Ballinger Bearcats

[CatWoman]

I decided I would comment finally on Friday night's game, I really have tried not to think about it. I personally can't describe what happened, well I know what happened - Wylie took it to us, but I guess I don't know why. Is lethargic accurate. I will never bash, because I love the CATS, but I've never seen them quite like that. Some of you that also saw the game, give me your thoughts.

[pero chato]

CatWoman, I was at the game and I don't want you to think I'm bashing the Bearcat players. But I've been watching Ballinger play football for 14 years now, and this was not the "fired up, take it to you" type of team that I've seen in years past.
Even in the late nineties when Ballinger was struggling a little, they would always seem fired up and ready to play. I don't know what the problem was but it was evident from the beginning that something was wrong. There just didn't seem to be much emotion or excitement. I will say that both defenses played exceptionally well. But both offenses had trouble executing--with dropped passes, blown routes, penalties, fumbles, slipping, etc. Just speculating here, but maybe the added pressure of high expectations from this group of seniors got the best of them. The good news is - the season's not over yet. Ballinger still has the coaching and talent to make a good run in the playoffs! Kids' attitudes can change quickly, it just takes a spark from some of the leaders. I hope that happens this week in practice. Whatever their distraction or pressures might be, I hope they just forget about them and go out and play Bearcat football. Good luck against Iowa Park!

[Z motion 10 out on 2]

Scouting Report on Iowa Park:

First of all they have a very good football team. They run out of multiple formations but mostly the wing T, but will also run out of the single wing, and spread. They have a decent line with decent size. #66 plays both ways on the line and he benches over 400 so he is a load to handle. #13 middle line backer is quick and also a load. He doesn't miss many tackles and will make tackles even with a blocker on him. Vernon ran the ball well against them and I suspect that Ballinger will be able to do the same. The Hawks have some speed so Posey may not break long runs. As long as they can get 4-5 yards a pop and move down the field without penalties backing them up, Ballinger should score some points.

IP's offense like I said before makes adjustments so if you stop one formation they switch. Vernon totally stopped their running game, although their FB #13 picked up a couple of 1st downs through hard running up the middle. They went to the spread and used a weird formation where they lined up a tackle out like a receiver and kept a TE on the strong side in close. That tackle was actually in a type of twins formation but he was not a eligible receiver. But if you don't put a player on him then they throw that quick pass to the other receiver and the tackle blocks down on the corner. They picked up a ton of yards doing that a couple of times. Then Vernon put a LB over there to line up with that tackle and then the QB runs up the middle because there are not enough defenders in the box. Totally confused Vernon's Defense. Their QB is quick but not blazing, but the star of this team is #5 Chase Burgher. He plays a wingback or Split end if they go to the spread, and corner. He made catch after catch against Vernon. They also run a lot of throw back passes. They will sweep left and then turnaround and throw to a back that slips out right. So that LB better stay with his man. They will throw the ball to #90 who is a tall TE. He made several key catches against Graham last week. He has good hands and is so tall! They also run a counter play well so if your defense gets over aggressive it can hurt them. They have to play their assignments well against the IP offense.

IP also has won several games in the 4th quarter. Vernon was up on them 26-7 with 8 minutes left and that is when they went to that spread formation and scored 3xs and took Vernon into OT. They also came back to beat Breckenridge and Childress in the 4th quarter so these guys never ever quit. I think they beat Childress with less than 1 minute left.

This should be a good game. I bet that both teams score a lot of points so it should be exciting.

Ok now I have given you the goods on IP so I need a report on Brady!

