TheLounge
09-19-2007, 01:50 PM
Don’t think of the chain gang as jail sentence
By Nathan Mollat, Daily Journal Staff
If I’ve seen it once, I’ve seen it hundred times — football officials looking for bodies to man the chains for a game. Several teams have dedicated squads for these home-game duties, and I’ve seen some great chain gangs over the years. There are other coaches, however, who depend on the help from those with the program to help out the home team. So, to help coaches out, I provide this public service announcement:
To all you players sitting on the sidelines — whether you’re ineligible, suspended, slightly dinged up or a frosh-soph player — this is your chance to contribute to your team. The running of the chains is one of the most important — and overlooked —aspects of the game. Better still, it forces you to pay attention to the game. Maybe at the end of the night you understand the game a little better. You can see so much of the game standing right on the sidelines — you can see holes developing, you can see false starts and offsides on the line of scrimmage, you see pass patterns developing. It is a great opportunity to increase your football IQ when you can’t be on the field.
That being said, although three guys will get you through a game, five is ideal. Usually I’m sitting next to a slew of guys wearing their uniform top and shorts — obviously you’re not playing. But each time an official comes over looking for help, it’s like pulling teeth. So get a group of you guys and go work the chains. And if you have plans of switching off at half-time, the second-half chain gang should be over on the opposing sideline watching so you know what you’re doing when you take over.
You know when your coach is telling you the little things make a difference? This is one of those little things to getting a football program going in the right direction.
By the way, If the first-half crew decides to “quit” at half-time — or at any point during the game — your team can be penalized. Keep it in mind.
Other things to remember:
• There is no cheering for your team when you’re on the opposing sideline. You’re working as part of the referee crew and you need to be unbiased.
At the very least, don’t be hooting and hollering when you’re standing right in front of the opposing team — wait until the chains move out of the player’s box.
It does no good, anyway. The players could care less that you’re cheering for them on the opponents sideline. They’re not probably not even hearing you.
• For goodness sake, pay attention and listen. Know which way the ball is going. Know the down and distance. Be ready to hustle to the other end of the field after a big play.
• Act like you’ve watched a game before.
***
If any football team has any ideas about trying to steal signals from the Sacred Heart Prep sidelines, you have your work cut out for you. Head coach Peter Lavorato employs not one, but three, assistants signaling in plays.
Hey Belichick, give it your best shot!
It’s all a part of the Gators version of the no-huddle offense. Instead of huddling up before each play, the players on the field look toward the sideline and pick up the signals. The Lounge has not confirmed this but I’m guessing that each signaler is calling the offensive line’s blocking scheme, the routes the backs and wings will run and the play the quarterback is to run.
Since everyone is getting the signal at the same time — as opposed to shuttling someone in and out each play, giving the quarterback the new play — the Gators get to the line a few seconds quicker and go on a quick count, hopefully catching the defense flat-footed. It worked to near perfection for the Gators Friday when they beat Mills 40-21 and rushed for nearly 300 yards.
***
The Yerba Buena-Hillsdale football game got the royal media treatment Friday afternoon. With the Daily Journal, the Merc, the Times, the Examiner and some Web site taping the game, Hillsdale’s football field was the place to be Friday afternoon.
If I were being nice I would say it was because of the stellar matchup, but that would be a lie. Truth is, these two teams won a combined three game in the last two years — and the Knights won two of those.
Actually, the game was one of the few afternoon games being played — just about anywhere, from San Francisco to San Jose.
And after watching and seeing blowout scores early in the season, this one was actually entertaining. After a lackluster first half, the Hillsdale offensive line suddenly clicked and running back Drake Rodriguez benefited, running for 109 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.
Rodriguez’s running opened up the passing game a bit and the Knights have big-play capabilities in receiver Marcus Dulap. If either of the Hillsdale quarterbacks can throw the ball up there, Dunlap has a better than even chance to come down with it.
***
Not only was Rodriguez a surprise with his production, the Lounge was impressed by his physicality. Coach Brad Zucker told the Lounge in the preseason that he was a “bowling ball” and uber-reporter Emanuel Lee said the same thing after watching him in the season opener.
He was far from a bowling ball Friday. He was a heat-seeking missile that didn’t bother to run away from defenders down field, instead he looked to hit people.
He had the hit of the weekend, as far as I’m concerned, when on one of his first several carries of the second half, he took a little pitch and swept around left end. As the Yerba Buena linebacker came up to make the hit, Rodriguez slightly dipped down before exploding up into the chest of the defender. He then proceeded to, literally, run over this poor kid and keep chugging for a huge gain.
And once Rodriguez got into the open field, he showed a speed to run away from defenders, like he did on his 36-yard touchdown run.
