Front Office Football Central  

Go Back   Front Office Football Central > Main Forums > Dynasty Reports
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Mark Forums Read Statistics

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 07-22-2006, 12:00 PM   #1
Izulde
Head Coach
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
I Dreamt of Glory (NCAA '07)

My father coached one year of peewee football.

I didn't get my gifts from him.

No, my talents came from my grandfather, famous among even the other strong men of the steel mill he worked for having powerful arms as he led their rec league team to City Football League championships season after season.

Even when he was in his 50s, Gramps would still be out there throwing the long ones and hitting his mark more often than not.

And like so often happens, the genes skipped a generation and went directly to me.

Grandpa never went to college. When he was my age, he graduated high school and went right to work in the mill to support his family. He told me once that's how things were in the '30s; you did everything you could to bring in money for the family and they just couldn't afford for an able-bodied son like him to go off to college, even with the athletic scholarship he was being offered from State.

So it falls to me, now.

Me, Tim Moungey, who has Grandpa's Golden Arm.

Who set Racine Park High records for passing yardage and passing touchdowns, named Racine County Player of the Year my sophomore, junior, and senior years, Racine County First Team for the same seasons, and All-State Second Team my sophomore year and All-State First Team my junior and senior years. Oh, and Wisconsin State Player of the Year my senior season.

Who led Park to their first WIAA football championship since 1988 in my last year of high school, the crowning moment of my entire life to that point. I felt vindicated when I held up that oak and gold trophy, a sense of immense satisfaction that I'd answered all my critics.

See, a lot of the state sportswriters were down on me. Sure I'd set all those school records, but they said it didn't mean much, because Park has always been a team built around the power-running of the tailback. Melvin Bridges, Kevin Thurman, Turner Ray Morris, Brent Moss, Cory Tenner, and most recently, John Clay, my teammate. All part of a long and proud tradition of Panther I-formation greatness.

But now it's up to me to write a new tradition.

Summer camp starts in three weeks.

Every college scout in the nation will be there watching.
__________________
2006 Golden Scribe Nominee
2006 Golden Scribe Winner
Best Non-Sport Dynasty: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty)

Rookie Writer of the Year
Dynasty of the Year: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty)

Izulde is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2006, 01:01 PM   #2
Izulde
Head Coach
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
It's a funny thing, how you think you're ready to take on the world and be all that and a bag of chips... and then something happens to ruin your plans.

Oh, I didn't completely wreck things at the summer camp, but I sure had a lot of colleges cross me off their list.

To start with, they ran all the prospects through the 40 yard dash, three times a piece. When my turn came, I was so amped up, I false-started the first two tries and then had to go conservative on my last one to turn in a time of 4.88.

Michael Vick I'm not.

Then, the directors put the quarterback prospects through position-specific drills, the first of which was something they dubbed the Pocket Presence drill, where we threw at a specific cone the directors stood behind while trying to avoid yellow flags flying from machines and staying in a designated pocket area.

Let me tell you, those small yellow flags shooting out at you are a lot harder to avoid than some 300 pound defensive lineman. They're damn hard to see, they're so tiny.

So I went out and was doing well and then I got smacked by a yellow thing. Next pass, I threw to the wrong cone. Get my rhythm back going and BAM! Yellow flag. Pass, pass BAM! Yellow flag.

I did all right in the end, but a lot of passes I should have gotten off, I didn't, because of those annoying yellow flags. I sure hope we don't play any yellow teams, or any midgets during my four years.

Next up, the oddly-named Passing Skeleton. It was basically your usual QB throwing to receivers, DBs trying to stop it drill. I did pretty well here. Threw a few touchdowns and only had a few incompletions. I made a point to spread it around to the backs as well as the wideouts. You can never know when a team wants to throw some screens.

The directors hustled the QBs aside for an arm strength drill next while the others worked on kickoff and punt returns. Except for the first pass, when I didn't get enough of a running start, I absolutely rocked. Though we only had a handful of attempts, I threw all but the first far, and more importantly, right where the scouts wanted it.

In the option we had last, I didn't do too well. In 10 attempts, I ran for a touchdown, but every other time, either I got hammered a few yards upfield or the back I pitched it to did. If you want to know the truth, it was damned ugly, but hey, I've never even run an option play before.

The worst of it was when I fumbled the ball on the very last run-through and the defense recovered.

Not the lasting image I wanted to leave.

My grandpa and dad both bought copies of the top scouting guide that came out after the camps.

Here's the blurb about me:

"Moungey is a pure pocket passer in the mold of such greats as Peyton Manning and Dan Marino. His throws, even as a high school senior, have a power and accuracy that rank right up there with the top collegiate players and he displays a fine awareness of the field.

