U Remember When

I'm going with Vancleave in the opening week. I was trying to watch EC / George Co. on livestream and it was "technical difficulties." Switched over to Vancleave / St. Martin and it was already game over at halftime. Their state leading rusher graduated in May and no superstars that I know of coming back. Saw this young Kyle Capers run all over St. Martin 42-7. (The previous Vancleave coach was Lavon Capers - maybe a relative?) Hats off to Coach Kevin Fant and staff. Mid-season form on August 25 is no easy task.

Just got done watching about a quarter and a half on NFHS On Demand of Long Beach at Greene County. First, Coby King is the son of Coach Michael King. Put #2 Coby on your radar (I believe he's a junior). Last time I threw with Coby he was about 4 feet tall and I thought he would be a receiver like dad. He ran QB last night like a seasoned veteran. I'm not ready to anoint them state champs just yet, but the Wildcats were like a well oiled machine on offense (I believe they scored on every drive till I turned it off). Defense is solid. Long Beach is much improved at offense. The traditional option can be a giant killer but it takes time. Don't tear up the playbook just yet. You see the military teams give some real good colleges fits with it. Third and 5 is not always a throwing down. GC was 3rd and about 35 from their own 35. Next play was a draw play up the middle to the 2 yard line. Y'all keep fighting over there in LB. It'll come.

I know wareagle, I been there. And Deonte is right about the quality of streams. Reminds me of the old Forrest Gump box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get.

Good night for online streaming.

My apologies to anyone who showed up at the East Central Moss Point jamboree at 6 and baked in the heat for an hour listening to everything from Heavy Metal to Gangster rap to the Dukes of Hazzard. They did post 6 p.m. online. Props to EC for the 2 long pass completions for td's. They won't be quite as big and physical this year so a little balance on offense will be helpful on what seems to be a little tougher schedule this year. Moss Point looked small in size and numbers but Coach Feaster seems to be focused on discipline and should have them ready for 4A competition. The two long passes were basically the difference score wise, the rest of the game was very competitive. Sorry to hear about the WP kid, you hope it does not hurt any college plans. I don't know what made me think of the Vancleave running back in my Monday post. These things just happen, thankfully they are rare.

Here are 8/18/23 scrimmages according to SBLive. They seem to have replaced Maxpreps for accurate information. Please check before traveling in case of last minute changes or mistakes on my part. These are mostly on and around the coast area: "Watch" was added to those who say they plan to livestream. As some of you may have experienced, these livestreams are occasionally like watching through a cracked windshield during a blizzard. Most do a good job. Moss Point @ East Central 6 St. Martin @ George County 6 Ocean Springs @ Pascagoula 7 Gautier @ Biloxi 6pm. (Watch) Gulfport @ Oak Grove 7 D'Iberville @ St. Stanislaus 7 (Watch) Vancleave @ Pass Christian Perry Central @ Stone 7 Poplarville @. Forrest Co. 7 Harrison Central @ Wayne Co. 6 Long Beach @ Greene Co. 7 (Watch) Bay High @ Hancock 7 (Watch) North Forrest @ West Harrison 7 (Watch) PRC @ Purvis 7 (Watch) Picayune is not showing a scrimmage on SBLive at this time. Might be a good topic. Advantages and disadvantages of jamboree games. I remember an outstanding running back at Vancleave years ago who broke is leg against Greene Co. in a jamboree game. I know, hindsight's 20-20.

That's a fair point about sharing athletes, especially with smaller schools. It just seems over the years, as the season got longer, football pushed further back into the summer. Basketball season hasn't changed much in 50 years calendar wise. I also thought about playing schools in Louisiana or Alabama if they've been practicing two weeks longer than you. No easy answers. Everyone would have to turn the page at the same time.

Roughly August 5th is the midpoint of summer. It just seems a little early to be in full pads. The start of fall is around September 22 and most teams have already played half their regular season schedule. I'm 64 and like to reminisce like everyone else about how tough we used to be and I remember the one water break from a garden hose. But I swear I don't recall any 2 week period straight with 97 to 100 temps. Maybe the officials could take a little more time between possession changes, an extra minute to timeouts and so forth. There's not a perfect solution but we should be able to figure it out.

Seems like years ago, we didn't have our first practice until later sometime in August. I remember playing games when it was freezing and these were just late regular season games pre 1980. Start two weeks later like the old days. Maybe eliminate the off week (nobody likes em anyway). Maybe we could go to a late season game and actually have to throw a jacket in the truck.

I got to thinking after I posted, a couple more GC boys popped into my head. There was a Martin in the 70s who played at MSU (I believe his dad is the Martin part of Gill Martin stadium name) The first name is eluding me at the moment. I know it's not Billy. That was the guy who Steinbrenner fired like 3 times. There was also a Perine who went to USM, I want to say Anthony. Super athlete maybe late 90s? GC had put out some football players over the years. Tough, hard nosed kids. I didn't mean to go off topic, just waiting for the season to start. I had not heard about Mojo going to Cal. Such a good kid.

Also Malik Knight is an older brother I believe who didn't play football till senior year and still signed with Pearl River a few years back. Athletic family. Some other George County notable names as I go from memory which is sometimes questionable. Eric Moulds (Buffalo Bills), Trey Fryfogle (Ole Miss) Ty Fryfogle (Indiana All Big Ten) , McKinley Jackson (Texas A&M DL #35 currently), Alonzo Lawrence (Alabama), MJ Daniels (Ole Miss to USM - current), Dylan Lawrence (MSU to USM current), and tons more smaller schools and junior colleges. My apologies to anyone I left out. Used to have a motto "once a rebel, always a rebel." Guess its not 100 percent accurate. Best of luck to Deuce, I feel like he will be added to that long list of Lucedale greats. Oh, Mojo Dortch (MSU current) I ain't forgot you.