<small>[ November 10, 2003, 10:30 AM: Message edited by: Z motion 10 out on 2 ]</small>

[vet93]

Catwoman...I thought that the defense played a very solid game. Wylie got the ball almost the whole game on the short side of the field. If they hadn't played well, the game could have been very ugly. To limit Wylie to under 250 yards when most of our offensive possesions were 3 and out is a pretty good job. Offensively, we had a very difficult time getting going. Wylie's front 7 did a very good job of controlling the line of scrimmage. This was evidenced by Posey continually having to go wide on the pitch sweep and poor Travis didn't have any time to throw. There were some open receivers, but when you are running for you life, it is hard to find anybody. All year long...John King has been a catlyst for the team, but with a bad knee, he played sporadically on defense, very little on special teams and was obviously hobbled on offense. Our offensive line which was already thin had a really difficult time when Rodriguez and Davenport had to come out due to injuries. I don't know their status for the coming week. I will agree with you that the team did appear to be lethargic. I think fans on both sides of the stands probably noticed this, but I am the eternal optimist and will hope that the Bearcats were just suffering from a small case of the blues and will come out fighting against Iowa Park. Hopefully, the injuries will have healed well enough to allow the guys to come out fired up and ready to play. I would also like to comment on the crowd. I thought that Ballinger traveled very well. We almost filled up our side of the stands. I'll have to defer to the Wylie posters, to tell us if we had more people there than other teams this year, but I was glad that so many braved the weather.

[vet93]

z-motion...the Brady game is the one home game that I missed this year due to work. I will try and tell you what I can but have limited knowledge of their formations. Overall Brady is a quick team not a power team. They cannot line up and run flat over you. They have a very good runner in Airheart. He averaged probably over 150 yards in district games this year. He runs north and south. Tough to bring down so arm tackling will not do. They have a quarterback, Behrends, that is pretty mobile and has a decent arm. He can hurt you if you are not paying attention. At the beginning of the year they appeared to be running alot of the spread stuff, but have relied much more on the run in district with the blossoming of Airhearts running. Their defense is quick and moves to the ball really well. They gave Ballinger all that they wanted when they played us. We won by 6 points but Brady was driving inside the 20 yard line when we stopped them at the end of the game. If I was to compare them to a team that you guys have played, I would say that Breckenridge is the best comparison. They don't throw as well as Breck, in my opinion, but they have a better overall running game. They are not big and can get muscled around a little but they never give up and use their quickness to fly around the field. I would give the advantage to Vernon in this game. I think that the Lions will be able to move the ball very well on the ground. If the Lions can control the line of scrimmage, they will roll in this one. However, if you allow Brady to pound you with Airheart and then pop a quick pass, then they could make it interesting.

[CatWoman]

pero chato:
CatWoman, I was at the game and I don't want you to think I'm bashing the Bearcat players. But I've been watching Ballinger play football for 14 years now, and this was not the "fired up, take it to you" type of team that I've seen in years past.
Even in the late nineties when Ballinger was struggling a little, they would always seem fired up and ready to play. I don't know what the problem was but it was evident from the beginning that something was wrong. There just didn't seem to be much emotion or excitement. I will say that both defenses played exceptionally well. But both offenses had trouble executing--with dropped passes, blown routes, penalties, fumbles, slipping, etc. Just speculating here, but maybe the added pressure of high expectations from this group of seniors got the best of them. The good news is - the season's not over yet. Ballinger still has the coaching and talent to make a good run in the playoffs! Kids' attitudes can change quickly, it just takes a spark from some of the leaders. I hope that happens this week in practice. Whatever their distraction or pressures might be, I hope they just forget about them and go out and play Bearcat football. Good luck against Iowa Park!Thanks Pero, Z and Vet for your insight. I too am the optimist and feel sure we get the spark back before Iowa Park. I may be mistaken, but I don't think Ballinger has ever beaten Iowa Park in a playoff game. Is this right?

[vet93]

I don't know about the playoffs, but we are 1-3 all time against Iowa Park.

[CatWoman]

vet93:
I don't know about the playoffs, but we are 1-3 all time against Iowa Park.Thanks and concerning the Ballinger fans at the Wylie game, I was impressed. Z gave us a good report on Iowa Park. I hope we have everybody ready to go at full strength. I'm ready to go again and will be yelling my head off!!

[CatWoman]

TTT