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Thoughts on Kickoff Classic
August 29, 2008Here are some of my impressions of Burkburnett's 10-6 victory over Sweetwater in the TRN Kickoff Classic on Thursday night:
* Jay Gould is a player: Lyn Barnes was the team's top runner in the Burkburnett backfield last year, and maybe even FB Jonathan Frank had more yards than Gould (if not, the two were real close).
But Gould showed Thursday he can handle the workload. He was the best Bulldog on the field, and the one threat to take it the distance every time he touched the ball. He had a couple nice runs on traps, and showed excellent vision on his TD run. FB Travis DeVore had a nice run too, but other than that, Gould made the big plays.
* Bulldogs' defense is solid: I remember covering them last year, thinking that this defense flies under the radar. There is not one dominant guy who is going to have a couple of sacks a game, or make 13 tackles. It just plays scrappy as a collective unit, each person doing their job well.
* I know it is the first game of the season, but both offenses were pretty lethargic at times. I cannot remember the last time covering a game where only three points had been scored heading into the fourth quarter. At least it was an interesting ending.
* Each team had only five penalties and one turnover. A rarity in a season opener.
* Sweetwater is a solid team. They will play people tough, and like always, they have some great athletes and play with grit. But it is hard for me to think the Mustangs will make the playoffs in that 2-3A district with Abilene Wylie, Brownwood, Snyder and Graham.
* New ruling affects Sweetwater: The new no-sideline warning penalty cost Sweetwater possession of the football in the first half. The Mustangs went for a fourth-and-one near midfield, and they got it. But there is no sideline warning this year -- it is a 5-yard penalty every time. So instead, Sweetwater had to punt. We will see how much this gets enforced during the season.
Posted by at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
District 5-3A predictions
August 27, 2008Next stop on the prediction bandwagon brings us to District 5-3A.
Everyone talks about how difficult 2-3A is because of Brownwood, Abilene Wylie, Snyder, Graham, etc., but this district is no patsy, either.
Losing Graham was definitely negated by the arrival of Bridgeport and Decatur. I can see any four teams (Burkburnett and Vernon too) making the playoffs. So here is my projections:
1. Vernon: Until proven otherwise, the Lions are the team to beat. They have a tremendous back in Craig Whiteside, they always have a solid defense and they excel in special teams. It would not surprise me if the 5-3A champ has a blemish in the loss column, but I think the Lions get the nod.
2. Burkburnett: Not much separating the Bulldogs from the Lions. They really got in a last year, and their wishbone offense always creates problems. The Bulldogs may need to throw some if they want the district title, but Coach Dalke seems to be happy with how the passing game is progressing.
3. Bridgeport: I am giving Bridgeport the nod over Decatur because of one player -- quarterback Cameron Green. Bulls did a great job last year making the playoffs, and if the offense can keep firing on all cylinders, then they are in.
4. Decatur: It is difficult to put a traditionally great school like Decatur down this far. The Eagles are not as good as they were a few years ago, but they are always a tough out. Do not be surprised if they are in the mix for the 5-3A title.
5. Iowa Park: It sounds like Coach Ellis went to some new offense, so that may take some transitioning time. Last year, the single wing they installed lasted all of 2 1/2 games, then they reverted to the Wing-T and looked better. But the days of having lots of game-breaking skill players (Swenson, Burgher, etc.) might be gone for now, at least.
6. Hirschi: The only live football action I have seen in the past few days was the Henrietta-Hirschi scrimmage last week. The Huskies need a lot of work on offense, especially on the line. Their guys looked big, but Bearcat defenders dominated up front. That and improving on stopping the run are two areas of concern for Hirschi, which lost its last seven games in 2007.
Posted by at 2:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Pittman injury 'doesn't look good'
August 25, 2008I did not have enough info to write a story for Tuesday's paper on the injury to Olney quarterback Callen Pittman.
Because of some law, Coach Rodgers cannot give exact health info on a football player, and I was unable to get in touch with the Pittman residence.
I have heard Pittman has a torn ACL. Here is what I do know:
He hurt his knee early in a scrimmage against Graham on Thursday. It was not on a hit; he was scrambling around on it and made a cut, then went down.