However, if your offense is designed to have a running quarterback, stay away. He looks lost when he's forced to scramble and does an extremely poor job of protecting the football.

With the right system, could be one of the greats.

Overall Rating: 80 (5*)"

That glowing endorsement had scholarship offers flying in from all over the country. School after school came calling, wooing me to continue the greatness of their proud history or be the leader of a new era of never-before seen glory.

I knew right away that I didn't want to play in the South. I hate humidity and it's real bad down there. The furthest I'd go would be Tennessee.

I also didn't want to have to sit and wait for two or three years before I got the chance to play. The sooner the starting time, the better. That left out pretty much any Top 25 school.

In the end, I narrowed my choices down to five schools.

#38 Wisconsin
Originally I'd wanted to go play out-of-state, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized I wanted my family to be able to come and watch me play. I also liked Madison as a town and the coaching staff, with Alvarez no longer the head man, was promising me a shot at the starting job. The negative drawbacks were that it was in-state and I'd be running into the same tradition I did at Park. Need I mention Brent Moss, Ron Dayne, Brian Calhoun, et. al?

#76 San Diego State
Hot girls, gorgeous weather, and the chance to turn the Aztecs into a power all tempted me. S.D. State had suffered for years with the indignity of watching all the top-flight local talent head to USC or UCLA, so they were busting their butts trying to lure cold-weather state players who longed for fun and sun. Players like me. Like with the Badgers, I was promised a chance to compete for the job.

#77 Vanderbilt
Jay Cutler's alma mater wooed me with an open invitation to try and get his job right as a freshman. They also played up the fact that they were a smaller school than most other D-I universities and had a couple of cute co-eds squire me around. The Commodores were a team that really laid out the red carpet, but it bothered me that I'd be coming in after Jay, even though Mr. Cutler was my favourite man in the 2006 draft class. I didn't want to have to play in anyone's shadow.

#89 Duke
I've been a huge fan of Duke basketball ever since I was a kid, so when the Blue Devils called me, I was ecstatic. The coaches there told me I'd have a chance at the job and pointed out their smaller size and the fact that they'd played in the ACC, so I'd have national exposure. I could also be the one to raise up a moribound program and they promised to fly my family in for every home game, thanks to Coach K, who they had personally visit me. Mike told me he'd be proud to see the football team approach the level of the basketball team and he hoped I'd strongly consider the school. The only problem was the very thing I loved about Duke. I didn't think anyone would care about the football program, because the Cameron Crazies are all about basketball, and I wanted a football-passionate campus.

#114 New Mexico State
Las Cruces is a beautiful city, and the Aggies more or less guaranteed me the starting job. They were looking for a saviour to bring them out of Mountain West and national hell and into the heaven of national prominence. We'll even fly your family out for every game, the coaches promised me. The thought tempted me greatly, but... the Aggies? Worst.name.ever.

So there I was, trying to decide. It would take me months before I reached my final decision.

But in the end, I made it.
__________________
2006 Golden Scribe Nominee
2006 Golden Scribe Winner
Best Non-Sport Dynasty: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty)

Rookie Writer of the Year
Dynasty of the Year: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty)
Izulde is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2006, 03:15 PM   #3
Izulde
Head Coach
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
I couldn't resist the allure of Tobacco Road and the prestige of Duke University as an academic institution.

Besides, I heard from some of the people I talked to on my recruiting visit out here that even though Duke's academic reputation is stellar, it's actually more of a rich kid's playground school.

Kind of funny that a middle-class guy like me is going to a place like this. No way I'd be able to afford it without the scholarship.

Summer practices finished up not too long ago. There's five quarterbacks on the Blue Devils' roster, including two sophomores who are really pretty good. In the early going, I quickly beat out enough guys to pick up the #2 spot on the team and get into a tense battle for the starting job.

I did hurt my chances a little bit by partying for a couple nights with some of the fraternities, but hey, I want to be Greek, damn it.

Then after practice on the Friday before our first game, Coach announces me as the starter for the contest against Richmond. After all the congratulations from my teammates, he pulls me aside to give me a warning.

"Now don't let this go to your head, Moungey. Just because I've named you the starter doesn't mean you're permanently in that spot. I decided to start you because the Spiders are a I-AA team, so it'll be a good test to see how you do in a game situation. After that, we start playing the real schools and I may go with Zack."

Zack being Zack Asack, #13, and my main competition to be the starter under center.

I thanked Coach for the opportunity and promised I'd do my best.

