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.