Game preview - @ South Plantation

FOOTBALL SEASON IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!!

2 a days, summer conditioning, and fall camp are all things of the past. Now, it's time for teams to write their chapter of history. And for your Miramar Patriots, this is a day that couldn't come fast enough. 

Before we look at the Patriots side of things, let's first examine their opponent.

South Plantation Paladins (0-0, 0-0 District 11-8A)

Over the past 2 years, this has been a playoff matchup. The first year in 2011, the Patriots (winners of their District) hosted and defeated the Paladins 38-0 in the Regional Quarterfinals of a playoff run that ended in the State Championship game. Read my recap of the 2011 game here.

Last year, the Paladins hosted, but the end result was the same: a 3-0 Miramar victory, and the end of the season for South Plantation. Read my recap of last year's game here.

As for this year, the Paladins figure to be in for a struggle. Over the past 2 years, South Plantation has lost some very good college level talents, including Broward County's leading rusher in 2011 RB Alex Collins (Arkansas) and QB John Frankline (Florida State). In all honesty, those 2 players were the ones who propelled South Plantation into the playoffs in these past seasons, and without them to create plays and score points, the Paladins will struggle to recreate their past success.

The Paladins lost their kickoff classic 39-7 to Everglades. While they have decent talent, losing by such a large margin to the Gators, who haven't made the playoffs 2005, is a warning sign. It doesn't figure to portend good things for the future prospects of the South Plantation season.

The Miami Herald and South Florida High School sports are calling for the Paladins to lost by 20+ points. Barring a bunch of turnovers from Miramar, I tend to agree with those predictions.

2 Reasons South Plantation might win:

The Paladins force turnovers and turn those takeaways into points.

The Patriots overlook a team without it's best 2 players from the last few seasons, and jump out to an early lead while Miramar tries to settle in and find a rhythm.

Miramar Patriots (0-0, 0-0 District 12-8A)

The Miramar Patriots have always played for Pride, but that mantra seems to be even stronger this year.

Last season, the Patriots couldn't find any consistency, earning the District runner-up spot in the last week of the season, and struggling to a 7-5 finish. While most teams would love to have a 7-5 season that included a playoff run, but Miramar isn't most teams. This is a program that has grown into one of the best in Florida, and anything short of contention for a State Championship is, in anyone's estimation, a failure.

But, that is in the past. This year brings a renewed focus and energy, and the Patriots will try to turn that focus and energy into on-field success.

Head Coach Damon Cogdell also serves as Defensive Coordinator of one of the best defenses in the State of Florida: the Darkside defense. This year's Darkside will be led by the back 7 (linebackers and defensive backs). For the linebackers, seniors Ryan Samuels, Kaywon Davis and David Lee figure to log most of the snaps, with junior Danzel King being the primary backup. There could also be occasions that see the Patriots using a 3-4 alignment where all of those players (as well as others) seeing time together.

In the secondary, there are many talented players. Led by senior Andre Godfrey and juniors Tyrek Cole, Jeff Hill Jr., and Josmar Diaz-Martinez, this unit is full of lockdown players who will make life difficult for opposing offenses.

On the Defensive line, senior Alex Trotman and junior William Crumpton will use quickness, agility, and technique to get to the quarterback. Other players on all levels of the defense will make names for themselves throughout the course of the season. 

As for the offense, it is no secret that last season was a struggle. In 6 of the 12 games, the offense scored 14 or fewer points, much to the chagrin of players, coaches, and fans alike. For a team as athletically talented as last year's Patriots were, that lack of production was puzzling, to say the least.

Enter new offensive Co-ordinator Travis Taylor. He joins the Miramar staff after spending time at Boyd Anderson, and brings a new spin to the spread offense. I can't tell you everything that I've seen in practice, but suffice it to say that you'll see some things you already know and love (multiple formations, multiple receivers on the field at a time), and some thing that are a bit different.

At the Quarterback position, seniors Gernald Hawkins and Nick Jeanty both have the talent to start and be very effective players. Hawkins, a dual threat player, can make plays with his arm or legs with equal success. Jeanty, a prototypical pocket passer, is most comfortable throwing the ball, but will run sporadically. The offense has unique packages for both players in addition to its base/staple plays. It will be interesting to see which player has won the starting job for the opener.

To say there is an embarrassment of talent at Running Back would be a gross understatement. Seniors Khalil Lewis, Eric Pittman, and Cameron Rigby all figure to play prominent roles, while junior Alex Anderson may be the most physically talented player of this group. There shouldn't be a play where the running back is tired. All of these players can play and make a big impact in games.

At receiver, seniors Kwasim West and Tyler Williams lead an impressive group. Junior Kahlil Lewis (no relation to the running back of the same name) might be the most coveted recruit of this group with his combination of size, speed, and skill. Watch out for manchild sophmore Kevin Purlette. He was a featured target in the summer 7-on-7 circuit, and continues to make plays in practice. He will make an impact through this season.

On the line, seniors Stewart Boyd, Yodny Cajuste, Damone Thompson and junior Leeward Brown are tasked with protecting the quarterbacks, and opening holes for the running backs. This group once again won the OLine challenge at the Dolphins 7-on-7 tournament, and will be integral to Miramar's offensive success this year.

For the Patriots, this season comes down to 2 things: can the offense consistently score points, and is this team going to be disciplined enough to eliminate the mental mistakes that plagued them a year ago?

