The Miramar Patriots began a new season on Friday night by
taking on the McArthur Mustangs in the 2012 Kickoff Classic. The Patriots were victorious
28-0 on the night, and the performance provided plenty of fodder for me to talk
about.
So, let’s get to the recap:
McArthur
The Mustangs moved the ball very well early on. Running back
Cameron Johnson ran with good vision and impressive power. The line blocked
well, and created space for Johnson to gash the Miramar Defense.
Johnson’s power running created an opportunity in the play-action
passing game, but McArthur couldn’t capitalize. WR Onis Marte dropped a pass in the end zone
when he was open by a solid 20 yards. That was a key play in the game, as the
Mustangs couldn’t muster any points on that possession, or any other all night
long.
McArthur’s struggles on offense really started under center.
The Mustangs used 2 freshmen as their Quarterbacks, and neither one was able to
add a positive element to the offense. Starter
Kato Nelson was able to complete a few short hitches early, and also had the
throw into the endzone that was dropped. Other than that, the quarterback play
was fairly pedestrian.
On Defense, Linebacker Jeremy Benjamin stood out for his
solid play. The 6’1 senior made plays all over the field all night long as he
rotated between inside and outside linebacker. Benjamin had at least 9 tackles,
2 sacks, and 2 tipped passes by my unofficial count. His play will be key for
the Mustangs to be successful this season.
McArthur’s team features a few former Miramar Patriots,
including the aforementioned Cameron Johnson, DB Nehemiah Ali, and CB/K Malik Wisdom.
All 3 played major roles in this game for the Mustangs, and figure to continue
to do so through the entire season.
McArthur had hopes of beating Miramar in this game.
Unfortunately for them, their effort and execution were not good enough to make
that dream a reality.
Miramar
The Patriots took their time getting into the flow of this
game. The Defense started out shaky, allowing McArthur to march down the field,
and had a wide open touchdown pass dropped against them. After that early
adversity, the Darkside Defense started to live up to its name, and reputation.
Jermaine Grace is
better than ever. He had 6 tackles (2 for loss), a sack, and a deflected pass
all in the first half. His ability to switch from run defense to pass coverage
to blitzing on any play make him a terror for any offense he faces. McArthur
tried to chip him with a tight end or pull a lineman his way, but Grace was
able to shed those blocks easily and make plays. I'm interested in seeing him
continue this type of performance through the season.
In addition to Grace, Ryan Samuels
and Sanka Harris played pretty well on the first team. Samuels can be more
consistent in pass coverage, and Harris needs to control his emotions as he can
be too hyper on the field at times. Kaywon Davis, Mike Shivers, and Julian Lowe provided solid performance on the second unit, along with a few players
who played both DE and LB.
Up front, a host of Patriots proved
they will be valuable contributors during the season. Alex Trotman had 3 sacks,
and provided relentless pressure off the edge. Shawn Stephens did well against
the run, and also power slammed a running back on a tackle. Darius Young and
Telvin Arnold were stout and physical on the interior of the line. Adding depth
and a physical presence was David Lee, who had a few highlights in his time on
the field. Add Damone Thompson and
Damarious Graham to this group, and you can see why the coaches are so excited
about what this defense can do.
In the secondary, the safety tandem of D’Kambui Greaves and Andre
Godfrey Jr. played very well. Greaves
jumped an underneath route, which opened up the endzone for that one pass
McArthur dropped that was a sure touchdown. Outside of that one play, he
provided good and steady coverage in the secondary.
Behind them, Deonta Fair, Marquino Martin and Dante Campbell all
showed they can be big time players. At Corner, Terrence Gaskin had a very
strong performance. Darren Wilcox played well, but didn’t really impact the
game satistically.
The much celebrated sophomore CB duo of Tyrek Cole and Jeffery
Hill played decently in their first varsity action. Cole was the better tackler
of the two, and Hill provided better pass coverage. I like the confidence of
both players, and I really believe they will be a major reason why the defense
limits opposing offenses this season.
On offense, the thing everybody is talking about is the
competition to be the starting Quarterback. After this game, I believe we now
have a definitive answer. Junior Nick Jeanty started the game, and played to a
high level. His stats, 111/19 for 124yards with 1 TD and 0 INTs, weren’t eye
popping, but when you consider that he only played a half of football, they
make a bit more sense. Jeanty had to deal with a bit of pressure, and some low
snaps, but seemed to keep a cool demeanor on the field. His last second heave
to the endzone in the 2nd quarter was dropped by a wide open Kwasim
West, which would have added to his stats.
