To be a special team requires special teams

First Financial Bank First Flash: Post game column

Advertisement

By BRAD KEITH
The Flash Today

STEPHENVILLE (December 9, 2017) — Football isn’t broken into four quarters it’s broken into thirds.

It lasts four quarters, but if you break it down, you’re going to have three primary areas to work from – offense, defense and special teams.

Every coach knows he is supposed to tell you they are even thirds, each as important as the next. But some coaches, regardless how much you know they’ve learned, regardless how it’s so painfully obvious they should know by now, don’t really look at special teams as an even third.

Brad Keith has covered Erath County sports through journalism or radio since 2000. His periodical columns have been a part of daily sports coverage since 2014 on TheFlashToday.com.

Stephenville does. That’s why its kicking game is kicking teams out of the playoffs and the Yellow Jackets are still winning now that we are down to these final four special teams in the most special of rounds.

Throw out the first two weeks of the playoffs. That was just the trimming of the fat because of the everyone gets a ribbon society we live in.

Once you get to round three, everyone is, good, and most are great. You make it to round four and you’re one of the elite teams looking for those narrow advantages you can use to push your team over the top.

Stephenville, as teams at this level often do, is finding that extra kick, that something  special, in its kicking game, on its special teams.

As kicker, Chase Carrillo is as big a part of the Stephenville special teams as anyone. || Photo courtesy Dr. CHET MARTIN

The last two weeks we have seen the importance of this first hand. Argyle, the favorite to win the region, had a punt blocked, two field goals deflected and lost a punt in a 31-28 loss to your Yellow jackets.

Wichita Falls Hirschi has a special running back but he didn’t get too involved in special teams. The Huskies were 0-2 kicking field goals, muffed a punt for  a Stephenville touchdown and lost a kickoff.  Stephenville won 31-21.

Advertisement

We’re talking about double-digit point totals effected by the sum of these plays. In each game. Each decided by 10 or less.

I’m not saying Stephenville loses to Argyle or Hirschi either one without these plays. The Jackets are also playing very well offensively and defensively.

What I am saying is without solid special teams you absolutely will not win six consecutive playoff games, regardless what division you are in.

And if your special teams are better than just solid, if you can block kicks with regularity, cause turnovers and field position to go your way, you can do some special things and keep on kicking round by round.

When you look up at the end and your kids are unloading the bus at Jerry World, you’ll be glad you did. That’s a moment you know will be particularly rewarding and, yes, special.

First thought following the games! Each Friday and Saturday this football season, brought to you by FIRST FINANCIAL BANK.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.