Abilene Observations Heading into the PO's

[SLC13]

First I’d like to thank Eagle82 and friends for meeting up with myself and another SLC fan prior to the Abilene Eagles game with Keller Timber Creek. I thoroughly enjoyed all the pregame talk and the opportunity to observe the game from the sideline. Last night was my first opportunity to see the Eagles play in 2016. Here are a few non-homer observations:

1. The Abilene Eagle offense performed like a well oiled machine, scoring on 6 of first 7 drives. The Sr. QB and RB combination, #12 & #28, performed as you’d expect multi-year starters and team leaders to perform. They will give Abilene a decided advantage in many PO matchups.

2. The Eagle OL played a very solid game, opening holes for the running game and protecting #12 all night.

3. I really liked WR #1, good speed with good hands and #90 at TE. He is a redzone weapon. I’m not sure why #5 was not used more last night. Eagle fans should hope that he becomes a PO surprise for Eagle opponents. You will need a 2^nd receiving option in the PO’s.

4. The Eagle defense played with much intensity and the game stats were certainly impressive. I did see two areas of concern:

• While there were no Eagle pass coverage breakdowns, there were TC receivers open on some plays who dropped passes. Teams in the PO’s likely won’t drop those passes.
• Probably the biggest single area of concern that Eagle fans should have is a lack defensive depth. Even with fairly good leads, I didn’t observe much rotation on the Eagle defense. District 3-6A by it’s very nature leaves questions about a team’s ability to play a 48 minute game. Without having many capable rotation kids, the Eagle defense will have a difficult time not getting worn down against some of the better PO teams.

5. Special Teams: kickers have good legs and do a good job. KO coverage, though, probably jumped up to a concern after last night. One return for a TD could be excused, but two means that the KTC coaching staff found something. The onus now is on the Eagle coaching staff to figure out what happened and fix it.

[Eagle82]

First I’d like to thank Eagle82 and friends for meeting up with myself and another SLC fan prior to the Abilene Eagles game with Keller Timber Creek. I thoroughly enjoyed all the pregame talk and the opportunity to observe the game from the sideline. Last night was my first opportunity to see the Eagles play in 2016. Here are a few non-homer observations:

1. The Abilene Eagle offense performed like a well oiled machine, scoring on 6 of first 7 drives. The Sr. QB and RB combination, #12 & #28, performed as you’d expect multi-year starters and team leaders to perform. They will give Abilene a decided advantage in many PO matchups.

2. The Eagle OL played a very solid game, opening holes for the running game and protecting #12 all night.

3. I really liked WR #1, good speed with good hands and #90 at TE. He is a redzone weapon. I’m not sure why #5 was not used more last night. Eagle fans should hope that he becomes a PO surprise for Eagle opponents. You will need a 2^nd receiving option in the PO’s.

4. The Eagle defense played with much intensity and the game stats were certainly impressive. I did see two areas of concern:

• While there were no Eagle pass coverage breakdowns, there were TC receivers open on some plays who dropped passes. Teams in the PO’s likely won’t drop those passes.
• Probably the biggest single area of concern that Eagle fans should have is a lack defensive depth. Even with fairly good leads, I didn’t observe much rotation on the Eagle defense. District 3-6A by it’s very nature leaves questions about a team’s ability to play a 48 minute game. Without having many capable rotation kids, the Eagle defense will have a difficult time not getting worn down against some of the better PO teams.

5. Special Teams: kickers have good legs and do a good job. KO coverage, though, probably jumped up to a concern after last night. One return for a TD could be excused, but two means that the KTC coaching staff found something. The onus now is on the Eagle coaching staff to figure out what happened and fix it.

Great meeting up with you both as well and as usual, great football talk. Enjoyed hearing about SL and their season and sure hope our teams can get to the R3 game for a match-up

Depth is something we are lacking on both sides of the line having a few players going both ways from time to time. The results of playing a full 48 without a full rotation remains to be seen but coaches as always will emphasize conditioning. We do have a good slew of receivers with good hands and speed and #12 is very capable of putting the ball in their hands. #5 was utilized a bit more against TC and I am sure he will be moving forward. The kid has great hands and vertical so he could very well become a weapon, also opening up running lanes for #12 who is very capable of taking it all the way on the ground. #28, well he's just a beast and you and I standing there Friday night would not have guessed he had 200+ yards on 19 carries. While he was grinding 10 or so a carry, it was a quiet type of performance. The OL did do a great job as you saw #8 who weighs a pint and a half making some very good runs himself.

Our DB's are going to be picked on by everyone we come up against just as they have been all season. Coaches are aware and planning accordingly. Movement along the DL to apply pressure on the QB will help relieve pressure off the DB's.

The kicking game was just a bad thing. Frankly my opinion is that I think the kids just had a couple let downs. Prior to that #13 from TC, who is a beast was back returning all night though he didn't seem interested in catching and returning the ball. I think TC placing another kid back there wasn't noticed and our boys were expecting much of the same type of response on the kickoff returns. However it was a good wake up call given the results of our game against Lamar last season. The kids now know they have to get down the field, fight off blocks and swarm to the ball, not taking anything at all for granted.

