Friday Night Writes: Murrah @ Madison Central (Blitz Edition)

Ok. I am going to have to be very honest right now. See the word "blitz" in the title? I put that in there for two reasons: A) Its sounds and looks pretty cool. B) I thought it might be a cool way to say that this is a shortened, condensed version of Friday Night Writes. So consider this paragraph the condensed, fancy intro paragraph. This was fun, right? We should do this again.

Here are the basics (in no order whatsoever; in numbered form to save me time from typing awkward transition sentences).
1) Murrah comes into this game as the underdog. However, make no mistake. This is a very dangerous team. If MC can't stop Murrah from making big plays, this could be a very long night.
2) Murrah is lead by their star wide receiver (How often can you say that?), Malik Dear. You should know a few things about Dear. He's a very special playmaker who comes along very rarely at any school. The sophomore has accounted for 16 (!) touchdowns so far this season (6 receiving, 8 running, and 2 passing). Yes, you read that correctly. Dear has an arm, so watch for Murrah to pull out all the stops tonight.  MC knows that they have to watch this guy.
3) Now obviously, if a WR is the star of a team, there is a very capable quarterback taking the snaps. Vonnie Howard could have a breakout night if the Jags are too focused on stopping Dear.

Keys to the Game

• Madison Central offense: Just keep the ball moving. Keep your defense off the field. Murrah has the offensive firepower to keep up with you, so you'll have to score and score a lot. Key Player: Jake Schwartz
• Madison Central defense: Control Dear. Sure, Murrah has other playmakers, but none are as dangerous as the sophomore sensation. I'm going to stop saying "Don't give up big plays" because I've come to expect that you always will, but just don't give up too many, okay? If the defensive line can stay in Murrah's backfield, controlling Murrah's run game will not be too big of a problem. Key Unit: Defensive Line
• Murrrah offense: Give Dear the ball as often as possible. Every time you give him a touch, your chances to win this game increase. Don't turn the ball over, because MC has the ability to score. Key Player: (If it wasn't obvious already) Malik Dear
• Murrah Defense: We know that you probably won't be able to stop Madison Central a lot, but if you can make some turnovers, you can give your offense a chance to win this game. Key Unit: Secondary

Prediction: This has the potential to be a very close game, and if Malik Dear gets loose that could happen even moreso. But (I said this about the Clinton game too) I think that MC's quality of nonconference opponents, is the difference here. I'm predicting a close game for about 3 1/2 quarters, but MC will pull away at the end. Murrah 30 Madison Central 41

In Case You Missed Friday Night: Clinton @ Madison Central

1. The Jags got their season back on track this past week, beating the Clinton Arrows 35-17. A quick observation on the game: While 35-17 seems like a normal "good team beats worse team" score, it's not. The Jags dominated every side of the football, and Clinton had no hope of winning by halftime. I detail just how complete this victory was below.
2. We'll start on defense. In what has become a strength of the defense the past week, the defensive line had another stellar performance. Frederrick Ross and Gemarta Jackson combined for 3 sacks as the Jags defensive line became a mainstay in the Arrow backfield. The linebackers came through with another solid outing; Brion Ballard had key tackle after key tackle. Ballard racked up 10 total tackles while Dee Johnson had 8. The defense stepped it up big time after being picked apart by West Monroe, as that game is starting to seem like more of an afterthought now.
3. The offense looked well-oiled this past Friday night; Clinton could not find a way to stop Schwartz and co. In fact, the only team that stopped MC was MC itself. The Jags accounted for an astounding 505 total yards on offense and ran 72 plays in offense (a rather large amount for a high school football team). Coach Bobby Hall truly has an array of offensive weapons that can all dissect a defense to choose from: Jake Schwartz, Doug Ball, Daniel Goodspeed (or as many, including the referees, know him "Moose"), Keith Williams, Xavier Watson, and Kelvin Williams. If this offense can continue to produce, MC's chances to win and win big increase drastically.
4. Now not everything is rosy. The Jags again gave up big plays. This, if anything, has become the Achilles's Heel for Madison Central. MC gave up a kick-off return to their own 3 yard line immediately after a game-opening touchdown drive. Schwartz also threw a pick-six on the Arrow's goaline. Bottom line: You just spotted the other team 14 points. You can't spot teams like South Panola and Olive Branch 14 points. That will be the difference in the game.
5. I did some research the other day and found out this interesting fact: The jungletron (see picture in post below) is actually larger than 2 NCAA FBS schools: Bowling Green and Texas State.

Friday Night Writes: Clinton @ Madison Central

The "jungletron" will be unveiled at tonight's game against Clinton.

Tonight, the jaguars of Madison Central will meet the Clinton Arrows at Jaguar Stadium. Excitement surrounds this game not only because many label it a rivalry game, but also because of the unveiling of what has become affectionately known by the student body at Madison Central as the "jungletron". Whatever the cause, the excitement surrounding the circumstances of this game can only mean one thing: an exciting atmosphere for an exciting game. Clinton is so excited that they dressed in orange and blue for their pep rally (Please don't ask me for the logic behind that.). Clinton is extremely ready not only for this game but also to win. Why? It has been exactly 2192 days since Clinton has beaten Madison Central. That's quite some time. Enough with the interesting pictures and stats. There ought to be some good football played tonight.

Clinton comes into this game with a first-year head coach. MC is going to test the Arrows' new head coach Judd Boswell and his team with an aggressive style of play. Madison Central is looking to run a balanced attack on offense tonight to keep the Arrow defense on its heels. The Jags will more than likely use a steady diet of outside runs combined with read options and some play-action passing. The CHS team, not normally known for their defense, will have to force and capitalize on turnovers, which have given the Jags some fits in recent weeks. On offense, the Jags will have to control Senior QB Cale Luke, who has both thrown and rushed for over 300 yards on the season. Historically, dual-threat quarterbacks, like Luke, have given the Jags some trouble on defense (see former Olive Branch QB Todd Mays). To stop Luke, the Jags must tackle better than they did against West Monroe, or else MC is in for a very long night.

