Pre-Season
The Purple Raiders enter the 2003 season with high expectations, as always, but also with a stark realization that there are several tough challenges they must overcome if they hope to maintain the overall success of the previous two seasons. It is this success that poses the first major challenge. Over the past three seasons, the Purple Raiders have gone undefeated during each regular season, and 35-3 overall. Losing only to Bolingbrook in the 2000 playoffs, Providence in the 2001 semifinals, and Mount Carmel in last season's 6A state championship. Teams cannot live off their history if they hope to be successful, and that history can put an enormous burden on all teams that follow. Fortunately, 2003 seniors have lived with this burden for three seasons and enjoyed a great deal of success themselves. They enter this season with an overall record of 29-2, losing to Normal Community as freshman and Mount Carmel last year.
Challenge number two comes in that the Raiders must replace 33 seniors, two all-state players, and seven starters on both sides of the ball from the 2002 team. Although few in number, the returning starters do come with an impressive resume. James Wade returns at tailback. Last season he led the Raiders in rushing yards (1822), scoring (102 points), and was tied for the lead in rushing touchdowns (15). With 1400 or more this season, James will become the overall career rushing leader at Bloomington High School. Justin Harrison returns on defense, though he will move from his strong safety position to inside linebacker. Justin led the Raiders in 2002 with 36 solo tackles and four fumble recoveries. He was second on the team in total tackles with 98. With the departure of Damon Mehlberg, Justin will also see much more time at the fullback spot where last season he led the team with 11 yards per carry, though with a limited number of attempts. Justin has been offered a scholarship to the University of Illinois. Also returning defensively is Pantagraph All-Area nose tackle, Rod Castillo. Rod's five sacks ranked second on the team last year, while his 58 tackles ranked fifth. Yet another statistical leader returning for the Raiders is wideout Brandon Hughes. He averaged 25.8 yards per catch last season in limited playing time due to a hamstring injury. Other returning starters include defensive end turned defensive back, John Hamrin, and tight end 6'5" 245 pound Tim McAvoy. There are also several other returning players who saw considerable playing time last season. These include kicker, Jeremy Peden, receiver Daniel Nathan, defensive ends Dan Pettie and Adam Bishop, linebackers Ryan Esch and Dane Ramirez, and defensive back Coty Thompson.
A third major challenge comes in the early season schedule. The Raiders face perennial rivals and Big 12 conference powers Champaign Centennial and Normal Community weeks one and two of the season. Aside from the state championship game, these two teams posed the most serious threats during the 2002 season. A few scores to shed some light on the situation. The Raiders defeated Normal 13-6 in week two, the Ironmen then handled the Chargers 30-7 in week three. The Raiders beat Centennial 24-6 in week nine. The much anticipated rematch with Community in the quarterfinals was derailed by Centennial in their own rematch with Community 18-14. The Raiders then went on to defeat Centennial 13-7 in the quarterfinals. The Raiders emerged on top, but by the slimmest of margins. This creates an environment in which both Community and Centennial will be hungry for revenge and looking to jump start their 2003 seasons.
In preparation to meet these challenges, the 2003 Raiders enjoyed a very productive summer. Average attendance during the three weeks of summer camp was 75. July strength testing was headlined by Harrison and Wade who totaled 1085 pounds and 960 pounds respectively for their three lifts (bench, squat and clean). The 2003 Raiders also could be one of the fastest teams in school history with four players running 4.5 or better in the 40 yard dash. They include Wade 4.39, Hughes 4.4, Hamrin 4.44 and Harrison 4.5.
Game #1 Champaign Centennial
Normally, it is very difficult to preview the first game of the season. The obvious lack of information usually leads to a lot of speculation, most of which is incorrect. But, dating back to last season, the Raiders and Chargers have gotten to know each other very well. Friday's game will mark the third meeting between the two schools since week nine of last season. The Raiders won both contest last season, 24-3 and 13-7 respectively, but they were two of the toughest games of the season. In addition, both schools share a common misery, heavy graduation losses from last season's teams. At best, both return only two to three starters on each side of the ball. Looking back on freshman and sophomore meetings between the currently varsity players, sheds very little light on the situation. The current seniors never played each other as freshman and sophomores. The current juniors met week nine of last season, as sophomores, with the outcome a 9-0 Centennial victory. So basically, neither team holds much of an advantage going into Friday nights game. One added incentive is that the East/West divisions of the Big 12 no longer exist. For the first time since the 1980s, the conference will crown only one champion. Bloomington and Centennial, who have reigned supreme in their respective divisions over the past twenty years, are now meeting one another in week one in a game that is bound to play a major role in determining conference standings at the end of the season.
Offensively, the Chargers seemed to have somewhat of a split personality last season. In the quarterfinal playoff match-up, the game plan was all power. Running lead, counter and sweep plays to the tight end, with trap and isolation going away. Jumping to a 7-0 first quarter lead, they seemed to only pass when absolutely necessary, attempting only 12 passes overall, five of which came in their last possession of the game. Conversely, in the week nine contest, after falling behind by two touchdowns, they spread the field with double twins and trips formations, and attempted 22 passes. Which offense will they begin this season with? Historically, the Chargers have been a tailback dominant power team with good, quick athletes at the wideout positions to keep the defense honest with the threat of a three-step passing game and play-action routes. They run plays from a variety of formations including pro, twins, trips and slot, generally shifting and motioning from one to the other forcing the defense to change their alignment just prior to the play. When teams rebuild, they tend to go back to the basics that have always made them successful. However, two of the three quarterbacks on the Chargers roster are sons of Illinois coach Ron Turner, a coach known for developing efficient passers. So which will it be? Come to the game Friday night and find out.
Defensively, the Chargers line up in the same 5-2 front used by the Raiders, but that is where the similarity ends. Centennial's defensive philosophy is to man up their defensive backs with the opponent's wideouts freeing outside linebackers, and at least one of the safeties to press hard in run support. This results in a great deal of pressure on the outside running lanes of the offensive formation and allows the middle linebackers to read and flow. This pressure hurt the Raiders in the two match-ups last season. In week nine, the Raiders rushed for 341 yards. This was cut by more than half in the quarterfinal game with the Raiders rushing for only 152 yards. On the other hand, the Raiders increased their passing efficiency ten fold, passing for only 17 yards week nine, but 172 in week 12. To blitz or not to blitz, this is the question Centennial will face Friday night. Either way, the Raiders will need to find a way to respond. One added bonus to Friday night's games is the season debut of the new and improved Centennial concession stand. Now entering its second season, the stand promises (at least according to a few anonymous informants) to be a significant improvement over the wooden shed. If not, remember a Texas Roadhouse is just down the street. See the Big 12 Concession Stand page for all the details.
Game #2 Normal Community
Intercity 2003. Check out these match-ups. Bloomington v. Normal, #10 in 6A v. #8, the speed of the Raiders v. the power game of the Ironmen, the offense of Rigo Schmelzer v. the defense of Terry McCombs. Oh, the storylines are endless, but as always, the intercity contest promises to be a football game well worth the five dollar price of admission, and one that may well determine the Big 12 Conference champion for the 2003 season.
Last week the Raiders defeated Centennial 42-7 and the Ironmen defeated Danville 62-33. So this game is bound to be an offensive shoot-out, right? Think again. It never is. Last season, the Raiders defeated the Ironmen 13-0, then went on to average 32 points a game the rest of the season. The 2000 match-up ended in a 16-13 Raider victory. 1998, 6-0 Ironmen. 1995, 8-6 Raiders. Need any more proof? Whether it be early season miscues, the nervousness of playing in front of a large crowd, or the adjustments required by the artificial surface, offenses never seem to click in this game. Defense and special teams play are always the deciding factor.
