Beechwood Therapy Session

[Voice of Reason]

I had to sleep on that one. That was the toughest Mayfield loss yet because it sure felt like Beechwood was the better team. It isn't often you see a team control the line of scrimmage like Beechwood did last night and lose the game. So let's break it down. There always is blame for everyone in a tough loss but let's try to keep this on a high level. Let's talk about what went wrong and how it could be fixed. If you want to complain, tell us what should have happened or how it could be done better. I'll start:

 

1. Yes Beechwood's offensive line clearly controlled the line of scrimmage all night. Yet, the Tigers could not score on 4 plays inside the 5, including 2 from the 1. Credit Mayfield on getting the stops. The team has to share that one. No one has stopped that power I all year in a situation like that. But I also question the play calling. I have seen that one before, against New Cath in 2012. Same thing. The Tigers lined up and ran the same play 4 times and got stopped. The coaches need to recognize that against a higher level team like Mayfield, plays that worked all year might not work against them because they are so well coached they know what is coming and will have a plan to stop you. If Beechwood runs that power I off the edge (away from McCampbell) and gives Stringer the option to use his speed and bump it out, no way Beechwood doesn't score. Everyone owns the failure to score on that drive - the players didn't get it done and the coaches didn't help them out by having a better plan and play calling.

 

2. The 99 yard pass - Again, Beechwood has seen that play before. Our corners had been beat on similar plays several times during the year. Mayfield took advantage of it. Beechwood either did not plan better or the safety did not get over the top like he should have. I don't know what the responsibilities were on that play so I can only speculate. I felt it was a better than 50/50 chance Beechwood would get a safety there if Mayfield tried to run it out. The pass play was actually the safe play call IMO. If the corner is going to press at the line, you better have your safety shade there and make sure they don't beat you deep. If that is what was supposed to happen, then the players own it and not the coaches. Personally, I play my corner 5 yards off the receiver and tell him to keep the WR in front of him.

 

3. Are the Mayfield players just better than Beechwood's? - Even on plays when Beechwood had the perfect plan and knew what was coming, the players did not make plays. I think of two Mayfield pass plays in particular. Beechwood has perfected how to defend the bubble pass. The first time Mayfield ran that play, one of their favorites, QB Arnett did an amazing job not throwing the ball. If he throws it, it is probably a pick six because Beechwood jumped the pass and a defender was standing right in front of the intended receiver praying for Arnett to throw the ball - but he didn't. Later in the game, Mayfield dared to run it again and again Beechwood was ready and had it defended perfectly, except the receiver adjusted his route inside where they usually run it, stepped in front of the defender, caught the ball and made a nice gain. Is that their player beating our player, or maybe Mayfield's coaches made an adjustment and told the receiver to run his route a little differently? There was another pass play where Mayfield ran a route they had not run all night, a receiver cutting behind another receiver at the line and running an out and up. Beechwood knew it was coming. The DB's clearly were talking about who was supposed to do what. It didn't matter - Mayfield still completed the pass. The Beechwood players were obviously well prepared by the coaches, recognized the play call, played it the way they were supposed to but Mayfield's players out executed them and got the completion. The goal line stand above - Mayfield's players made the play. I can list a number of other plays where the players were coached as well as possible but just did not make the play and Mayfield's players did make the play. So does Mayfield just have more, better players than Beechwood?

 

4. I will follow that up with this - platooning. This is a coaching philosophy question. Beechwood has chosen to platoon as much as possible. Do they need to do that in 1A? Would it be better to have your best 11 athletes on the field? Here is an example. Beechwood corners were beaten by bigger receivers many times during the year. Standing on the sideline on defense is one of the best athletes on Beechwood's team, Ethan Stringer. He is big and fast. There isn't a receiver on Mayfield's team that is more athletic than him and he would have a size and strength advantage. Why not play Stringer at corner? Coach him up and get him out there. Beechwood did play more of their top athletes more reps both ways than usual in this one. They recognize that you need to play the top players in a game against an opponent like Mayfield to win the matchups. I think they need to consider doing even more of it. Mayfield is playing their top athletes both ways. Trajon Bright played CB all night. Beechwood needs to do more of the same in big games. Get your best 11 on the field. Get them reps during the season at positions they will play against the top teams and get them ready for a game like this one. This is the Mike Yeagle way and it got Beechwood 8 titles under his leadership. Beechwood needs to do more of it and get their athletes on the field in the big games.

 

5. Brett Slusher - The best football player on Beechwood's team is Brett Slusher. I don't see how anyone can disagree with that. He is a special player. He touched the ball two times on offense last night. They threw a couple more balls his way that were incomplete. If I am the coach, I get Slusher the ball. Figure it out. Some way, somehow he has to get more touches. Run jet sweeps. Run more bubble screens or other short passes where you know he will catch the ball and get a chance to run in space. Throw 3 or more bombs down the side line every game and say go get it - and he will. Put some air under it and put it on him to make the play.