Nathan Mollat can be reached by e-mail: nathan@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 117.
By Nathan Mollat, Daily Journal Staff
If I’ve seen it once, I’ve seen it hundred times — football officials looking for bodies to man the chains for a game. Several teams have dedicated squads for these home-game duties, and I’ve seen some great chain gangs over the years. There are other coaches, however, who depend on the help from those with the program to help out the home team. So, to help coaches out, I provide this public service announcement:
To all you players sitting on the sidelines — whether you’re ineligible, suspended, slightly dinged up or a frosh-soph player — this is your chance to contribute to your team. The running of the chains is one of the most important — and overlooked —aspects of the game. Better still, it forces you to pay attention to the game. Maybe at the end of the night you understand the game a little better. You can see so much of the game standing right on the sidelines — you can see holes developing, you can see false starts and offsides on the line of scrimmage, you see pass patterns developing. It is a great opportunity to increase your football IQ when you can’t be on the field.
That being said, although three guys will get you through a game, five is ideal. Usually I’m sitting next to a slew of guys wearing their uniform top and shorts — obviously you’re not playing. But each time an official comes over looking for help, it’s like pulling teeth. So get a group of you guys and go work the chains. And if you have plans of switching off at half-time, the second-half chain gang should be over on the opposing sideline watching so you know what you’re doing when you take over.
You know when your coach is telling you the little things make a difference? This is one of those little things to getting a football program going in the right direction.
By the way, If the first-half crew decides to “quit” at half-time — or at any point during the game — your team can be penalized. Keep it in mind.
Other things to remember:
• There is no cheering for your team when you’re on the opposing sideline. You’re working as part of the referee crew and you need to be unbiased.
At the very least, don’t be hooting and hollering when you’re standing right in front of the opposing team — wait until the chains move out of the player’s box.
It does no good, anyway. The players could care less that you’re cheering for them on the opponents sideline. They’re not probably not even hearing you.
• For goodness sake, pay attention and listen. Know which way the ball is going. Know the down and distance. Be ready to hustle to the other end of the field after a big play.
• Act like you’ve watched a game before.
***
If any football team has any ideas about trying to steal signals from the Sacred Heart Prep sidelines, you have your work cut out for you. Head coach Peter Lavorato employs not one, but three, assistants signaling in plays.
Hey Belichick, give it your best shot!
It’s all a part of the Gators version of the no-huddle offense. Instead of huddling up before each play, the players on the field look toward the sideline and pick up the signals. The Lounge has not confirmed this but I’m guessing that each signaler is calling the offensive line’s blocking scheme, the routes the backs and wings will run and the play the quarterback is to run.
Since everyone is getting the signal at the same time — as opposed to shuttling someone in and out each play, giving the quarterback the new play — the Gators get to the line a few seconds quicker and go on a quick count, hopefully catching the defense flat-footed. It worked to near perfection for the Gators Friday when they beat Mills 40-21 and rushed for nearly 300 yards.
***
The Yerba Buena-Hillsdale football game got the royal media treatment Friday afternoon. With the Daily Journal, the Merc, the Times, the Examiner and some Web site taping the game, Hillsdale’s football field was the place to be Friday afternoon.
If I were being nice I would say it was because of the stellar matchup, but that would be a lie. Truth is, these two teams won a combined three game in the last two years — and the Knights won two of those.
Actually, the game was one of the few afternoon games being played — just about anywhere, from San Francisco to San Jose.
And after watching and seeing blowout scores early in the season, this one was actually entertaining. After a lackluster first half, the Hillsdale offensive line suddenly clicked and running back Drake Rodriguez benefited, running for 109 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.
Rodriguez’s running opened up the passing game a bit and the Knights have big-play capabilities in receiver Marcus Dulap. If either of the Hillsdale quarterbacks can throw the ball up there, Dunlap has a better than even chance to come down with it.
***
Not only was Rodriguez a surprise with his production, the Lounge was impressed by his physicality. Coach Brad Zucker told the Lounge in the preseason that he was a “bowling ball” and uber-reporter Emanuel Lee said the same thing after watching him in the season opener.
He was far from a bowling ball Friday. He was a heat-seeking missile that didn’t bother to run away from defenders down field, instead he looked to hit people.
He had the hit of the weekend, as far as I’m concerned, when on one of his first several carries of the second half, he took a little pitch and swept around left end. As the Yerba Buena linebacker came up to make the hit, Rodriguez slightly dipped down before exploding up into the chest of the defender. He then proceeded to, literally, run over this poor kid and keep chugging for a huge gain.
And once Rodriguez got into the open field, he showed a speed to run away from defenders, like he did on his 36-yard touchdown run.
Nathan Mollat can be reached by e-mail: nathan@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 117.