BigRedDiesel

There were 10+ NHL hockey teams that scored more points Thurs night than CAL was able to muster Fri night. Is DeSales defense that good, CALs offense that bad without Carr, or was this a combination of both?

Are they practicing with the team?

Do these teams historically keep things pretty vanilla in this one, holding some cards up their sleeves for the inevitable playoff matchup, or are all cards on the table?

I won’t weigh in on who has the best OLine, as I’m admittedly too biased for that, but I do want to echo the applause for the big bellies that work the trenches. Watusi said it better than me, but most just don’t realize how difficult the position is, requiring skills like balance, agility, leverage, technique, and intelligence, not to mention a crap-ton of heart, fortitude and toughness. The words ‘skilled position’ may be the most ignorant terminology in the game. I could write volumes about the life of an O-lineman and the sacrifices they make, but that’s too much to post so I will simply share this personal example: On Saturday mornings, the offensive lineman I know doesn’t run to the newspaper to check his stats or read his name in the headlines. He knows he won’t be mentioned unless he and his brothers failed to do their jobs. In fact, he doesn’t run anywhere; instead, he hobbles painfully to the tub for a salt bath hoping to soothe his physical sufferings. From the neck down, he’s a train wreck, like something out of a horror film. You would literally have to hunt to find a two-inch patch that isn’t bruised, busted, swollen, smashed, torn, or isn’t sore and doesn’t ache. When you ask him if he’s alright, he just smiles and says, “I can’t wait for next Friday night.” If you see an offensive lineman, give him a pat on the back and thank him for the efforts he makes and the toils he endures on behalf of the team you support. Your appreciation will be welcomed. And I guarantee you it has been earned.

I enjoy BYE week as it gives me a chance to take a break from these boards. Oh wait, never mind.

Way to go PT! Congratulations.

Lafayette's band is pretty darn amazing too. Just saying.

I believe Mayfield scaled practice back this week and it appeared to help. Seemed like the team had more energy and some pep that had gone missing the last couple of weeks. Not perfect obviously, but pretty solid win. As for Murray, well, their band is the favorite to take state this year, so they got that going for them.

I don't want to hijack the thread or anything, but I'm going to vent about this one more time. One of the most dangerous plays in HS fb right now is PATs. Week after week, I see kids line up at the back of the endzone, get a full head of speed across the width of the endzone, and launch themselves like torpedoes into offensive linemen that have to stand there and take it. I know, they have helmets and pads, but it's senseless. These kids are not trying to block the kick or make a play on the ball, they are just taking advantage of an opportunity to blast someone unnecessarily. If it's truly all about safety, make a simple rule on field goals and PAT's that you have to be within a certain number of yards at the snap in order to rush the LOS.

My son pancaked a kid a few weeks ago and had an official get in his face and tell him to, "stop being so aggressive." I'm not sure what that's all about. This. You are just not going to get away with blocks like that anymore. They are especially looking for it on punts and kickoffs. We can argue about whether we like the rule or not, but I don't think there's any debate that it is illegal under the new emphasis guidelines.

Wow, this thread looks like Hillary's email server.

The Sideline-Hide play is a vastly different animal than say half-back passes, reverses, statues of liberty, or flea-flickers and has been banned in all its variations for decades. If you read the area of the rulebook regarding 'substitutions with intent to deceive', giving particular attention to the examples provided about permitted actions following a timeout, it's pretty clear that play was more illegal than intellectual. I agree the mental side of the game is just as important as the physical, but it doesn't exactly require the revolutionary football genius of Bill Walsh to sneak a receiver in off the sidelines.

The only team capable of beating BYE is OPEN. Their matchup will probably come down to officiating. I hear the refs are lousy, even at BYE games.

Mayfield needs to put this away early and let the JV handle the second half. That needs to be the prescription the next 3 games. With fall break included, MF's starters could realistically play 3 half's of football over the next 4 weeks. That would be great as they make preparations for the stretch run.

Another thought. I don't agree with calling out a single player. He's a great kid and makes plays for us all the time. 1. The deception play just feels like cheating. I would be embarrassed if Joe ran something like that. 2. The double move is on the dline. Opposing QB shouldn't have enough time to make that throw. 3. Third was just a perfect throw and a great catch. Kid is out there on an island and it's going to happen. You tip your hat to the other team and play on. How many snaps were there in the game? And we're putting this on one play? Line can block better, receivers can run better routes, QB can spin it better, etc. Heck, fans can cheer harder. This was a team loss from top to bottom. Everyone involved bears equal responsibility.

I agree with Snake, tricks plays are one thing, deception plays are another. Credit to Corbin. They were the better team tonight. Blocked better, tackled better, executed better, performed on special teams better, coached better, water boy mixed the Gatorade better... you name it, they were the better team. MF's offense is a rhythm offense. When it's clicking, it's a thing of beauty. When it's off, just by the smallest of things, the wheels come off and it looks like warmed over butt crack. Tonight was the later.

You are naive if you don't think million dollar facilities can have an enticing influence on a 15 yr kid playing at an inner city school that resembles a trash dump.

5 is the answer in my opinion, but don't we usually do this thread in October?

Lol. Keep dreaming. Mayfield would have beat the doors off of DeSales last season. CAL had the weapons to keep up with MF on a night MF was forced to play without their best defensive player. DeSales did not. Arnett wasn't just some random member of the team. He was the heart and soul of that defense. In fact, that defense was built around him. He lined up all over the field, stunted from anywhere, and blitzed from everywhere. He's the kind of kid you have to build your whole gameplan around. If you saw MF play without him, then you didn't see Mayfield play. Without him, MF was forced to move a safety down to LB and start a freshman on the back-end. Showing up in Louisville and asking a freshman making his first meaningful start to chase Wright around is not the position you want to be in. Again, CAL had a team capable of exploiting the situation, DeSales did not. None of this is intended to take anything away from what CAL accomplished last year. The were the best team in 2A and they earned their championship.

I went back and watched it again and I'm still scratching my head how this was a two score game. It just feels like MF controlled things more comfortably than the score suggests, but that's probably just my bias. Credit to GC. They played their tails off! My take on MF: Off: This team is loaded. I watch Hurt and think "that kid needs more touches." Then Kent Trey runs and I think, "get that kid the ball." Then Jackson trucks folks and I want him to be featured more. And on and on with Harrison, Murrell, Perry, etc etc. There just aren't enough footballs to go around. All those weapons behind a really good line... this thing is a machine. Def: You will see a play or two here or there, but there's just not much yardage to be had between the tackles. Hence the barrage of hitch passes, jet sweeps, and throws over the top we have seen the last two weeks. We blew some coverages and let some kids get behind us, but we are too fast and athletic back there for that to become a trend. Need to do a better job as a team of setting the edge and protecting the perimeter. I think the formula should be to funnel things back to the middle and let Hurt and Jackson eat. Mostly, we just need to be more aggressive and see more hussle as a team. We need all 11 running sideline to sideline and flying around with purpose on every play. Practice started around 2. I'm going to bet Dew and Champion had it fixed by 2:15. There's a mid-term exam this Friday which should tell us a great deal more about where we stand, but for now I still say we are ahead of schedule.

PT is way better than their record. Keep grinding the stump. Eventually that talent will show through.

I believe they scheduled this one as a no holds barred, no disqualification, falls count anywhere, extreme rules grudge match. MF 28 Corbin 21

Very hard fought game. Both teams kept throwing and landing haymakers, but neither would go down. MF won by decision, but certainly weren't able to knock them out.

MF 56 - GC 17

It's not where you start that matters, it's where you finish.