Keys to the Game

• Madison Central's offense- Jake Schwartz's running ability and toughness has to be key tonight for the jags. Schwartz's throwing ability could allow him to pick apart almost any defense in region 2; however Coach Hall doesn't like to be one-dimensional (at least this year). Look for Jake to have a breakout night after his offense handles a mediocre Clinton defense. Key Player: Jake Schwartz
• Madison Central's defense- It's all about one person: Cale Luke. Make him cough up the football; he already has 5 fumbles this season (Luke has also thrown 5 interceptions). Luke has accounted for 73% of Clinton's total offense. If you stop Luke you will stop the Arrows. The main problem for MC's defense, though, is big plays. Every team MC has played has had several long touchdown plays (except Starkville); you cannot allow that to happen. Key Unit: Linebackers
• Clinton's offense- If Clinton wins the battle in the trenches, they can win this game. Clinton will look to utilize Cale Luke on nearly every down.  Clinton, who I'm sure watched film of the West Monroe game, knows that if they play tough, they will be rewarded. Key player: Cale Luke
• Clinton's defense- Jake Schwartz can beat you with his feet or his arm; plus you can't forget about Brandon Moore, Brandon Collins, or Doug Ball either. This is a tough task. The Arrows will have to play quick defense to keep MC from moving the football. Defensive backs will have to make tackles and stop Schwartz's arm all at once. But if Clinton can force turnovers, they have to like their chances in this game. Key Unit: Defensive backs

Prediction: Ultimately, I think MC, who has faced superior opponents than CHS, will be too much for the Arrows to handle. In my opinion, Clinton does not have the defense nor the offensive firepower to keep up with the Jags tonight. It will more than likely be another 365 days before Clinton has another chance to end their winless streak against Madison Central. Clinton 20, Madison Central 41.  

In Case You Missed It: West Monroe (LA) @ Madison Central

1. I'll start out of synopsis of what happened last Friday night by saying this: West Monroe is clearly one of the top teams in the states of Mississippi and Louisiana, if not in the southeast. Yes, it's pretty obvious to me that Madison Central was thrashed (56- 28 to be exact), but let me be very clear. Madison Central is not the only team that would lose badly to West Monroe; they just happened to be the only team in the state that had the guts to play them (Coach Hall said in his post-game radio interview that he plans to make this game a annual rivalry.). In fact, I'll make a bold statement about the Louisiana powerhouse. West Monroe would beat any team in the state of MS, period. So to all of my fellow media members (I count as the media, don't I?), if you think that losing to Olive Branch (6A champion), Petal (6A runner-up), and West Monroe (LA 5A champions) is worth forgetting this Madison Central team, you might want to read what I just put in parenthesis next to those high schools. By no means has this team achieved its potential, but has it lost to teams that would automatically qualify this season as a "down season"? I certainly don't think so.

2. With all of that said, Madison Central definitely deserves some of the flack that they're catching. There are some major problems on defense and special teams. There have always been assignments missed and coverages blown in high school football, but tackling has been horrendous and is, in my opinion, the biggest problem that the defense and special teams has had this year. Bad tackling, or more candidly, lack of tackling, leads to these kinds of stats: West Monroe's QB had three long runs for touchdowns on Friday night (56,56, and 61 yards). Tackling must get better if the jags have plans of beating better teams in the playoffs. For what it's worth: West Monroe's 56 points is the most points Madison Central has given up in school history. Also, penalties. You know it's a bad night when it seems like every 1st down starts with 1st and 15.

3. Now it's the offense's turn to listen to me complain. No one doubts MC's offensive prowess, but, in the past weeks, people have started to question MC's ability to sustain long drives. That is not to say that the jags haven't had long drives or aren't capable of long drives, but big plays caused by defensive miscues have frequently bailed out the offense. Other than that, turnovers or punts have ended drives. Frankly, I think a lot of this is due to the quality opponents the jags have played.

4. Now, not all is bad. Among other things going well for the jags, Doug Ball has emerged as a go-to speed back, especially this past week against a stout rebel defense.  On the year, Ball is averaging nearly 11 yards a carry. Here's how I see this: Give the man the football some more, duh.

5. And lastly, Keith Williams had a ridiculously good night. 6 catches for 170 yards and 2 touchdowns. With stats like that, Williams' will most definitely get more and more looks from college scouts. In the meantime, vote for him to win the Blitz16 Player of the Week here: http://www.wapt.com/blitz-16-player-of-the-week. I'm sure that he'd appreciate it, plus he deserves it with those kind of numbers.

Friday Night Writes: West Monroe (LA) @ Madison Central

NOTE: Like the Madison Central football team, I took a week off last week. Because I didn't write a "In Case You Missed Friday Night" column, here's a quick review of the MC @ Petal game: Nearly everyone knows that football is a 2-half game. The Jags simply did not play 2 halves of football. Petal did, and, consequently, they won. If MC had played the second half like they did the first half, the jaguars would have won by 17+ points; they dominated the first half.

In a rematch of a defensive standoff last year, Louisiana powerhouse West Monroe will visit Jaguar Stadium tomorrow night to seek revenge for a 14-13 loss handed to them at their home field last year. Junior RB Steven Jones is the spark of this West Monroe power running game offense, and the WM fundamentally-sound defense gives up about 27 points a game, a number that is neither astounding nor horrific. West Monroe will not overpower you with its offense or with it's defense, but rather the rebels will force you to play a complete game, something the jags struggled with last week. Offense, defense, and special teams. The rebels play every down solidly and they rarely make stupid mistakes. Coach Don Shows, who has lead West Monroe to 8 state championships and 2 "national championships" (which are merely a matter of opinion because there are many national high school polls), teaches his teams to play solid football.