Pittman is getting a second opinion on the injury Tuesday. That means a diagnosis has already been made.
Coach Rodgers' exact words: "It doesn't look good."
If it's not an ACL, I am guessing (and I have had three knee surgeries, so I had a little bit of insight here) that the best-case scenario would be he needs a scope and is out 3-6 weeks.
So maybe, if its not an ACL, he could return by district action. But if the ACL news is correct, then he would have surgery and be out for the season (and basketball too).
This is an awful awful blow to the Cubs, who already lost Jodee Wales to a broken leg in a motorcycle accident before two-a-days. It reminds me of Henrietta losing Keith Wolf to an ACL injury two years ago.
Honestly, the Cubs -- with those two guys healthy -- are in the running for a district title and would have a great chance at a playoff spot.
Without both of them, I cannot foresee Olney making the playoffs. It's just too much to overcome.
I will try to write a story/column on this once I can track down the official diagnosis, but I had to get my thoughts out on the matter.
Posted by at 10:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
District 5-2A predictions
There is one common notion that prevails when discussing 5-2A.
Five teams -- Henrietta, Holliday, Nocona, Olney and Bowie -- can make the playoffs. Two of those will not.
The interesting things is, there are two schools that always seem to be in the postseason (Henrietta and Holliday) and the three others have made one playoff appearance each since 2001 (Bowie in 2004, Olney in 2006, Nocona in 2007).
So here are my predictions, but please take them lightly. I don't think anyone really knows what is going to happen here. But it should make for some exciting Fridays:
1) Henrietta: The Bearcats have a great quarterback, a stingy defense, probably the best kicker around. Sure, there are some question marks on the offensive line, but Henrietta should be in the mix at the end.
2) Bowie: This may be going on a limb, but I like what the Jackrabbits return. No other 5-2A coach is counting Bowie out, either. WR Cyler Matlock could be the biggest non-QB impact player, too. If they can build some confidence in pre-district, then watch out for the Jackrabbits.
3) Holliday: The Eagles are kinda young, but in the end, they should be in the mix because they still have some integral parts from last season's district championship squad.
4) Olney: The Cubs took a big hit when receiver Jodee Wales broke his leg in a motorcycle accident. They will go as far as Callen Pittman can carry them. But will it be enough?
5) Nocona: Interesting fact. In this district's preview story for the tab, we also did a poll from websites, staff writers and coaches. Of the seven different predictions we combined, Nocona was either second in fifth in all of them. Nowhere in between. Kinda weird.
6) City View: Should be a little better than last year, but even Coach Wilton admits they are a year or two away.
Posted by at 2:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
District 9-A predictions
August 21, 2008I will start off my preseason district predictions with what I consider the best district in the area.
It is tougher than nails and has backed up the talk in the playoffs. Plus, all six schools are from this neck of the woods, adding even more excitement come Friday night.
The general consensus among coaches is than while this district will not play at such a high level (no teams are pegged to go to the title game this year), it will still be just as competitive.
Here is the order I see the district playing out, with a sentence or two about each team:
1. Archer City: With all of their returning players, there is no doubt Archer City has the most potential on paper. I will be absolutely shocked if the Wildcats fail to make the playoffs. An experienced QB, an entire o-line and lots of skill guys - What is not to like?
2. Windthorst: Trojans could give Wildcats run for their money in quest of 9-A title. Frankly, I think these two teams are the only ones with a realistic chance of winning district. Never count out Trojans, who play great defense. If they can get the offense back on track after a down year, then watch out.
3. Munday: Seymour is also in the hunt for the last playoff spot, but I am picking the Moguls for a couple reasons. First, they do not have to undergo the transition that the Panthers do with a new coach. Also, Munday has a QB (Rob Dillard) who took some snaps during the season, even playing in two playoff routs. And the Moguls have more seniors than the Panthers. Really, it could go either way. Would not surprise me a bit if that happens.
4. Seymour: Panthers found good last-minute coach in Rider assistant Josh Castles. Still, they lost so much to graduation. Replacing a guy like Hayden Holub is impossible. Last time I talked to Castles, four guys were competing for the QB spot. And it sounds like Castles expects Seymour to take some non-district lumps along the way.