While I don't have South Plantation's full roster (it is a new season afterall), I can't see the Paladins having much of a chance against the Patriots. A running clock in the 4th quarter wouldn't surprise me at all.

Why Miramar might win:
The Darkside defense comes out fast and strong, forces turnovers, and stifles the rebuilding South Plantation offense.

The offense finds its stride and replicates the chunk plays (20+ yards) and points that Everglades was able to achieve against South Plantation in the kickoff classic.

What to watch for:

South Plantation
Who are the playmakers?
Can the defense shore up the holes that were present last week?
Is there any home-field magic?

Miramar
Does the Darkside defense control the game?
Which QB runs the offense most effectively?
Which RB has the standout game?
Can the Patriots eliminate the mental errors (turnovers, penalties) that curtailed their 2012 season?

Kickoff for the 2013 season will be at 7pm on Friday night. For address information and customizable directions to South Plantation for the game, CLICK THIS LINK

Summer is over, and football season is BACK.

Is it time for kickoff yet?

Until Next Time,


Cameron J. Underwood
Miramar Sports

Playoff Game Recap - Regional Quarterfinal at South Plantation

After a long, intense, and interesting regular season, the Miramar Patriots began the Road to Orlando by travelling to face the South Plantation Paladins.

This was a rematch of the Regional Quarterfinal from last year. Last year, the Patriots demolished the Paladins 38-0. This year, the game was tightly contested, and very contentious at times. In the end, Miramar advanced with a 3-0 victory.

• You can read the Miami Herald recap by Manny Navarro here
• You can read the Sun-Sentinel recap here

Let's take a look at some of the key factors from this game:

South Plantation:

• Much has been made of the talents of senior RB Alex Collins. In this game Collins, Broward County's leading rusher, was contained and shut down by the Darkside defense. Collins, who sustained a shoulder injury last week (which I saw him get wrapped before the game), was unable to shake Miramar LB Jermaine Grace, who shadowed him all over the field. Collins grew frustrated to the point that he earned a personal foul penalty for grabbing Grace's facemask after the LB pushed Collins out of bounds. Collins, beaten and bruised, left the game for good due to a wrist injury (which I'm pretty sure occurred on the personal foul play) in the 4th quarter. He only played 3 snaps in the 2nd half. Collins ended the game with 9 carries for 13 yards, and 1 catch for -1 yard.
• Recent FSU Commit QB John Franklin was pressured and ran for his life most of the game. The senior was sacked by the Miramar Defense 7 times, pressured many others, and pretty well contained  on the night. He finished 6/17 for 42 yards passing and 1 interception. Much had been made about his progression since we saw him play last year. His performance on the night did not bear that to be true.
• The South Plantation defense played some good football. After allowing the Patriots into the red zone 6 times, they only allowed 1 field goal on the night. They played quick, smart, strong football, and should be applauded for their effort. They kept their team in the game, and kept this from being a much larger margin of victory for the Patriots.
• Overall, South Plantation just didn't have enough talent to win this game. Their star players, Collins and Franklin, were held in check, and without them playing amazing games, the Paladins weren't able to make much happen against the Patriots.

Miramar:

• Any recap of this game has to start by talking about the Darkside Defense. This group played outstanding football, and limited the Paladins to 83 total yards and 7 first downs on the night. Collins and Franklin were unable to shake the defense, and the Paladins were held scoreless for the 2nd time in 3 games. It was also the 2nd shutout for the Patriots on the year, and the 3rd time they held an opposing offense scoreless (Northeast's scores came on defensive returns). Great job by the Darkside!
• Leading the defense were Seniors Jermaine Grace, Sanka Harris, Ja'Quan Smith, and Junior Ryan Samuels. Grace and Smith had 8 tackles each, while Harris and Samuels had 7 tackles a piece. They were physical , ferocious, and determined not to let South Plantation find space for their players to operate.
• The defense sacked South Plantation quarterbacks 8 times. Ja'Quan Smith led the team with 3 sacks, while Alex Trotman and Shawn Stephens had 2 each. David Lee had 1 sack on the night.
• Andre Godfrey Jr. had a great interception, which he returned 34 yards. That's his 2nd pick in the last 2 games, and clear evidence that he's elevating his level of play at the perfect time of the year.
• There were a couple HUGE hits in this game, most notably delivered by Jermaine Grace, Telvin Arnold, and Tyrek Cole. I want to see more of that, gentlemen.
• Against our offense, South Plantation clearly had 1 goal: Don't let Eric Pittman get loose. They upped their intensity every time #4 came on the field, and it showed in their performance. Pittman, who had rushed for 227 yards and 5 touchdowns in the last 2 regular season games, found little room to operate, and was held to just 35 yards on 18 carries. He also dropped a pass on the game's opening play that, if caught, would have gone for a touchdown. I'm anxious to see how he bounces back next week.
• Nick Jeanty started hot, going 6/9 in the first half. His seam route pass to Tanares Robinson almost went for a touchdown, but Robinson was caught by the back of his jersey. Jeanty showed good touch, and nice velocity on his throws through the game. He struggled in the 2nd half after the rain started. I'd still like to see more decisive throws from him.
• Jeanty showed something that he hasn't very much this season: an ability to run. He kept the ball on the read option a few times, and stepped up out of pressure to find good yardage available. This might  prove to be a valuable weapon for the offense in the future.
• Wide receivers only got 6 receptions, but we only called about 16 passing plays on the night. With Jeanty running on a couple, the opportunities outside weren't many. There are still elite playmakers at this position, and they will make an impact for this team before long.
• Kicking has been an up and down proposition for the Patriots this season. Michael Allinder's 25 yard field goal, the only scoring in the game, was a pure kick and would have been good from 45 yards. I liked his confidence in taking and making that kick. His performance will be needed throughout the playoffs.

