Speed kills

[TDHelmick]

When teams from Western Maryland try to tackle teams that have speed and run the spread offense, it's extremely difficult to overcome the one play scores from any distance. Dunbar had 4 touchdowns yesterday and all were over 50 yards. Speed is something kids in this area do not possess. That is why the the wing-T is so prevalent in this part of the state. It's like watching Navy and Air Force attempt to level the speed and athleticism discrepancy. It's also why kids in this area are not heavily recruited at the highest levels.

FH had their chances to win that game so hats off to them. But the Friendship and Dunbar games were eerily the same. One play - 96 yard TD. FH drives and scores and gets the momentum back. Boom...One play 63 yard TD. Fort Hill doesn't have a player that can turn a six yard run into a 90 yard TD. That is tough to overcome. A holding or 15 yard penalty almost always ends the Fort Hill drive.

Offensively, FH lost the ability to get to the edge. That has been painfully obvious the last three weeks and at the the Friendship loss. I would guess that if FH ran the perimeter 30 times the last three games plus against Friendship, they probably have mustered about 50 yards doing so. Against Lackey in the second half they lost two to four yards every time they tried to run the perimeter. That happens when good teams get to scout and you are one-dimensional. It's even more difficult when the other team has such a speed advantage. FH won games between the tackles this year. The OL with Banks and Poling running behind them and Hamilton exceeded my expectations big time. What an amazing group of kids.

As for the passing game...that has never existed at FH even when they had quarterbacks who went on to play at Ohio State and Maryland. It's not the mind set and since FH always hires from within that is going to be the mentality baton that gets passed to the next coach. But honestly, FH rarely ever has the speed and athleticism to do be successful with it against opponents with speed. Plus, they have made a great living winning games not doing so. I too am guilty for asking FH to throw the ball just a little more every season, but when I see the game I saw in Annapolis you come to realize that a wing-T team such as FH can only be successful using the passing game when the opponent doesn't expect it. Whenever Fort Hill HAS to throw the ball it generally fails. The reason goes back to the fact they only throw the ball 4 times per game. Can't ask them to do more in a championship game against an equal opponent with more speed and have it win the game.

FH coaches never cease to amaze me every year with how amazingly good they are. It's easy for us to be hard on them as an armchair QB. If I have any criticism about the title game it would be that the passing game used too many deep routes. That isn't going to work against that speed thing again. Logan Johnson had nowhere to go many times and I think that may have forced him into a take off running mind set. When that happens the short route guy who might be open doesn't get a look as the QBs eyes are no longer down field.

Yes, FH sorely misses their home run hitters Johnson and Brown. Nothing more to add on that topic. I see a couple of young kids in this mold coming up and that should keep FH fans excited about the future of the program.

 

[4inarowtopthat]

When teams from Western Maryland try to tackle teams that have speed and run the spread offense, it's extremely difficult to overcome the one play scores from any distance. Dunbar had 4 touchdowns yesterday and all were over 50 yards. Speed is something kids in this area do not possess. That is why the the wing-T is so prevalent in this part of the state. It's like watching Navy and Air Force attempt to level the speed and athleticism discrepancy. It's also why kids in this area are not heavily recruited at the highest levels.

FH had their chances to win that game so hats off to them. But the Friendship and Dunbar games were eerily the same. One play - 96 yard TD. FH drives and scores and gets the momentum back. Boom...One play 63 yard TD. Fort Hill doesn't have a player that can turn a six yard run into a 90 yard TD. That is tough to overcome. A holding or 15 yard penalty almost always ends the Fort Hill drive.

Offensively, FH lost the ability to get to the edge. That has been painfully obvious the last three weeks and at the the Friendship loss. I would guess that if FH ran the perimeter 30 times the last three games plus against Friendship, they probably have mustered about 50 yards doing so. Against Lackey in the second half they lost two to four yards every time they tried to run the perimeter. That happens when good teams get to scout and you are one-dimensional. It's even more difficult when the other team has such a speed advantage. FH won games between the tackles this year. The OL with Banks and Poling running behind them and Hamilton exceeded my expectations big time. What an amazing group of kids.

As for the passing game...that has never existed at FH even when they had quarterbacks who went on to play at Ohio State and Maryland. It's not the mind set and since FH always hires from within that is going to be the mentality baton that gets passed to the next coach. But honestly, FH rarely ever has the speed and athleticism to do be successful with it against opponents with speed. Plus, they have made a great living winning games not doing so. I too am guilty for asking FH to throw the ball just a little more every season, but when I see the game I saw in Annapolis you come to realize that a wing-T team such as FH can only be successful using the passing game when the opponent doesn't expect it. Whenever Fort Hill HAS to throw the ball it generally fails. The reason goes back to the fact they only throw the ball 4 times per game. Can't ask them to do more in a championship game against an equal opponent with more speed and have it win the game.

