I'll try to make this short and sweet. I have an interest in my high school alma mater's season. My friends' son is a junior running back on the varsity team. He ran for 2000 yards and 28 touchdowns as a sopohomore last year. He is playing behind a senior who had 1400 yards and 17 touchdowns last year. The senior is strong like my friends' son, but he doesn't have the acceleration or explosive second gear.
The team is in a league where the schools are so big there are freshman A and B teams, a sophomore team, a junior varsity and a varsity team. There are 90 players on the varsity.
This year's team is the school's best chance for a shot at a state championship -- ever. The seniors were undefeated as freshman and sophomores. The juniors were also undefeated as freshmen and sophomores. You'd think that would guarantee at least a league championship for the varsity. But a team that they both beat twice as underclassman is not only picked to win the league, they're ranked 3rd in the state.
The highest ranking I found for my team was 24th. That means nothing really, since the top twenty are the ones that count.
What's wrong? Why weren't they given more consideration?
I found out. They just played their first game last weekend. Anon-conference game against a team ranked 9th among the big schools. They lost 14 to 8. The team was on the 17 yard line with four downs and two minutes to go and they couldn't get into the endzone.
In the last three series the coach didn't call one running play.
My friend's son has been relegated to kick off returns and special teams. The one ball kicked to him he returned for sixty yards, dragging people with him. He had more yardage in that one play than the senior running back starting ahead of him had for the whole game.
Unless the players can overcome bad play calling and a strange choice of starting players, this season is already over.
Too bad the varsity coach didn't plan to retire before this season started instead of when it ends.
1 comment:
Everyone runs for 2,000 yards as a Sophomore. He looks a little light around the thighs. He better start looking for some playing time as a free safety or flanker if he wants to go Div. 1. Tell him about ASU. Our white guys actually play.
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