An Underwood Rant:

I hate to do this, but I can't let this slide anymore: the referees clearly have an agenda against Miramar. 

In this game, where BOTH teams were getting chippy, hitting after the whistle, and talking back and forth, the crew only cited Miramar for fouls. Miramar had 17 penalites. South Plantation had 5 (3 of which were false starts). 

This cannot continue. 

Over the years, the referees have repeatedly looked at Miramar as the only team who has infractions. There have been many games in the past and this year where the difference in the penalties for us versus the opponent is 4 to 1 or 5 to 1. The ONLY game where you could argue that we got the benefit of calls in the last 5 years would be this year's game against St. Thomas Aquinas. 

Let me be clear: I'm not asking for extra calls. I'm not asking for the referees to give us an advantage. I'm asking that they STOP giving the opponent the extra advantage, and call the game fairly. Offsides is offsides. I have no problem with that. But when you have a 5 yard penalty, then talk as a group of officials, and all of a sudden change that to 2 personal fouls, something has to be said. 

In short, Referees need to stop playing for the other team, and go back to being impartial arbitrators of the game action. Because, when it comes to Miramar games, they're playing for the opponent.

Those are my thoughts. What are yours?

Until Next Time,

Cameron J. Underwood
Miramar Sports

Game Preview - vs. Cypress Bay

District play continues this week, as the Football season hits its halfway point. Teams are starting to find their identity, and build their resumes for the playoffs. Also, as the season continues, Rivalry Games will be coming pretty frequently now.

And for the first major Rivalry Game in District 12-8A, I present to you the teams who have won this District (or any District they’ve been members of) for the past 6 years. Two teams who have a long history of fierce competition in many sports, but most of all Football.

Cypress Bay.

Miramar.

Only one can win. Let’s look at the teams:

Cypress Bay Lightning (3-1, 1-0 District 128A)

Cypress Bay has always been a tough team to play. Led by Coach Mark Guandolo, a veteran whose teams won multiple State Championships when he was at Chaminade-Madonna, the Lightning are a tough, disciplined, and opportunistic team who can present problems for their opponent in all 3 phases (Offense, Defense, Special Teams) of the game.

This year, Coach Guandolo got rid of the only offensive attack he’s ever used: the Wing-T, and replaced it with a hybrid I-Formation/Spread offense.  This has opened up the field for the Cypress Bay skill position players, and made the game a little more interesting for players and fans alike.

The offense is led by Senior QB Jaranta Lewis. Lewis, a 3 year starter, has pressured defenses for years with his dual threat (running and passing) abilities. Lewis has had a strong start to the year, but the passing game took a step backwards last week vs. Flanagan. Cypress Bay could only muster 59 yards passing on the night, and looked out of sync. Lewis will need a big game throwing the ball for the Lightning to be successful.

Lewis’ #1 target is Senior WR Alex Montgomery. Already committed to Wake Forest, Montgomery  is a large target (6’2”, 208lbs) who has become the headliner at receiver for Cypress Bay. His numbers are already impressive, with 12 catches for 338yards (28.2 yards per catch) and 2 touchdowns. He is one of the top skill position players in the District, and his production will be integral to the success that the offense will be able to enjoy.

The third leg of the triangle that is the Cypress Bay offense is Senior RB Matt Dayes. Another 3 year starter (along with Lewis and Montgomery), Dayes looks to add to his impressive resume at the expense of the Patriot defense. Dayes’ numbers are also impressive through 4 games (376 yards, 4 td), and that production on the ground has been the centerpiece of the efficient and effective Cypress Bay offense.

Complimenting Dayes is Senior RB Josh Kaiser, who seems to have a penchant for scoring long touchdowns. Last year, I remember reading recaps of games seeing Kaiser as having scored from 70+ yards multiple times. Already this year, he’s scored long touchdowns against St. Thomas Aquinas and South Broward. He doesn’t get many touches, but don’t let that fool you. Kaiser is a player. Watch out for him.

The offensive line is one of the best units in the State. Led by Senior C Jason Rae, the Lightning look to create lanes for their skill players to succeed in space.  The offense around them may have changed, but the offensive line, and their hard nosed mentality, remain the same.

The Defense is stingy, and full of solid players. WR Alex Montgomery pulls double duty as the starting Free Safety, and RB Maquese Dudley-Gordon is another 2-way star. Linebacker Nico Marley, grandson of Reggae music legend Bob, and CB Boaz Joseph are Division 1 recruits with multiple offers. The Defensive Line is largely unproven, and will face the uneviable task of containing the potent Miramar running game.

The defense is allowing an average of 17.75 points per game, but that stat is slightly misleading. Apart from St. Thomas score 43 points against them, Cypress Bay has not allowed more than 12 points to any opponent this season. They will need to have another good night, playing fast and hitting hard, to stop the Patriots and emerge victorious.

Why Cypress Bay Might Win:

We’ll get to that later.

