Week 2 score updates!! 9/2

[12HankQB]

Trap, Jet, Criss-Cross, Power.... You can see it coming. Just have to get in front of their blockers

[GoldenRamsFAN]

Having played for portage 10 years ago now I can concur with Hank. Same 5-7 plays all game with an occasion pass thrown in. Not hard to stop it when you play the same talent level or better opposition.

[billmurray]

Conemaugh Township - 21

Portage - 14

FINAL


The Indians punch in a TD with about 20 seconds to go to get the win. Pretty decent game, the Mustangs turned the ball over twice inside the red zone and CT scored all 3 times they were able to get in the Red Zone, literally was the difference in the game when you break it down. But if Township is the #6 ranked team in Class A in Pennsylvania......woof ha ha Hats off to them though and good luck the rest of the year.

PortagePride....running inside guard trap multiple times in a row with 8 or 9 in the box..GET REAL!!! The fullback is a pretty big boy but, not that big. Portage ran the same 3 running plays until 30 secs in the game. I'm giving Conemaugh Twp all the credit in the world..they answered and did what they had to do..Congrats. Portage kids played their guts out..with little help. This offense is built for the element of surprise...getting the defense out of position..not running the same 3 plays out of the same formation until the game is in the balance... Food for thought??

I was not at this game, however, I highly doubt that portage "ran the same 3 running plays until 30 secs in the game."  OC's do not just spin a wheel and say hmmmm lets try this play, or were running these plays no matter what fronts were seeing, there is a strategy and reason for each and every play call they make. My guess is that the "same running plays" all had similar backfield action with different blocking schemes that on a chalkboard are going to be successful. If a game could be played on a chalkboard all of the "runs up the middle" and "same run plays" fans see would be successful. Bottom line is that he defense line/linebackers were probably better than than the people trying to block them and they were able to win their one on one battle and stuff these plays.

Westmont has 5 play and they run them well. there are many teams the run only a few plays non stop. It is not uncommon. Southern Columbia won many state titles running just a few plays. 

[davesandstorm]

You only need a few plays that all look the same at the start to be effective. It's all about getting the defense to pause for a split second to let you get positive yards.

[PortagePride]

I'm not sure who stang4life is or what power I, or pistol dreams he has for the Mustang's, but that's not Portage's offense nor will it ever be. Everyone who is everyone knows we run the Delaware Wing-T and line up and dare you to stop the same "5ish" running plays all game long.

[stang4life]

Understandable, all points you've said..my point is not the pistol or pro sets. We run the wing-T..great...sometimes. This year most plays are run through the Jet formation. Strong pitch right..Weak pitch left.. Guard trap with the fullback. Portagepride..what happened to Crisscross reverse..not once in two games?? Crisscross was the Go-To the last couple years. The occasional pass..only when needed. Throw more on first down?? The Wheel route worked to St Clair for a Td..which so happens was on first down. Never ran that route again???? I understand Portage's line is not as big as we've been in the near past to run certain plays all the time. My point is either the Qb audibles out or there is a better game plan for 8-9 guys in the box. We gained most of the yardage last Friday through pure grit from the players..not the element of surprise of where the ball is going. Which is the whole idea of the WIng-T offensive. Got to loosen-up the opposing D to make our O work better...easier

[PortagePride]

Understandable, all points you've said..my point is not the pistol or pro sets. We run the wing-T..great...sometimes. This year most plays are run through the Jet formation. Strong pitch right..Weak pitch left.. Guard trap with the fullback. Portagepride..what happened to Crisscross reverse..not once in two games?? Crisscross was the Go-To the last couple years. The occasional pass..only when needed. Throw more on first down?? The Wheel route worked to St Clair for a Td..which so happens was on first down. Never ran that route again???? I understand Portage's line is not as big as we've been in the near past to run certain plays all the time. My point is either the Qb audibles out or there is a better game plan for 8-9 guys in the box. We gained most of the yardage last Friday through pure grit from the players..not the element of surprise of where the ball is going. Which is the whole idea of the WIng-T offensive. Got to loosen-up the opposing D to make our O work better...easier

I actually asked a member of the coaching staff after the first game about reverse and criss cross not being ran at all because obviously being a Portage person you know which of the staple runs are missing. He told me straight out, they do not have trust in any of the backs other than St. Clair to hand the ball off to run those plays, which is saying a lot about the skill set about the other backs and why you only see St. Clair and Wiggins carrying the football. Passing wise, we used to have killer spot throw plays with curls and slants in years past. Those have all disappeared and 100% of the passing game is to St. Clair except the one throw to the TE on that 4th down which he javelined into the ground. Right now I think that has a lot to do with the QB and him just not being that good nor have any timing with anyone. From my understanding he didn't attend any of the 7 on 7's nor passing camp and played baseball all summer, hence why the freshman Price was in the mix till the first game to start at QB over him.

[stang4life]

The pass to the Te was tipped at the line. There was so much room in the middle of the field nearly all night, but as everyone knows Portage won't use the Te much at all. The criss-cross is taught fluently from a young age, stallions..etc. I know I have been watching the kids that are playing on Fridays now for ten or so years now, which I have the utmost praise for. They never let me down!!
This team is getting their feet wet right now..coaching staff will have to start having the faith in these great kids as I do..kids do feel it when the coach's don't trust them..it will come. Already seeing development.
Starting Qb was at both 7 on 7's I attended....

[PortagePride]

Year after Year the middle of the field is open for a TE to run free but as you said, everyone knows that Portage will never use passing to the TE as a valuable weapon. Cross Cross is taught basically at the flag football level here however for whatever reason this staff doesn't feel comfortable with them running it. I was not in attendance at the 7 on 7's, just what I was told at the camp scrimmage. In turn there HAS to be a reason why Price was in the running for the starting job as a freshman.... Even with Swires at QB I don't understand why they don't use Price somewhere else on the field on offense because obviously they're admitting he has talent to hang with the Varisty level. It was just one loss in the last 30 seconds to a team that's apparently the 6th Best Single A team in the State currently. Nothing to totally panic about however I've came away very underwhelmed over two games, and not from just the players stand point but very much the coaching as well. On offense if St. Clair doesn't do anything they're not going to score.

[stang4life]

Agreed, it is and going to be the St Clair show..win or lose. Price kid is talented but hope he has to wait his turn like everyone else. We will see what happens this Friday