Crockett 19 Fairfield 18

[GWOOD]

Saw this on HighSchool extra. What has happened to Fairfield?

[Footballfan25]

After this loss, what is Fairfield's record and chances of making the playoffs?

[GWOOD]

Fairfield is 3-2 in a district with 8 teams. Groesbeck should win tonight and lead with 4-1 record. There easily could be three other teams with 3-2 record after tonight, including Mexia & Crockett, the two teams that have beaten Fairfield. So right now it looks like they are going to have to win out and get some help.

[eaglefan]

well give crockett a lot of credit for showing up ready to play and playing a great game. but in all honesty, crockett gave fairfield every opportunity in the world to win the game and anyone watching/listening to the game has to agree with that. Fairfield started 3 drives within the Crockett 40 in the second half and only scored one time and on their most productive drive of the night, they fumbled the ball inside the crockett 20 with 4 minutes left in the game. Fairfield also had 15 penalties I believe as well as 4 turnovers. But nonetheless after this win they are still in the drivers seat for a playoff birth. They are in a logjam with Madisonville, Teague, Crockett, and Mexia at 3-2 in district but if they win the next 2 games they are in....that is if I understood the coach correctly that I talked to after the game. Fairfield has to do a lot of soul searching these next two weeks though, because they are not the team that they were at the beginning off the year....and are far from the confident team of destiny that took the field each week last season.

[dwhite_eaglesfan]

You are right they are going to need to do some soul searching. But, it's not just the players, it's coaches as well. I believe our biggest problem is mental. A team just can't have the number of penalties and turnovers that we've had. It's not just the mistakes,but the timing of the mistakes. That's about all I better say as I said before I tend to step on peoples toes from time to time.

[fhseagle]

fairfield has lost their discipline and focus. they had 6 or 8 defensive offsides penalties in the first half alone. i also see way to many unsportsmanlike conduct and personal foul penalties, however the crockett game wasnt bad regarding those. this team has always had heart, and they need to dig deep these next two weeks. one thing...seeing as how i dont care about stepping on toes...what is up with the conservative play calling by the fairfield coaches. seems like the last several weeks fairfield has been scouted rather well. also, there are numerous amounts of athletes on the JV team, so why hasnt someone pulled up some defensive players, lineman in particular. it would help with the depth, and provide experience for the playoffs, as well as next year? we have a great coaching staff in fairfield, they just puzzle me sometimes.

[dwhite_eaglesfan]

The unsportsmanlike and personal foul penalties are unacceptable and something I thought I would never see out of this team. I agree with the play calling and the ajustments that have NOT been made. There are several players on JV that could help this team(particularity one rb). This team has too much talent to be coming off two losses.

[eaglefan]

Well I was wondering how long it was going to take for the play calling to come into effect. Scouted well you say? Just a touch. I agree in being able to do the same things well week to week, a good team should do that but here is what upsets me more than anything.....Fairfield has offensive weapons, and Fairfield has depth, but right now Fairfield is using it's depth to it's disadvantage. They are trying to spread the ball around rather than giving to their best players a good amount during the game and letting them make plays. I read in the paper that Rusk's Cody Glenn had 40 carries last week, 40 carries! Just think if there were 40 touches in the game this past week between Roderick Promise and Brian Evans. With Lightsey out, those are the big playmakers. I think Brian touched the ball 5 times and Roderick maybe 7. I know they play both sides of the ball, but these kids are in great shape and ready to take the load. If they need the playmaking ability I totally agree that Cecil should be brought up from the JV, he is having too much success down there to stay at this juncture of the season I think.

[fhseagle]

brian evans out of the backfield would be devastating...take for instance the 16 yd td that he had against crockett. and on the last drive of that game, i counted 3 seperate times that he had man coverage with a smaller defender covering him...and no DB's even paying him attention. i dont know what the coaches are thinking...maybe they are just coasting untill the playoffs and then they will show us what they really have. if they arent careful, however, they may be coasting into an early basketball season. we will see what they have to offer the madisonville mustangs...thats a must win game for them. hopefully its something a little bit different than here recently.