Miramar Patriots (2-2, 1-0 District 12-8A)

The Miramar Patriots got back in the win column last week, defeating West Broward 48-3. That game, our first in the District this year, featured a solid effort in all 3 phases of the game. For more reaction to that game, check my Game Recap here: http://miramarsports.blogspot.com/2012/09/2012-game-recap-4-west-broward.html

The Patriots still need to find a consistent rhythm and identity on offense. They are averaging 335.5 yards of total offense and 25.25 points per game. Lackluster scoring performances against Bradenton Manatee and Northeast were balanced against high scoring games against Ely and West Broward. Miramar will need to find a way to play like the latter games, not the former.

Leading the passing attack is Junior QB Nick Jeanty, who has completed 71.8% of his passes, for 559 yards, with 4 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Jeanty has been very effective completing short passes, and deadly in the screen game (3 of his 4 touchdowns have come on screens). I would still like to see him stretch the field vertically a bit more, but when you’re completing nearly 3 out of every 4 passes, you have to be pleased with that efficiency out of the QB.

The running attack is the heart and soul of the offense. Averaging 186.25 yards a game, and with 6 solid players who contribute, Miramar has shifted to a ground and pound team overnight, after years of spread football with 30+ passes a game. The coaching staff has made it a point to control the line of scrimmage and dominate the running game. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Patriots eclipse 200 yards rushing in this game. This figures to be one of the focal points to the offensive gameplan.

The Lightning Squared backfield of Alex Lee and Cameron Rigby has combined for 488 yards rushing and 5 touchdowns through the first 4 games of the season. They are each adept at finding holes and using their speed and shake to leave linemen and linebackers grasping for air in the secondary. Both will need to bring their “A” games to Branca Stadium on Friday night.

Other players who figure to see time in the backfield for the Patriots are Juniors Khalil Lewis and Eric Pittman, Sophomore Alex Anderson, and Senior Malik Mapps as both the FB and single back.

The Receivers have done a good job so far this year, and many of them have contributed to the team’s success offensively. 11 different players have caught passes to this point of the season (although I don’t expect OT Damone Thompson to have any more catches this year). With a 10.14 yards per catch average, this group is nearly a guaranteed first down every time they get the ball. They, like their QB Jeanty, are looking for a breakout game.

Leading the 11 players who have caught a pass are Senior Sean Avant and Junior Geonte Smith. Also contributing to the passing attack are Tanares Robinson, Delano Whitehead, Khalil Webster and Kwasim West. With all that talent at receiver, it’s mildly surprising that 3 of the 4 touchdown catches have gone to running backs, with the Alexes (Anderson and Lee) and Cameron Rigby each having one.

The Darkside Defense has been one of the best in the State for years, and they look to build on their already impressive track record this season. They shut down Bradenton Manatee for the better part of 3 quarters, stifled Ely for most of the night, held Northeast to -17 yards of total offense, and outside of 2 Keenan Thompson runs from the Wildcat, completely shut down West Broward. This unit is full of playmakers, and they figure to bring their normal championship caliber effort .

Special teams, like offense, would like to have a strong game this week. There are many players who are fighting for playing time, and they might catch the eyes of their coaches with a solid play or 2 in the 3^rd phase of the game.

Lastly, no current Miramar player has EVER lost to Cypress Bay. Not on JV. Not on Varsity. I’m sure they don’t want the game on Friday to be their first experience tasting defeat at the hands of the Lightning. The whole team, to a man, will have to give his absolute best effort for the Patriots to extend the 6 game winning streak (including JV) against the rival Lightning.

Why Miramar might win:

Again, we’ll get to that later.

What to Watch for:

Cypress Bay

-----

Miramar

-----

Wondering where the “Why (insert team here) might win” section went? Well, I left that analysis up to 2 student journalists. One representing Cypress Bay, and one representing Miramar. For their analysis, and picks to win, check out the special feature “Point/Counterpoint” right here: http://miramarsports.blogspot.com/2012/09/pointcounterpoint-cypress-bay-vs-miramar.html

Until Next time,

Cameron J. Underwood
Miramar Sports

2012 Game Recap #3 - @ Northeast

The Miramar Patriots continued their 2012 season with a trip to Oakland Park to play the Northeast Hurricanes. After a defensive struggle, the Patriots lost by a score of 13-5.

There’s plenty to talk about, so let’s get right to it:

Northeast:

The Hurricanes came out with a simple game plan: Hold the Miramar offense under 10 points, and let Stacy Coley make a couple plays to win the game. In the end, this plan worked to flawless perfection.

Leading the charge was Coley. The 6’2” WR didn’t do much on offense, but he still found a way to impact the game. On offense, he had 1 catch for -4 yards. Northeast tried to get Coley involved often, throwing the ball his direction 6 times on the night. Coley’s athleticism and talent were apparent, even without much on the stat sheet for his primary position. But, that wasn’t the only position Coley played.

Coley, who is CLEARLY Northeast’s best player (and one of the best in the State) had a 65 yard punt return early in the game to energize his team. He nearly broke this play for a touchdown, further proving the point that Special Teams are a major issue for this year’s Miramar team. His biggest play, however, came on defense.

Playing Free Safety the entire night, Coley came up with an interception on a ball that went through a Miramar Receiver’s hands. After catching the interception on his own 5 yard line,  Coley went into offensive mode, and made a highlight reel 95 yard return for a touchdown, weaving his way through, around, and past the entire Miramar Offense. This play, Northeast’s second Interception returned for a touchdown, put the Hurricanes up 13-0 late in the 2^nd quarter. On this night, that lead would prove to be insurmountable for the Patriots.