Now it's time to get ready to kick some Spider ass.
__________________
2006 Golden Scribe Nominee
2006 Golden Scribe Winner
Best Non-Sport Dynasty: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty)

Rookie Writer of the Year
Dynasty of the Year: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty)
Izulde is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2006, 04:53 PM   #4
Izulde
Head Coach
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
It's raining and we don't care.

We're amped as we race out of the tunnel, shouting our cries of war.

The television cameras capture every move. I'm thrilled to be playing in front of a home crowd and for a regional television audience in my first game. Making it even better, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit have me pegged as The Player To Watch.

But Richmond gets the ball first and we hold them to a three and out, only to nearly lose the ball when FS Chris Davis fumbles the punt return. Must be really slippery out there in the rain.

Coach calls up a pass play first and that's when I discover that the college game moves at a lot faster pace than high school. The rush comes so fast at me that I have to throw it away or risk being sacked. Frustrated at the lack of pass protection, I pound the damp grass and roar my annoyance, much to the amusement of the announcers and the Spiders' fans at the stadium and in front of the TV screens.

We pull back the reins following that mishap and I hand off a couple times to Justin Boyle, our junior starting tailback, for my first collegiate first down.

We get another first down thanks to Boyle's running and my number gets called again. I throw a perfect spiral that's about to fall into a receiver's hands... when a Spider DB reaches up and knocks the ball away. Justin gets held to a yard and the ball flies awkwardly out of my hand on third down to go sailing out of bounds.

End of my first college drive. 0 points and an 0-3 showing. Not how I wanted to start at all.

Another three and out, followed by a beautiful return by Davis has us in Richmond territory, on the 45. I'm determined to make amends for my poor first drive, just like Davis made up for his fumble on the first punt return.

But no, I'm forced to keep handing it off to Boyle, who runs us down to the 33 before he gets tackled for a loss on 1st and 10 to set up 2nd and 12 on the 35. Finally, Coach calls for a pass!

I take the hike, fake the handoff to Boyle. The linebackers bite and I'm scrambling... scrambling.. Damn, Richmond's covering everyone... There!

I'm standing there, watching my pass go sailing towards Jomar Wright, yet another junior, and a wide receiver. Two Spider DBs are blanketing him and I'm fearing the worst... but he leaps up above them both and snags the pass! My first collegiate completion, good for 23 yards!

There's no time to celebrate, though. The next play gets called and I'm right back in the huddle on the 12 yard line.

More handoffs to Boyle, but we get the TD and point after to go up 7-0 after Justin bursts through the hole to cross the line.

Three and out again for Richmond... and Chris Davis returns the punt 61 yards for the TD! 14-0 good guys and we're just rolling. It's still the first quarter, even!

Following another three and out, we have the ball back on Richmond's 48. I'm given the green light, fake the handoff to Boyle.... and get sacked. I'm so stunned by the blow, I drop the football and the defense recovers. Now the Spiders are sitting on our 39 and I'm looking like a jackass on television.

I'm saved from absolute embarassment when senior CB John Talley picks off a third and long Spider pass and returns the ball to our 40. A 5-yard Boyle run later, the first quarter ends.

End of 1st Quarter: Duke 14 Richmond 0

First play of the second quarter, Justin runs through a wide open hole, shakes off a shoestring tackler, and races down the sideline for a 55 yard TD run. We're literally running away with it now, but I'm getting a little pissed that the O-line can runblock like nobody's business but can't give me any time to throw.

I'm sure you know what happens after that. Three and out, Boyle handoff after handoff. I finally get a chance to throw again after Justin gets stuffed for the first time in forever, but Jomar drops the pass. Since that puts us at 3rd and 9, I'm given another opportunity. This time, the receiver leaps forward and grabs the ball for a 19 yard gain and the first down!

We're down on the Richmond 28 now and Justin takes the next off for all 28 yards and the TD, his third of the day.

Boyle gets stuffed on the first down after the next three and out, so Coach decides to go with the pass again. At long last, I get the protection I've been looking for and I throw a perfect arc right into sophomore Eron Riley's hands. He takes it the rest of the way and I have my first college touchdown on a sizzling 50-yard pass!!!!! Hooray!!!!!

The joy of the touchdown is wiped out on the next drive, when, given two chances to throw, I'm sacked on one and on the other, the defense bats it away from Riley's outstretched hands.

We score again towards the end of the half when Talley gets his second interception of the game and returns it 41 yards for the score.

The Spiders at last get a first down as the half's winding down, but it turns to nothing when sophomore MLB Michael Tauiliili picks off the next pass.

Justin runs it a few more times and the half arrives.

Halftime: Duke 42 Richmond 0

Coach tells us in the locker room that he's proud of the whaling we're giving Richmond and that he'll put in some of the backups now.