So how did Normal score 62 points last week? They pounded the ball down the Vikings throat. One doesn't normally think of the fullback dive as a "homerun" type of play, but when you average 15 or so yards on it, it will suffice. The Ironmen lined up in a double tight end, two back set with a single wideout and ran the fullback dive, trap, belly, lead, outside veer and counter. The porous Viking defense was hopeless. The result was a series of touchdowns from fullback Antoine Kennedy, quarterback Jake Hopper and tailbacks Eric Scott and Israel Brown. The key is the size of the Ironmen up front. At times, depending on rotation of linemen, the Ironmen go from left end to right end, 210, 235, 205, 275, 300, 310, and 225 pounds. This will give them a 40-50 pound per man advantage over the front five of the Raider defense. This size advantage combined with the fact that Ironmen coaches have chosen option quarterback, Hopper, over throwing quarterback, and last season's starter Joe Kingdon, leaves no doubt as to what the Ironmen intend to do. The whole game plan seems very similar to that of Mount Carmel, stock the line with beef, put hard running backs behind them, provide just enough deception to keep the defense thinking, and throw the ball only when necessary. Which the Ironmen did prove they could do against Danville using playaction passes in 3rd down situations and moving Scott to a slot receiver.
Defensively, the game plan is tough to determine. Last week Danville lined up in a no back, five wideout set on every play, forcing the Ironmen to radically change their base defensive set. But it appeared to be a 5-2 alignment. This would make sense since defensive coordinator, Terry McCombs was previously head coach of the Purple Raiders (5-2) and linebacker coach at Downers Grove South (5-2). At times, it could be like looking into a mirror, aside from the orange and black uniforms. One thing that is certain no matter how the line up, the Ironmen always play a physical, disciplined and sound style of defense that, in this annual match-up, has routinely held the Raiders well under their season scoring average.
Some additional tidbits that add luster to this season's contest are that the game has been selected as the game of the week by thegameoftheweek.com and will be broadcast by a local cable station in the Chicagoland area. The winner of this contest has gone on to eventually win the Big 12 Conference West division since there has been a west division. The split no longer exists, but with the Raider's victory over Centennial last week and the fact that Centennial and Normal do not play each other this season, this game will definitely give the winner the advantage. Bloomington's last regular season defeat came at the hands of the Ironmen in 1999.
Game #3 Rantoul
Think back to 2001. The unheralded Raiders defeated the favored Ironmen 29-6 and rode the emotional high and confidence of that game to an undefeated season, conference championship and 6A semifinal berth. Last Friday's game had a very similar feel to it. Not that the teams were as far apart coming into the contest as they were in 2001. Nor that the outcomes were identical. Obviously, the Ironmen came much, much closer this time. But Friday's game was a HUGE, HUGE emotional boost to the somewhat young and inexperienced Raiders. One difference from the 2001 season is that the IHSA's quadrant playoff system now creates a better than average chance that an Intercity II will occur in the second or third round of the playoffs. Remember, last season the teams came within one game of meeting each other in the quarterfinals. After passing two difficult tests the first two weeks of the season, the key now becomes to show improvement in every game. Many challenges still await. The Raiders have yet to face pass happy teams Rantoul, Danville and SLUH were one slip of a defensive back can totally change the complexion of a game. They face an explosive running back week four in MacArthur's Akeem Topps, a somewhat surprising power team in Eisenhower week five, a new system in Normal West week seven, and a team with conference championship aspirations in Urbana week nine. The season is far from over, and the stakes are high. A conference championship, forth consecutive undefeated regular season, and #1 seed in the 6A southern quadrant hangs in the balance.
Week three brings the winless and scoreless Eagles of Rantoul to Fred Carlton Field for the last time. Rantoul will be leaving the Big 12 conference for the Corn Belt at the conclusion of the 2003 season. Bad news for traveling Raider fans who love a good concession stand, as Rantoul boasts of one of the best in the conference (See Concession Stand ranking page). The mouthwatering smells floating off the grills at Bill Walsh field will be sorely missed.
Though winless, the Eagles do bring exciting, fast-paced style of football to the table. Offensively, they will line up in trips and double twins shotgun formations, passing on nearly every down. The passing game consists of short three-step combinations of slants, hitches, fades and screens, a five-step game of posts, deep outs and crossing patterns, and a sprint package that allows the 6'3" 195 pound quarterback to get out and run. They will also use motion to create a one-on-one situation between a split end and corner on a vertical route straight down the field. Although it has yet to be effective in the 2003 season, the willingness to throw the ball so many times forces defenses out of their normal game plans. And the offense is always one defensive slip or mistake from a touchdown. To compliment the passing game, the Eagles have a big quarterback and shifty tailback in the backfield to run a series of dive, speed option and draw plays. This keeps the linebackers from thinking pass first, and will burn a team that consistently blitzes to get to the quarterback. One additional run play is a "jet" sweep similar to that of Springfield Southeast. A slot receiver will motion in from a twins set and take direct handoff from the quarterback as he reaches full speed in the backfield. By the time he gets to the corner, he is at full speed while the defensive end is just getting out of his stance. One twist that Rantoul has added is that they will fake the handoff and then flip the ball to the tailback going the opposite direction. The downside to this style of offense is that it keeps time on the clock and results in a lot of possession changes, giving the average opponent nearly twice as many opportunities to score. This puts tremendous pressure on the defense and has been one of the main reasons for the 40-0 and 47-0 beatings the Eagles have suffered the first two weeks of the season.
Yet defensively, the Eagles will present a challenge in that they line up in a 4-3 defense. Going back to last season, the Raiders have faced a 5-2 in the previous five games. The last time the Raiders lined up against a 4-3 was the 2002 edition of Normal Community. With a young and inexperienced offensive line, the game will be more mental than physical in the beginning as the Raiders adjust blocking schemes and calls to accommodate for the differences. The Eagles also like to bring pressure from the outside, with blitzes from outside linebackers and safeties, presenting yet another problem for an offense accustomed to blitzes coming up the middle.
Some interesting statistics. Through two games this season, the Raiders have rushed for 532 yards and passed for 252, causing many pundits to label the 2003 team as a "grounded" or run dominated team. Graduation losses of Andre Brown and leading receivers Chad Olson and Eric Esch, and the fact that 2002 leading rusher James Wade returns would seem to strengthen that argument. But consider this, through the first two games last season, the "pass happy" or balanced Raiders had rushed for 526 yards and passed for 176 yards. Statistically, the 2003 Raiders are more balanced and definitely more efficient, gaining 82 more yards total against what many consider to be tougher first two opponents. Pass efficiency has also gone up. In 2002 it was 33% (14 0f 42) through the first two games. In 2003 it is 65% (13 of 20). So what does all this mean? Nothing, they are just statistics.
Game #4 Decatur MacArthur
Week 4 brings the 1-2 Generals of Decatur MacArthur to town for a 7:00 p.m., Senior Night matchup with the 3-0 Raiders. The Generals narrowly defeated Champaign Central 42-38 in week one, dropped a close one (29-21) to Highland High School in week two, then were overwhelmed by the Green Wave of Mattoon 43-20 last Friday night, a game in which the Generals committed six turnovers. The only type of cross comparison that can be done is through Central. The Raiders defeated Normal 24-20 week two, the Ironmen then went on to handle Central 36-0 in week three. So the Raiders should win this one comfortably, right? THINK AGAIN, BITE YOUR TONGUE! This is Decatur MacArthur, a team might commit six turnovers or might run by you like a thoroughbred racing against the Clydesdales. They boost of the fastest and most explosive athletes in the conference. They have won the Big 12 Conference track meet four years running and bring that speed to the field. To overlook them is to lose. This is the program that, in 2001, came closer to defeating Providence Catholic (32-28) than any other public school has since. Last season they turned out the best defensive lineman in the nation in 6'3" 285 pound Moe Dampeer, and amazingly enough, this season they are even bigger.
