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.