Gernald Hawkins played the majority of the snaps in the second
half. His play was frantic and every play seemed rushed. He missed a few open receivers,
most notably sophomore Khalil Lewis who was all alone down the right hash mark.
Hawkins was eventually able to lead a touchdown drive that was based around the
running game, but overall his performance was not as effective or dynamic and
Jeanty’s.
Freshman Demari Simpkin, who will be the JV quarterback this year,
also played about 8 plays in the game. He has a decent frame at 5’9”, and
figures to grow into his body over the next few years. He is just starting to
be exposed to the Miramar version of the spread offense, and he will have
plenty of opportunities to hone his craft at the JV level.
The receivers were alright, but not spectacular. Junior Tanares
Robinson caught the only touchdown of the day. Kwasim West, who dropped a
touchdown to end the first half, had a couple tough catches in the 3rd
quarter. Khalil Webster had a touchdown that was called back by penalty. Geonte
Smith was open in the same on a couple plays that went to another receiver. He
would have scored each time had he gotten the ball. Tyler Williams had 2
catches and some nice moves in the open field. Khalil Lewis had a nice catch,
and was overthrown on that one pass I already mentioned. Dellano Whitehead had
a catch with some nice YAC. Last, but not least, Sean Avant had 3 catches, and
showed the good hands that he has earned a reputation for having. Overall, I’d
call the performance of this group decent, but there is room for improvement.
The running backs were OUTSTANDING in this game. Alex Lee led the
charge at the beginning. Most people think of him only as a speed back. He
showed in this game that he’s a part of the #WeightRoomGang by running through
defenders, and refusing to let the first hit bring him down. His added strength
is going to help him perform this season, and hopefully (for him) earn
scholarship offers from a few more colleges.
Cameron Rigby showed why he’s such a highly touted player. He had
2 long touchdowns (each 65+ yards) called back by penalty, but that didn’t stop
him. On one drive, he had back to back runs of 38 and 52 yards. He is also the
primary punt and kickoff returner, roles which let him showcase his playmaking
ability in open space. His impact on this team may be even more than some
people anticipated. I’m very, VERY anxious to see what he can do this season.
Khalil Lewis (same name as the receiver, but no relation) showed
that he has continued his progression after being the JV MVP last year, and
earning a call-up to the varsity team for the last 4 regular season games and
the playoffs. He ran hard, made decisive cuts, and showed good speed once he
hit the second level of the defense. Lewis runs best when he goes north and
south without dancing. He has learned to make that his style of running, and
his game has jumped to another level because of it.
3 running backs into the recap, and I still haven’t gotten to the
most impressive one. Alex Anderson ran like a man possessed. The 6’1” 210lb sophomore
showed that he is a top level player whose physical style will be a great
compliment to the slashing cutback style Lee, Rigby and Lewis employ. Anderson,
who at his size still runs a 4.4 in the 40, came into the game and ran for 60
yards on limited carries. Anderson has the potential to be the best offensive
player to ever come through Miramar. Yes, including Geno Smith. That’s the
level of talent this kid possesses. Watch out for #23. Trust me.
The offensive line was average at best. Mike Miranda struggles
with the shotgun snap showed up again. Those low snaps break the offensive
rhythm and put the Patriots in long down and distance situations. Additionally,
this group had at least 5 holding penalties, and 3 false starts.
That’s the bad.
Now for the good.
The line provided ample time for all 3
quarterbacks to throw the ball. They also gave the 4 running backs plenty of
space to operate. Through this season, consistency will be the key. If the line
can find it, the Patriots will undoubtedly be successful. If they can’t, the team
will struggle. It’s that simple.
Lastly, the kicking game is in solid shape with not 1, but 2
quality kickers. Replacing Malik Wisdom who transferred to McArthur are
sophomore David Campbell and junior Michael Allinder. Campbell, a soccer style
kicker, has the stronger leg of the 2, and has made kicks as deep as 47 yards
in practice so far.
Allinder, a straight-on kicker, is a bit more accurate but
his leg isn’t as strong. Both players made kicks in this game, and both did
very well on their kickoffs. This will be an area of strength unlike any year
in the recent past for the Patriots.
Overall, I would grade this performance as a C/C+; Passing, but
not exactly where we want to be. There are a lot of good things going on with
this team, and quite a few that need improving. If the coaches can get this
team to buy into the system, and get rid of the miscues and penalties, this
season will be very satisfactory to Miramar Patriot fans.