FH coaches never cease to amaze me every year with how amazingly good they are. It's easy for us to be hard on them as an armchair QB. If I have any criticism about the title game it would be that the passing game used too many deep routes. That isn't going to work against that speed thing again. Logan Johnson had nowhere to go many times and I think that may have forced him into a take off running mind set. When that happens the short route guy who might be open doesn't get a look as the QBs eyes are no longer down field.

Yes, FH sorely misses their home run hitters Johnson and Brown. Nothing more to add on that topic. I see a couple of young kids in this mold coming up and that should keep FH fans excited about the future of the program.

It's great to see a post from you - I always appreciate your grounded thought out approach to an analysis.
This is a repeat of another post but Alco spread the field several times, three and four receivers. They didn't always use this to throw, although when they did the qb was already in the shotgun, set, and ready to throw. He made short passes that were efficient and helped get positive yardage. When they didn't throw the spread field allowed the line to open up holes that weren't there when dunbar could put 8 or 9 guys in the box. I think the entire game could've been different if they had incorporated this strategy.
I also think fh has the athletes to use the spread at least some of the time. If you use it ALL year then you don't have to change your plan for Dunbar, you are already comfortable with it. Don't tell me you think by going to a more diversified offense they are going to lose to these teams they consistently blow out. They will still win those games and be getting ready for the teams they have to be more diversified against.
For all my bitching I, like many others, appreciate and respect all you have done for fh, as well as the coaches. We can disagree with them because we want them to be better.
I don't think fh would have gotten this far without you. The FCA loss meant nothing, so blaming you for it was idiotic. We still finished with the 2nd most points and had home field advantage. It is unfortunate fh didn't learn from the FCA game and start preparing for dunbar that week.

 

[TDHelmick]

It's great to see a post from you - I always appreciate your grounded thought out approach to an analysis.
This is a repeat of another post but Alco spread the field several times, three and four receivers. They didn't always use this to throw, although when they did the qb was already in the shotgun, set, and ready to throw. He made short passes that were efficient and helped get positive yardage. When they didn't throw the spread field allowed the line to open up holes that weren't there when dunbar could put 8 or 9 guys in the box. I think the entire game could've been different if they had incorporated this strategy.
I also think fh has the athletes to use the spread at least some of the time. If you use it ALL year then you don't have to change your plan for Dunbar, you are already comfortable with it. Don't tell me you think by going to a more diversified offense they are going to lose to these teams they consistently blow out. They will still win those games and be getting ready for the teams they have to be more diversified against.
For all my bitching I, like many others, appreciate and respect all you have done for fh, as well as the coaches. We can disagree with them because we want them to be better.
I don't think fh would have gotten this far without you. The FCA loss meant nothing, so blaming you for it was idiotic. We still finished with the 2nd most points and had home field advantage. It is unfortunate fh didn't learn from the FCA game and start preparing for dunbar that week.

The problem with the spread for a team like FH is that it's not a winning formula against the FCA and Dunbar teams of the world since they have too much speed and that is mostly what they see week to week. It would be if they use those formations to still run their standard power, traps and jet sweeps.I was clamoring for them to try this in that second half vs. FCA. The between-the-tackle stuff was done at that point.

My biggest beef with X's and O's since 2011 is simply this:
When FH is playing a team that everyone knows FH can name the score, why are they only throwing the ball 4 or 6 times? On top of that, they start doing this once the score is 28-0, which in the end only ticks off the opposing coaches. Yes, that is why Chestnut Ridge did not want to play FH anymore. Sure there was an issue with exchanging film before that game even started. But when you are up 49-0 in the second quarter and all of the sudden you go first team gun/no huddle and start throwing the ball it is going to tick off the other team. I was told after that game that FH had a new QB, a new FB because of injury, a new OT and we wanted to see what they could do in this situation. My reply is great...but why are you waiting until it is 49-0? It's important to note that running up the score is rarely ever a case where the coach is trying to humiliate the other team. It's 95% of the time just trying to see what your kids can do in different situations. Doesn't make it right though I get that.

My point is...throw the damn ball when it is 14-0 not 35-0. Throw the ball 30 times when you are playing MATHS whether it is working or not. Case in point, FH was up on Mountain Ridge 42-3 at halftime this year. They come out with the first team to start the second half and start running gun, it doesn't work and they go right into running belly and sweeps again with the first team. The same belly and sweeps they have run with #5 and #21 a million times.

