Feels like a good time to talk about football. We are still awaiting the 6A Southeast recognitions for High School as well as all city. The kid has expectations instead of hopes. I am not sure he should have either. Here’s one thing I’ve noticed about my kids who play–they are the kind of kids you can easily scheme against. My high schooler pointed out that many teams would sacrifice a player to block him. On obvious run plays or RPOs (the obvious penalty was never called when the pass was thrown btw) they option a tackle or guard to shoot up field and block him from the safety position. On other plays they use the slot WR to run him off. He saw that as a positive because teams need to scheme against him. I see it as a negative because teams can scheme against him. If you want to be at the next level you need to overcome scheme. You need to be a dynamic threat from your position and scheme ought not matter.
He isn’t that guy yet. He doesn’t fully realize that consciously and as a result thinks he is far above where he is at. He expects to be first team all conference and all-city as well. That remains to be seen. Regardless, he has a ton of work to do this summer in camps to earn a scholarship offer. That in of itself is getting harder and harder based on the money these teams are shelling out. More than likely he will take his brother’s route of going FCS and then earning up. It is a good route. A smart route that teaches you a lot about the game and about the business of the game. He also has a lot to learn about the fact that he is a student-athlete. That remains important at the next level as his brother can attest to.. with those straight As.
Speaking of the college kid, his problem is one that, at this level, could help. He does not get a ton of stats. He is 9th on the team in tackles despite missing one game to illness and only playing roughly half of two others as he’s worked his way back from a devastating 30 lb weight loss due to that illness. He still leads the team in pass deflections in spite of seeing the least amount of targets of dbs playing significant minutes. That boils down to the main fact and main issue: He is sticky. He provides solid coverage within a qb’s passing window, so more often than not the qb’s will go to another WR. There is no stat for sticky. That pops on film, but you need to watch the film to see that. Most awards, recognitions, etc. are stat based. So when the top corners are lined out, he’s never considered among them.
Quiet greatness. Gotta check the PFF score. Sadly, few teams actually do and PFF itself hardly looks at FCS teams–especially not the 3-7 ones. All I know is a the teams in the Big Sky are looking at 31 and saying, “why risk it?” Cool. But not really cool. Hopefully that changes in a few hours and this kid gets a shot at a big game.