So that's it for me in my first college game.

We continue crushing them and win 87-0. Our fullback had 4 rushing TDs and 94 yards, third in rushing yardage behind our two halfbacks. We dominated on defense and even the third-string QB went 3-4.

In short, everyone had a great game but me.

Moungey's Stats: 3-8 92 yards 1 TD 0 INT 1 Fumble
__________________
2006 Golden Scribe Nominee
2006 Golden Scribe Winner
Best Non-Sport Dynasty: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty)

Rookie Writer of the Year
Dynasty of the Year: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty)
Izulde is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2006, 02:42 PM   #5
Izulde
Head Coach
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
I spent all the next week working on improving my foot speed throughout practice and I think it's safe to say that I succeeded in my goal.

We were up against Wake Forest in our ACC opener, a game that turned out to be yet another regional broadcast, only this time we were on the road. Looks like Coach's telling me I'd get exposure playing for Duke was right. Even better, he told me before the game that I'd worked so hard in practice, he was willing to give me another chance to prove myself and gave me the start over Zack.

It'd be a tough assignment, because the Demon Deacons boasted one terrific secondary. I anticipated another long afternoon of handoffs to Justin Boyle.

After we stop Wake on third down, that's what I start off doing, handing it to Justin who rumbles ahead and keeps picking up yardage. My first pass attempt gets dropped by one of our tight ends, but the second pass connects a little later for 38 yards to Eron Riley for the touchdown!!!! 6-0 good guys! Not 7, as our kicker shanks the extra point. Boyle ended up with 32 yards rushing for the drive, by the way.

The Demon Deacons start putting a drive together behind their star tailback, junior Micah Andrews, but then Andrews gets hammered by senior DT Casey Camero to cause the fumble which we recover.

Short run, short run, pass caught out of bounds, and then a 36 yard pass to Riley to put us on the Wake 1 after Coach has the faith in me to go for it on 4th and 4. Justin punches it across the line a play later for the TD and this time the PAT goes in. 13-0 Duke.

But just when we think we're on easy street, Bryant D'Angelo races the kickoff return all the way to the other endzone for the score. The fans in the stadium start going crazy and just like that the Demon Deacons are back in it, 13-7.

We counter with a long, grinding drive that eats up all of the first quarter and part of the second quarter. I only attempt one pass that goes incomplete as I'm chased out of the pocket. We ride the back of Justin Boyle, with an assist from our fullback, who gets credit for the TD we eventually score to go up 20-7.

Following two consecutive sacks to kill the next Wake drive, it's all Justin as he eats up yardage and clock in getting another TD to put us ahead 27-7. 21 carries and over 140 yards and it's not even halftime yet.

Wake's drive gets killed after our star LE, senior Eli Nichols gets a sack. The Demon Deacons return the favour by sacking me twice to kill *our* drive, after Coach lets me have the ball to try and add another touchdown to our lead at halftime. The lone attempt I do get off gets caught out of bounds. Then on top of it, I get confused in the ensuing timeout and we get slapped with a delay of game penalty. Thus, our punter has to kick from our own endzone.

We stop them and the half ends.

Halftime Score: Duke 27 Wake Forest 7

Moungey's Halftime Stats: 2-6 74 yards 1 TD

The running fest continues as Boyle keeps his dominance after a great kickoff return by our side to open the half. Our fullback gets the score and at 34-7, I'm wondering when I'll get pulled. It's pretty boring for me, sitting out here handing the ball off.

Coach takes pity on me I guess because he calls for a few pass plays on our next drive. I complete one, one gets batted down.. and then... as we're driving for the goal, I throw my very first college interception.

I come to the sideline and Coach tells me I'm done for the day. In goes Zack.

Wake isn't dead yet, though. In the fourth quarter, they suddenly start coming to life as our backups play like crap. Midway through the 4th, they close the gap to 34-16. Since we've got the game in hand, it makes me smile that Zack can't get anything going.

That smile disappears after our fullback tacks on his third rushing touchdown of the afternoon to put us ahead 41-16. I need Zack to play crappy and be a horrible leader so I can keep my starting job.

And that last score is the game. Another convincing victory for the Blue Devils. I just wish I were playing better...

Final Score: Duke 41 Wake Forest 16

Moungey's Final Stats: 3-9 75 yards 1 TD 1 INT
__________________
2006 Golden Scribe Nominee
2006 Golden Scribe Winner
Best Non-Sport Dynasty: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty)

Rookie Writer of the Year
Dynasty of the Year: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty)
Izulde is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:23 PM.



Powered by vBulletin Version 3.6.0
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.