VB QB Carter Stanley on a Draw play
Again, QB Stanley on a Draw
RB Spencer Chenoweth Fighting for yards.
Patrick Bethel keeps getting better and better.
Vero Beach (VB) ripped Sebastian River (SRHS) 35-6 last Friday night. The game was actually pretty close at halftime (14-6) but I knew the game was over...I could just feel it. VB took the opening kickoff and marched right down the field on a series of QB Draw plays a couple of quick out passes. Defensively, SRHS decided to play man-coverage on VB's spread offense...thinking they could match-up with VB athlete to athlete. This left the entire center of the field open for the QB to run...and he ran and ran. All VB had to do was put a helmet on the middle LB and QB Carter Stanley was out the gate. A pass to MJ McGriff put VB ahead 7-0. Then, SRHS answered. First play from scrimmage was a quick slant to Cummings who took it 60 yards for the touchdown. The extra point was no good. 7-6 VB.
VB got another quick score on a deep pass to MJ McGriff, and this put the score at 14-6 going into the half. Obviously, SRHS's game plan was to keep VB off the field offensively, and for the most part, it was successful. SRHS's offensive is nothing special...just methodical...3 yards and a cloud of dust. QB Pellitier seems to be a good kid with a decent arm. He throws nice quick short patterns with some zip on the ball, but his deep ball could use some work..it tends to float a little. A year in the weight room will help him this off-season. Anyway, Pellitier kept the VB defense off-balance during the first half. There were numerous off-sides call on VB; thus, these mistakes prolonged SRHS's offensive series. The Sharks were not really moving the ball very well...the Indians were committing mental mistakes which resulted in first downs. I think the Shark's QB Pellitier's cadence was throwing the Indian's timing off ...I could see Pellitier's head bob a little, and I could see his hands pull out from the center's butt every now and then. I knew what was happening. I will have a little more of this a little later in this blog.
Anyway, VB made some great halftime adjustments, and they blew the game wide open quickly in the 2nd half. Like I stated earlier, the entire center of the field was open, and the Indians took advantage of this. The wide receivers were running free, and VB scored quickly on every possession. The final score was 35-6, but the score could have easily been much worse if VB was given more offensive possessions. Hand it to SRHS though, I thought their game plan was very good....they just ran out of athletes. Patrick Bethel (Randy's boy) is sort of our (all the former coaches) adopted son on the field. Pat had a good game, but he was being held on almost every play...or he was being chopped. I just love watching his development on and off the field. Great, great kid.
I sat in the stands with Coach "Dank" Wilson. Other than my own father, I have more respect for this old man than anyone else I can think of. Dank's wisdom is unmatched...he is just a walking, talking encyclopedia. Literally, when Dank talks I simply shut-up and listen...much like I did with my own daddy. True, we all watch over the old man, and we coddle him all we can...at least all he can stand. I really love this guy.
I am sorry my review of the game last Friday between Vero Beach and Sebastian is a little late. I had a busy weekend, and I just did not have time to write much. Truthfully, I just could not come up with a decent topic...or at least one that I thought people may be interested in reading. Then, I fired up my lawn mower....the memories started flowing, then suddenly I had something to write about. I don't know why it works this way, but cutting grass, or working on my boat tends to bring my brain to a good place. I started thinking about the game last Friday, and I started thing about the adjustments I would have made on the field. Naturally, I got to thinking about my Dad and when he used to coach. I will never forget a major adjustment he made because of one special player. After doing so, he may have changed football itself without knowing. I have heard from other coaches (all over the country) about a certain QB cadence which always gave opposing defenses fits. Dad called it the "Sit" series.
Old School RubberMouth Piece
Let me explain QB Cadence. Generally speaking, a football play call will sound something like this: Trips Rt Open, RIP, 969 drag on two. In a nutshell, the QB told everyone what to do, and everyone will start at the play at the same time. He will call a cadence which sounds something like this: Down. Blue-18, Blue18...set...hut, hut, and then the play goes. Every coach has his variations, but its all about the same. A smart QB will often vary his cadence, or maybe hit a particular section especially hard to draw a defense offside; thus, a five yard penalty is given. Peyton Manning is famous for this stuff. He is the very best at confusing a defense and keeping them off-balance.
Peyton Manning Barking
When I played, we were having an issue with offensive penalties. We kept jumping offside and no one could get it under control it seemed. Also. it seemed like the defense would just tee-off on us, and it seemed like they always knew when we were going to snap the ball. Drove my dad nut. I will never forget how many wind sprints we ran as punishment for multiple penalties. Then, it happened.
Our QB Kevin Nichols wore braces. Kevin had one of those mouth pieces like you see pictured above...just a round rubber plug you bit down on. Kids with braces could not wear one of those clear plastic mouthpieces you boil in water to fit your teeth. Unfortunately, it was difficult to speak or yell with those big rubber mouthpieces which were so common during that time. Kevin would bark his cadence, then right before he wanted the ball, he would reach to place the mouthpiece in his mouth and call for the ball. Of course, the defenses quickly caught up to this....and we paid the price. Also, when Dad and Coach Nichols (Kevin's Dad) made the adjustment, we had issues understanding what the hell he was saying, and what we could hear while he was under center.
One night my dad and I were watch football (in the basement) on TV, and he had one of those mouthpieces in his mouth yelling QB cadence. The word "SIT" came out nicely. So, he decided we would work off the "Sit" series of cadence. A QB call on 2 sounded like this: "Ready...set...SIT- SIT" It was beautiful. Just when the defenses thought they had us figured out, we came out with this stuff and dominated once again. Remember...NO ONE was doing this kind of stuff during that time...and it certainly made a difference for us. Defenses hated it...and we played it up big time. Kevin would mingle his S'sss and throw in a new wrinkle. It was a lot of fun.
Years later I attended a coaching clinic in St. Louis, Missouri. One of the guest speakers was famed QB coach Jeff Trickey out of Wisconsin. Jeff was talking about QB cadence, and how to use it as a weapon against the defense. Imagine my surprise when he mentioned the "SIT" series and how to use it...and the story behind it. Of course, I corrected him on a couple of small details, and told the story of how it was born out of an adjustment by a pissed-off coach.....my Dad.
Later.