Other than Coley, who basically won the game by himself, Northeast got good pressure on the Miramar running game from their defense. Constantly stacking 8 men in the box, even with Miramar in their traditional spread formations, the Hurricanes blitzed up the middle and dared the Patriots to beat them by throwing the ball. This was something that worked well for Northeast.

The other play that turned the tide was Zeffery Clark’s interception return for a touchdown. Sitting in the flat, Clark under cut an out route, and caught the ball that seemed as though it was thrown directly to him. 27 yards later, the Hurricanes had a 7-0 lead, and all the momentum they needed.

Apart from those 2 plays, and the constant stuffing the middle to prevent Miramar from running the ball, the Hurricanes didn’t do much of anything. Their offense ended the night with -17 yards of total offense. RBs Jamal Wallace and Timonte King had a couple decent runs in the 6-8 yard range, but that’s it.

In the end, it was not a team but a singular player who won this game. With his passion (heard SCREAMING at team mates on a number of occasions), football knowledge (it was he who called the defensive coverages, not the middle linebacker), and physical skills (which I’ve already noted), Stacy Coley dominated this game from beginning to end. That Northeast as a team won is only a side note.

This night, this game, and this victory belonged to one man.

Stacy Coley.

Miramar:

Let’s start with the good, before moving to the bad.

Jermaine Grace and the Darkside defense had another strong showing. They held Northeast to -17 yards of total offense, and limited Stacy Coley to 1 catch, and 1 run from the wildcat. All night long, the Hurricanes struggled to gain any traction on offense.

While Grace (8 tackles, 2 Tackles for Loss) had another strong game, the real stars were DTs Telvin Arnold and Ja’Quan Smith. Arnold (11 tackles,  3 TFL) provided constant pressure in the center of the defensive line. Smith chipped in with 6 tackles (1 TFL), and the two occupied the Northeast offensive line all night long.

With the line concerned with Arnold and Smith, the linebacking corps of Grace, Ryan Samuels (8 tackles, 2 TFL), and Sanka Harris (7 tackles, 2 TFL) were able to run free and find the ball, something they are obviously adept at doing.

The secondary stood up to the challenge of containing Coley. CB Tyrek Cole was primarily responsible for this task, as he shadowed Coley for most of the night. The Safties, Andre Godfrey and D’Kambui Graves, were good in both run support and deep coverage over the top of Coley.

When your defense pitches a shutout, holds the opposing team to -17 yards, and limits the touches of it’s All-American caliber player to 2 for the whole game, normally you expect to win.

That didn’t happen.

And now, for why that didn’t happen: the offense.

Northeast had a simple gameplan on defense: stack the middle, contain the lightning-squared running attack of Alex Lee and Cameron Rigby, and force Miramar to complete passes vertically. They accomplished the former, and with Miramar unable to do the latter, the Hurricanes looked like geniuses.

The running game, which had been the unquestioned strength of the Miramar offense, was subpar on this night. Alex Lee, who entered the game averaging 149.5 yards per game, was limited to 1 yard. He did lose 22 yards recovering a bad snap, which detracted from his total, but even still, he was not the electric player we had seen in the previous games.

Cameron Rigby found slightly more success. He finished with 67 yards on 11 carries, and had the biggest offensive play of the night: a 35 yard run shortly before halftime that put the Patriots at the Northeast 3 yard line. Inexplicably, the Patriots decided to throw the ball 3 times, and not run it, and were forced to settle for a 27 yard David Campbell FG.

Overall, Miramar could only muster 48 yards rushing on 32 carries. That number includes sacks and other losses, usually from recovering a bad snap. Whichever way you look at it, this level of production is not going to be good enough to win games.

While the running game had its struggles, the real issue facing the offense is the lack of a downfield passing game. QB Nick Jeanty’s numbers look fine on the surface (19/25, 167 yards), but upon further examination, they leave much to be desired.

There is an argument that there are issues beyond Jeanty’s control (more on this later), but there is no argument that his play can still improve. The first interception for a touchdown was just a bad read. Jeanty threw the ball to a defender who was in the flat playing cover 2 zone, and that was that. With the entire offense up the field, the Northeast defender had a clear path to the endzone, and a 7-0 lead. That throw was Jeanty’s fault. The other interception? Not so much.

Driving late in the 2^nd quarter, Jeanty looked to hit a receiver deep down the middle of the field on a post. The receiver (I forget which one) let the ball go through his hands, and the pass was intercepted by Stacy Coley at the 5 yard line. I’ve already detailed the rest of this play, so I don’t need to do that again. I will say that during this return, the offense did not hustle, did not chase Coley with any sense of urgency.  I know the pick wasn’t Jeanty’s fault, but somebody has to at least TRY to tackle Coley on that return.

Jeanty completed many passes (76%), but they were mainly underneath routes, and screens. You can’t run an effective passing offense with every throw being less than 15 yards from the line of scrimmage. Defenses are too good for that, even from a team like Northeast who, realistically, had no reason to be within 2 touchdowns of this Miramar team.

The offensive line could have been better. The bad snap was a scourge again, hindering the offense from getting or maintaining a rhythm.  The Tackles were repeatedly beaten in both running and passing situations, and the Patriots rotated 8 players up front. I know that having depth is key, but if we can’t find a consistent group of 5 linemen to rely on, this season may continue with problems and disappointment.

