Week 2: WC at Rogers

Sports fans know that games and seasons turn on a series of single moments - and sometimes just one or two. For the first 18 minutes of WC's game at 7A Rogers (AR) it looked like the Cards were going to get roughed up. I was concerned going in. Anytime you match up with a school that much larger you just never know what to expect. Early on it looked like we (notice how I say "we" now?) were in trouble. It took 3 plays and 49 seconds for the "Mounties" to go 70-ish yards and score. On their second possession it didn't take much longer.

To be fair, WC found itself in a hole at home against Rogers last year (Also down 14-0 in the first quarter before Mack and the boys started clawing their way back - see post from that game). When WC got their first defensive stop the crowd settled a little, but with no signs of life on offense through the first quarter I was still very on edge.

Finally, late in the second quarter the Novocaine (explanation of this reference found in post linked above) started to work and the Cards "mounted" a 70-yard drive to get on the board. The PAT (that's Point After Try, not a reference to my brother in law, he had nothing to do with this kick attempt) failed and the half ended at 14-6.

Side-note: The Rogers QB should have been penalized for spiking the ball on what proved to be the final play of the half. Doing so would have forced Rogers to run another play and likely punt it back to WC. The officiating and clock operation were suspect all night, but what do you expect?

A half-time text I sent to a friend said something like: "Halftime 14-6. We're not dead yet, but we've got to play cleaner to win. Novocaine starting to work if we can eliminate mistakes."

WC has developed this reputation for wearing you down until their running game can just beat you into submission. We saw it repeatedly last year. They would go on these impressive 10 and 12 play, 70 and 80 yard drives again and again. At times they'd consume nearly an entire quarter in the process. You hear commentators talk about the need to stay with the running game into the second half during college and pro games, but rarely does it work as noticeably as I've seen it work for WC.

That last drive of the first half gave me some hope that WC could control the ball and start putting some points on the board. Set to receive the second half kickoff would provide a chance to either tie or at least get within 1 or 2 early in the half.

First and 10 from their own 20 I'm looking for the Cards to keep grinding like that last drive of the first half. Didn't happen. Braxton Baker took it 80 yards on the first play. 2pt attempt failed, 14-12 Rogers.

The Cards got it back, drove down and Baker scored on a 25-yard run. A 2pt conversion made it 20-14.

Next possession Jeremiah Box scored and it was 26-14. Box scored again on the next possession, PAT succeeded to make it 33-14.

The Mounties hit a long pass to get to 33-21.

Next Baker scored on a 33 yard run.

Yes, it all happened about this fast.

Then we got to see Pat's wheels again. Pat had a good 2nd half running the offense, ran the veer options very effectively mostly pitching and letting Box and Baker shoulder the load. But from his own 22 yard line we saw a repeat of last week's first offensive play of the game. Pat turned the corner, hit the jets and was gone. This time he had a one-man convoy called Braxton Baker ensuring no one was going to get near him. A cheap shot in the back at the 5-yard line left Baker on the turf (not hurt) and of course no call. John Rod was hot - and understandably so. That touchdown made it 46-21.

The Mounties hit one more long pass (against the 2nd team defense) before the Cards put the 1D back in (after Rogers recovered an onside kick) to get one final stop, then drove it to the the Mounties 16 yard line with 1:55 on the clock.

On 1st and 10 and with no doubt they could have shoved it in the end zone, John Roderique did what he always does: showed he has more class and discipline than most. I would have probably left the starting offense in there long enough to score again for a number of reasons:
1. Rogers had recovered an onside kick after their TD against the WC 2nd team D.
2. Rogers was fairly mouthy - or so it appeared based on the way one of their guys was taunting (?) the WC crowd late in the game (hey, buddy, check the scoreboard and get back to me).
3. How often do you get a chance to "hang half a hundred" on an opponent that much bigger than you?

Second team O went in and successfully killed the clock. You're welcome, Rogers.

Observations:
- I'm not sure the Novocaine theory works for this Cards squad. In the sense of them wearing you down in the first half it does, but they don't do a lot of grinding once it starts to work. It's like they numb you with Novocaine and then hit you with hard drugs. I say that because once they get rolling they'll just put it in the end zone on you in one or two plays and ask questions later.
- I'm not kidding about WC being fast. If you let Pat, Braxton, or Jeremiah get behind you good luck catching them. I'm not saying it can't be done. I'm saying it's not going to be easy. WC hasn't always had that many speed threats in the backfield at once.
- The 3-5 stack defense is growing on me. I like having all those linebackers in there against the spread attack. I'm still not convinced it's cut out to deal with short yardage, but I do think it fits WC's personnel in 2009.
- Putting up 40 points in one half (and leaving 6 or 7 on the table at the end) is impressive against any opponent, I'm not sure what happened in that locker room, but it was as dramatic a turn around as I've ever seen from one half to the next.
- 560 - That's what WC racked up in rushing yards last night. WOW. Braxton had nearly 300. Pat and Jeremiah both went over 100.

I started off talking about moments in sports, so I'd better bring it back to there. Bookends, right programming guys? Here's what I see. Any good team always has at least 1 gut-check moment where they have to look one another in the eye and decide whether they're going to win or lose. In 2006 it was at Pittsburg, down in the first half and looking rough a big play on D sparked a comeback and they took it all the way to the Dome and a title. In 2008 a minor scare at Harrisonville in week 1 was followed by a short nightmare against Rogers before the Cards decided to refuse to give up and ultimately went 15-0. I'm not predicting anything about 2009. Lot's of games to play. Tough matchups at home against Neosho and Carthage, tough road games as well. I am saying I think the Cards learned something about themselves last night and I expect them to play with more confidence going forward. Having come back from down 14-0, on the road, against a big, fast team like Rogers should ensure they're not going to panic when things get tough - which they no doubt will.

It looks like to me the keys for the next couple of weeks are:
1. Don't overlook Willard or Ozark, teams that are not nearly as highly regarded as their first two opponents.
2. Get / stay healthy. Luna played offense last night and looked good. Scott Roderique did not suit last night, need him to get healthy.
3. Continue to improve. You can tell they've got some guys that are still learning - especially on defense. These should be great games to get some game speed experience that will make them better as they head down the road toward district play.