Pertaining to strategy for this game, basic football technique will be very important. To play the brand of football the jags want to, MC will have to play relatively mistake-free. The defense will have to play tough defense yet must still be sensitive to the play-action pass. The offense will have to keep the fumbles and interceptions to a minimum, which they had trouble doing against Petal. Special teams will have to keep contain on returners. Giving up easy touchdowns on special teams is the easiest way to lose a football game. The Rebel's defense has the size advantage over the jags, but this creates a mismatch. The jag's offense, based on speed and spreading the football around, will be quicker than WM's defense. The question is to what degree will this mismatch help the Jag's offense?

Keys to the Game

• Madison Central's offense- Keep WM's larger, slower defense tired. Create mismatches to get the ball to an open player. Make the rebels run sideline-to-sideline and keep them off balance by not only utilizing your passing game but also mixing in the running game. O-line, keep WM's front 7 off of Jake Schwartz. Key Player: Jake Schwartz
• Madison Central's defense- MC's defensive line will have to be stout but also agile. Their linebackers will have to tackle well. And their defensive backs need to watch for the play-action pass. Key Unit- Defensive Line
• West Monroe's offense- Pound the football. If West Monroe has any advantage, it's size. Use it. Key Unit- Offensive Line
• West Monroe's defense- Get ready to substitute players into the game. You suit up 137(!!!) players. Get ready to use some of them. You're starting 11 on defense will be tired during this game. Key Unit- 2nd String Defense

Prediction: This prediction is an abnormal one because I can see two plausible outcomes that both hinge on the turnover battle. If the Jags win the turnover margin, Madison Central 24, West Monroe 17. If the Rebels win the turnover margin, West Monroe 13, Madison Central 10. 

Friday Night Writes: Madison Central @ Petal

If you like big-time high school football, you need to be in Petal, MS this Friday night when the Madison Central Jaguars take to the road to battle the Petal Panthers. The Jags and the Panthers are two of the most highly touted teams in the state; the jags are ranked #8 in the state of MS by maxpreps.com, and the panthers are ranked #6 in the state by the same website. Both teams run a spread offense, although each attack is specific to that team. The Panthers use a run-oriented attack led by all-purpose back Tyus Raine (156 rushing yards/game) and QB Larson Barkum. The jags on the other hand are a pass-first team lead by Jake Schwartz, who averages over 350 all-purpose yards per game. Let's take a closer look at this intriguing matchup.

Coming into this game, the panthers are going to spread out the field in order to get the ball to the aforementioned Tyus Raine, a speedster type back who also plays defensive back. Petal also has the potential to hurt teams through the air when Raine becomes successful on the ground. Barkum has shown that he is a competent quarterback that can manage the game and make an accurate throw when his team needs it. But what Petal needs most isn't an offense that can score; it needs a defense that can stop a team from scoring. Petal gave up 56 points to Picayune last Saturday. Even though Picayune is a top team in the state, their offense isn't spectacular and 56 points is still a considerable number of points. In layman's terms, Picayune's offense had their way with Petal's defense. And in my opinion, towards the end of the game Petal's defense looked tired and worn-out. Facing the jags quick and agile offense (unlike Picayune's tough, pro-style offense). The panthers might be even more tired than they were against Picayune, especially PHS's front 7. From what I saw, Petal's d-line better step it up. MC's o-line is very quick.

Keys to the Game

• Madison Central's offense- Against the panthers, look for the jags to run their triple option offense against Petal's slower, larger d-line. Jake Schwartz should have his passes set up by the run game; so it is only logical to think that play-action passes will be a factor tomorrow night. Key Players: Brandon Moore and Brandon Collins
• Madison Central defense- Stop Raine and you will make Larson Barkum beat you with his arm. The panthers are not a passing team and will consequently make mistakes when you make them uncomfortable. Key Players: Joe Green and Gemarte Jackson
• Petal offense- Petal wants to establish their running game. It's that simple. If the panthers can hold the ball away from the jags, they will be in this game. Think of it like defensive offense. Plus, Raine can score too. Watch him at all times. Key Player: Tyus Raine
• Petal defense-  If the panthers can keep the jags from scoring a lot, the panthers will be in this game. The panthers will be looking for any kind of mistakes from the jags to turn into momentum. Key Unit- Front 7 

Prediction: Madison Central 38, Petal 24

Also, in case you cannot make it to Petal this Friday night, the game will be broadcast live here: http://www.misshsaa.tv/petal/events/3623.

In Case You Missed Friday Night: Starkville @ Madison Central

1.  Obstacle Course- So far for Madison Central, this season has been an obstacle course. Whether it has been questionable referees or monsoon-like weather, the Jags just haven't caught a break. And I'm no meteorologist, but with Hurricane Isaac running wild on "the landmass in between New Orleans and Mobile",  the forecast doesn't look too good for this Friday night either. There is no doubt that this team has had some tough breaks, but did last week's game in the storm possibly prepare the jags for the game at Petal? Or is it just another hurdle for the unlucky men from MC? Either way, many people don't know what to think about the jags. (Are they for real? Or are they just another team?) Here's why people tend to think this way: They haven't seen this team in "ideal" conditions. I'm proposing a reason to believe that this team is legitimate. We've already seen the way that they react in non-ideal situations, what more do you need to see?

2. Schwartz to Williams- Get used to hearing that phrase. Williams accounted for 136 of Schwartz's 163 total passing yards. Early in the season, it has become very apparent that there is a special chemistry between the two. Williams finished with 4 catches for 136 yards and 1 touchdown. And I wish I had a video of Williams' one handed catch so badly. I was absolutely sick. It wasn't a bad pass either.

3. Replacing Hugh- Daniel Goodspeed is a monster and the only reason you may not know about him is because he had another monster ahead of him last year. Goodspeed, or the moose as the football team knows him, has entered into the role of a strong, low-centered running back. Sure, if you asked him what position he played, he'd tell you fullback. And in this offense, he may "technically" be a fullback, but he is used like a running back and is a great change of pace option for Bobby Hall's offense.  He's a handful too.