B-I-G, BIG, I mean really big. Think college line big, think NFL line big, no better yet, think Finch from the movie Wildcats big. Up front, offensively, the Generals average 290 pounds. Big means slow, right? Well maybe, but that size is complimented by a tailback who is big in his own right at 5'10" 205 pounds, but boosts of speed better than that of anyone the Raiders can put on the field. Faster than Wade, Hughes and Hamrin? Well, last track season he ran the 100 meters faster than any of them. His name is Akeem Topps and he is being recruited by nearly every team in the Big 10. And to make the situation even more difficult for their opponents, they run an offense that combines this size and speed perfectly. MacArthur isn't trying to hide it, Topps is their man. They will line up in a four receiver one back set to spread the defense, then had the ball to Topps behind the moving wall that is the line, and allow him to pick a hole to run through. So far it has worked very well. Topps has averaged over twenty carries and an eye-popping 249 yards a game. Notice, they are averaging nearly 28 points a game. To keep the defense honest, they will throw the ball with a bootleg action out of the backfield after faking the handoff to Topps. They also use a series of 3-step short passes in hopes of isolating a fast receiver on an overmatch corner on the outside. If Topps needs it, they can also go to a two back set, providing him with a lead blocker on pitch, zone and iso plays. One problem the Generals have had offensively, is holding onto the ball. The six offensive turnovers last week against Mattoon proved to be too great an obstacle to overcome.
Defensively, the Generals put the "little guys" on the field. The line only averages 260 pounds. By comparison, the Raiders BIGGEST defensive starter is a couple days at an all-you-can-eat buffet short of 260 at 258. MacArthur still plays the same 4-4 alignment that they have for several years, and they still worship the blitz. At times the Raiders will face pressure from 6, 7 and maybe even all 8 defenders in the box. With good athletes at the secondary positions that can man up with the opponents receivers, they Generals practice the philosophy that it is better to send them, than have them standing around watching. The net effect on the offense, is that everything has to happen faster. Decisions have to be made in a split-second, and it practically takes misdirection out of the equation. You just don't have time to run it. Teams that live by the blitz, also die by the blitz. This style of defense either shuts an offense down, or gives up high point totals as you can see from the Generals first three games.
A few other interesting notes. This game should have been a home game for the Generals. They came to Bloomington last season, and with an alternating schedule should be hosting the game, but a rotation in the conference schedule resulted in the Raiders getting the home date. The last regular season home loss the Raiders suffered was at the hands of the Generals back in 1995. The Raiders have won all seven contests since.
Week #5 Decatur Eisenhower
This preview will be rather short compared to the others for a couple of reasons. One, as a devoted Cub fan, I am finding it rather difficult to peel myself away from watching the Cubs trounce the Reds on their way to the national league central division title and get it done. Secondly, there just isn't that much to say about the Panthers. They play a very simple style of football. One could look at Eisenhower's 1-3 record and assume that this game will just be another small bump on the Raider's road to a fourth consecutive undefeated regular season, but overlooking any opponent is dangerous. The Panthers three losses have come at the hands of highly ranked 5A powerhouse Geneseo, Urbana and undefeated Mattoon. They had the ball late in the fourth quarter with a chance to win the Urbana game, and came much closer to Mattoon than most felt they would. The Panther's victory was over Normal West during the intercity triple header week two. The Raiders will be favored to win, but as always, must continue to improve every week.
Offensively, the Panthers basically run one play, the triple option. They will line up in a variety of formations (i.e. twins, pro, twins split and double tight), but will consistently run the same play out of all of them. With a split backfield, the near back will dive straight ahead as the line base blocks the defensive front. The quarterback/linebacker will "ride" the back with the ball as he reads the defensive end. If the end attacks fullback the quarterback will pull the ball and take it around end himself. If the end steps up field the quarterback will give the ball to the back. If the quarterback keeps the ball, he will then read the pitch defender upfield. If attacked, he will pitch to the second back. If the pitch defender goes after the back, the quarterback will tuck the ball and run. Basic option football. It will test the Raider's ability to stick to their responsibilities, a test we failed at times against Community when ends and defensive backs were going after the dive back. It will also be good practice for potential playoff matchups against Mt. Carmel and Mundeline Carmel, two Catholic option powerhouses. Also realize that this style of offense can prove very frustrating to an opponent. With every play being a run, it eats up the clock and limits the number of times the ball will change possession, naturally keeping scoring down, and forcing opponents to make the most of the possessions they do get. It is also very difficult to stop for a loss. With the back diving straight ahead, the ball is at the line of scrimmage before the defensive front has time to create a surge. It creates one-on-one matchups between linemen. If the defensive lineman hesitates, or a gap is not covered, the result will always be positive yardage. The goal of the offense is 3.3 yards per play. Run three plays and move the chains. In addition, every option team has at least one pass play to keep the defense from rolling up on them. The Panthers threw the ball twice against West, did not attempt a pass against Urbana, but then pulled out all the stops and attempted eight passes against Mattoon last week. Defensively, the alignment is the same as MacArthur ran last week with a 4-4 front that can lead to eight men coming with man coverage on the receivers. The only difference is that the Panthers are not as big up front. One interesting thing is that the Panther quarterback doubles as a lineback on defense. Well actually their starting linebacker doubles as a quarterback on offense. Most option quarterbacks will try to avoid contact after the give the ball to the dive back. This guy goes looking for a defensive end to hit.
For those Raider fans traveling to the game, skip dinner and bring your appetite, the Eisenhower concession stand ranks high in the second tier on the Big 12 Concession Stand Ranking. It is no match for Mattoon, but is sure to satisfy.
Game #6 Danville
Losing a game is tough for a team to stomach at any time, but it is extremely difficult for a team that hasn't lost a regular season game in more than three seasons. So what led to the 14-12 loss to the Panthers on Friday night? Several factors, weather, injuries, complacency, an opponent that took a very simple approach to the game and made the big plays when needed, penalties, turnovers, and a lack of desire; the list could go on and on. A few interesting statistics from the game. The Raiders out gained the Panthers by 106 yards of total offense. Aside from the two touchdowns, the Raiders drove inside the Eisenhower 20 yard line twice, and 30 yard line once, without scoring. With 2:30 left in the game, the Raiders drove 50 yards in 30 seconds. Yet the Panthers still won the game, and deservedly so. On a sloppy night the Panthers only turned the ball over once compared to the Raiders four untimely turnovers. Both teams attempted PATs after their first touchdowns and missed. Finding the conditions impossible to kick in, the both went for the 2 point conversions after their second touchdowns. The Panthers were successful, the Raiders were not. Eisenhower, to their credit, continually made the big play when they needed it, and avoided making the big mistake.
So where do the Raiders go from here? Do they hang their heads, try to place blame, and pout about it. There has been some of that. But the better direction would be to use it as a way to bring the team together, to identify shortcomings, (namely the ability to execute when things go badly) and use this experience as the proverbial wake up call. That may be cliché optimism, but there is a lot of truth to it. A few realizations that must be made. One, teams get another chance after a regular season loss, they don't in the playoffs. Two, there is blood in the water and the sharks are swarming. Any aura of invincibility that the Raiders may have enjoyed over the past few seasons, is gone. Every opponent will now feel they good chance at winning. And three, that the only way to begin to forget a loss is by playing much better in the next game. That begins this Friday against a team that will be tough to rebound against, Danville.