Now, to address a real hot button issue: play calling.

Many people have been talking about it, and I can’t ignore it anymore. The offensive play calling has been bad. In the Manatee game, we went away from the run, even though we were gaining huge chunks of yards on every play. Against Ely, I thought it was marginally better, but still not great. We basically just outmatched the Tigers physically.

In this game, it was abundantly clear that if we couldn’t run the ball up the middle our offense would struggle to do anything. Once that was taken away, there was no wrinkle, or adjustment, or constraint play to counteract what the defense was doing.  Here is an analogy that you will understand: it was like we were playing NCAA on Heisman Difficulty and only running 3 plays. Not gonna get very far with that.

Special teams didn’t help any either. Kicker David Campbell went 1/3 on Field Goals, making from 27 yards, and missing from 37 and 44. His leg is big enough for those kicks, but his technique is not consistent in game action.

Kick coverage was once again an issue. Coley had a 65 yard punt return that he almost took to the house, and another Northeast player had a 30 yard return on a kickoff. Both players were steps away from breaking loose for touchdowns. Following Rashard Robinson’s 96 yard kickoff return in the Ely game, and the 2 blocked punts at Manatee, and we have PLENTY of hard evidence that the systems we are running on special teams are greatly flawed. If they’re not changed, they will continue to cost us ballgames, plain and simple.

When you have only 1 of your 3 phases (Offense, Defense, Special Teams) that is positive, you can’t win games. We have tried this experiment twice so far this year.

I’m not sure how many more times we need to do this before realizing that we need some MAJOR changes to get back to competing to win games, let alone challenge for championships.

Where do we go from here?

In my opinion, this game is more troublesome than the Manatee game. This was a team that is not as talented as we are, save for 1 player. They had no business being on the same field as us, and we still found a way to lose, and look BAD losing. It’s time for real concern.

Issues to address:

1. Offensive gameplans and efficiency. I go to practice almost every day. I see what we’re working on and installing every week. I will say that I’ve seen no less than 8 different offensive concepts practiced EXTENSIVELY through the week, and not run even one time in the games. There are others, like the triple stacked WR look from the first play of the Manatee game, that have only been run once or twice TOTAL this season.
   
   We have become far too predictable on offense. If we’re going to only run our “staples”, the basic plays that our offense can rely on depending on the situation, then why are we practicing these other concepts so much? If we’re practicing them as much as we are (which is a substantial amount) why are we not running them in games? I have more questions, but you get the idea. The offense needs a lot of work, from the playcalling, to the passing game, to the revival of the running game, and the consistency of offensive line play. Lots to address here.
   
2. Quarterback-Center exchange. Bad shotgun snaps came back to haunt this team yet again. Something has to change.
   
3. Details. The Offense tried to “go on 2” a couple of times. Having little or no experience with that, the younger offensive linemen jumped early. The wide receiver from the 2^nd interception didn’t look the ball into his hands. Players jogged on that return, and on the 65 yard punt return, and didn’t wrap up when they made contact. Alone, the issues aren’t the bad. Put together, and the details made the difference. Gotta fix that.
   
4. Protect the ball. 7 turnovers in 3 games. Do I really need to say anything else?

In my game preview I said that Northeast would try to let Stacy Coley win the game singlehandedly. He came through for them in a way that Denard Robinson, Patrick Peterson, Jeffery Godfrey and others could not. I had never seen a Miramar team lose to 1 man.

Until Friday.

This season is at a crossroads. This team has to dedicate itself to playing a complete game each and every time out, or run the risk of being in this same position, questioning what went wrong, more times than they’d like.

Miramar Football. 1-2.

I still can’t believe it.

Those are my thoughts. What are yours?

Until Next Time,

Cameron J. Underwood
Miramar Sports 

2012 Game #1 Recap - at Bradenton Manatee

The 2012 season opener featured the Miramar Patriots taking a trip to Bradenton to take on the Manatee Hurricanes on Labor Day Weekend.  After a hard fought first half, Manatee exploded in the 2^nd half for 35 points, and a 41-6 victory.

While the final score may seem like this game was a blowout, the contest was actually much closer than the score may have indicated. Let’s take a look at what happened:

Bradenton Manatee:

Cord Sandberg played a good game. He’s not an explosive player who just does things you can’t comprehend (think Duke Johnson last year). What he is is a very good player, with above average skills across the board, and a phenomenal understanding of his abilities and the Manatee offense.

Sandberg’s performance was not flawless, however. He had 3 fumbles in the  game. He was ruled down on the last 2 (both recovered by Miramar) by what can only be classified as questionable calls.

Throughout the game Sandberg operated the Manatee offense with controlled excellence, making all the right reads in the option running game and the controlled passing game. And, in the end, he led his team to victory. Can’t ask for much more than that.

RB/WR Anthony Lauro was billed as the other top offensive playmaker for Manatee. He had a solid game and showcased good skills, but he wasn’t the player who really hurt the Patriots.

RB Trevon Walters made a name for himself based off his stellar performance. He ran for nearly 100 yards, showed good hands as a receiver (his wheel routes were positively destructive), and scored 2 touchdowns, 1 rushing and 1 receiving. Only a Junior, Walters is sure to garner many accolades and college attention. It was he, not Sandberg, who was the difference marker for the Hurricanes.