5. Petrolia: Can the Pirates make the playoffs? They have tied for third each of the last two seasons, so it is definitely possible. They will be a tough victory for the aforementioned teams on Fridays (just ask Archer City about that last year), but here is something important to remember. Say they end up battling Munday and Seymour for the last playoff spot. Those other two schools got an extra month of practice last fall because of their deep playoff runs. Even if most of those backup guys never played, they a) were on winning teams that tasted success and b) had a lot of more reps, thus maybe feeling more comfortable stepping into starting roles this year.
6: Electra: There is no doubt the Tigers will be better this year. But considering they scored only 32 points all last season and allowed around 500, there is nowhere to go but up. Electra should win a couple of non-district games, which will help morale and give them something positive to take into the district season (something they did not have a year ago). Electra has a lot of returning starters, and obviously this district may not be as stout, but it is hard for me to think a team that averaged losing by 47 points every game in 2007 will suddenly be in the playoff hunt. Lots of juniors on this team, so they could be a real factor next year. But I cannot see it happening now.
Coming up Saturday: District 9-2A preview
Posted by at 5:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Workhorses lead to playoff berths
August 17, 2008Like the high school athletes going through two-a-days right now, I am starting to pick up my high school football blog production.
Today, we will look at some real workhorses.
I was writing my last football preview (Yeah!!) and looked up the stats for Henrietta quarterback Seth Crumpton.
Crumpton ended up carrying the football 265 times last year as a junior, or slightly more than 22 attempts a game for the 7-5 Bearcats.
That is a lot of pounding for one guy to take. So I decided to look at how many other rushers have averaged more than 20 carries a game since 2003.
Full disclosure here -- I only looked up regular season stats, because I don't have a football database for postseason stats. Here were the workhorses:
2007: *Seth Crumpton, Henrietta (22.08); Tevin Mitchell, Quanah (20.6).
2006: NONE.
2005: Nate Brown, Burkburnett (25.7); Alton Gary, Jacksboro (22.0).
2004: Major Henderson, Bowie (21.1); Colin Leggett, Holliday (21.1).
2003: Trey Edwards, Henrietta (21.9).
*only stats that include postseason
As you can see, there have only been seven guys that broke the 20-carry mark over the past five years. And six of these seven guys played for teams that made the postseason.
That is not too much of a surprise since winning teams usually run the ball more with a lead, thus giving tailbacks more attempts.
Brown's Bulldogs are the only ones who missed out. Gary, Henderson and Edwards' teams were all one-and-done.
Last year, Crumpton and Mitchell played on squads who won the bi-district matchup, then lost the next week. Leggett's Eagles had the most success, making a run all the way to the state quarterfinals.
And another side note: Crumpton is the only QB on this list. The rest are running backs.
Posted by at 11:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Injuries hit a couple 5-2A teams
August 16, 2008It has not been a rash of several injuries, like Henrietta suffered two years ago. But a couple of 5-2A squads have suffered a couple of big blows.
Olney lost Jodee Wales right before two-a-days began when he broke his leg in a motorcycle accident (he was hit by a car riding around Wichita Falls). I believe he has already had a surgery, but Coach Damon Rodgers said he might have to have a toe removed because of poor blood flow.
I don't think I am going out on a limb by saying Wales is Olney's second best player, right behind QB Callen Pittman. He was a huge threat in the passing game, and a great defensive back.
In fact, defense is where Rodgers said the Cubs would miss Wales the most. And they lost their big-play tailback Cody Cope to graduation. So Pittman is going to need some huge performances to keep Olney in the thick of things.
It is not as big a loss, but Henrietta had a setback today when lineman Cy Covert broke a bone in his leg and dislocated his ankle and knee in a scrimmage against Boyd.
The Bearcats' biggest question mark is on the line, and losing a definite two-way starter in Covert will not help matters. But I still think Henrietta will be in decent shape for a playoff spot.
I think Olney, on the other hand, has its work cut out with the loss of Wales. Here's hoping the young man makes a quick recovery, too.