The pass happy Vikings of Danville enter Friday's contest with a 2-3 record, and fresh off a 51-13 drubbing of Rantoul Monday night. The game was originally scheduled for Friday, but postponed because of the thunderstorms that pass through central Illinois. As with Eisenhower, the 2-3 record is misleading. The style of offense the Vikings play gives them the opportunity to score on every play, and therefore win every game. It was good enough for 33 points against Normal Community, 9 more than the Raiders managed against the Ironmen. The Vikings line up in a five receiver, no-back, shotgun formation and throw on nearly every down. Over the first five games, they have averaged 40-50 pass attempts, while rushing an average of 10 times per game. The routes run by the receivers are actually somewhat simple, consisting mainly of slants, curls, outs and verticals. The difficulty comes in designing a defense to cover all five receivers. Leave one uncovered and it will more than likely result in a touchdown. Another problem is getting to the quarterback. He will lineup eight yards deep. Usually by the time a defensive lineman has gotten off his block, and eight yards deep, the quarterback has had ample time to find an open receiver. This is the first year the Vikings have used this offense, and while it has sputtered at times, Monday night it hit on all cylinders. The quarterback, Blue, accounted for over 560 yards of total offense against Rantoul, 400 of it passing, and another 150+ running quarterback draws and sweeps. Another scary part of the equation is that one of the receivers, Blandon, is being recruited by Big 10 schools as a tailback. At 6'1" 195 pounds, he definitely fits the mold, and is an imposing receiver when he catches the ball one-on-one versus a defensive back in the open field.
Defensively, the Vikings will line up in the 4-3 cover 2 alignment similar to that of Rantoul and Normal West, but then blitz out of it like Eisenhower and MacArthur. So for the third week in a row the Raiders will face a pressure defense with athletes at the outside linebacker and defensive back positions that can man up with receivers and chase running back down from behind.
The loss to Eisenhower takes the Big 12 conference race and playoff seeding out of the Raiders hands. Though conference can still be won and a high seed in a 6A playoff quadrant attained, the Raiders cannot guarantee it for themselves. The only thing they still control is their efforts and hopefully the outcomes of the four remaining regular season games. Regardless of what happens in conference or with regards to playoff seeds, the Raiders must improve every week to have a chance at going anywhere in the playoffs. That improvement must begin tomorrow night.
Game #7 Normal West
The Raiders rebounded from the week five loss to Eisenhower with a 33-12 victory over Danville. But did they show the improvement that will be needed for a run in the playoffs? Consider the opinion of Danville coach Mark Dodd, "It just breaks my heart, we defended their option fairly well. The one thing we knew we had to not allow happen happened. They got five big plays and that was the difference. Aside from that, we played them dead even." He's right, James Wade and Justin Harrison accounted for three touchdowns on runs of 51, 55 and 20 yards. Jeremy Peden hooked up with receivers Brandon Hughes and Harrison for the other two touchdowns on strikes of 40 and 55 yards. Now, to the Raiders credit, they executed well at times, and those long plays were the results. But at other times, the offense was shut down. The Raider's failed to put together a multi-play, clock consuming drive the entire night. Defensively, the story was similar. While "containing" the wide open five receiver attack of Danville to 161 yards passing, the Raiders gave up 140 yards rushing, 113 to the quarterback alone on draw plays. While happy with the victory and only giving up 12 points, the Raider defense was still frustrated at times and failed to come up with the big play.
Across town, the atmosphere was very different. Overmatched and out manned Normal West at 1-4 played their best game of the season in knocking off previously undefeated and Big 12 conference leader Mattoon 28-20. To say that this game was a turning point for the Wildcats would be a serious understatement. The Wildcats had struggled through the first five games of the season under first year head coach Darrin Hess. Their lone victory had come over Corn Belt bound and winless Rantoul week one. The Mattoon game wasn't supposed to be any different. Many considered the Green Wave to be the most physical team in the conference, but by pounding away for 297 rushing, the Wildcats proved that physical play does not affect them. So, for the second week in a row, the Raiders play host to a team whose record may not draw much attention, but whose play over the past couple of weeks, demands respect.
Offensively, the contrast between Danville and Normal West could not be any greater. Even more troublesome, is that the offense the Wildcats have settled in on is the exact one that Eisenhower used to expose several Raider weaknesses two weeks ago. It is all about option, the outside veer to be exact. The Wildcats may line up in a trips or unbalanced formation, but rushing is primary focus. What makes West even more dangerous than Eisenhower is that the quarterback, at least over the past couple of games, seems to have a better over understanding of how to run the option. Where the Eisenhower quarterback ran line a fullback, the West quarterback will do a much better job of reading the play. As a result the defense must have all three options (fullback, quarterback, pitch back) covered on every play. With the ability to go strong or weak in the formation, this puts pressure on at least eight of the defenders to be disciplined enough to stick to their assigned responsibility at all times. To keep the defense guessing, the Wildcats will roll out and throw to the trips receivers, and utilize play action passes 10-12 times a game. Defensively, the Wildcats should be a little more polished. Coach Hess is defense minded. Prior to coming to West he served as the defense coordinator for Normal Community, Leroy and Central Catholic. He has coached championship defenses and is very familiar with the Raiders after his three seasons at Community. In 2002, his defense held a Raider offense that averaged 32 points a game to 13 in the intercity match-up. The Wildcats will lineup in a 4-3 cover 2 set similar to Danville, but they will not take as many chances. Instead, they will play disciplined and smart, and try to avoid giving up the big play as Danville did. Blitzing can definitely cause problems for an offense, but once a running back get through the initial surge, there is not one left in the secondary to make the tackle. That is what hurt Danville. West will be more patient, blitzing at opportune times times, but relying on playing their assignments to make most plays.
Game #8 St. Louis University High School
Week 8 takes the Raiders on their longest road trip of the season down to St. Louis to take on the Jr. Billikins of University High School. This will be the second match-up between the two schools in as many years. In last season's storm shortened contest, the Raiders prevailed 26-0. Don't expect things to be as easy this season. The Raiders now face the three hour drive before the game, and unlike last season, the Jr. Billikins have something to play for. Last year, SLUH entered the contest with a 2-4 record. Having been a touted a preseason power in the St. Louis area, the 2002 season was, to say the least, disappointing. This season, SLUH comes into the contest with a 5-1 record and five game winning streak. In those five victories, the Jr. Billikins have demonstrated the ability to play scrappy defense, score in various ways on special teams, and generate offense in crucial moments of tight games. Though young in age, they graduated several key seniors from last season's team, they are playing like a very mature and complete team. In a contest that means nothing for either team in terms of conference standings, Friday's game will still take on a playoff like atmosphere as both teams, unfamiliar with one another, attempt to avoid their second loss of the season, and work to tune up for the upcoming playoffs. For a complete set of statistics on SLUH, click here.