If the passing game doesn't work and you bail on it when you are up 42-3, how can you expect it to work when you are down 30-26?

Yes, I'm being that hard armchair QB. However, I do preface this by saying how amazed I am at what these FH coaches do. 3 losses in 5 years in unparalleled. Calling plays is only about one/fifth of being a good coach. And I armchair QB Jimbo Fisher every Saturday and whoever the coach is in Tallahassee next fall. That's just human football nature, so no disrespect intended for any FH coach that may read this two cent forum.

It does drive me crazy though when FH puts a running clock on teams by halftime and I see 5 pass attempts in the final stats. Drives me freaking nuts.

 

[wvbossman]

Great post TD Helmick and you are spot on. FH players and coaches work hard and they always bring out the best in their athletes. I've seen some posts about FH's poor tackling but when you're tackling speed it's a whole different type of situation. Speed Kills is exactly right!

 

[4inarowtopthat]

The problem with the spread for a team like FH is that it's not a winning formula against the FCA and Dunbar teams of the world since they have too much speed and that is mostly what they see week to week. It would be if they use those formations to still run their standard power, traps and jet sweeps.I was clamoring for them to try this in that second half vs. FCA. The between-the-tackle stuff was done at that point.

My biggest beef with X's and O's since 2011 is simply this:
When FH is playing a team that everyone knows FH can name the score, why are they only throwing the ball 4 or 6 times? On top of that, they start doing this once the score is 28-0, which in the end only ticks off the opposing coaches. Yes, that is why Chestnut Ridge did not want to play FH anymore. Sure there was an issue with exchanging film before that game even started. But when you are up 49-0 in the second quarter and all of the sudden you go first team gun/no huddle and start throwing the ball it is going to tick off the other team. I was told after that game that FH had a new QB, a new FB because of injury, a new OT and we wanted to see what they could do in this situation. My reply is great...but why are you waiting until it is 49-0? It's important to note that running up the score is rarely ever a case where the coach is trying to humiliate the other team. It's 95% of the time just trying to see what your kids can do in different situations. Doesn't make it right though I get that.

My point is...throw the damn ball when it is 14-0 not 35-0. Throw the ball 30 times when you are playing MATHS whether it is working or not. Case in point, FH was up on Mountain Ridge 42-3 at halftime this year. They come out with the first team to start the second half and start running gun, it doesn't work and they go right into running belly and sweeps again with the first team. The same belly and sweeps they have run with #5 and #21 a million times.

If the passing game doesn't work and you bail on it when you are up 42-3, how can you expect it to work when you are down 30-26?

Yes, I'm being that hard armchair QB. However, I do preface this by saying how amazed I am at what these FH coaches do. 3 losses in 5 years in unparalleled. Calling plays is only about one/fifth of being a good coach.

It does drive me crazy though when FH puts a running clock on teams by halftime and I see 5 pass attempts in the final stats. Drives me freaking nuts.

So my biggest takeaway from all that is fh would NOT have to change their entire game for anybody if they were consistently utilizing a playbook that includes passing from the 1st play forward. I agree!

 

[TDHelmick]

I have run the Dunbar game through my head a few times and I honestly am not sure what the answer would have been to stop their big play or for FH to score more in the second half. Probably would have run Banks up the gut until either his wheels came off or he collapsed from exhaustion. Which is the compete opposite of what we preach most every week. The passing game was just not there nor was the perimeter run game. Coaches hands were severely tied. I don't think Dunbar made any adjustments at the half and did anything different than what they were doing defensively in the first half. For a team like FH, you get a penalty offensively or throw incomplete, the whole drive can end. Very little room for error if your working on 3-6 yards per carry. Which only goes to show that without speed those 3-6 yard carries are not going to turn into 20-30 yard carries.

 

[4inarowtopthat]

I have run the Dunbar game through my head a few times and I honestly am not sure what the answer would have been to stop their big play or for FH to score more in the second half. Probably would have run Banks up the gut until either his wheels came off or he collapsed from exhaustion. Which is the compete opposite of what we preach most every week. The passing game was just not there nor was the perimeter run game. Coaches hands were severely tied. I don't think Dunbar made any adjustments at the half and did anything different than what they were doing defensively in the first half. For a team like FH, you get a penalty offensively or throw incomplete, the whole drive can end. Very little room for error if your working on 3-6 yards per carry. Which only goes to show that without speed those 3-6 yard carries are not going to turn into 20-30 yard carries.

