3afan
07-15-2007, 06:13 PM
How much 7-on-7 helps isn't uniform
01:07 AM CDT on Sunday, July 15, 2007
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – According to the official rules for the FSN Southwest 7-on-7 State Championship, "no football jerseys of any type shall be worn."
It's appropriate because 7-on-7 football isn't really football. No pads, no helmets, no blocking, no tackling. And there's no doubt that Southlake Carroll would beat Edcouch-Elsa in the fall.
But Edcouch-Elsa, a 4A school near the southern tip of Texas, beat Carroll on Friday in pool play. So did The Woodlands, giving Carroll these numbers:
On the traditional field of glory, one loss in five years. On a Texas A&M intramural field that by Saturday was a field of mud, two losses in one day.
That's the best evidence that watching 7-on-7 isn't a good way to get a read on the full-contact, full-stadium season. It's like predicting the World Series champ after watching batting practice.
And practice is what 7-on-7 really is. For the offenses, it's a constant two-minute drill that allows quarterbacks and receivers to build chemistry. For defensive players, it's an opportunity to learn coverages.
"All you're thinking about is where your man is going to be next," said Plano East defensive back Josh Brown. "You've got to be on top of your job."
High Schools
"Six good practices" is what one Coppell coach told his team after its run ended in the quarterfinals. Some teams got as many as eight "practices," pushing their endurance in the summer weather.
But for the players, this was much better than practice.
"It's pure energy," said Arlington Bowie safety Dexter Linton. "You can't really hit, so you go full out on emotion."
Yes, there was a lot of emotion in the tournament. A lot of pride, too, which led to some heated competition.
"It's very intense," said Rockwall receiver Jarron White, who caught the winning touchdown in a round-of-16 victory against Lake Travis. "It feels like the regular season to me. We just don't have on the pads."
They don't have their high school coaches on the sidelines, either, because the rules don't allow them to coach. But the coaches could cheer for their players during the tournament, and they did with gusto from behind the end zones.
"We're still in the program-building mode," said Arlington Bowie's Kenny Perry. "With me, I want to win whether it's checkers, horseshoes or this. And I want them to understand that we want to win every dang game."
They seemed to understand. After a 32-31 loss to Georgetown in the semifinals, several Bowie players were in tears. It was a similar scene on the adjoining field after Arlington Lamar lost its semifinal, 35-34, to Houston Stratford.
Even the fans, who were sparse when the 7-on-7 state tournament made its debut nine years ago, were emotional. They filled the sidelines, battled the alternating rain and sunshine, and battered the officials with complaints of "he's holding!" and "he's pushing!" and – borrowed from baseball – "he missed the tag!"
"It feels like Friday night sometimes," said Carroll receiver Blake Cantu. "You kind of lose yourself in the moment."
Until he sees that Carroll is losing, of course. That's one sign that the season when jerseys must be worn hasn't started yet.
But that's little more than a month away, and the 7-on-7 competition got many players thinking ahead to 11-on-11.
"This definitely gets you ready," Coppell quarterback Dalton Williams said. "It gets you wanting to play."
01:07 AM CDT on Sunday, July 15, 2007
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – According to the official rules for the FSN Southwest 7-on-7 State Championship, "no football jerseys of any type shall be worn."
It's appropriate because 7-on-7 football isn't really football. No pads, no helmets, no blocking, no tackling. And there's no doubt that Southlake Carroll would beat Edcouch-Elsa in the fall.
But Edcouch-Elsa, a 4A school near the southern tip of Texas, beat Carroll on Friday in pool play. So did The Woodlands, giving Carroll these numbers:
On the traditional field of glory, one loss in five years. On a Texas A&M intramural field that by Saturday was a field of mud, two losses in one day.
That's the best evidence that watching 7-on-7 isn't a good way to get a read on the full-contact, full-stadium season. It's like predicting the World Series champ after watching batting practice.
And practice is what 7-on-7 really is. For the offenses, it's a constant two-minute drill that allows quarterbacks and receivers to build chemistry. For defensive players, it's an opportunity to learn coverages.
"All you're thinking about is where your man is going to be next," said Plano East defensive back Josh Brown. "You've got to be on top of your job."
High Schools
"Six good practices" is what one Coppell coach told his team after its run ended in the quarterfinals. Some teams got as many as eight "practices," pushing their endurance in the summer weather.
But for the players, this was much better than practice.
"It's pure energy," said Arlington Bowie safety Dexter Linton. "You can't really hit, so you go full out on emotion."
Yes, there was a lot of emotion in the tournament. A lot of pride, too, which led to some heated competition.
"It's very intense," said Rockwall receiver Jarron White, who caught the winning touchdown in a round-of-16 victory against Lake Travis. "It feels like the regular season to me. We just don't have on the pads."
They don't have their high school coaches on the sidelines, either, because the rules don't allow them to coach. But the coaches could cheer for their players during the tournament, and they did with gusto from behind the end zones.
"We're still in the program-building mode," said Arlington Bowie's Kenny Perry. "With me, I want to win whether it's checkers, horseshoes or this. And I want them to understand that we want to win every dang game."
They seemed to understand. After a 32-31 loss to Georgetown in the semifinals, several Bowie players were in tears. It was a similar scene on the adjoining field after Arlington Lamar lost its semifinal, 35-34, to Houston Stratford.
Even the fans, who were sparse when the 7-on-7 state tournament made its debut nine years ago, were emotional. They filled the sidelines, battled the alternating rain and sunshine, and battered the officials with complaints of "he's holding!" and "he's pushing!" and – borrowed from baseball – "he missed the tag!"
"It feels like Friday night sometimes," said Carroll receiver Blake Cantu. "You kind of lose yourself in the moment."
Until he sees that Carroll is losing, of course. That's one sign that the season when jerseys must be worn hasn't started yet.
But that's little more than a month away, and the 7-on-7 competition got many players thinking ahead to 11-on-11.
"This definitely gets you ready," Coppell quarterback Dalton Williams said. "It gets you wanting to play."