[eaglefan]

I am in total agreeance with you about Brian Evans out of the backfield, and I absolutley love that idea. It drove me crazy to see him with that single coverage on the outside and not even having the ball thrown his way. When you have a premier player like him who has legitimite 4.4 speed on the outside, I do not understand how you do not even try to go deep to him at least 2 to 3 times a game. You have to be willing to gamble every now and again, keep the defense honest and have a chance to put yourself in a scoring position. The conservative nature of the Eagles is killing them right now, and they have to not be afraid to succeed. It is as if they are playing not to lose, instead of playing to win. It is when you do that is when you get bit in the butt. One thing I think everyone is overlooking somehow is the loss of Kyle Lightsey. Many people thought that the Eagles would have the personnell to fill the void, but obviously that is not the case. Zac Douglas and Jamin Roller are doing a fine job at his linebacker position.....but no offense to them, they are no Kyle. You cannot replace an all-state player the caliber of Kyle Lightsey, his heart, instinct, and intensity is unmatched. Without their leader Fairfield has almost been looking for someone to step up and become the new leader. The coaches have to allow the playmakers to become the leaders now.

[dwhite_eaglesfan]

I to agree with Brian in the backfield. What I don't understand is why we don't use the whole field? We totally delete the middle of the field.Jose is good in the open field,he's to small to bang between the tackles,throw him the ball.Back to Brian,someone with his speed and ability has to have more touches. I think I might even try him at Kyles linebacker spot. I also would like to see use throw to a reciever instead of a spot.

[zeke]

<small>[ November 02, 2003, 11:06 PM: Message edited by: zeke ]</small>

[justafan_02]

you know im sittin here in Rusk, TX laughing at yall. Sounds to me like we have a bunch of wanna be coaches that have nothing better to do than get on here and try to wrip the coaches and players. What are they doing so different now than they did when they played us?? Are they still rotating backs?? Are they still using the I and shotgun? Did they scrap what they were doin early?? I talked to some people after Crockett game and sounds like they are doin same thing they did when they played us. Sounds to me like when yall were winning there were no problems. Now they have 2 losses yall start blaming people. What a joke. Yall call urselfs true fans?? You would do the kids and the coaching staff better if yall sat at home and found something else to do than try and rip the eagles. they are a good team that is trying to make the playoffs. they are 16, 17, and 18 year old kids. After reading this crap all yall were writing, I just had to respond. Things are good in Rusk. Hope the eagles regroup

[MARLINFAN]

Hey fairfield i think everything will be okay before play-offs. it semms the same thing happened to you that happend to marlin . you lost a key player and the team started to falter. the only diffrence between you and us is that we faltered in the early part of the season insted of the last part of the season when everthing counts. i think you as a team should sit down and regoup to win these last team because if you dont u want get the chance to see if marlin plays fairfied in the fourth round like alot of people want to see

[eaglefan]

Ahh justafan_02, you return again. I was wondering how long it would be before we heard from you again. What is Fairfield doing differently since they played Rusk? Many things as a matter of fact. First of all I do not want to rip Rusk at all. Rusk is an excellent team w/ a premier running back, and ya'll know it (thus the 40 carries last game). It is not a difficult game....give the ball to your best players, and do not turn the ball over or get penalties. Well, that is where Fairfield is doing things differently than week 1. Against Rusk Fairfield got the ball to its premier players....Kyle Lightsey and Brian Evans both scored big touchdowns when it mattered. Now Kyle is not there, thus a big loss. Against Rusk Fairfield had 0 turnovers. Against Crockett I believe the number was either 4 or 5. Penalties are also plaguing the Eagles, 10 penalties in teh first half alone against the Crockett Bulldogs with one of them negating a beautiful touchdown pass from Elliott to McElroy. Well you say that players turn the ball over and players commit the penalties, not the coaches. yes, this is true but those are discipline problems, and that is where the coaching staff comes in. Greater emphasis obviously has to go into hanging onto the ball for Fairfield, and the penalties that are committed are the same penalties over and over again. It's one thing to have different mistakes each week, but for the same ones to arise there is no excuse. Now for the personnell.....give Brian Evans the ball. Bottom line. He is the best player on the field, and more often than not he's the fastest and most athletic overall on the entire field, and he needs touches. Roderick Promise can be a premier back, but going both ways it is difficult to get him 25 carries, but I do not see 15 touches as being too much for him. In goal line situations, big backs need to be in the game...not scatbacks that want to get strung out to the sideline. It is a simple game, people just make it difficult. Good luck to the Fairfield Eagles, win out and you're in the playoffs....Good luck to the Rusk Eagles, you are a great team that can make noise as long as Cody Glenn gets the ball.....and last but not least good luck to the Marlin Bulldogs, we at Fairfield have nothing but respect for you guys and would like nothing more than a showdown with ya later down the playoff road.