That’s it for now. Enjoy your bonus 3-day weekend, Patriots.
Until Next Time,
Cameron J. Underwood
Miramar Sports
Miramar Sports
Hey, sometimes your comments appeared wavered an unfair, I know you can't give kudos to all the players that contributed to the game but it appears sometimes the media including you obsess about the same players I don't believe you gave kudos to the defense linemen although offense played a great game, but the linemen did a great job too, you only made mention of the linebackers. Also the two Cornerbacks that started in the game until about 8 minutes in the 4th quarter who shut down McArthur receivers were Terrence Gaskins and Darren Wilcox and I don't think Wilcox allowed any catches , Terrance, Tyreck and Jeff all had one short pass Caught on them by McArthur but all of them played excellent...but it seems that Gaskins and Wilcox contributions are often overlooked, I believe you stated Wilcox did not contribute to the game statistically but he allowed no catches or pass rushes in his zone It's seems unfair that you would make such a staunch statement! Yes none of them caught any picks, but perhaps McArthur Quarterback could not get any receivers open to throw the ball or just maybe the linemen put to much pressure on th QB. Many of these Seniors have waited their turn to contribute to the PATRIOTS behind a large senior team so before you hash out your media coverage be aware and be fair. When a receiver doesn't catch any passes or the running back in your zone then Zero catches and Zero touchdowns adds volumes to the Patriots STATS! Then there were some other secondary second team defensive players like Howard, Martin and some other defensive players who made a big contribution to McArthur not scoring any touchdowns. Yes there where mistakes made on both defense and offense but you should watch the tapes before you make comments that could impact a player image negatively, like the comments you made about Mike Miranda and Sanka Harris, you work for Miramar so don't be putting the players out there we don't need our competition with a heads up about what you assess as a weakness, leave that to the outside media. All the players who touch the field did a great job considering the only players on the field who played a great deal last year and received any notoriety was Grace, Miranda, Lee, Harris, Avant and they are all still doing their thing. Oh and this has really been one that has irritated me now I think Jeanty did a good job as QB, but you did not make mention of Hawkins, I tho ought he threw a touchdown considering Jeanty was set up to be the QB which would leave a lot more pressure and nerves on Hawkins to perform. Hawkins have been with Miramar since 9th grade but it seem that he was not given a fair chance to compete in other words he had to compete for a position he was obviously already rejected for and given to another player or should I say two other players but one left. It appears even at this level the system is loyal to no one but they expect the players to be loyal.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment, Daniel. I apologize if you feel that my coverage is biased. I do my best to share my observations of the games with you all, whatever they may be.
DeleteYou made many valid points, and I appreciate your contribution to the conversation.
Qb Hawkins should be given more credit for his play. He showed superior athleticism of the two in scooping a poorly snapped ball that rolled behind him and running it in for a +15 yard score before having it called back by a penalty. He also led a scoring drive on his first series which was marred w/ penalties placing Miramar in a 3rd and +20 situation that was converted by a beautiful pass down the field to Kasim West where he was forced to scramble out of the pocket and ended w/ a Hawkins to Khalil Lewis option pitch for a score. As a matter of fact, each drive that Hawkins was at qb the team drove the length of the field finishing 2 of 3 drives w/ touchdown scores (btw, Jeanty had double the amount of drives than Hawkins). Since the spring Hawkins has been undervalued in my estimation, but he's a proven winner and chain mover from optimist to JV and I believe when he's called upon he'll deliver for this ball club. Jeanty isn't as far ahead as you make it seem though I believe he has the advantage of 1st team varsity game experience from Archbishop McCarthy, a bit more accuracy, and the benefit of a more colorful pass-happy first half play calling style. He had his share of rush and jitters throughout his time in the game (which ended in the 3rd quarter after his touchdown pass), especially on poor snaps, but I believe his future is bright at Miramar. As long as Jenty stays healthy he'll be the man, but if he slips up for any reason and we're allowed to see Hawkins at work w/ the trust of his coaches I believe that the QB controversy talks will rear its head again. In my opinion, the running game is the best friend to both qbs. It is one of the best that I've seen since I've been watching Miramar football.
ReplyDeleteYou make some valid points. The Running Game will be a great friend of the entire team, not just the quarterbacks.
DeleteHawkins does have nice athleticism, and he made some plays while in the game.