Offensively, SLUH looks very similar to the way they did last season, but with a slightly different emphasis. They still line up in multiple formations, but seem to want to run the ball more. Last season, they seemed to think pass first. Quarterback Matt Behr has completed 43-89 passes for 611 yards and four touchdowns, but the running back tandem of Stephen Simmons and Chris Hoffman have combined for 173 rushing attempts and over 900 yards. Though somewhat balanced statistically, on tape it is pretty evident that the run sets up the pass. SLUH will line up in all the following formations; pro, twins, trips/split, trips/tight, double tight/double flanker, double twins, unbalanced, twins split, five wide/no back, and a goaline unbalanced set with full house back field. Add to this various alignments in the backfield, and the Jr. Billikins have the ability to throw 15-16 different formations at a defense. Luckily they have more formations than running plays, but they still cover all the bases. Out of the various formations, they run a quick pitch, inside and outside zone, isolation, and fullback dive. To keep the defense from keying the strong side, they come back with and tailback counter and fullback trap. Simmons leads the team with 137 carries from his tailback position, and is usually escorted to the hole by bruising fullback Chris Hoffman. When he is not blocking, Hoffman lead the team with a 5.38 yards per carry average at fullback. The passing game consists of everything from a 3-step series where Behr attempts to get the ball into the hands of 6'4" wideout, John Warner, to play action and roll out passes where the favorite target appears to be Hoffman, who is leading the team with 10 catches out of the backfield. Add it all up, and what the Raiders face is an offense that can basically do anything it wants out of multiple formations, utilizing a variety of offensive positions.
Defensively, SLUH can be just as versatile. Their base defense is probably the same 4-3 cover 2 that the Raiders have faced for three of the past four weeks. The Jr. Billikins, however, will shift and rotate secondary personnel to make it look like a 5-2, 5-3 or 6-1depending on the offensive formation and tendencies. Last season SLUH put eight players "in the box" in an attempt to shut down the option and power running plays of the Raider offense. It worked for the most part, and forced the Raiders into spread sets and throwing the ball. Check out the 2003 Schedule page for a map to SLUH.
Game #9 Urbana
"The loss to Eisenhower takes the Big 12 conference race and playoff seeding out of the Raiders hands. Though conference can still be won and a high seed in a 6A playoff quadrant attained, the Raiders cannot guarantee it for themselves." - week six preview.
The biggest benefit for the Purple Raiders in the wake of the IHSA ruling regarding Eisenhower (see link HERE) is that the above statement no longer holds true. The Raiders are now back in control of their own destiny. Barring a change of heart by the IHSA, a win Friday night will give the Raiders the outright Big 12 championship for 2003, and a #1 seed in their 6A quadrant for the upcoming playoffs. In addition, congratulations need to go out to Rigo Schmelzer who has won his 100th game (albeit in an unorthodox way) as head coach of the Raiders. That he has accomplished this in only 11 seasons, makes it truly amazing. Aside from that, however, nothing has changed. The Raiders still lost the game on the football field, and no boardroom decision of the IHSA will take that away. The regular season winning streak was broken back on September 26th.
All of this becomes a moot point if victory eludes the Raiders on Friday night, and victory is far from certain. Standing in the way of a fourth consecutive undefeated regular season are the 3-5 Tigers of Urbana High School. With five losses and a low number of playoff points, the Tigers are not playoff eligible. You could say they have nothing to play for. Another way to look at it is they have nothing to lose. A team like that can be very dangerous. Offensively, the Tigers have adopted the option game. I say adopted because with speed at the wideout positions and a strong arm quarterback, most figured they would spread out and put the ball in the air. Well it turns out, they have speed and the quarterback and tailback positions as well. They will line up mainly in pro and twins formations with the occasional trips and unbalanced sets to try and create a numbers advantage. Plays include belly option, speed option, iso, lead and the fullback dive. The biggest threat is the belly play where they double down on the defensive tackle with the tight end and tackle, kick out the playside end with a pulling guard, and have the quarterback round the corner with the option to pitch once his meets resistance. The quarterback is fast, possibly the fastest the Raiders have seen this season. The passing numbers may not be what everyone expected, but the passing game still exists. Consisting mainly of three-step drop, and playaction plays it places a lot of pressure on the defensive backs to be able to handle the speedy receivers one-on-one, and be disciplined enough not to bite up on the playaction fakes.
Defensively, for the fourth consecutive week, the Raiders face a base 4-3 cover 2 team. But the Tigers tend to play it more straight up, gambling less with blitzes, attempting to play good technique and flowing to the ball instead. They are big up the middle, averaging nearly 260 at the defensive tackle positions, but are small and quick everywhere else. The Raiders have used speed to their advantage all season long, but may be matched by the Tigers.
An unfortunate turn of events has put wind in the Raider's sails and given them the opportunity to determine their own destiny. With the playoffs just around the corner, the timing couldn't be any better. But it would be ridiculous to make it more than what it really is, a technicality. The loss to Eisenhower exposed weaknesses that the Raiders have been working for five weeks to strengthen. Friday's game is yet another step in this process.
Playoffs Round #1 - Kankakee High School
Well, the IHSA did not have a change of heart. Eisenhower was forced to forfeit all their victories from weeks two through six for playing an academically ineligible player. Ironically enough, the player was the running back that scored the two point conversion in the Panther's two point victory over the Raiders back on September 26th. Though still a loss in the hearts and minds of Raider coaches, players and fans, the "victory," coupled with the 58-6 defeat of Urbana last Friday, gave the Raiders their fourth consecutive Big 12 conference title and the #1 seed in Quadrant D of the IHSA 6A playoffs. The benefit of the #1 seed is that, as long as the higher seeded teams win, the Raiders would enjoy home field advantage through the first three rounds.
Round one brings the Kays of Kankakee to Fred Carlton field for a 7:00 p.m. contest Friday night. Out of the south suburban SICA conference, Kankakee is an unfamiliar opponent, but Friday's game will not mark the first meeting between the two schools. In the 1989 5A playoffs, the Kays defeated the Raiders 21-20 in a game that went into double overtime. The Kays finished 4th in the green division of the SICA, and bring a 5-4 record into the playoffs. Needing to win last Friday's game against Midlothian Bremen to earn a playoff birth, they did so in convincing fashion 49-25. Kankakee was last in the playoffs in 1999, and this marks the first playoff appearance under 4th year head coach Ira Jefferson.
The Kays can best be summed up in two words, Decatur MacArthur. Very fast at the skill positions and big up front on the offensive and defensive lines, they play an attacking style of defense and run a power, big play offense. Luckily, in MacArthur, the Raiders face a similar type of team every season, but that doesn't make beating them any easier. Offensively, Kankakee's game is all about power. They line up in a variety of formations including twins, pro, twins split, and unbalanced. They will also run three back T sets with double tight or split ends. Out of these various sets they will run iso, toss sweep, counter, dive and a double dive play that allows the quarterback to choose between the fullback through the B gap or the tailback through the C gap. The play also has a third option in that the quarterback can keep the ball himself and run around end. This power attack features tailback Dylan Brooks (5'10" 175) who leads the Kays in both rushing and scoring, and fullback Dustin Jefferson (6'1" 205), who for a sophomore, has great explosion through the line on the dive. Quarterback D'Antre Dowdy (5'10" 170) is the second leading scorer on the team, indicating that he is effective with the double dive play and runs well on the bootleg. One BIG reason why the Kays running game is so effective, is the presence of a massive offensive line led by 6'4" 315 pound Clayton Mulvey and 6'2" 302 pound Steve Perkins. At times, you can't even see the running backs till it is too late. In addition to the power running plays, Kankakee runs several playaction passes off the double dive and counter, and will throw the fade route to 6'5" tight/split end Jeremy Gathing. With so many weapons for a defense to focus on, the Kays eventually end up popping a big play as evidence by the fact that they average 34 yards per rushing touchdown. Yes, that is the average.