Posted by at 11:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Same old song and dance
August 14, 2008Still trying to finish up preview stories for the paper's 112-page football preview section.
And I keep hearing the same things:
"The kids are working their butts off."
"I feel real good about this season."
"Teams may be overlooking us, but that is a mistake."
"Our goal is to get to the playoffs."
Just once would I like a coach to truthfully say, "We are just hoping to win one or two games. And the kids aren't practicing that hard, and they do not go to the weight room. I do not know why I even bother."
Of course, that will never happen. The most honest quote I got so far was from an area coach saying his team was a little low on talent.
Here are a quick couple of notes from teams I have talked to lately:
* Seymour -- After a trip to state last year, the Panthers are really fueled by the "Nobody respects us" card. They might could earn a playoff spot, but it is hard for me to see a deep playoff run after they lost so much to graduation. But who knows.
* City View -- They are young again, and the thing that really hurt them was they lost six projected starters because of transfers. Two went to WFHS, one to South Texas, and a couple just are not playing or aren't enrolled anymore. Having turnover like that is not going to help speed up the program's improvement.
* Bowie -- Of course, they like going to 2A, where they should compete for a playoff spot. Coach Keck said there is preseason excitement there for the first time since he has coached in the town.
Posted by at 2:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Agreements and disagreements
August 8, 2008Got back from the Big Apple a couple of days ago, and have delved back into high school football.
It is pretty scary to realize there is only 20 days until the TRN Kickoff Classic. And I still have plenty of football previews to write.
Just took a thorough glance through the texasfootballratings.com website, and here are some predictions I agree and disagree with:
Agreements
* I think the winners they chose in three of our area's main districts are the ones I would also go with right now: Rider (5-4A), Vernon (5-3A), and Henrietta (5-2A).
* Fine with me that Rider is getting to the state title game (the website does playoff predictions based on the ratings, too). A great showdown versus Highland Park looms in the semis.
* Watch out for those early playoff matchups. Going big-school in 3A (Burkburnett for now) gets you China Spring, which lost in the state finals a year ago. Liberty Hill (two-time defending champs) awaits in small-school bracket.
And in 2A, Clyde and Cisco would advance over 5-2A schools. Roscoe, which returns many from a great team last year, could take out both A small schools (which is what is forecast).
Disagreements
* Archer City may not win 9-A (although many peg them as the favorites), but the Wildcats as the third-best team? The website has both Windthorst and Munday ahead of them.
* A couple of records that probably will not happen. It may make the playoffs in 5-2A, but I have a hard time thinking Nocona will go 9-1. And Bowie cannot possibly go 2-8 since it has dropped to 2A, can it. Petrolia will be better than 1-9, too. Windthorst making a 10-0 run would be surprising as well.
* Northside will be a really good team this year, but a year ago it lost in the quarters of the Div. II bracket. Now they are in Div. I, but is going to advance all the way to the title game? Not totally sold on that.
Posted by at 2:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
District 5-2A indecisiveness
August 1, 2008Well, the other day I wrote how Olney could be the team to beat in 5-2A.
That is still possible. But after talking to a couple more coaches (Holliday, Nocona), I think it is too tough to sift through these five quality teams.
Holliday, for instance, looked beatable last year and only has five seniors on the 2008 team. But I cannot fathom counting the Eagles out.
And I thought maybe Nocona might fall short of the playoffs this year. But coach Gary McElroy seems to think they could even be better, so who knows. A quick side fact -- Nocona has about eight defensive linemen that McElroy said he can rotate in and out.
Henrietta, it seems amongst some people I have talked to, could be the favorite. Heck, I was really impressed with Seth Crumpton's emergence last year, even though he is pretty much a tailback masquerading as a QB.
And who knows about Bowie. They will be looking to prove themselves in 2A, and the have matched Holliday the past four years, so I guess we will have to wait and see.
I have an idea how I will make my vote for the TRN preseason preview, but still have to confer with three more 5-2A coaches. This district will have two sexy matchups on Friday nights, that is for sure.
Have not looked at the Texas Football Ratings website too closely either, but once I get back from New York (going to see a game at Yankee Stadium!!), I will give my thoughts on that.
Posted by at 4:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