4. Defense Comes Up Big Where It Counts- MC's defense looked out of place at times last Friday night, but the jags seemed to adopt a "Bend But Don't Break" philosophy. Even though they gave up several big plays, the jags forced several fumbles and an interception in key circumstances that helped hold the Yellow Jackets to eight points. Also, the defensive line looked excellent, keeping constant pressure on SHS's young QB (that'll be a key to defeating Petal).

5. Putting the Foot in Football- Zach Tranum and Nick Bracey, consider this your shout out. Y'all have done an excellent job of kicking off, punting and kicking field goals/PAT's. Keep it up because you take a tremendous pressure of off the rest of the team by giving them one less thing to worry about. 

Friday Night Writes: Starkville @ Madison Central

This Friday at Jaguar Stadium in Madison, MS, the Starkville Yellow Jackets will take on the Madison Central Jaguars in a rematch of what was a closely-contested week two game last year, in which SHS came out on top 16-14 at home. This year both the jackets and the jags return two completely different teams. The jackets relied heavily on their Dandy Dozen QB/CB Gabe Myles, a MSU signee, as well as their front end heavy 5-2 offense to disrupt Madison Central's rushing game (They held Hugh Warren to 27 yards on 11 carries. Yeah.). The Jags were still running the veer with Drew Rowell, even though it was out of a power-I formation at this point last year. How exactly did the Yellow Jackets win? They forced Drew Rowell to pass the football (unsuccessfully) and Madison Central missed an important near 30 yard field goal, which was apparently enough to win. Simply put, the jags couldn't take advantage of opportunities that the jackets gave to them.

This year, the Jackets return that same Dandy Dozen player and their peculiar 5-2 defense, but recent reports have revealed that Gabe Myles will not play in Friday night's game because of an ankle injury. SHS will have to start 6'3" backup QB Caleb Wilson, son of Mississippi State defensive coordinator Chris Wilson. Frankly, I don't have very much info on the sophomore quarterback, but if his genes hold any clue, its a good sign for Starkville-Wilson's father was a four-year letterman at Oklahoma University as a linebacker. As for Starkville's 5-2 defense, look for it to be more of a liability for Starkville than an asset. It was absolutely perfect for stopping a run-first team like MC last year, but might become a burden against a team that has the ability to move the ball through the air.  Starkville tends to play more man-coverage, which should leave jags QB Jake Schwartz plenty of space to throw the football to his talented wide receiver group.

Keys to the Game

• Madison Central offense- Jump on the jackets early. Take them out of the game because the jackets don't have the offensive fire power to play keep up with you. Specifically, offensive line, keep the yellow jacket's front 7 off of Jake Schwartz and give him time to throw the football. Key Player: Bailey Pepper
• Madison Central defense- Don't give up the big plays. Safeties, keep everything in front of you. If you take back OB's two big plays from them, you would win that game by 11 points. You can't give Starkville's offense a chance to fuel an upset. P.S. Play well. Caleb Wilson's father might just be at the game. Key Player: Jayron Harness
• Starkville offense- It all starts at quarterback for an offense, but Gabe Myles is hurt. I sure hope your coach has given backup Caleb Wilson some playing time in practice, he is going to need everything he's learned and then some against this stout jag defense. Key Player: Caleb Wilson
• Starkville defense- If you are going to play man-coverage against the Jag's spread offense you have to do two things. 1) Defensive backs, lock down MC's receivers. 2) Defensive line and linebackers, get to MC's quarterback and make him feel the pressure. Key Unit: Defensive Line 

Prediction: I was already leaning towards picking MC by a good 10 points before Gabe Myles was ruled out. Now I think the number is somewhere between 13 and 20. Everything about this game screams mismatch to me. The potency of MC's passing offense and the front-heaviness of Starkville is a bad combination for the yellow jackets. Starkville 13, Madison Central 31. 

In Case You Missed Friday Night: MC @ Olive Branch

1. The Bobby Hall Spread- Guys. This offense is for real. With a true passing threat and receivers that can hang onto the ball, Madison looks like a team that can beat you through the air and on the ground. Schwartz threw for 200+ yards and 1 TD with a 72% completion percentage and only one interception (a tip-drill pick). On the ground, the jags used more of a committee approach. Doug Ball, Brandon Moore and Brandon Collins ran for around 130 yards (Schwartz added nearly 100 yards to this total). This offense is going to be fun to watch and more importantly hard to stop.

2. Trahan Transition- Going into this season, many people wondered how legitimate MC's defense would be this season. If I could give you an answer to that question after one game, I would tell you that the jaguars are well on their way to having an excellent season. Obviously, no one was happy about giving up 31 points to OB, but the jags probably won't see another offense as potent as Olive Branch (and certainly "stable" officiating circumstances would help any defense, but I digress). Among those who impressed me was Gemarte Jackson, a defense end, who got excellent penetration into a somewhat-porous OB offensive line quite often.   With a few more games under this defense's belt, this defense could look like one of the best in the state.

3. Olive Branch is Back!- No. I'm selling this statement big time. Sure OB will be a top 2 team in their region, but I remember what the 2011 Olive Branch team looked like (arguably better than many South Panola teams during that great run). And this team, even with the legitimate excuse of first-game jitters, is no where near the caliber of a team as last year's conquistadors were. The O-line looked like a colander and Sam Craft had an abysmal 39% completion percentage. Wide receivers dropped what would have been several wide-open catches. Plus, the defense looked like last year, which isn't a good thing for the 'Quistors (please take me seriously even though I just used that nickname). I could be wrong about this team because I certainly didn't think that last year's OB team would be 6A champs at this time last year, but I just have a gut feeling about this team and how they will fare in the playoffs.

