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Off
the Air
Lynn
Meredith
Teamkong
Hey….we
won a very big game….but it won’t be the biggest! There’s
more to come…
Last
Saturday’s victory over Central Missouri was a huge victory
and the Gorillas fought through a great deal of adversity in
order to prevail 28-24. I really thought the game would not be
that close. I know I might be trying to justify my prediction
here…but if we don’t put the ball on the ground SIX TIMES in
the first half or watch Mules players jump on a live ball in our
end zone for a FREE TOUCHDOWN or have a DB play the RUN ON A
PASS PLAY or try to throw to a DEFENSIVE LINEMAN in the Red
Zone….this game would have never been in doubt!
As
a team…the Gorillas did enough to win. We survived many
crucial mistakes, freshman nerves and mental lapses, but gutted
out a gritty, but ugly victory! Yet all victories are good and
so was this one! As
a team we gave away 14 points to the Mules, while getting 0
points twice within the Red Zone. So if you do the “Fanatic
Fan” math…take away 14 from Central and give 14 to the
Gorillas….let’s see…that would make the score….42-10!!!
I don’t know for sure, but I think my prediction
was….that’s right…42-17!!??? So I was right after all….
Where
do you start?
Seriously
though…every game has it’s own complexion…it’s own
personality and this one was not particularly pretty! The
Gorillas shot themselves in the proverbial foot a few times and
gave easy points to the opponent…things that could make you
lose games. So when you review this one…you’re thankful that
the outcome was in our favor. Even though we outplayed the Mules
in every facet of the game and showed it in the
statistics…late in the game it seemed there was no guarantee
we would win.
Well
by golly….let’s talk about individuals now. Neil Philpot
played a great game. He continues to throw well and seems to be
more comfortable with our passing game each and every week. He
also is nearly unstoppable in getting positive yards when he
runs the ball. The Offensive Line was very solid and this
particular line-up seems to play well together. They may play
together a bit better with this arrangement than before injuries
to key personnel?? The disappointment was with some of the
Running Backs. Race and Bean could not hold on to the ball and
seemed to play “young” the entire day. They will learn from
this day and be better for it in the long run (no pun intended).
Joe Taylor blocked extremely well…but the highlight for me was
Mike Ward and some of the other receivers. This group came to
play! They ran routes well and went for the ball with aggression
and it was so enjoyable to watch them do their thing! I have
high hopes for this group as we go into the playoffs!
Aaron
McConnell and the Defensive Line also played
outstanding…holding Central to under 100 yards rushing while
harassing Mules QB Jimmy Sangster all day. Sangster is a fine
young quarterback, but cannot throw on the run or under
duress…which is what the Gorillas made him do all day!
The Defense had another stellar performance and will need
to repeat these same efforts EVERY WEEK in order to go all the
way!
My
one last comment about the Central State game is our infatuation
with throwing passes to Aaron McConnell. I think this is silly
and actually hurts us more than it helps. Here we are in the Red
Zone…in the 4th quarter…up 21-14… with a chance
to put the game squarely in our favor…and we throw to
McConnell down the middle and it’s picked off.
Okay…okay…I can hear many of you saying “he was
open” and if the pass would have been on target…he could
have scored! Well… maybe he could have, but it’s a waste of
talent with the receivers we have…who by the way, were having
a fantastic day….to bypass them and throw to a lineman who
can’t outrun their Secondary and who isn’t used to catching
passes. Hey, I love
the Rhino set with Aaron in the backfield, but let him
block…maybe even carry the ball in a few short yardage
situations…but you’re not going to surprise anyone by
throwing to him. Everybody gets it now…and we have great
receivers we can throw to….
(Ominous
Music starts)…Enter Darth Vader… Mr. Smith …Jaws…
insert your own movie villain here!
Okay…we
all know the villain is really Northwest Missouri. This will not
be an easy game. This team will pose a problem for us this
Saturday because of one thing….they know they can beat us.
Just
like the villain in a movie…they dominate throughout the movie
and it looks bleak for our hero….Northwest is that
villain….it doesn’t matter if they have no losses or six
losses….the Bearcats will be cocky when they play the
Gorillas….they know….they’ve beaten us SIX times in a row.
Twice they had some losses during a season….just like
this year…. and they still won. Many of their fans will be
obnoxious…. arrogant…. confident that they can defeat the
Gorillas…no matter what kind of a year they’re having.
The
Gorillas don’t have a player on this team that has EVER
defeated the Bearcats…and there is not one Bearcat player who
has EVER lost to the Gorillas….and Northwest knows it!
So
what’s a Gorilla to do against the villain??
Get
some gadget plays?? Panic?? Do a new formation?? Pee down our
leg?? Try a new pass defense?? Choke on the pressure??
Scream??
How
about….have fun….run the option….throw play action
passes…get Neil Philpot on the edge to do his thing…enjoy
the atmosphere at Arrowhead….while the Defensive Line destroys
the rhythm of their QB and their passing game…breathe
deep…as the Defense swarms to stifle a running back…relax in
the thought that all things are cyclical…that all bad times
come to an end…let our fans cheer as the Good Guys finally
come back from the brink of disaster and smash the villain…and
end the Bearcats recent winning cycle over the Gorillas. It’s
a different year…a different kind of Gorilla team….playing a
different type of Gorilla football….with a different type of
Gorilla attitude…..
Because
we all know that villains die at the end of every movie….
And……
This
movie is over.
Gorillas
35-17
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