Apart from Sandberg, Lauro, and Walters on offense, the Manatee Defense made timely stops, and caused turnovers when they had the chance. Free Safety Willie Smith had 2 interceptions, and provided solid coverage in the secondary. The linebackers and defensive backs played solidly throughout the game, but left plenty of open space for Miramar Running Backs (more on this later).

The vaunted Manatee Defensive Line played well at times. Marquis Dawsey had a solid if unspectacular game. Derrick Calloway had ½ a sack, and made a few plays behind the line. DeMarcus Christmas had a sack, and disrupted a couple inside running plays. But nothing they did can compare to the game that Blake Keller had.

Keller, a 3 star recruit committed to UCF, was the best player on the field. He blocked 2 punts (returning the 2^nd for a touchdown), had 2.5 sacks, 8 tackles (4 for loss), and provided constant pressure when the Patriots looked to pass. Without a doubt, he was the MVP of this game. His big plays, especially the blocked punts, turned the momentum of the game, and gave Manatee short fields, which they converted into touchdowns in the 2^nd half.

Lastly, the wrinkles employed by Coach Joe Kinnan and his staff were great. Particularly, sending an outside receiver deep down the field, and replacing that open space on the field with Walters (and Lauro a couple of times) was something that gave Manatee an advantage on the edge of the Patriot defense. That one strategic move made the rest of the Manatee playbook come alive, and enabled them to put points on the board quickly, and repeatedly, in the second half of the game.

Miramar:

Even in the face of defeat, there were some bright spots for Miramar. The running game, led by Alex Lee and Cameron Rigby, continually gashed the Manatee defense. Lee finished with 133 yards on just 13 carries, and showcased his top level speed. Rigby had somewhere in the neighborhood of 85 yards, and routinely made guys miss with his open-field shiftiness.  Rigby was about 2 steps away from breaking a long touchdown in the first quarter, but stumbled as he crossed the Manatee 45. Huge opportunity missed there.

Alex Lee running away from Manatee's Derrick Calloway

In the past, Miramar has employed a running game we named “Thunder and Lightning”. This year, it’s more like Lightning-squared. And, when you add in Khalil Lewis and Alex Anderson,  you have a formidable group of running backs who will pose problems for every opponent Miramar faces this season.

Nick Jeanty started strong in his Patriot debut. He opened the game 5/5, and hit Sean Avant with a perfectly thrown fade for Miramar’s only touchdown on the opening drive of the game. After that strong start, Jeanty wasn’t as successful as he or the team, would have hoped. He threw 3 interceptions on the day, but let’s look at them each individually:

1. The first one was an under-thrown ball where his receiver, Tyler Williams, was open by 3 steps up the sideline. If properly thrown, Williams walks into the end zone. Since the ball was short, the defender was able to get a hand on it, and it was intercepted on the deflection.
2. The second one was a desperation heave on the last play of the first half, kind of a throw and pray play. No bearing on the outcome. Almost like a punt.
3. The third one came on a play with a low snap. Jeanty did well to get the ball off the ground, and throw cleanly. He threw to a spot, based on his pre-snap read, and didn’t see that the DBs all jumped their coverages once the ball was on the ground. Yes, he threw it, but the snap played heavily into that last pick.

Overall, I liked the poise and pocket presence I saw from Jeanty. He displayed good arm strength, and even overthrew a couple of open receivers. He showed flashes of greatness early, and also areas where he can improve. Let’s see what he does from here on out.

Gernald Hawkins got some quality work in this game, playing 3 complete drives. He was not able to put points on the board, but neither was Jeanty after the first drive of the game. Hawkins only completed one pass, a short completion to Khalil Webster. He showed good athleticism, and a live arm. I still like Jeanty as our starter, but am confident that Hawkins can be a valued asset to this team.

Wide receivers didn’t get to show too much in this game, as our passing attack is clearly still under construction. I did like what I saw from Sean Avant, who scored the only touchdown of the day for the Patriots. Additionally, Tyler Williams ran good routes and was open a few times (including on the first interception), and Dellano Whitehead also found open space in the Manatee defense. Overall, this group wasn’t really able to showcase their many talents, but they should be able to bounce back as this season progresses.

The offensive line was an ever-shifting unit, with 9 players getting snaps on the day. Guard Delvin Arnold missed a few series while icing an ankle, and others were shifted in his absence. Also, Mike Miranda and Devaughn Thomas had their struggles with shotgun snaps, especially in the second half. It’s hard to run our offense, or any offense, if you can’t get the quarterback-center exchange cleanly. This is something that will need to be worked on and fixed in practice.

Moving to defense, there were 4 players who really stood out for their stellar play: Linebackers Jermaine Grace, Ryan Samuels, and Sanka Harris, and Defensive End Shawn Stephens.

Grace, a 4 star recruit and the only returning starter on the Dark Side defense, played a great game. He had 11 tackles, 2 for loss, and was all over the field. He was a constant presence on defense, and will continue to be the leader of the team.

Samuels and Harris are both new starters, but played like veterans.  Samuels had 12 tackles, and Harris had 8, along with multiple pressures to Cord Sandberg, Manatee’s QB. While they had positives, Samuels and Harris were the particular victims exploited the aforementioned wheel route adjustment from the Manatee offense. Their run defense is incredible, but their pass coverage is not to the level where they, or the coaches, would like it to be.

Stephens supplied constant pressure from the edge, and was very disciplined when faced with the option game. He had some hard tackles, and was very consistent. I liked what I saw from the 6'1" Senior.

