Delay Impact Discussion

[BillyJack™]

Okay, for the coaches, what impact will having the extra week to prepare benefit these two teams? Or, for the players, will the two week cool down hurt them?

[pantherblue]

I think it hurts the basketball teams more than the football teams.

[BillyJack™]

My 2 cents:

I believe Morrilton has the better athletes in key positions and the two weeks will give more time to heal up all the bumps and bruises. Being healthy for a "Shoot Out" game strategy it very important.

On the other hand, you give a coach like King an extra week to prep for taking it to trenches and playing disciplined, grind it out football, that's hard for anyone to beat.

I guess I'm old school and will take coaching over talent. Benefit Batesville.

[BillyJack™]

I think it hurts the basketball teams more than the football teams.

+1

[Brian G]

You have to figure there is a key player in this game or in another of the delayed finals that now plays that wouldn't have otherwise due to an injury.

[DogsWin7]

Good point.    Does or can anticipation factor in to how players prepare mentally?   

[Coach DePriest, Sheridan]

I guess I'm old school and will take coaching over talent. Benefit Batesville.

I think you are underestimating Coach McNabb & staffs' ability. Also not sure Morrilton is more talented than Batesville, although Hawkins is probably the best player in 5A.

Also, I don't think this will be a shootout for two reasons...
1. Both of these teams are built around having a nasty defense, even though both have very good offenses. 
2. I think the extra time benefits the defensive coaches to prepare more than it benefits the offense.

I don't believe either team will score more than an avg of a TD a qtr on offense.

[DB]

Makes for more fun here.

[BillyJack™]

I guess I'm old school and will take coaching over talent. Benefit Batesville.

I think you are underestimating Coach McNabb & staffs' ability. Also not sure Morrilton is more talented than Batesville, although Hawkins is probably the best player in 5A.

Also, I don't think this will be a shootout for two reasons...
1. Both of these teams are built around having a nasty defense, even though both have very good offenses. 
2. I think the extra time benefits the defensive coaches to prepare more than it benefits the offense.

I don't believe either team will score more than an avg of a TD a qtr on offense.

Don't get me wrong Coach, I think the teams are fairly well balanced in talent and coaching. I was commenting strictly on the delay impact.

Unless Morrilton has slowed down dramatically since week 5, their QB and 2 of their receivers are much faster and pretty well coordinated to each other. That's what I meant by better athletes in key positions. I called them as having a "Shoot out" concept because they've laid 35+ points each game but two through the season using that coordination. Batesville on the other hand, from the one game I saw them play, relied more on their backers to get through and outside. Ground and pound.

I edged and only edged King having the benefit over McNabb because of the adjustments made using what he had during our game. Morrilton couldn't adjust and became sloppy when the heavy defense weighed in on them. Could have been an off game in mid season, but that's what happened and what I based my comment on. That being said, the extra week should make King even more adaptable and why I gave him the benefit.

That's the delay benefits only though. As for the game itself, both teams are strong and well coached. I expect it to be one of, if not the best game to watch this season.

[ahsalum]

It delays my drinking at War Memorial by a week.

[Coach DePriest, Sheridan]

Don't get me wrong Coach, I think the teams are fairly well balanced in talent and coaching. I was commenting strictly on the delay impact.

Unless Morrilton has slowed down dramatically since week 5, their QB and 2 of their receivers are much faster and pretty well coordinated to each other. That's what I meant by better athletes in key positions. I called them as having a "Shoot out" concept because they've laid 35+ points each game but two through the season using that coordination. Batesville on the other hand, from the one game I saw them play, relied more on their backers to get through and outside. Ground and pound.

I edged and only edged King having the benefit over McNabb because of the adjustments made using what he had during our game. Morrilton couldn't adjust and became sloppy when the heavy defense weighed in on them. Could have been an off game in mid season, but that's what happened and what I based my comment on. That being said, the extra week should make King even more adaptable and why I gave him the benefit.

That's the delay benefits only though. As for the game itself, both teams are strong and well coached. I expect it to be one of, if not the best game to watch this season.

+1

I actually haven't seen Batesville this year, so I'll rely on your observations.  I did see them last year and this year and last in JV.  I don't think there is any question that Coach King is one of the top coaches in the state.  I also don't think it will be long before McNabb will be viewed in a similar light.

As for the shootout, I think that looking at the scores, most would agree.  I just have a feeling that this game will be more about defense...a 28-24, 28-21 type game if not a TD less on both sides.  Regardless of the score, I don't think this will be decided by more than 7 points.

[walkingguy72396]

After the Alma vs Batesville game.

Batesville can score 30 or more on about any-one.

I do not think that Morrilton can keep the score under 30.

Not many teams win ball games in which they give up more than 30.

So Batesville is still my pick.

[MDXPHD]

After the Alma vs Batesville game.

Batesville can score 30 or more on about any-one.

I do not think that Morrilton can keep the score under 30.

Not many teams win ball games in which they give up more than 30.

So Batesville is still my pick.

You are really over looking Morrilton, as is the rest of the state.

[Intelligentsia]

You are really over looking Morrilton, as is the rest of the state.

No one in Batesville is overlooking Morrilton, but the Pioneers will score several times in this game.  I can't imagine that they will score less than 30 unless they have the number of fumbles (5) as they did against CF - a game in which they still scored 26.  The big question is; can Morrilton score more:). First one to 36 wins!!

[MDXPHD]

You are really over looking Morrilton, as is the rest of the state.

No one in Batesville is overlooking Morrilton, but the Pioneers will score several times in this game.  I can't imagine that they will score less than 30 unless they have the number of fumbles (5) as they did against CF - a game in which they still scored 26.  The big question is; can Morrilton score more:). First one to 36 wins!!

I'm going to say that could be accurate, but I am also going to say that Morrilton has just as good of a defense that CF had, if not better.

[Intelligentsia]

You are really over looking Morrilton, as is the rest of the state.

No one in Batesville is overlooking Morrilton, but the Pioneers will score several times in this game.  I can't imagine that they will score less than 30 unless they have the number of fumbles (5) as they did against CF - a game in which they still scored 26.  The big question is; can Morrilton score more:). First one to 36 wins!!

I'm going to say that could be accurate, but I am also going to say that Morrilton has just as good of a defense that CF had, if not better.

It may well be better.  If you watched the Pioneer-CF game, you know that the Pioneers moved the ball quite well, with the O+line blowing massive holes in the CF line, especially in the first half.  We moved the ball in the second half pretty well but we could not hang on to it.  One botched Center/ QB exchange with the backup QB followed by two consecutive fumbles kept the ball in CF hands and each led to a score. 

While Morrilton may have an answer, they will be the first to stop the ball movement with exception of our poor performance at Nettleton early in the season.  Not saying that Morrilton can't point up more points, just saying that the Pioneers should get theirs if they hold on to the ball.  Pioneers should score 30+, question is, will the Devil Dogs score more:). I'm sure D+Coordinator is planning a strategy to stop the DD, and he is quite the defensive strategist.

[Uncle Ivan]

Trench game, basically.  What are Morrilton's lines, ala size, etc.

[ahsalum]

DL ave is 5'8  195

OL ave is 5'10  205

[Uncle Ivan]

They're little.  Hope they're quick, then.

[ahsalum]

Their slowest lineman runs a 4.5.

[The_Pioneer]

And gets massages from dudes.

[DogsWin7]

And gets massages from dudes.

And you know this how???   

[Doggone]

And gets massages from dudes.

That was you?