4. Officiating- Many will expect me to make a statement about the officiating of the game. I won't. However, I will allow the MHSAA website to make a statement on officiating: "Players who have practiced long hours deserve competent officials who have a complete understanding of the letter, as well as the spirit of the rules and administer them consistently and fairly." I couldn't agree more with that statement.

Friday Night Writes: Madison Central @ Olive Branch

Well, it's that time of year again. The guys are strapping up their chinstraps. The band is learning a new marching show. The newspapers are assigning writers to the important games. High school football starts tomorrow night in Mississippi, a week earlier than normal. And there is no bigger game than the one that will take place 23 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. The returning 6A state champions, Olive Branch, take on the Madison Central Jaguars in a rematch of the North State Championship last year. In what is probably the fastest growing rivalry in 6A football, Madison Central has just had no luck. The Jags lost by 4 and 5 points, respectively, in their 1st and 2nd game against Olive Branch last year. However, if there was ever a year for the Jags, it's this year. They've come in flying fairly under the radar, ranked 8th by the Clarion Ledger. And no one really wants to bet on the Jags because they haven't broken through yet. This year Bobby Hall is taking all of his critics to school. MC is breaking out the brand-new spread offense (GASP!). That's right boys and girls. Madison Central will more than likely throw the ball more than 4 times in a game. Generally speaking, this offense is more suited to Madison's personnel and would, consequently, raise their chances to win this ball game. BUT, not so in this case.

Have you seen Olive Branch's new quarterback? Because if you're a jag fan, you better hope that Bobby Hall knew about Sam Craft before me (I found his highlights tonight).

Think smaller, faster, more agile, Chris Relf with a cannon of a right arm. OB's coach, Scott Samsel, got himself an excellent quaterback to replace Todd Mays. However, if I saw one weakness in that highlight reel, it was his arm. Yes, the highlight reel only showed completed passes, but it's a highlight reel, what did you expect? Craft tends to leave the ball in the air longer than to be desired when he throws the ball. In other words, it takes more time for the ball to get from point A to point B slower than a coach might want, giving the defensive backs of the other team more time to get to the ball. 

Keys to the Game

• Madison Central offense- It's pretty simple. Keep up with OB's offense and you will have your chance to win the game. Key Player: Jake Schwartz
• Madison Central defense- If the offense's job was simple. The defense's job is the opposite of simple and then some. But what job is that exactly? Slow down the Conquistador's offense and Sam Craft. Contain Craft and make him throw the ball, then it's all up to MC's defensive backs. Key Player: Brion Ballard
•  Olive Branch offense- Just do your thing and do it well. No one stopped you all last year, chances are that many won't this year wither. Key Player: Sam Craft
• Olive Branch defense- Stop MC's new offense. Sounds easy? No one's done it yet. Key Unit- Defensive Line

Prediction: Since this is the first game of the year, I will not predict a score of this game. There isn't nearly enough information on either team to predict a semi-accurate score. If Madison can contain and control Craft's ability to run, the Jags will win. If they can't, MC will lose. The outcome of this game, in my mind, revolves around the success of OB's offense, and that makes MC the underdog in my opinion. Either team could win by less than a touchdown. 

Buckle up for this game, it's sure to be a great one. 

Updated: You can watch the game live here at 7:30: http://www.quistorsports.com/?page_id=323

6A-Region 2 Preview

6A Football is the pinnacle of high school football for rather obvious reasons: more players, larger talents pools, more money, etc. In the weeks leading up to the beginning of the season, we have looked at Region 1 of 6A football in Mississippi and we will continue to look at the 3 other regions of 6A football.

6A-Region 2

1. Madison Central- This is an easy pick in my mind. Top to bottom, the talent at Madison Central is incomparable to that of any other school in Region 2. Madison's real fight this year will be outside their region (see non-region schedule: Olive Branch; Starkville; Petal; West Monroe, LA). The transferring of Jamarion Robert to MRA should prove somewhat tricky (the degree of which has yet to be determined). Former Madison Central and Auburn University offensive lineman Chaz Ramsey has now taken the Tight End coach job at MC, which is pretty cool if you ask me. It doesn't hurt that Madison Central has the best special teams unit in the nation (at least that's what MC kicker Patrick Rahaim tells me, but he is a tad biased). This is looking like a complete team, just ask offensive lineman Leonard Swilley, "Y'all really don't know what's coming. All I've got to say is 'Get ready'". Record: 11-0 or 10-1; 7-0 (a letdown game somewhere in non-region schedule possibly)
2. Northwest Rankin- Although NWR has lost offensive firepower, coach Pete Hurt isn't going to let that stop his team from attempting to grab the top ranking in this region. With QB Reid Humphries out from Tommy John surgery and RB Ramone Nash transferring to MRA (weird how so many players are "transferring" to MRA, hmm...), the cougars will have to play stout defense to allow newcomers some slack. New QB Benton Yancey is not incompetent, however. And the new lead RB Curtis Hicks has impressed many current players with his ability to run the ball. But, as is the same case with Olive Branch, how much of last years production can this year's team replace? My answer: A lot. Kicker Cason Gooch thinks that this year's atmosphere around coach Hurt's program is "Incredible. Very exciting." Record: 11-1; 6-1 (Loss: @ Madison Central)
3. Murrah- The Mustangs are a team on the rise in Region 2. And for Murrah, it's all about getting one player the ball, Malik Dear. Dear had 994 receiving yards, 434 rushing yards, and over 100 yards as a punt/kick returner in his freshman year. Yes, you heard that correctly. Malik Dear had over 1,500 all-purpose yards AS A FRESHMAN. If this man doesn't have over 2,000 all purpose yards this year, he's hurt. That is the only reason this player cannot achieve that number. Murrah is slowly closing the gap between itself and the top of the region. Record: 8-3; 5-2 (Losses: Madison Central, Northwest Rankin, and either @ Provine, @ Callaway, or @ Jim Hill) 
4. Clinton- Clinton's decline in football the past several seasons has stemmed from a mediocre offense and lackluster defense. Sure, Clinton makes playoffs nearly every year, but it just seems like the team is normal. Just mediocre. Just right in the middle of everything. Skill players. Offensive lineman. Defensive players. Coaches. Everything: just in the middle. Lets take a closer look; on offense, no returning passer or rusher over 500 yards. On defense; Clinton's best player,Cornerback Cedric Jiles, a MSU signee, is gone. Someone is going to have to step up here or else another 5-7 season is on the horizon. Record:6-5; 4-3 (Losses: @ Meridian, @ Brandon, @ Madison Central, @ Murrah, Northwest Rankin)
5. Jim Hill: 6-5; 2-5 (Losses: Either @ Callaway or Provine, @ Clinton, Northwest Rankin, Madison Central, Murrah)
6. Greenville-Weston: 3-8; 2-5 (Wins: Gentry, @ Vicksburg, Warren Central)
7. Vicksburg: 3-8; 1-6 (Wins: Richwood (LA),  @ Lawrence County, Warren Central)
8. Warren Central- 1-10; 0-7 (Win: Callaway)