Defensively, the Kays do what most teams possessing great athletes do, they man up with your receivers, and bring heat with reckless abandon. Out of a base 4-4 cover 3 alignment, they will walk up the outside linebackers, blitz middle backers, and if needed, send the free safety. Do the math. That is nine men in the box. Try to run against it, and you'll find there are too many people to block. Try to pass against it, and you'll never get the ball off. With this aggressive style, the Kays are as much a big play defense as a big play offense, hoping to force their opponents into costly mistakes and long yardage situations.
Playoffs Round #2 - Rock Island
Round two offers a match-up that many feel is a long time coming. It is strange that two programs can enjoy the success that the Rocks and the Raiders have over the years, play in the same class division, advance deep into the playoffs seemingly every year, yet never have played one another. It always seemed that we were on opposite sides of the bracket. Take last season for example. The Rocks lost to Mt. Carmel 48-20 in the semifinals the week before the Caravan defeated the Raiders in the championship. It is only through a very strange set of circumstances that the two teams are meeting this early in the playoffs this season. By picking up the forfeit win over Eisenhower in week nine, the Raiders record went to 9-0 making them the number one seed in the quadrant. Rock Island had for forfeit a game to East Moline week six because (and I think I have this correct) the team had to be vaccinated against whooping cough. Restrictions on the players due to the vaccine would not allow them to play the game at its regularly scheduled time, therefore they had to forfeit. The Rocks then dropped a game in a mud bowl week nine to Crystal Lake South 18-17. As a result, Rock Island entered the playoffs with a deceptive 7-2 record as the fourth seed in the quadrant. In reality, they are only 1 point and a little luck away from being the top seed. Regardless of circumstances, the Raiders and the Rocks will finally meet at Fred Carlton Field, Saturday @ 2:00 p.m.
There are several similarities between the two programs. Both have dominated there respective conferences for years, the Raiders in the Big 12 and the Rocks in the Big 6. Both are fixtures in the playoffs, the Rocks are making their eighth consecutive appearance, while the Raiders are on their seventeenth. Both teams have been "bridesmaids but never the bride." The Raiders have been state runners-up twice, in '91 and '02, the Rocks once, in '97. And both teams have been frustrated routinely by Catholic powerhouse in the playoffs. The Raiders have ended their season with losses to either Providence or Mt. Carmel four of the last five years. The Rocks have ended with Mt. Carmel in two of the last four.
It is with history and tradition, that the similarity ends. On the field, the teams couldn't be more different. Offensively, the Rocks run the double wing offense of Augustana. Combining misdirection with hard nosed running backs and split-second timing, the Rock Island philosophy is to confuse their opponents while pounding them into the dirt. They will line up in a variety of formations from double tight end, to double split, with every possible combination in between. But regardless of the alignment of the receivers, they will always have some combination of three running backs in the backfield that allows them to go to either side with two lead blockers or with misdirection. Their base play is the belly dive series with a first back, second back, quarterback option. To keep defenses from keying this, they also run wing trap, wing reverse and counter plays with very agile linemen leading the running back to and through the hole. For good measure they also run a pitch that puts three lead blockers, a guard and two running backs, out in front of the ballcarrier. The Rocks are not overly large up front. They top out with 6'1" 255 pound left tackle Levi Howze, and 6'1" 240 right tackle Bobby Hokenberry, but all the lineman can run. They are agressive, know their assignments and are very effective at opening holes for a trio of talented running backs. This style of offense demands balanced production in the backfield, and the 2003 Rocks are a perfect example of this. I don't have exact numbers, but the fullback 5'10" 172 pound John Saldana, and both wing backs, 6' 179 pound Calvin Krakilow, and 5'7" 160 Wayland Ryan all have in the ballpark of 700-800 yards rushing on the season. Each brings a different style of running to the table. Saldana is the typical fullback that will run through a brick wall if he has to. As a ball carrier, his only responsibility is to dive through the A gap, but he will do it with legs pumping and head down till something opens up. Krakilow is the perfect misdirection runner. He always hits the hole with split-second timing and can bounce around till something opens up. Ryan is the burner. He finished second in the state in the 100 last spring, and will simply outrun defenders to the corner. And to top it off, there is a playaction passing game once defenses have rolled everybody up to stop the run. It consists mainly of sending tight ends and wing backs straight down the field, but you don't need much when they are wide open. One additional weapons the Rocks have offensively is place kicker, Jason Reda. Considered by many to be the best kicker in the state, any thing inside the thirty yardline is fair game.
Reda's leg also comes in handy defensively. Very rarely do opposing offenses start outside the twenty yard line, as most of his kicks land in the endzone. The Rocks defensive alignment is identical to that of the Purple Raiders, a 5-2 cover 3/2. This will be the first time since Normal Community that the Raiders have faced it. I want you to note that the majority of the teams that advance to the quarterfinals and beyond each year play the 5-2. And the Rocks play a very simple version of it. They line up, read their keys, and rely on the technique they have been taught to get them to the ball. This is a very disciplined defense. Don't expect to see the breakdowns that led to 80 yard touchdowns against Kankakee last week.
Playoffs - Quarterfinals - Normal Community
Does this game really need a preview? Could I possibly do it justice in few short paragraphs? Try this. Go up to the week two preview, crank up the intensity ten fold, and you might come close to the environment surrounding this much anticipated rematch. Every time these two teams meet, the stakes are high, but Saturday's game will take it to a historic level. For only the third time ever, the Raiders and Ironmen will clash in an IHSA playoff contest. The Raiders were victorious in both of the two previous meetings, 21-0 in 1982 and 14-0 in 1987. For the first time ever, at stake will be a berth in the 6A semifinals. A victory for the Raiders would mark their third consecutive semifinal appearance, for the Ironmen it would be their first since 1999.
Intercity football fans have been anticipating this rematch since the final seconds ticked off the clock during the Raider's 24-20, come from behind victory in week two. In a game that many considered to be the best intercity contest in over a decade, both teams came away frustrated. The Raiders won, but they had trailed the entire second half, and needed a heroic effort coupled with a little luck to pull it off. The Ironmen led most of the game, only to lose it with :40 seconds left. The experience definitely sparked both teams. The Ironmen went on to win their remaining seven games in the regular season, entered the playoffs as a #2 seed in quadrant D (southern) of the 6A playoffs, rolled over Centennial in round one 48-29, then defeated Peoria Richwoods 21-14 last week. The Raiders, as you know, dropped a game to Eisenhower, but then went on to win their final four games in the regular season. With the Eisenhower forfeit, they were awarded the #1 seed in the quadrant, and have defeated Kankakee 56-6 and Rock Island 19-14.
A playoff rematch has been a long time in coming. Both of these teams are regulars in postseason play. The Ironmen are making their 18th appearance (8th consecutive)in the playoffs, the Raiders their 19th (17th consecutive). For years their were separated by class. When the Raiders were 4A, Normal was 5A. Then Unit 5 split into two schools, and the Ironmen dropped to 4A where they made two semifinal appearances in 1996 and 1999. At the same time, BHS grew and the Raiders jumped up to 5A. When the IHSA adopted its current eight class system, both schools were in 6A, but on opposite halves of the bracket. Finally with the advent of quadrant play, the rematch seemed like a sure thing, and it would have happened last season if not for an Ironmen loss to Centennial in the second round. While many oppose the quadrant system, this game seems to represent everything that it was created for. Why shouldn't the two best "big" school football programs in central Illinois play each other in the playoffs? Sure it would be great if it happened in the championship game, but a quarterfinal match-up is better that none at all. One additional distinction that the winner might take from this contest. If all the other 6A quarterfinal match-ups go according to seeds, the BHS/NCHS winner would be the only public school left in the bracket, making them the 2003 6A public school champion of Illinois.
