Cwood's Decline

[CoeburnCane]

I want to post this here b/c I know some people on the main board may get quite a bit ass-hurt if I posted it there...BUT...here's my opinions on what's going on, and moreso--what needs to be done. THIS DOES NOT represent anyone else's standpoints intentionally, just what I think myself, so please don't attribute these thoughts to anyone connected directly/indirectly with the team.

1) They peaked at Shelby Valley. They beat that team and thought they could turn it on & off. I believe there's a lot of kids on the team that impressed themselves with how they won that game, and decided they could just show up the rest of the season and be crowned LPD champs. Why they thought that--I don't know. They gave up a lot of yards of offense to SV, when a typical Cwood D wouldn't have given up that many yards and then depended upon several red zone stands to win the game. There's been a steady and constant decline ever since that game, and I don't know if it's due to the kids thinking they were great already and all was just hunky-dory, or if it's the staff allowing the kids to get complacent, and they themselves getting conservative in the playcalling. All I know, is that to anyone who's been to the Appy/JJK/JIB games is that the decline is steady and after Friday night--embarrassingly disappointing.

2) The DB's for Cwood--well, there aren't any. God bless those kids, but they have no idea how to play proper pass defense technique. Their best DB is #57, and he's a LB. Some of us on here have played DB on an organized level, and it's kinda like playing QB--you read the WR/QB's mannerisms, and you have to have a clock in your head as to when the ball's being thrown. When that clock goes off, you have to turn your head and look for the football--not faceguard and hope you do enough that the kid drops it. I see this not only from Cwood, but a lot of teams in the area and even in some D1 football, so it's kind of an epidemic. BUT--you can coach this. You just have to put more time into it and teach the kids the proper techniques. That needs to be a singular focus from this point on as a defense. As a coach, one can't say that they don't care about pass defense, that they're going to get to the QB first and sack him--because you're not a good defense, and you're not a good defensive coach if you don't believe for one second that a QB's gonna get the ball off more often than not.

3) I know people have given whatshisnuts hell on the main board for what I'm about to say...but Cwood's offensive personnel aren't in the right spots, and the playcalling isn't that great this season. I'm not downing the kid as a person, nice guy and great family--but 5 is not a QB. He's too short and not a good decision maker with the football in terms of throwing it to the right guy. His strengths as a football player lie in his ball-carrying skills, his speed, and when he was a WR, his hands. To me, put 13 back in the shotgun, move 5 into the slot, and let him create mismatches with his speed. If you put 5 in the slot opposite the strongside where 8 is lined up as a TE, then they could work a two-man game on each seam all night against any team Cwood would face. 13 has a MUCH bigger arm, is taller, and may not be the perfect guy as far as decision making, but he's no worse than 5 in that respect. Cwood folks--imagine having a 4-wide set with 2 & 5 in each slot, 8 and 30 on the outside, and 11/7/23 all rotating as the RB in there next to 13 in the gun. How many mismatches could you draw up on the whiteboard? PLENTY, both on the ground an in the air. This would help 8 get utilized more in the passing game, which is something I know for 100% sure that tons of people have been calling for. That's option 1.

Option 2 is moving 13 to QB, putting 5 at HB, and letting them run an option game with 12/11 rotating at the FB spot. That utilizes 5's speed, 13's power ability (w/o beating him down thru the 1/2 holes so much), and keeps your two best arms on the field in 13/5 with the option to throw to 2/8/30 (or even 12/11 leaking out from the FB spot), whichever is open. To the purists out there, this option would be best because it allows Cwood to keep that rough & tough mentality that they like to have as an offense. I think this option would be easier on the OL as well, it allows them to get back to Run Blocking 101, and execute the way they should be doing.

I know there's 1 regular season game to go, that it seems too late to make those changes. I've told many people these ideas in person WAY before this (even in preseason), and I've not had any of them give me a good solid reason to NOT do either one of these ideas except for "the coaches won't do it". That's not good enough. If you're a good staff and you have good players, then you can do it if you want to, even now.