Leadership in Following: Jake Schwartz

This is the first part in a series that will highlight the football players of Madison Central High School for their marks made on and off of the field.

Remember Madison Central's huge victory over South Panola, 28-14? Think hard and you might remember that towards the 4th quarter, quarterback Drew Rowell was fighting back tears from severe shoulder injuries. Think even harder and you might remember that there was a young man, dressed out in full uniform, standing right next to him, consoling him in his pain. "Come on Drew. This is your team, you need to lead them to victory." Drew Rowell continued to play that night and led his team to their biggest victory in school history since 1999. What might surprise you about this story is the player that was encouraging Drew was the backup to Drew. Jake Schwartz had everything that a high school football player wants, playing time, within his grasp. And he chose to encourage his predecessor to finish the game. 

Drew and Jake's relationship began somewhat roughly, but to understand how that started, we need to know Jake and Drew before they were quarterbacks together at Madison Central. Jake Schwartz was a highly anticipated dual-threat quarterback playing for the 9th grade team at Rosa Scott when he got the call up from Bobby Hall to backup then senior QB Peyton Johnson. Drew Rowell, at the time a 10th grader, was successfully running the veer over at St. Andrew's. The next football season their paths would collide. Drew, the elder of the two, was looked to to run coach Hall's newly inserted veer offense. However, Schwartz knew the system better. The dilemma for Hall was obvious. Which player should he choose? The older-option based QB Rowell or the younger more knowledgeable Schwartz. Schwartz made the decision for him. Schwartz took Rowell aside and helped Drew learn the playbook. From that point on, a rough relationship became more like a friendship everyday. Rowell started for the next two years, ultimately because of the unselfish act of a 9th grader. The story above would be no shock to anyone who knows Jake Schwartz. Like most relationships that Jake has made, this was one built on selflessness, teamwork, and encouragement. These are intangibles that any coach would take over height, strength, or speed. 

But do not think these things come easy to Schwartz, who runs a 4.8 second 40-yard dash. There are days when Jake wakes up and doesn't want to go lift weights. There are days when Jake wants to skip training all together. But he won't allow himself to do these things to his teammates, who give their all, day in and day out. (Jake, however, was quick to point out that there is nothing special about that on a team full of hard-working players.) All QB's are looked up to (whether officially or not) as the leader of the team. He tries his hardest to be a "same-level" kind of leader by leading by example and providing encouragement to his team. Schwartz told me straight up, "A leader MUST be encouraging. Or else he will lose the respect of his peers." 

As for his game, have no doubt, it is his turn to lead this team, whether that means handing the ball off or slinging the ball 50 yards down the field. And on this year's team, Jake Schwartz feels like this is the year for Madison Central. "There is something different about it. Just the entire atmosphere and attitudes here. Everyone is excited." 

Thanks to Jake for sharing his story and his time! Any thoughts/comments/questions? 

The Final Draft

If you'll notice the title, you'll read "The Final Draft". This might seem like a weird title to a blog post, but I'll point out that while yes it is rather unusual, it also connotes that there was a rough draft. So, that's what we will use when we refer to last year because, like on a rough draft, there were things I wish I could do better or even redo. Some might say: "I thought you did an excellent job with the blog last year!". To which I would say: "Thanks! I think I did too! I truly appreciate you reading my blog! But when I refer to things I wish I could redo, I mean things in my personal life." So without getting too personal, I will leave it at that. The way I was running the blog last year made me give up several things (one of which was this blog). So, this year is the redo. This year (and from then on) is the final copy. Things will be changed for the better. So enough with the regrets! The rest of this post will be dedicated to what will be done differently as well as new features on the blog (plus a request)

Towards the end of my writing (April and May), I started covering some recruiting that was not related to local sports. Honest time: I bit off more than I could chew. This year, I will try my best (no promises) to cover local (local is such a relative term) recruiting. I've learned my lesson. Leave the recruiting to Rivals.com, Scout.com, and 247sports.com. They're the pros.

This is important enough I'm giving it its own paragraph; take note. If you think you might possibly be interested in writing for the blog, please contact me. I would be more than happy to share this medium with anyone that wants to share their own opinion! I've even done it before! I'll even let you write about NASCAR (tongue-in-cheek). A big props to Andrew Toler (AKA tolernator) for stepping up and picking up the Ole Miss side of things here on the blog as well as the writing while I was on "vacation". And while none of us here are particular USM fans, we would be more than happy to welcome anyone who would like to pick that up!

Now.... Here's what's going on with the blog!

