FH is on another level... What a great game!
I think fair is fair, so when we all praise an incredible performance, a lot of heart and grit, it is really hard to find things to complain about. I will try and give some constructive criticism or responses to some statements that have been made.
Is FH lacking speed this year? I don't think so. Sometimes it is standing on the sidelines watching an MCC player run down the field, but that is a coaches decision to determine if tough is better than fast. Also, if you don't have your speedsters in the game when you open up a hole, it's a nice gain, but you aren't taking it all the way. In addition to that, there are people playing on defense that are neither fast nor tough, who are trying to push people out of bounds instead of tackling them, not sure why they are in there. .
On the 100 yd interception return 3 things:
First off, why are we throwing into triple coverage?
Second, why are we throwing on 3rd and 3 when you have covered 60 yards in four plays running the ball. Do we really think we can't get 3 yards in two plays?
Third, there were 6 missed tackles on that interception return, poor arm tackling, almost pathetic at this point in the season.
The next series when we went back to the same play and threw into triple coverage again, yes it was a td, but that is not a smart play. If you can't read a defense and you are locked onto one receiver, you are just gambling at that point
Re: the dbs...I'm giving them no blame for anything tonight. The coaches put them in some really bad positions. If you are going to play bump and run with these kind of athletes, you are going to get beat deep. If you then decide after a couple long bombs that you are going to back off then back off enough to make a difference, not 3 or 4 yards. There were several third and longs where you are on the line of scrimmage and you could be ten yards back, if the ball is caught they still haven't gotten a first down. By being up in their face they can run right by you and not only get a first but go all the way. There are times you have to be able to adjust, and whereas the bump and run is our normal d, tonight against a team like this, it was a tactical error. .
Here's where I think sometimes FH can get too conservative. You have just taken the lead for the first time. You have already had an extra point blocked. You have just ran right down the field on a tired, exhausted defense in a very short period....go for two! They aren't stopping you.
Clock management - So here's where FH intentionally did something that I think is insane You have had an extra point blocked, and you have muffed the snap on the previous extra point just minutes before. With only a minute to go in the game, you have driven 60 yards to the 16 in less than 30 seconds. You run a play and you are at the seven with sixteen seconds to go, and you have two timeouts. Call timeout, run a play to go for the td! MCC is exhausted Chances are really good you are going to score on the next play. Why let the clock run all the way down to attempt a kick you have previously failed on twice and leaving a timeout on the board. Why are you saving timeouts? If you are determined to only go for a field goal you still call timeout with 16 seconds left, go for the field goal, and If the snap is muffed, you can fall on it and call timeout, and you still have time to try it again.
Coach Appel mentioned the chirping by the MCC players to our fans. It's petty, and classless. When people from Frankfort or Allegany can see that type of behavior and still root against FH, shame on you. For those that came to support FH, a team that wouldn't taunt another teams fans, I applaud you!
For all that, I could not be more proud of Cumberland and FH tonight.