Now onto the game itself. Offensively, the Ironmen haven't really changed much since week two. Why should they? They have won nine games in a row, and averaged nearly 40 points a game in the process. What makes it amazing is that back in week eight, they lost their leading rusher and scorer Antoine Kennedy for the season to an ankle injury. But in their power running game all you need is a fullback that knows where to run and hits the hole hard, and back-up fullback Israel Brown can do that and more. Brown and Kennedy are nothing alike physically (Kennedy is close to 45 pounds heavier), but Brown brings more speed and quickness to the offense. He won't run you over, but at 5'6" you'll be lucky to find him behind the behemoths they have on the offensive line. The feature play is still the triple option, and the other two threats are quarterback Jake Hopper and tailback Eric Scott. While the Raiders did shutdown the triple threat of Rock Island last week, this is different. Rock Island did not pitch out to the tailback, nor did they have the quarterback pull it from the dive back and attack the end himself. Rock Island was more predictable, Normal relies on the quarterback making the read. The base formation is still twins, but they have added an unbalanced twins set, and dare you to shift or overload the defense. Once you do, they run a power lead play with Scott back to the weak side. They still don't pass much. They have gone entire games without throwing the ball more than two times, but when they do, they are effective. Lets not forget, they threw for two touchdowns against the Raiders in week two. I don't have statistics to back it up, but in terms of yardage, their leading receiver would have to be Scott. They will go to a double twins set, putting him at one of the slots, and run a crossing route with the split end.
Defensively, as expected with Terry McCombs as the defensive coordinator, the base alignment is a 5-2 cover 3. Like the Raiders, they have filled positions with smaller players that can run. While their offensive line may average nearly 260 pounds, defensively they run about 190. The advantage to this is in a slant defense, the linemen can attack gaps at angles and are agile enough to get off their blocks, and quick enough to run to the ball carrier. For those of you who saw the week two game, try to recall how many running plays the Raiders had that went for 20 plus yards. In that aspect, you could argue the Ironmen defense held their own.
One added bonus for the Raiders is that for the first time since week two, we are at full strength. Defensive back and running back John Harmin, injured in week two, has returned. Defensive back Brent Holtz, injured in week seven, is back. And with 146 yards rushing last week, running back James Wade appears to be recovered.
Semifinals - Chicago St. Rita
Last week was great wasn't it? Although the offense sputtered at times, the defense was overwhelming for the third consecutive week, and held a Community team that had been averaging over 40 points a game, aside from week two, to six points on a late touchdown. The best outcome was that it ended all questions as to whether the Raiders truly deserved the Big 12 Conference title and the #1 seed in the playoff quadrant. Whereas the quarterfinal game was one that the Raiders would have hated to lose, this weeks semifinal match-up with Chicago St. Rita is a game that we really want to win. There is a difference. So lets get to the preview.
But first, a few words from St. Rita fans:
"Bloomington couldn't play .500 ball against the CCL Blue sophmores. How are they going to beat Rita's varsity?"
"You should probably save yourself the trip since Bloomington is 0-7 against JC,MC,and PC. Bloomington might have some nice little moments, but they will have a long drive home after they lose."
"St. Rita's running game is too much for anybody to contain for an entire game. This one might not even be close in my opinion."
"i don't think they could beat rita's freshman team that went 4-5 this year."
Ouch! That last one is a little unnecessary don't you think?
Its very simple, most pundits expect the Raiders to lose this game. The second guy above is correct. Over the last thirteen years, and in seven match-ups, the Raiders have yet to defeat a "real" Chicagoland area catholic team. The most recent, of course, a 31-0 defeat at the hands of Chicago Mount Carmel in last season's 6A championship game. Until we do so, the public perception will remain that Bloomington is a very good downstate team, but incapable of playing "big time" football.
But there are several differences between this Saturday's match-up and the seven previous ones. First, it is against St. Rita, not Mount Carmel, Providence Catholic, or Joliet Catholic. Those three teams have 28 state championships between them. St. Rita has one, a 5A championship back in 1978. Those three teams are semifinal and championship game fixtures. Rita is making its 4th consecutive playoff appearance. They have been in the semifinals five times, the last being a 21-14 loss to Edwardsville in 2001. But you can't blame the Mustangs for being confident. They are the 2003 champions of the Chicago Catholic League (blue division), a conference that the Pope must have granted sainthood. It has produced 14 state champions since 1994, many times two in the same year (well sort of). The CCL is part of a split of what used to be called the Chicago Metropolitan Conference. The CMC, and it three divisions, was actually the one that produced all the state champions. Providence, Mount Carmel and Rita, Brother Rice, Loyola and De La Salle are now part of the CCL. Joliet Catholic has jumped to the East Suburban Catholic conference along with Mundelein Carmel.
With all these structural changes, the conference seems to have taken on a new personality. Providence and Mt. Carmel, the traditional powerhouses, finished 3rd and 5th respectfully, and there didn't seem to be a dominant power. Brother Rice beat Providence, Providence beat St. Rita and St. Rita beat Brother Rice. Providence and Mount Carmel also made very uncharacteristic exits from the 6A playoffs. MC lost 33-0 in round one to Glenbard South, and Providence lost 14-7 in the quarterfinals to Minooka. Can you still assume that the winner of this conference will be as dominant as in years past? Until they get beat, I guess you have to.
So does all this mean the Raiders have a chance? Well, most people thought we would start the season 0-2. Most people said we could not beat a team like Community twice in the same season. No one would have predicted that we would be making our third consecutive trip to the semifinals. As long as the game will be played, we have a chance. Speed kills and we have plenty of it. Lets just play the game and see what happens.
Offensively for the Mustangs, power running is the name of the game. Behind an offensive line that averages around 240 pounds, tailback Wade Weyer has carried the ball 306 times for a Chicago Sun-Times leading 2000 yards and 25 touchdowns. Base formations include pro and twins, with Weyer and his backfield mate Bob Gleich always lining up as I backs. Base plays include power, counter, iso, pitch and lead. The power play is where the backside guard and tackle pull and lead Weyer upfield under a kickout block on the playside end by the fullback. Although the fullback Gleich rarely carries the ball (less that 200 total yards on the season), the Mustangs do have a dive and trap play that at least keeps the defense honest. Even though the tailback accounts for so much of the offense, the Mustangs still want to be known as a team that will throw the ball. Last Saturday, with Weyer rushing for 207 yards on 47 carries, the Mustangs also passed for 170 yards on a drizzly day. Quarterback, Mike Cummings will link up with flanker, Dennis Maderak and Gleich on playaction passes from both the power and counter plays. They will also spread the defense by lining up in a double twins set. Of course Weyer will line up at one of the slot positions and motion back in to give them the option to run as well. Two of their favorite routes appear to be the flanker screen, to Maderak and the dig route, with Maderak running a post behind a tight running a dig to pull the linebackers a safety.
Defensively, the base is a 5-2, but like the Raiders, the Mustangs have discovered that it is very adaptable. Against a balanced offense, they can drop an end and go with a 4-4 cover 3 look, or move the drop end in and line up in a 4-3 cover 2. Size wise, they average 235 on the defensive line, 200 at the linebackers and 170 in the secondary. Typical of most CMC or CCL teams, they are very disciplined and aggressively get to the ball. This is not a defense that will take many chances, preferring instead to line up, make their reads, and challenge the offense to beat their scheme.