Madison Central

• This is one area of the blog that I would really like to expand. Any students that would like to provide some perspective here are more than welcome! Last year we only covered football, which is disappointing because Madison Central had a lot of excellent athletic teams! Fast pitch softball won a state championship! Boy's basketball made the playoffs for the first time in a long time. Boys and Girls soccer both had great seasons that extended into the postseason. Boys track and fieldwon a state championship! Baseball went all the way to the state championship series! Last year was a great year to be a Jag! So help us cover some Jaguar sports!
• What we're keeping: Well there isn't much to keep (we didn't do too much). We will definitely continue to do scouting reports on upcoming opponents! 
• What's new? We'll try our best to follow even more MC sports next year! Look for analysis after games with quotes from players and notes from us! Also look for player updates (reports written by players to help keep people in the know)!

   Mississippi State

• Last year I kinda got hooked on talking about MSU sports. We had interviews with (used to be) commits, analysis on (used to be) coaches, as well as other things. Less of that. 
• What we're keeping: I'm going to continue to try to find Mississippi State recruits that will open up to the blog. I'll continue to search through the numbers to find the true story. 
• What's new? Not much in this category. If any opportunities arise, I'll see where it takes me and then reevaluate. 

Ole Miss

• The Ole Miss side didn't truly open up last year. Sure, there was this great piece by Andrew on Derrick Millinghaus. But not too much more
• What we're keeping: Like i said before, not too much to keep.
• What's new? What's not new? Look for Andrews new (insert amount of time)ly Rebel Report (the name was my idea). He'll talk about Ole Miss athletics and knowing him, there is nothing that he won't talk about when it comes to Ole Miss (He threatened me with Ole Miss tennis once). I think he will probably want to cover a tad of Ole Miss recruiting too. 

Lastly, this may sound like a lot of new stuff. It's not. All I did was use big letters and fancy colors. Sure, there is some new stuff, but not a ton. We will try our best to keep the blog updated, but in the words of the all time winning-est coach in Mississippi State basketball history, "It is what it is." 

Any thoughts/comments/questions? Thanks for reading!

Friday Night Writes: Spring Football

After a long and eventful off-season, the Madison Central Jags are finally playing some more football. There is a lot to look forward to this next season, so I'll highlight what I'm watching for this spring as well as other things that will affect next season.

1. Coaching Changes- During the offseason, some Jag assistant coaches received some promotions. Coach Doug Jones is now the Head Coach at Corinth High School, a 3A school in Northeast Mississippi. Replacing Jones is coach Jamie Everett, an assistant coach at Madison Central last year.Coach Todd Mangum, former defensive coordinator, is leaving for a big-time 6A team, Wayne County. Coach Ty Trahan will replace Mangum as defensive coordinator. Trahan played linebacker at USM for 2 years in the late 90's and was also defensive coordinator at Amory HS (Bobby Hall's last coaching job before Madison) for two years.

2. A New Defense- With a new defensive coordinator comes a new defense. The Jags will play a 4-3 defense this year (under Mangum the Jags played a 3-4). This will be a key to stopping passing teams from throwing for what felt like 600 yards a game (see Olive Branch). (Hold on here, I'm about to get slightly technical.)

While the 3-4 defense is highly effective at higher levels, it's not necessarily a good idea on the high school level, in my opinion. The main problem is that the linebackers, in a 3-4 defense, must cover wide receivers  on pass plays. And most high schools don't have linebackers that can hold their own against the defensive line AND cover wide receivers. So switching to the 4-3 allows for cornerbacks to cover wide receivers instead of linebackers. It also adds another down lineman to put more pressure on the QB and stop the run.

3. New Faces- If faced with the loss of key players like Drew Rowell, Hugh Warren, Shauntez Ball, Maurice Bennett, and Devon Desper, most teams would label the following season a "rebuilding year". The Jags, however, have the talent and the depth to have an even better season than last year. Here are some of the people I'm looking at to step up this year.

Offense

• Jake Schwartz (Sr, 5'10", 170 lbs.)- Drew Rowell was more than capable of leading last year's offense down the field nearly every drive. But let's face it, it was a rather one dimensional offense (not necessarily Drew's fault) . That's what I believe Jake Schwartz brings to this football team: a legitimate, down-field passing threat. Players on the team have told me that the coaches have the team passing a lot more than they did last year. But that isn't all that Schwartz can do. Schwartz has great speed, which he showed off against Jim Hill high school (he rushed for 78 yards on 7 carries). Look for Schwartz to be a true, dual-threat quarterback under Bobby Hall's offense.
• Daniel Goodspeed (Sr, 6', 200 lbs.)- Losing a player like Hugh Warren would absolutely cripple most teams, and rightfully so. THE MAN RAN FOR 1230 YARDS LAST YEAR. But I believe that Goodspeed will be a more than suitable replacement for Hugh Warren. Goodspeed's stats speak for the themselves. He essentially had 600 yards in 5 games. Yeah, I don't think I have to say anything more.
• Brandon Collins (Sr, 5'8", 180 lbs.)- Collins proved that he can play a starting role in Hall's offense. Last year, he started when Brandon Moore was injured and rushed for 344 yards in 6 games. Look for Collins to become an essential part of a 1-2 punch at wingback featuring Collins and Brandon Moore.
• Bailey Pepper (Sr, 6', 250 lbs.)- No one will argue that Mississippi State signee Devon Desper is a mammoth of a man. But it will take an even bigger man, metaphorically speaking, to fill his shoes. Bailey Pepper, a two-year starter will take his place this year. I think that the former right tackle will have no trouble adjusting to the new position.
• Keith Williams (Sr, 6', 170 lbs.)- Where to start with Keith Williams? Williams probably had the most frustrating year of any player last year. Pass after pass after pass hit his hands and then fell to the ground. But let's give credit to Keith, he wouldn't start unless the coaches liked what they saw. Keith will get over his dropping problems, and from what I have heard, already has.