You make an excellent argument for adding an option to what we do. When we were up 23-22 and driving, first down at the dunbar 20, we get a hold. First and 20. Does anybody besides fh run play action on first and 20? Of course not. Teams expect you to pass, they are going to rush you expecting it. You have no time for play action. Go directly to the shotgun. Put out three receivers. Pass directly out to one of them and let them try to make a play(dunbar did it and went 87 yards). So we take a sack and it's 2nd and 26. So what do we do, of course we run the ball up the middle. That is conceding. That is saying we aren't even going to try to get a first down, period. Third and 29, What do we do, run it up the middle. The thought process of our staff is 100% from the failure on 1st down that we are going to kick a field goal. Great, we got three points, we go from 23 to 26. If you just try something on first down besides that play action, like a five or six yard slant, you might get 7 or 8 yards. So you have second and 12. Again, a safe short pass gets you 5 or 6 yards. Now it's entirely possible one of these break for big yardage, but maybe not. So now you are at 3rd and 5 or 6. You've given yourself a chance for a first down. If that drive ends in a td you have 30 instead of 26 and the game ends in OT. Of course I get that we still might not have gotten the first down, but you have summed it up and when you said pretty much all we had was belly. It was with the passing game we were going with. When Dunbar is 1st and 20 you know they are going to throw short safe passes, screens, slants, and they are going to make you stop them, not give you a day at the beach by running up the gut.
Listen, I want next year to be different. We have seen this movie before. We're not getting Douglas of Baltimore or HDG in the final, we have to do something different. If my answer isn't the one then somebody else come up with one. The same isn't going to give a different result.

 

[GenSneaky]

When teams from Western Maryland try to tackle teams that have speed and run the spread offense, it's extremely difficult to overcome the one play scores from any distance. Dunbar had 4 touchdowns yesterday and all were over 50 yards. Speed is something kids in this area do not possess. That is why the the wing-T is so prevalent in this part of the state. It's like watching Navy and Air Force attempt to level the speed and athleticism discrepancy. It's also why kids in this area are not heavily recruited at the highest levels.

FH had their chances to win that game so hats off to them. But the Friendship and Dunbar games were eerily the same. One play - 96 yard TD. FH drives and scores and gets the momentum back. Boom...One play 63 yard TD. Fort Hill doesn't have a player that can turn a six yard run into a 90 yard TD. That is tough to overcome. A holding or 15 yard penalty almost always ends the Fort Hill drive.

Offensively, FH lost the ability to get to the edge. That has been painfully obvious the last three weeks and at the the Friendship loss. I would guess that if FH ran the perimeter 30 times the last three games plus against Friendship, they probably have mustered about 50 yards doing so. Against Lackey in the second half they lost two to four yards every time they tried to run the perimeter. That happens when good teams get to scout and you are one-dimensional. It's even more difficult when the other team has such a speed advantage. FH won games between the tackles this year. The OL with Banks and Poling running behind them and Hamilton exceeded my expectations big time. What an amazing group of kids.

As for the passing game...that has never existed at FH even when they had quarterbacks who went on to play at Ohio State and Maryland. It's not the mind set and since FH always hires from within that is going to be the mentality baton that gets passed to the next coach. But honestly, FH rarely ever has the speed and athleticism to do be successful with it against opponents with speed. Plus, they have made a great living winning games not doing so. I too am guilty for asking FH to throw the ball just a little more every season, but when I see the game I saw in Annapolis you come to realize that a wing-T team such as FH can only be successful using the passing game when the opponent doesn't expect it. Whenever Fort Hill HAS to throw the ball it generally fails. The reason goes back to the fact they only throw the ball 4 times per game. Can't ask them to do more in a championship game against an equal opponent with more speed and have it win the game.

FH coaches never cease to amaze me every year with how amazingly good they are. It's easy for us to be hard on them as an armchair QB. If I have any criticism about the title game it would be that the passing game used too many deep routes. That isn't going to work against that speed thing again. Logan Johnson had nowhere to go many times and I think that may have forced him into a take off running mind set. When that happens the short route guy who might be open doesn't get a look as the QBs eyes are no longer down field.

Yes, FH sorely misses their home run hitters Johnson and Brown. Nothing more to add on that topic. I see a couple of young kids in this mold coming up and that should keep FH fans excited about the future of the program.

Very good point... makes a lot of sense

 

[5punisher3]

Just armchairing, " when all 11 players on defense are within 6-7 yds of the ball, watch the film, there are two tightends on that team that can catch a down and out short pass...... I'm just saying. Tends to loosen up a defense. Congrats to both city teams on a successful year!