When you think about it, the Raiders and the Mustangs actually have something in common. For years they have been overshadowed by the big three, Mount Carmel, Providence and Joliet Catholic. Well this Saturday, the frustration ends for one team as they step out of the shadows and into the spotlight of the 6A State Championship.
Semifinal - Post Game Comments
I don't normally do this, but there were a few comments I had on last nights game, and figured this was the most appropriate forum in which to share them. First, on behalf of the staff and team, thanks to all the fans (and drumline) for making the long trip up to Chicago, decorating the visitors bleachers, making St. Rita's stadium feel like a home away from home, and for believing in us. Its too bad the home team couldn't demonstrate such great sportsmanship. In our previous meetings with the Chicagoland Catholic teams, intimidation was limited to the football team and their play on the field. In retrospect, the treatment we were given by Mt. Carmel and Providence over the years was top notch compared to what we experienced last night. Just a few examples. I received three different emails during the week asking me to warn our fans about the "questionable" neighborhood that they would be venturing into to get to the game. The tone was not one of a public service announcement, but one of intimidation. There were several late or extracurricular hits during the game by St. Rita players. To add insult to injury, these incidents were not flagged by the officials. By the way, the IHSA assigns the officials crews to each of these games, the home team has no control over this. The more disturbing thing is that the team seemed to condone the actions of the players. After spending the first half atop the St. Rita pressbox, I was kicked out for the second half. School officials claim the have a policy against allowing opposing coaches up there, and that they had simply not seen me go up for the first half. When I asked for a justification for the policy, I was told that the top of the pressbox was reserved for their officials. The St. Rita coaches have a spot IN the pressbox. The only people on top were our camera man, two of their cameramen, and three "officials" who did nothing but watch the game (and get very heated by what they saw) and smoke cigars. So, without any real justification for the policy, I can only assume that it was to put us at a disadvantage. A real top-notch display of sportsmanship. At least one of our fans had their vehicle vandalized. Raider flags were torn off, the vehicle spit on and vulgar messages written on it. Then to add an exclamation point on their unsportsmanlike nature, one of our players busses was approached by a few fans who proceeded to beat on the bus till a patrol car came along and ran them off. Now I realize that fans will be fans, and there is not much school officials can do about controlling their behavior, but the way in which officials handled the press box situation shed a lot of light on their willingness to accept, or at least not deter, such actions.
State Championship - Mundelein Carmel
Well the clock hasn't struck midnight on Cinderella yet, and now she's going to the ball. In a season that has surpassed even the most optimistic fans expectations, the Raiders find themselves in the 6A State Championship game for a second consecutive year. This time facing what some call the best team in the state of Illinois. Some have gone as far as to call the Corsairs the best team EVER in the state of Illinois. Well I don't know about that, but I can share some information on them. Carmel of Mundelein (COM) has been ranked #1 in 6A all season. They have been ranked #1 in the Chicagoland top 20 all season. In some mythical, national poll they are even ranked the twelfth best team in the nation. After winning the tough Catholic Metropolitan Conference blue division last season, they moved to the East Suburban Catholic Conference and promptly won it this season. Beating the likes of Joliet Catholic week nine of the regular season 41-14. They have rolled through the playoffs beating Niles Notre Dame 41-18, Crystal Lake South 55-7, Rockford Boylan 42-14 and Minooka 40-20. The Corsairs are making their 10 playoff appearance, fourth consecutive, and first trip to the championship game. Prior to this, the farthest they have advanced was to the 6A semifinals back in 2001. Ironically, the Raiders advanced to the semis that same season. So guess what? The Raiders enter the game as a BIG underdog. Some even say that the outcome will be so bad that the IHSA should change its rules and pit COM against 8A Maine South, whom many consider to be the second best team in the state. Surprise, surprise. This underdog role is actually getting to be kind of fun. Let's just play the game Saturday and see what happens.
Offensively, COM can best be described as a cross between Rock Island and Normal Community. They line up in the same formations as the Rocks with double tight ends, double split ends, or one of each, with two wings and a single back in the backfield. They also run several of the same plays with the dive, trap, double dive, counter and wing reverse. The main difference is that the quarterback is a definite threat to run the ball, unlike with the Rocks. One the dive, trap and double dive plays, he has the option of pulling the ball and taking it around end himself. Quarterback Mark Venegoni is the leading scorer and second leading rusher for the Corsairs. He was injured in their victory over Minooka last week, but is expecting to play. Even if he doesn't, it is the offense, not necessarily the quarterback that creates the openings. So a back-up quarterback familiar with the schemes, could be just as dangerous. Another difference from Rock Island, is that in the COM offense the backside wing is usually trailing the quarterback as a pitch man. Giving the quarterback, once he has turned the corner, the option to pitch the ball to the outside. Wingbacks Mike Serio, and Steve Hironimus are the third and fourth leading rushers on the team. So who is the top rusher? Fullback Jon Popovitch, who leads the team with 155 carries for 1041 yards. His plays consist only of the dive and trap, but with so much else going on in the backfield, it makes it difficult to commit too many defenders to stopping him. This is all run behind a line similar to that of the Ironmen. Up front, the Corsairs average 6-3 and 251 pounds. They get into a four point stance and come straight at you. This should be interesting against a Raiders defensive front that averages 5-10 and 193 pounds. To top it off, as if there weren't enough to defend, COM also has a very effective passing game commanded by Venegoni (86/137 for 1629 yards and 15 touchdowns) that features 6'5" 215 pound Jack Simmons (33 catches for 634 yards and 4 touchdowns). Most passes come off of playaction, and usually consist of Simmons on a vertical and Venegoni throwing the ball over the heads of the defensive backs so that only Simmons can catch it.
Defensively, the Raiders face something they haven't seen all season, the 3-4. Isn't the 3-4 a 5-2? They both equal 7 don't they? Well there are a lot of similarities. The Corsairs will line a noseguard and defensive tackles up on the center and tackles. The main difference is with the ends. Whereas in a 5-2, both ends will usually be on the line and in a stance, COM usually lines theirs up a yard or two off the line and in a two point stance. While this may create a softer corner, it keeps blockers from tying into them and lets them flow faster to the ball. One other peculiarity with the COM defense is that they will line up a monster linebacker 7-8 yards off the ball and the middle of the offensive formation. This gives the linebacking corps a pyramid look. Offenses cannot scheme to block someone that far off the ball consistently, so by having the monster key the backfield, they can usually get an extra, unblocked defender to the ball. The COM defense is much smaller than the offense up front. The line averages 6-0, 198, while the linebackers go 5-10, 164. That last stat has to be a misprint, but the whole scheme seems to be to let smaller, faster bodies sit back, read and flow to the ball. With a 13-0 record and national ranking, it seems to be working.
On sort of a sad note, we just completed our final practice with the 2003 seniors at Fred Carlton field. What this class has done for our football program is truly amazing, and they will be sorely missed by all of us on the football staff. In four years, this class lost one game at Fred Carlton field. An 8-6 loss to Normal Community their freshman year. They have only lost three games overall, the game to NCHS, the loss to Mt. Carmel last season, and the loss, turned forfeit win, to Eisenhower this season. Over the last three seasons they have contributed to three conference championships and finished those seasons as 6A semifinalists in 2001, 6A runner-up in 2002, and now earned a second consecutive trip to the championship game. Hands down, they have been the most successful class in the history of Bloomington High School. Irregardless of any future successes in football, they have created a lifetime of memories for themselves, their coaches and their fans while here at BHS. Thanks to all eighteen of you for your efforts and dedication.