 

That is all for me, for now. More will probably come to mind, because in close games there are always a dozen or more things you think could be done better. Thanks for letting me use this space for some therapy. Feel free to join in and share your thoughts.

[spindoc]

Are you trying to provide therapy or requesting it?

[Oldbird]

Much of what your posting is coaching related. Are Rash and his band of merry men the issue?

 

Also, does Mayfield moving to 2A solve Beechwood's issues or simply mask them.

[Voice of Reason]

Are you trying to provide therapy or requesting it?

 

:lol2: Both. Fire away if you or anyone else has thoughts.

[Voice of Reason]

Much of what your posting is coaching related. Are Rash and his band of merry men the issue?

 

Also, does Mayfield moving to 2A solve Beechwood's issues or simply mask them.

 

In a close game, coaching is always going to be questioned. That is the nature of sports. It isn't all on the coaches. Like I said above, the players had four tries inside the 5 and didn't score. The players knew how to defend certain pass plays and got beat. The turnovers and mistakes made throughout the game are not the coaches fault. But the coaches share the blame like everyone else. Rash and his coaches are excellent. But after the past 5 years, you have to say Morris and his coaches are better. How can you not say that? I am a big supporter of Coach Rash. He is awesome. He has two state titles, and not to sound arrogant but with Mayfield gone I expect Rash will lead Beechwood to another one or two titles in the next 4 years. He has to find a way to get better to win these games, and he will.

[Drunk Johnny]

VOR I agree on the platooning point. Especially in 1A. In the playoffs, you MUST have you best players playing to give your team a chance to win or it is go home. I know platooning is the "in" thing, and you can't have 11 players going both ways, but when it is a big game like this, you lose with your best players on the field.

[GloryDays]

I love it

[snakesnot_2000]

I will give you an example about platooning. Marshall Bacon only plays defense in the big games when we need his heighth and hands and his skill coveage. Last night he had a pick 6...that's coaching

[Builder1214]

VOR I agree on the platooning point. Especially in 1A. In the playoffs, you MUST have you best players playing to give your team a chance to win or it is go home. I know platooning is the "in" thing, and you can't have 11 players going both ways, but when it is a big game like this, you lose with your best players on the field.

 

See Dixie Heights.

[Voice of Reason]

I will give you an example about platooning. Marshall Bacon only plays defense in the big games when we need his heighth and hands and his skill coveage. Last night he had a pick 6...that's coaching

 

That is smart. I agree. You don't have to play the kid every play all year, wear him down and risk injury. But have him ready to go when you need him to win a matchup in a big game.

[Toothpick]

I had to sleep on that one. That was the toughest Mayfield loss yet because it sure felt like Beechwood was the better team. It isn't often you see a team control the line of scrimmage like Beechwood did last night and lose the game. So let's break it down.

 

I take offense to your claim about BW being the better team. Simply put, MAYFIELD was the better team. Bw was a very good team, formidable foe but to somehow claim Bw was better is not true. Bw was better up front in their run game and very good up front in rush defense. Does being better in just this phase make you somehow better ? No!

 

MF was/is better in most of the other aspects of the game from QB and receiver play to pass blocking, pass defense and coaching. In all the games played between these 2 teams MF has out executed BW and did so a lot last night. I also think you tend to believe that you all to often have better players when you have not. At a good many positions you assumed BW had better players tended to not be the case. The best WR on the field was/is Kennemore. Has been all year. But its hard to know that until the teams play due to the distance between the teams.

 

I think coaching and execution was the biggest difference last night yet again. I also think MF's belief in themselves is a advantage, MF's kids don't know the meaning of lose or quit. Every time BW made a run MF countered. They expect to win, they have that swagger that I don't see in BW. Finally, I have stated a million times that BW is just not comfortable passing and I said in my pregame breakdown that if we could force BW to get away from their run game and force BW to have to pass more that it would play into our hands because BW is just not fluid at it. Why I do not know but Rash needs help in developing a offensive philosophy that is not so run centered and into one where BW is unpredictable. MF has been just that and was at times last night but BW forced MF to have to go to the air to win and MF was comfortable in doing just that. I don't care what you say, BW has improved in their pass game but they still are not comfortable or at least not so much so as to have to rely on it to win the big games. MF since 2009 has been just as comfortable passing as running. I looked at the BW big games except MT Healthy and Dixie that I omitted due to first game of season and Dixie because they were just on another level and could see a run trend then passing only when forced or when there was little pressure due to the score. You have to improve here to the point that you are as confident and comfortable passing as running.

 

I realize you are in pain and I feel for all of you as you truly had a great team but hey so do we.

[Voice of Reason]

Those are all great points TP. I agree with most of them. One I will disagree on is Kennemore being the best receiver on the field. He is very good but I will take Slusher over Kennemore. You didn't get to see enough of Slusher last night (point #5), which backs up your point on Beechwood still not being fluid in their passing game.