Up front, Telvin Arnold, Ja’Quan Smith, and Darius Young played well on the inside of the defensive line. They were able to get penetration and disrupt the Manatee offense early on. In the second half, they, like many, were unable to maintain their high level of play.

Andre Godfrey and D’Kambui Greaves played alright in the secondary. They blew a couple coverages, but weren’t hurt by them thanks to a dropped touchdown pass. Coaches told them they need to be leaders in the secondary, especially with the youth at corner. While they weren’t 100% lockdown, I liked what I saw from the G-unit (Godfrey and Greaves) at safety.

At corner, Terence Gaskins played a good game, while he was out there. Gaskins provided solid coverage, good speed, and recovered a Manatee Fumble in the 2^nd quarter. Gaskins was hurt on the play, unintentionally kicked in the mouth by a Manatee player during the scramble to recover the fumble. He stayed in Bradenton overnight before being able to have minor oral surgery. Administration and Coaches told me he’ll be fine, and should be returning to Miramar Monday or Tuesday. As for how long his injuries might keep him out, I have no new information as of the writing of this article.

The other corners, Darren Wilcox, Tyrek Cole, and Jeff Hill played average at best. Wilcox got caught peeking in the backfield and was beat for a 52 yard touchdown on the first play of the 4^th quarter. Cole, who replaced Gaskins after his injury, played well, only allowing 2 completions to his side. He also came up to make a couple tackles in run support. Hill got good reps in the game, and should continue to play a large role this year.

And now, the pink elephant in the room.

Special Teams.

When you miss an extra point, and have 2 punts blocked, and 2 more ALMOST blocked, there are obviously problems. I know there are a lot of new players on the special teams units, but I would like to see more starters playing in this vital 3^rd phase of the game.

Little details, single plays/calls/non-calls in a game like this, against a top opponent, can turn the tide of the game. In this game, there was 1 call that I look to as being THE MOMENT the game turned from being a tough, tightly contested game into Manatee’s favor.

Tied as 6 to start the 2^nd half, Manatee was facing 3^rd and 6 on their own 45. Sanka Harris tackled Trevon Walters  for a short gain, and was called for a personal foul for a “late hit”, although he was already bringing Walters to the ground before crossing the sideline. That call allowed Manatee’s offense to stay on the field, and that drive resulted in the first touchdown Manatee scored on the day.

While that call was not the reason Manatee won, or Miramar lost, it was a huge turning point in the game. 

Take that for what you will.

Where do we go from here?

Last year, when I started this blog, we won every game until the State Championship game. I wrote recaps for all games but the State Championship game. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it with all the emotions I felt. 

But now, after a loss, we have to look at what we can do to change the game, and return to the winning side of things.

1. Address special teams. 1 missed Extra point. 1 Kickoff out of bounds. 2 blocked punts. 2 more punts that were THISCLOSE to being blocked. This MUST be priority #1 for Coach Cogdell and the staff.
2. Center-Quarterback exchange. Under center, we’re fine. Shotgun or Pistol formations? Not so much. Can’t run offense if you can’t start the play properly.
3. Consistency and execution. Jermaine Grace said it best when interviewed by Andre Fernandez of the Miami Herald: “We’re a first- and second-quarter team right now. We have to focus on learning how to finish all four quarters.”  Couldn’t have said it better myself.
4. Stay with the Run Game. Look. We have 5 quality running backs (Alex Lee, Cameron Rigby, Khalil Lewis, Alex Anderson, and #32 E [don’t know his full name….they just call him E]). 6 if you count FB Malik Mapps. Our running game gashed Manatee’s defense time and time again. Running the ball has many ancillary benefits for the team. What's that mean? RUN. THE. BALL.
5. Stop cheating on Defense. Every team has tendencies that you can start to identify. If you OVERREACT (or cheat) to stop something, that leaves you vulnerable for a counter or constraint play (plays that are designed to work when the defense cheats). We got caught cheating on the last 3 Manatee touchdowns. I think that says it all.

Obviously, nobody likes to lose. It highlights your errors, and puts pressure on your team to recover. Manatee is the first team to score 40+ points against the Patriots since DeSoto (TX) in the 2010 season opener, a game Miramar lost on the road 42-41. 

This game is very similar to games we've played recently vs. St. Thomas Aquinas. Once you make a mistake, the opposition is deadly at making you play. If you spoke to me about the game, then you know that's what I'd been saying for the longest time. And, true to form, we made mistakes and Manatee made us pay. 

I know the final score is ugly. I know that there are a lot of people (Miramar fans, Miramar haters, and journalists) who are writing us off, and have only negative things to say. Multiple journalists (who shall remain nameless) made snarky comments to what I'm about to say: 

This game was not as lopsided as the score indicated. 

After that personal foul call which led to Manatee's first touchdown, every single Miramar mistake ended with the same 2 words: Touchdown Manatee. They only drove the field on our defense 2 times. They hit a long pass when the DB was caught cheating. They had multiple short fields to drive for points. When you put it together, this game was really only a few plays from being a very different one than it ended up being.

Overall, there were positives and negatives. And while we may be left looking at all the negatives (of which, there are plenty), I believe that with a little focused attention in the 5 areas I outlined above, we'll be just fine.

Those are my (long-winded) thoughts. What are yours?

Until Next Time,

Cameron J. Underwood
Miramar Sports