Defense

• Lemetrius Hollins (Sr, 6', 250 lbs.)- Strong, fast, and explosive. Those are the words used by another teammate to describe Hollins. Hollins will be looked upon to guide a young but talented defensive line this year.
• Jamarion Roberts (Jr, 5' 10", 180 lbs.)-  Jamarion Roberts is the only junior on this list for a reason. He's undoubtedly the hardest hitter on the team. In my opinion, he's the true wild card of this defense. If Jamarion shows up, this defense will be hard to do anything against.
• Jayron Harness (Sr, 6'2", 170 lbs.)- Jayron Harness will need to be the leader of what has become labeled the "least experienced part " of this team. This talented cornerback has a nose for the ball and a high football I.Q.
• Nick Greenfield (Sr, 5'11", 170 lbs.)- Greenfield is the classic example of a ball-hawking safety. And it doesn't hurt that he knows nearly everything about what's going on the defensive side of the ball. Expect Greenfield to see a lot of playing time this fall.

4. Here are the things I will be watching for at the spring game on Thursday.

1. How will Jake Schwartz be used?- No doubt he will throw and run, but how much of each will we see. The spring game might give us some insight into how the offense might look this coming fall.
2. Which is more dominant? A talented backfield (Goodspeed, Moore, Collins) or a talented front seven (Hollins, Jimmie Lee, Jamarion Roberts, Brion Ballard, etc.).
3. How cohesive is the offensive line?- Elite teams must have a good offensive line that works as one unit.
4. Will the wide receiver's catch the ball this year?- Whether the players will admit it or not, this was a major problem. It even cost the Jags a game against Olive Branch (8/19).
5. How will the defensive backs fare against serious passing threats?- Jake Schwartz should be a good measuring stick to this question.
6. How good is the back-up quarterback?- Why is anyone talking about the back-up quarterback? He's the Madison Central equivalent to Tim Tebow. Jimmie Smith, Jr (Sophomore). Does the name sound familiar? It should. He's the son of former Dallas Cowboy star Jimmie Smith, Sr. And he's arguably the most athletic student in the Madison County school district. I don't think he will start this fall, but you can bet that Bobby Hall will have pakcages that feature Jimmie Smith as quarterback. 
7. How deep is this team and what does the future look like?- The upcoming juniors and sophomores should provide an adequate answer because everyone gets reps in the spring game. I will definitely be watching for this answer. Here's some trivia for you: the upcoming junior class was the 2nd class in Madison Central history to go undefeated in 8th and 9th grade football. The first class to do that was ranked 4th in the nation (by Maxpreps.com) until losing to 1st ranked South Panola High School in the North State title game.

Spring games never fail to provide many story lines and a plethora of topics to talk about and this spring game looks to be no different.

Any comments/ questions/ thoughts? Thanks for reading!

Just Some Thoughts... 2/4/12

Is has been a great weekend in sports. And do you know what is the best part about it? IT'S NOT OVER YET!

1. Super Bowl. That's all I need to say. Here's what I think. Tom Brady and the Patriots offense might be too much for the Giants Secondary (there are no pro-browlers in it.) If there is any reason for the Giants to win, it's probably the best one: their super hot.

Patriots 38, Giants 35.

2. A great day of college basketball. State played a close one with Auburn and pulled it out. MSU was smoking from behind the three point line. In my opinion, the only reason that Auburn was in this game was simple. They shot 31 free throws.

I did not get to watch the entire Ole Miss game. The 2 overtime periods (which I watched) were interesting to say the least. As has become a pattern of late, Ole Miss found a way to lose. Ole Miss is so close to winning big, it's not funny. Andy Kennedy is a good coach and UM should keep him.

Southern Miss is better than I expected. With a big time win against Memphis, the golden eagles are demanding some national attention. In my opinion, this could be a top-25 team.

This could be the first time in a long time (or ever) that all of Mississippi's big 3 schools make it too the big dance.

3. In a few weeks, baseball season starts. Man I'm super excited. All of the "big 3" in Mississippi brought in excellent recruiting classes. Southern Miss has a very good chance of wining the C-USA championship. MSU and Ole Miss's chances of winning a SEC championship? Eh... Not so much. The SEC is straight-up loaded.

4, Shout out to the Madison Central boys and girls soccer teams and the boys basketball team. Both soccer teams had great seasons, just coming up short in the playoffs. The boys basketball team has had more success than in recent memory. They won district for the first time since I can remember. But I haven't kept up with it either, so take that for what it's worth.

Any comments/ questions/ thoughts? Thanks for reading!

Friday Night Writes: Tupelo @ Madison Central- 1st Round Playoffs

MSHAA's 6A playoffs begin tonight. Two of the biggest schools in the state will face off this friday night. The Tupelo Golden Wave (6-5) will take on the Madison Central Jaguars (9-2).

Madison Central is led by M-W-R. (Brandon) Moore, (Hugh) Warren, and (Drew) Rowell, that is. They have rushed for a combined 2749 yards this season. However, the Jags have completed a measly 32 passes.

Tupelo is led Junior Running Back Ashton Shumpert. One thing to watch is that Tupelo will use Shumpert out of the Wild Cat tonight. Shumpert is averaging nearly 81 yards a game on the ground. The Golden Wave are using a two-quarterback system. QB Luke Hobson is averaging 115 yards a game through the air, while his counter-part, Thomas Harris, is averaging 80 yards passing per game.

Keys to the Game

• Jags will have to control the line of scrimmage on defense. And IF a Tupelo player gets past it, the linebackers and secondary must make tackles.
• The Golden Wave aren't just spectacular on offense. However, to make the playoffs, you have to be pretty good at either offense or defense. So, it must be the Jags key to keep the Golden Wave defense by either guessing or pounding the line of scrimmage. I think the will do the latter.
• The Jags offense will have to limit their turnovers. Especially on their own side of the field.

I honestly don't see this being much of a game. The only way Tupelo has a chance is if the Jags come out flat. So, in conclusion, (in my opinion) only the Jags can beat the Jags. Limit turnovers and they will win.

Prediction: Madison Central-45, Tupelo-28. Plus, the Jags will rush for 350+ yards.