 

I never underestimate Mayfield's talent. I can't talk about it on here till I see them. I attribute a big chunk of their success to their talent. That is my point #3 in my post. You can be the smartest coach in the world but if your players can't win the matchups they need to win, then the team is not going to win. Mayfield has talent and they execute. You are right that Mayfield outexecuted Beechwood on many plays in the game. All that being said, I still feel (for the first time in this series) that 2014 Beechwood is a better team than 2014 Mayfield and Beechwood would win more than they would lose in a 10 game series against Mayfield.

[Toothpick]

Those are all great points TP. I agree with most of them. One I will disagree on is Kennemore being the best receiver on the field. He is very good but I will take Slusher over Kennemore. You didn't get to see enough of Slusher last night (point #5), which backs up your point on Beechwood still not being fluid in their passing game.

 

I never underestimate Mayfield's talent. I can't talk about it on here till I see them. I attribute a big chunk of their success to their talent. That is my point #3 in my post. You can be the smartest coach in the world but if your players can't win the matchups they need to win, then the team is not going to win. Mayfield has talent and they execute. You are right that Mayfield outexecuted Beechwood on many plays in the game. All that being said, I still feel (for the first time in this series) that 2014 Beechwood is a better team than 2014 Mayfield and Beechwood would win more than they would lose in a 10 game series against Mayfield.

 

Well I respect your take though we disagree. Good luck in moving forward. From my standpoint Bw has easily been the best 1A team in the state pretty much every single year. Though a side note has to be mentioned that Russellville is the one team that always manages to plays us the closest for a variety of reasons. If I am correct in my assumption of BW being the best we play in 1A and BW continues to be BW I expect the future to be very bright. I do think that Mayfield brought that swagger that allowed them to always believe that no one will beat them, something BW use to have back 5 years ago but I think only Mf has it now and BW will need to get it back. I also think that has a lot more to do with MF's never stop attitude. Not just this game but almost every year Mf almost always answered a BW score with their own and I think when it gets tuff MF is the best in the business at working that much harder and it has paid off all against all opponents. I don't think anyone is 1A will have that next year and if BW can get it, which I expect they can, they will benefit just as we have from it. Finally, as I said, I still think BW passing is not where it needs to be and I don't know how you fix it but it hurt you again last night just as it has against us in the past. Fix that and look out.

 

I am going to miss the banter in the years to come. BW has a unique fan base on here that is going to be impossible to replace for both teams. I hope to see a new one start with NCC, that would be the most fun AA team to mix it up with on here but I will be paying you guys visits and following you guys and even pulling for you as you all will be my favorite 1A team starting next year due to the respect I have for BW. Good Luck!

[MayfieldFan]

Hey this is my first post.

 

First, congrats to Beechwood on a lot of heart. good game, well played.

 

I would like to also disagree with the sentiment that Beechwood is the better team, expressed in this thread, expressed by the coach in the cincy paper, and expressed pretty much yearly in my view.

 

I kinda see why one MIGHT think that, apart from the obvious reason of perspective from a hometown fan. You guys whipped us on the line of scrimmage this year, resulting in a lot of positive yard runs for you, and a lot of stuffs on the defensive side. Usually, the better team controls the line of scrimmage. but..that is a narrow point of view in determining the "better team."

 

In all other aspects of the game, Mayfield was superior. Offensively, we moved the ball in the air. BW could neither cover our receivers or put pressure on the qb. so yeah, you stopped the run, which was impressively done. but it kinda is myopic vision to get all fired up about how good the run defense is when our receivers are scoring 99 yard touchdowns and generally just taking everything they want.

 

Which leads to another aspect of the game, versatility. coach joe's comments made it clear that he was using the clock, by continuing to run when it wasnt effective, knowing BW cant catch up quickly. in other words, i guess we could have passed more...but we did things and made decisions designed to win the game and in part those decisions were based on a weakness of the opponent. that's good coaching i think.

 

Like i said, i get it, i get the idea that you think you were the better team b/c of the line of scrimmage, but it stopped there. wanna know why you had those long sustained drives? because you controlled the line of scrimmage but didnt really have any "take it to house" ability. your most exciting plays, the ones that appeared to have the most potential to "take it to the house" were the kickoff returns, the qb scrambling out of pressure and a fake punt.

 

Anyway, i guess i joined to make this reply, i dont blame someone for saying "we were the better team" you kinda need that attitude to be great. but from our perspective, it just seems like every year we beat BW, and we get told, "good game but we were better team, its just a shame we didnt get the breaks we needed." and then the next year we are told how this years team is better than last years team and then the whole process is repeated. i guess not anymore, i just wish we could play BW some more, just to see how many times we have to beat BW before someone from BW admits that they arent the better team.

[Voice of Reason]

^ TP, I appreciate your viewpoints. I think you have been more on target than me, or almost anyone else on here, in your views on this series. I am sure I will join in the banter with your new rival in 2A, New Cath. However, the teams I would be more concerned about right now in 2A are the Louisville teams - DeSales and CAL. I will be very interested in seeing how those matchups go if those two teams continue on their current path of success.