[SLC13]

Great meeting up with you both as well and as usual, great football talk. Enjoyed hearing about SL and their season and sure hope our teams can get to the R3 game for a match-up

Depth is something we are lacking on both sides of the line having a few players going both ways from time to time. The results of playing a full 48 without a full rotation remains to be seen but coaches as always will emphasize conditioning. We do have a good slew of receivers with good hands and speed and #12 is very capable of putting the ball in their hands. #5 was utilized a bit more against TC and I am sure he will be moving forward. The kid has great hands and vertical so he could very well become a weapon, also opening up running lanes for #12 who is very capable of taking it all the way on the ground. #28, well he's just a beast and you and I standing there Friday night would not have guessed he had 200+ yards on 19 carries. While he was grinding 10 or so a carry, it was a quiet type of performance. The OL did do a great job as you saw #8 who weighs a pint and a half making some very good runs himself.

Our DB's are going to be picked on by everyone we come up against just as they have been all season. Coaches are aware and planning accordingly. Movement along the DL to apply pressure on the QB will help relieve pressure off the DB's.

The kicking game was just a bad thing. Frankly my opinion is that I think the kids just had a couple let downs. Prior to that #13 from TC, who is a beast was back returning all night though he didn't seem interested in catching and returning the ball. I think TC placing another kid back there wasn't noticed and our boys were expecting much of the same type of response on the kickoff returns. However it was a good wake up call given the results of our game against Lamar last season. The kids now know they have to get down the field, fight off blocks and swarm to the ball, not taking anything at all for granted.

Eagle82,
The meet ups are always great, thanks again for including us. I hope my observations didn't offend anyone. I'd love to hear from Rob, Bobby and others if I'm really off base, but I think I saw in this game many of the same things that you all have seen watching the Eagles all season.

To me the depth thing will be the issue that Abilene must overcome to win in the 3rd round and beyond. I know your coaches have probably stressed conditioning, but it is really hard to simulate the conditioning requirement in the 46th minute of a game. Your coaches hopefully are stressing what you did in 2009 vs. 2008 when you were in the same type district.

Best of luck in the PO's and, hopefully, SLC will be there in round 3 to give you guys a little bit of a challenge.

[eaglemaniac]

SLC13, you are spot on as far as your AHS Football assessment. It was great to eat and discuss high school football with you and Jack. I hope we get to do that again. AHS's biggest challenge in the past present and future will always be depth. If you ask any of our coaches currently on staff or from past they will confirm depth is always our greatest enemy especially in playoffs. Isolation in West Texas plus one of the smallest schools in 6A are major factors........however......it is what it is so whining gets you nowhere. Let the third and most important season begin!

[tinman]

SLC13 First of all great game great effort great season. Hope your Thanksgiving is very enjoyable for you and your family. Well we get our shot at the team I picked to win state this year.

Thus far our kids have been properly prepared and have been ready to play. The travel to Witchita Falls will be fairly easy on our end, as you know we are very use to travel out in West Texas.

Have heard a lot of hype concerning the San Angelo Allen match up. Have even seen the so called grudge match labels. Team rise teams fall. The game we all love so well has had some great match ups

this year and this 3rd round has it's share. Are you going to any games this weekend if so hope they are fun for you..

Tinman

[Bass]

SLC13 First of all great game great effort great season. Hope your Thanksgiving is very enjoyable for you and your family. Well we get our shot at the team I picked to win state this year.

Thus far our kids have been properly prepared and have been ready to play. The travel to Witchita Falls will be fairly easy on our end, as you know we are very use to travel out in West Texas.

Have heard a lot of hype concerning the San Angelo Allen match up. Have even seen the so called grudge match labels. Team rise teams fall. The game we all love so well has had some great match ups

this year and this 3rd round has it's share. Are you going to any games this weekend if so hope they are fun for you..

Tinman

Why the heck does the forum censor the word prepare? That's p-r-e-pare.

[SLC13]

SLC13 First of all great game great effort great season. Hope your Thanksgiving is very enjoyable for you and your family. Well we get our shot at the team I picked to win state this year.

Thus far our kids have been properly prepared and have been ready to play. The travel to Witchita Falls will be fairly easy on our end, as you know we are very use to travel out in West Texas.

Have heard a lot of hype concerning the San Angelo Allen match up. Have even seen the so called grudge match labels. Team rise teams fall. The game we all love so well has had some great match ups

this year and this 3rd round has it's share. Are you going to any games this weekend if so hope they are fun for you..

Tinman

We've got some family in town so I won't be going to any games, but I will try to pick an internet broadcast of your game with Desoto.

SLC had a pretty remarkable season considering most folks, including me, saw this team as a 5-5 or 6-4 team back in the spring. After that opening loss to Tulsa Union, I wouldn't have bet anything on our chances to win this district. They did a remarkable job of turning that around, so it was a fun season with some really good memories........just too bad it didn't end a little better.