[justafan_02]

eagle fan u should go down to the sideline..sounsd like you would be an excellent coach. what a jackass. well doin all the readin i have done(palestine paper) it sounds like fairfield has never had a "premier" back. I think when lightsey played he never got more that 10 touches. so whats the big deal now? ill tell you what it is. Ive seen your kind before. As long as your team is winning you have nothing to say. But ugg ohh we lose a game and here we go. Lets jump on em and tell em what I think. I tell you what big boy. Why dont you go to college get you a teaching degree, apply for a job. Im sure any team would be excited to have a jackass like you on staff. Go to the game, eat your popcorn , and shut the hell up. IM tired of listening to you and all the other people on here that bash the kids and coaches. We are doing great in Rusk . Yes Cody is a great back. Big difference thats all he does. No defense or specialties.

[eaglefan]

LoL, nice reply kid. I do get to see the game from the sideline, I do see what goes on. Did Fairfield ever have a premier back? Not like Glenn, but Fairfield rotated backs all the time, that's why nobody ever got more than 10 touches. I never agreed with it, I would have loved to see Kyle or Roderick get the ball 15 times or more, and if you were ever in Fairfield you would have heard Eagle fans screaming for that to happen but it never did. Now you say that everything is good when a team is winning and then as soon as the wheels start to fall off we rip the players and the coaches and jump off the bandwagon. Am I ripping anyone? No, I am second guessing them. Huge difference kid. Now I will be the first to say that I am not with them the whole week and I don't watch film, but the bottom line is that this team was 6-0, and now it is 6-2. Something is not working. It would be one thing if they lost to two EXCELLENT teams, but both of the teams were very very beatable, and I have to say lacked the overall talent in comparison to Fairfield. Fairfield just got outplayed and outcoached in those 2 games, so something needs to be adjusted. It's a simple formula, when it is working you don't change it but when people catch on and start stopping what was being done right it's time to shake things up and get back on track. I believe in our coaches and I believe in our kids, they have more heart than any football team I've ever watched. But when adjustments need to be made you just have to swallow your pride and make them. You at Rusk really don't have a lot of room to talk. Yes you are sitting with the same record I believe (6-2, correct me if I'm wrong). But both of your losses came to 19-3A teams in Fairfield and Mexia. I think the competition might be up just a touch more on westbound highway 84 also.

[dwhite_eaglesfan]

Sounds like the "jackass" lives in Rusk. Sounds like the one that needs to shut up,well he lives in Rusk to.Why don't you find some deep piney woods over there in east Texas,go way back in there and talk all that smack to the only one that wants to here it(which is you)and forget the way out.

[fhseagle]

i figure i'll jump back in this little conversation just to take a rip at the putz from rusk. ive been to every game this year, and i have said the same comments mostly over the year. i saw it in the beginning. too many penalties and turnovers...maybe not in shear numbers, but at key moments. now it has turned to moments and numbers, and you cant overcome that. fairfield will be fine, but they have to find some depth, and it is on the JV. all we need to do is sit back and have faith in the coaches, and they will pull it out. and if you want my honest opinion...yeah, you will see a huge change in the game plan in the playoffs. it may not be a different scheme, but they will be different. they will be what they should have been all year. throwing the ball downfield, across the middle, out quick. widereceiver screens, screens to the gallegos kid, qb draws...it'll all come together. but we should also not forget elliot running as a qb. he puts up pretty good numbers, and is a big boy...maybe he is in the wrong position. i know that would never change, because he is a hellofa quarterback...but its just a thought. however, it'll be different in a couple of weeks.

[eaglefan]

You mentioned Chance Elliott running from the qb position and maybe being in the wrong position. I have to disagree with you on your wrong position assumption. He is a big boy, 6'1'' 220 lbs., but last year he was the teams leading rusher with almost 900 yards and all from the QB position. Last year though, he looked to run, even on passing plays. It's not that they were calling his number to run it 10-15 times, but he would use his athletic ability to make the play. I haven't seen that this season. He is looking to do it more with his arm, instead of with his legs. The few times that he has tried to run, he has been very successful. Over these next two weeks, and hopefully into the playoffs he needs to take over with his legs I believe. Yes, on the pass he needs to have his checkoffs and try to get the ball downfield....but when it is not there, do not be afraid to take off and take over the game yourself. He has not been very precise throwing the ball over the last couple of weeks, in arm accuracy and in coverage reads, but if you are running the ball and making quick decisions then you do not have to worry about that.