Sometimes high school football coaches are blamed too much for what happens on the football field. And other times, coaches are not given enough credit.
For the Cayuga Wildcat coaching staff, it is the latter.
While the Wildcats prepare for Ganado in the Class A, Division II state semifinals Saturday, the Cayuga coaching staff needs to get the credit for the hand they have had in all the success.
During Cayuga’s playoff run, it is evident that the coaching staff has had the team ready to play. Cayuga has outscored its four playoff opponents 98-28 in the first half and that is a direct link to the preparation that was put in at practice by the coaches.
The Wildcats know what to expect from the start and the game plan the coaches have put into place seems to be flawless each week.
While the Wildcats have gotten off to strong starts the last two weeks, in the third quarter both Lovelady and Mart have attempted comebacks, getting to within one score.
But in both games, Cayuga stayed calm and held off its opponents and that all starts with the coaching staff. When things do not go right, the Cayuga coaching staff does not panic.
The coaches keep their composure through it all and that seeps down to the players. Players act just like how their coaches act and for Cayuga that means keeping composure even during a rough spot.
Finally the playcalling by the Cayuga coaching staff has been right on, especially in key situations.
• Third quarter of the regional semifinal game against Lovelady. Cayuga’s lead has been cut to three and Lovelady looks to have the momentum when the Lions’ defense stuffs a run play, forcing a third-and-eight.
Cayuga assistant coach Greg Jenkins notices that Lovelady’s defense was over pursuing on the second-down play and tells head coach Tommy Allison that the reverse is open.
Allison listens to his coaching staff and calls a reverse to an unlikely candidate — Chance Caldwell, who had not touched the ball until that point of the game. Not only did Caldwell get the first down, but he got to the corner and down the sideline for a 63-yard gain down to the 4-yard line, setting up a Cayuga touchdown.
• First quarter of the state semifinal game against Mart. It is a scoreless game when Cayuga drives down to the Mart 20-yard line but gets into a fourth-and-10 situation. The play called in is for a different formation, with four players bunched up on the left, quarterback Malcome Kennedy lined up by himself to the right and wide receiver Billy Duncan taking the snap.
Before the snap, Allison calls which play he wants and Duncan throws a ball in the end zone, where in a one-on-one matchup, Kennedy out jumps the defender for the 20-yard touchdown, giving Cayuga the early lead.
It was a gutsy play call but it was also the Cayuga coaching staff knowing its players and putting them in a position to match up well with Mart’s defense. By putting four players on one side, that put Kennedy in single coverage on the other side, a matchup that he will always win.
• Fourth quarter against Mart. Cayuga clinging to a seven-point lead, a four-minute drive moves the ball into Mart territory but with two minutes left, the Wildcats have a third-and-seven and cannot afford to turn the ball over on downs.
The Cayuga coaching staff calls for its jumbo package — three more offensive linemen — and loads up the right side of the line. With Mart’s defense looking confused as players keep moving around, running back Traylon Shead takes the direct snap and instead of going to the strong side, he goes to the left.
Getting a block from Deon Hale, Shead gets to the corner on the weak side and down the sideline for a 24-yard touchdown run.
After the game, Allison said the coaching staff knew that in the past, their tendency was to run to the strong side in that formation, in those situations.
Allison and the Cayuga coaches were able to use those tendencies against Mart, breaking what they normally do and in the process scoring the touchdown that put the game away.
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Lauren Kimbrough/For the Herald-Press
Discussion
Giving credit where credit is due
Sports Column by Scott Tyler
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