If Irving has a bad night throwing it could be a close game in Gautier. He has not had many bad nights. The schools are about 15 miles apart. Match up will be similar to the Hattiesburg game. Depends on who shows up.

May have to face EC again next week and that game was not exactly a blow out. One of the closer games the Tide played all season. No disrespect to the Mustangs, they are always tough. Y'all be safe.

About East Central passing. They throw 3 to 4 times if it is a competitive game, otherwise probably none. Problem is your safety gets so used to looking in the backfield, the TE scored from about 60 yards out vs. Gautier. This game was much closer than the score and was not decided until the last 4 minutes. The TE dropped a td pass vs. Vancleave and if memory serves, did catch a long one. Its just a fact, if you play them with 4 defensive backs and linebackers 4-5 yards deep, you may as well forfeit. You have got to load the box and bring it or else you have no chance. They are in 4 down territory outside their own 30 in most cases because when you're gashing defenses, why wouldn't you. Good luck to both teams. It will be a game where the seed placements may be irrelevant.

This is a tough one. Sometimes a team is 0-5 at mid season and feels snake bit. Losing becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. Then a young team might say, this is where we turn it around. We'll see which team shows up this Friday.

Thanks for bailing me out there positiveyard33. And I think Jupiter has to align with Mars.

Long Beach and PRC should be wins. Picayune, not so much. Vancleave and EC are similar in schemes and they will have to pick off at least one of those. Vs. EC and Vancleave they just about have to put a D lineman in every gap since they are blocking with about 9 people including the QB. They throw 2 to 3 times a game and it's 4 down territory for about 75 yards. Good luck Rebels.

You speak the truth. Unfortunately, in too many cases we are still raising them and their kids.

Those "idiots" from the past stormed the beaches of Normandy, its why we're not typing in German now. Those "idiots" flew to and walked on the moon. Today we are hitching rides into space with adversaries and other nations. Some of the most iconic games in history were on the "frozen tundra of Lambeau Field. Many things have changed for the better over time like diversity among players and coaches. But I have noticed an overall decline in physical toughness in society at large. My grandmother talked for 30 years about waiting under the stands of the then new D'iberville stadium until the storm passed. It never occurred to me she was stupid. Grandma came to see me play and I thought she was awesome.

I have a couple of competing concepts in my head (twice the normal capacity). After watching the spread offense for roughly 20 years now, it seems those teams that have that particular qb, 2-3 really reliable receivers, and an o line that can handle a pin the ears back 9 man front for 3 seconds. Those teams can have success. If you're missing any one of those, the spread shuts down. I watched Moss Point fumble the first 3 shotgun snaps and then just sling a prayer down field a couple times vs. EC. Knew it was over at that point. Flipped over to Vancleave. They're getting back to the hit you in the mouth, stay ahead of the chains offense. Fant is getting back to hard nose football and they beat a pretty good hancock team and a Greene Co. that just beat George. The other concept is one man can't make a championship in football. Bilbo is an incredible athlete, but it just looks like instead of everyone waiting for the star to pull the wagon, everybody is contributing. Didn't mean to offend anybody with my observations about the spread. Again, it can be a lethal offense with the right kids. But not everybody has a Bray Hubbard.

I almost posted this topic yesterday just watching the green and red blobs creep across the radar. I was thinking in terms of the old idea that ball control, run heavy offenses are at an advantage over teams that throw 25-30 times a game. In my mind, advantage goes to teams who may not have speed burners, but have good size and went all in in the weight room. I know, anything can happen on a wet field.

I guess since I retired I just get bored too easily.

It may be a little early to speculate, but there's just not much going on but nerves 2 1/2 weeks from kickoff. You could get some interesting changes when you look at the border line teams from last count. I saw one that caught my eye. Moss Point was about 2nd from the 4A bottom. I have zero information, but to see the Tigers drop to 3A would just be weird.

East Central has played Picayune fairly close the last few years. Running very similar offenses means you have a decent idea about how to attack it. Very few surprises. The deception about the ground and pound offense is that, to your opponent (players and usually coaches), it looks like it would be easy to stop. I've heard people say, "we got this, they only run like 4 plays." Teams that run and practice against the spread sometimes try to run the same defense against a power team like Picayune or EC. Both of these teams know, not just what plays are coming, but what it's going to feel like to get hit from every angle by guys that strength train like they're addicted to it. Sorry, I get long winded. Not to say they never lose to spread teams, but you have to score a lot of points and hope you end up with the ball last. Watched Picayune beat George Co. in Lucedale several years ago 60 something to 60 something. Case in point.

George Co. has a sophomore QB who's already receiving offers. Stepped in as a freshman last year and lit it up (SR qb injured). Lost a couple key skill guys, Trent Howell will be at Jones and Mojo Dortch I believe Starkville. Won't be able to rattle this one like your average sophomore. OL will have to protect him. East Central has a new HC. Good man who has waited his turn and I think they'll be fine. I don't do predictions, but I feel both these teams are playoff bound. In the district with Picayune, so district champs may be a stretch for both.