41 yards, trys to split the last two Horizon defenders and they manage to trip him up...game over.. 44-44 tie! A great game, in which we did not play good Defense or special teams again, but that falls in us as coaches. We will do what it takes to fix it.
As tough a game as it was as a coach, I am sure it was a blast to watch. My first tie as a coach since 1996 (Yes I remember) It is an exhausting game and we start discussing everything that needs to be fixed that night. Our style of play is getting the lead, getting a few stops and then grinding you down with the run game. Shootouts will not get it done for us.
Game Stats
Rushing
Jamal D: 14 - 177 yds, 2 TD
Shayne M: 13 - 164 yds, 3 TD
Dylan U: 2 -24 yds, 1 TD
Passing
Louis G: 4 - 6 for 65 yds, 1 TD
Zach R: 1 - 1 for 26 yds. (This came on our version of flea flicker, sweet play)
Receiving
Dylan U: 2 -40 yds
Shayne M: 2 - 37 yds, 1 TD
Jamal D: 1 - 14 yds
All told we ran 36 times for 403 yards!!! Almost 500 yards of offense and we tied...again a fun game to watch I am sure.....But, I am also sure I have a new ulcer
Stats through 4 games
Season record: 2-1-1 overall, 0-0 in region
VS Maryvale: Win 47-0
Rushing 24 - 263 yds, 6 TD
Passing 0 - 1
@ Pinnacle: Win 29-8
Rushing 19 - 261 yds, 3 TD
Passing 4 - 6 for 28 yds, 1 TD
@ Deer Valley: Loss 20-44
Rushing 30 - 254 yds, 2 TD
Passing 6 - 10 for 112 yds, 1 TD 2 Int
@
Horizon: Tie 44-44
Rushing 36 - 403 yds, 6 TD
Passing 5 - 7 for 91 yds, 1 TD
Leaders Season to Date:
Rushing:
Shayne M: 33 - 415 yds, 12.6 YPC, 7 TD
Jamal D: 33 - 403 yds, 12.2 YPC, 5 TD
Tywon S: 8 - 102 yds, 2 TD 12.8 YPC, 2 TD
Team: 110 - 1181 yds, 10.7 YPC, 17 TD
Passing:
Louis G: 13 - 21 for 202 yds, 3 TD, 2 Int
Team: 15 - 24 for 231 yds, 3 TD, 2 Int
Receiving:
Shayne M: 7 - 100 yds, 14.3 YPC, 2 TD
Jesse M: 3 - 38 yds, 12.7 YPC, 1 TD
Dylan U: 2 - 40 yds, 20.0 YPC
Team: 15 - 231 yds, 15.4 YPC, 3 TD
Region opened this past Wednesday against our arch rival Tolleson. I will post that game after I finish stats and will also discuss our approach to shoring up defense and special teams......I will at least say this. I didn't hatch any new Ulcers this week