Remember, there's a lot of people who scratched their heads til bleeding over the decision to put in Heath Counts as a Soph. QB and move Chris Robinson to HB a few games into the season about 3 years ago. The coaches were reluctant to do that then even though it turned out to be the best move they could have made as far as future success went. Lots of mumbles and grumbles through the crowd over that move, plenty of people thought Rick and the staff were dumb for doing it. BUT--I guarantee you, if Cwood never makes that move, they never go to the state title game 2 years running.

The same type of situation is staring Rick and the staff right in the face. Now's the time to assess personnel, make the moves, and let your team reach it's full potential. Will it happen? Who knows. I personally believe that if it doesn't happen though, that Cwood will not make it past Burton when the time comes in the RD/D1 final at UVAW...IF they make it that far, which is in doubt even now w/the way they've played. Put these kids in the positions they need to be in so they can succeed. If you don't, then prepare to see more games like what you saw Friday night at Lawson-Fitchko.

[sup-rbeast]

One flaw in your comments regarding coaching High School DBs...at that level you coach them to face guard...cuz it's legal and it's effective. To make an effective HS CB, you take your 4 or 5 best athletes, put em man to man in 2 a days with WRs in skeleton drills...find the ones that do the best, and then teach em techniques...it's simple. People underestimate the value of CBs at the HS level. But, if a team has good cover corners who are adequate against the run, they can do alot more blitzing and stunting up front with their D. Next to MLB, the most important positions on D are the CBs..followed closely by DT. Cuz if you have above average players at those spots, you can run your defense wide open.

[CoeburnCane]

One flaw in your comments regarding coaching High School DBs...at that level you coach them to face guard...cuz it's legal and it's effective. To make an effective HS CB, you take your 4 or 5 best athletes, put em man to man in 2 a days with WRs in skeleton drills...find the ones that do the best, and then teach em techniques...it's simple. People underestimate the value of CBs at the HS level. But, if a team has good cover corners who are adequate against the run, they can do alot more blitzing and stunting up front with their D. Next to MLB, the most important positions on D are the CBs..followed closely by DT. Cuz if you have above average players at those spots, you can run your defense wide open.

I see what you're saying & where you're coming from--I just have to summarily disagree with it. It doesn't take much to coach a kid the correct and proper way to cover the pass. Playing DB is all about reaction times--if you can teach a kid to back pedal, and read the receiver and QB with his peripheral vision, and then react naturally to what they see--they'll make more good plays than not, because you just don't see a lot of complicated double/triple-move routes on this level.

Also, if you drill kids on this with just an extra 30 min's a day of practice in 7-on-7 drills...they get more practice with it and they react quicker in the game as a result. I simply don't think (and have heard as much) that Cwood doesn't spend as much time on pass defense as they should.

[centennialdawg]

Your comment about the qb situation at CW kinda puts in mind the problem that PV had a few years ago with the "Ryan Witt/Todd Zirkle" controversy there. Sounds the same may be happening at CW.

[Counts]

Your comment about the qb situation at CW kinda puts in mind the problem that PV had a few years ago with the "Ryan Witt/Todd Zirkle" controversy there. Sounds the same may be happening at CW.

IDK IMHO #5 could help at several positions and it is probable that his best position may be somewhere other than QB but I do not think #13 is the answer at QB (he is IMHO the best FB in the district) there next best option is a freshman this season and I am not sure that is a position you want to put a kid in that young

All in all #5 is not a bad QB but IS a better athalet than QB and IMHO that sometime gets him in trouble when he trys to more than he should.

[R0cketer]

The Chris Robinson comparison might be close, with Chris having more size. Neither makes great decisions. You want the ball in their hands a lot because they can make things happen, but you need your QB to not just make plays but not to make bad plays. With a good team your QB can be just a caretaker. That being said, I don't think Clintwood is capable of sitting back and not having someone who can run the offense. I'm not really sure whats the best option, it might be the freshman. You have to realize status quo is probably not going to work, and when there is so much negative about the QB, you severely limit his ability to lead as is. 5 is a great kid, I think he probably would be thrilled to not be the focus every play.

[sup-rbeast]

I see what you're saying & where you're coming from--I just have to summarily disagree with it. It doesn't take much to coach a kid the correct and proper way to cover the pass.

If you say so...I've done it..and it's harder to make a good CB than nearly any other position. There's alot more to that position than covering a pass. The reason you see such bad corner play in this district is because they tend to just throw a kid out there that has decent cover skills. A good corner will make a split second decision on whether he's coming up for run support or covering a WR...furthermore, he'll make tackles. Being able to cover a receiver is just half of it...if that. It takes one hell of an athlete to make a stud cornerback. Has to have decent brains and a short memory as well....and an attitude doesn't hurt.

[Ironlung]

Clintwood's decline stems from 1 thing and thats oline. They've been terrible. The first half of the season they were playing hard and being physical, now they're not breaking eggshells. Tre's not a qb, but he's the best they've got till 18 can step in at qb next year. Austin sure as hell isn't a qb. He's a damn good fb and thats where he should be. I have no idea why Tre was allowed to run for over 200 yards against Haysi and other than that he doesn't have 150 total yards for the year. I dont like and have never understood him having to go to the sideline every play to get the next play. If you counted that he'd run for over 1000 yards a night.

[CoeburnCane]

IDK IMHO #5 could help at several positions and it is probable that his best position may be somewhere other than QB but I do not think #13 is the answer at QB (he is IMHO the best FB in the district) there next best option is a freshman this season and I am not sure that is a position you want to put a kid in that young

Sorry Counts, but you nor anyone else can really talk me into believing that 18 is a better option at QB right now if you want to throw the football effectively than 13 is. 13's a sophomore in a senior's body. 18 is a freshman, and he looks like one physically, no offense to him. He's where he's supposed to be right now.

IF they decide to move 5, the next best option is to put 13 back there to pull the trigger. He may be the best FB in the district, 100% agreed, but he's more capable of playing QB than the current QB is, and there's at least 2 kids I can think of that could play a decent FB and the offense would still be better. A backfield with 13 (QB), 11 or 12 (FB), and 5 (HB), would be the best option, IMO. Or even a single back set with three WR and flexing 8 back into the backfield to block would work wonders--trust me.

13 may not be the best decision maker back in the pocket, but neither is 5. And at least 13's big enough to shake off a hit and still make a play if needed...which helps solve part of the problem with the OL not getting the job done like Lung is talking about. I also think that if the OL is blocking for someone like 5 from the halfback spot who has a knack for running the football, then that would make life easier on them.

I dont like and have never understood him having to go to the sideline every play to get the next play. If you counted that he'd run for over 1000 yards a night.

Agreed 10000000%. WR's or RB's should be running the play in to the QB. You've got more of them to rotate in and out, and only 1 QB.

[CoeburnCane]

If you say so...I've done it..and it's harder to make a good CB than nearly any other position. There's alot more to that position than covering a pass. The reason you see such bad corner play in this district is because they tend to just throw a kid out there that has decent cover skills. A good corner will make a split second decision on whether he's coming up for run support or covering a WR...furthermore, he'll make tackles. Being able to cover a receiver is just half of it...if that. It takes one hell of an athlete to make a stud cornerback. Has to have decent brains and a short memory as well....and an attitude doesn't hurt.

That's the thing man...these kids are not bad at all in run support. They've got that part of playing CB down. It's the part when a team goes 3-4 wide against them that they run into problems covering a route.

Plus, it's not like there are great WR's in the district. They aren't running multiple move routes, you're not in bump & run against them all the time, etc...most of the time, they're firing off the line and either blocking, or getting into their route. A good CB should be able to read that, and do one of two things:

1) shed the block and come up in support.

2) cover the route and look for the football when they see the WR look for it and/or feel the pass coming (aka - that mental clock goes off).

I played CB in HS too, I wasn't anything special playing any sport in any way, but I got pretty decent coaching to do those things when you're playing CB. It's not as hard as you're making it out to be.