Down 14: The Colts v The Druids: The Best Team Prevails?
It was Sena's second trip to Colt Country, but it felt different. The grass was greener, and the stands were decorated in green and blue. "Welcome to the Springs homecoming game" yelled the announcer. "The Lakeland Druids come down to Colt Country to try and take away a win from your Springs Colts. But this won't be an easy challenge. This year, both the Colts and Druids are 2-0, having won both games by large margins. Both are in the top ten, Colts being number 1, Druids being number 3. This game is so intense, teams are traveling hours here to watch the teams play."
Sena looked at the team, all inventively watching both teams warm up. The Colts were wearing their white and green uniforms, what would usually be the away jerseys. The Druids were wearing their home, Orange and Purple jerseys. Sena could see Eggnatz, practicing his cuts. "See Sena, they play a very conservative offense the druids, nothing special. It is a simple shotgun with a running back beside the quarter back. The Druids have decent receivers, so we need to watch them too" spoke Wakeen. "But on defense, watch out for the quarter back. He is tall, about 6'5", so if you get near a sack, attack him strong."
The Colts had won the toss, electing to receive. Sena wondered how the Druids would take on the Colts Stampede. He got his answer by looking at the line; it was made of 6 players, all head up to the people in front of them. Those six combined with three linebackers and two corner backs seemed to be able to shut down the run completely. The Colts were running their regular offense, a Wing T, with a TE outside of the regular TE, stepped back an extra yard, called the Wing Back. The Full back was also parallel with the running back, three yards back from the quarter back, behind the tackle. It was the refined Stampede.
The ball was snapped, with the Colts center, Domonic Versaci, cut blocking to the left, while the linemen to the right of him cut to the right, left of him scoop blocking (a block that lets the player pass you, only to push them back after behind the line of scrimmage). The wing back trap blocked into the gap where the run would go. Evan Lassiter, the quarter back, handed off the ball the Joyner, who, combined with his full back, Mark Niblett, ran up behind the tackle, who had opened up a hole. Niblett rushed into the linebacker, flushing him out of the play, leaving open space for Joyner to run.
"Look at that kid go" Sena said, asking Wakeen, "so which one is Eggnatz again?"
"Oh, the one who will make this tackle" he responded. As he did, number 20 appeared from the opposite side of the play, having gotten past the block from the wing back, his shoulders cocked ready to explode out. Joyner cut to the right, then backwards, using moves Sena considered quick enough to be impossible to stop. Yet, Eggnatz was unmoved, attacking with his hips, exploding into Joyner's waist, knocking him off course, forcing him to the ground by the power of the attack.
"Wait, what happened?" Sena asked. "Did he miss because of the cuts, and those cuts were the reason Joyner got ahead?"
"Very simply Sena," Shin responded, "Eggnatz was not paying attention to the cuts, nor was he going to be fooled by that back step. It was a valiant effort, but Joyner's speed was not enough to break through Eggnatz's speed. But Joyner is enough of an athlete to stay on his feet for another 3 yards, before losing his balance. That is what makes him good, even after getting hit, he gets more yards."
"That is a Colts first down!" called the announcer. "Eggnatz on the tackle, the Colts Stampede again"
For the next play, the Colts lined up differently, using a shot gun set up with a tight end on both sides, and a bunch receiver set (with three WR set up, one on the line of scrimmage, two back a yard) on the right side. Sena wondered exactly how the Druids would take on this new line up, having six down linemen facing an obvious pass.
"Set, set, hut" called Lassiter, hiking the ball, taking several steps back. Amazing all of the Plant visitors, two of the linemen stepped back into zone steps, while Eggnatz blitzed. It was no use though, Versaci locked on and shot at him with is thrusts. Eggnatz fell hard onto the ground. Lassiter had perfect time to pick a receiver, throwing the ball 15 yards to one of the TE that went out for a pass. The next play was the same, another 12 yard gain.
"Colts have just entered the Red Zone (within 25 yard line). How will they change up their offense, and how will the Druids change up their defense?"
The Colts lined up in their stampede set from earlier, but instead the backers were only a yard off from the quarter back. As the ball was hiked, the tight end and the wing back took trap steps, going in a straight line, while the Stampede line pushed the six man line up making enough room. The ball was then faked to Joyner, while the full back, Niblett, took the handoff and took it to the outside, in the direction of the trapping players. Joyner, as part of the fake, ran up the same route he would for the regular run. "Why aren't they covering Joyner, he just got the ball and went up the field" Sena questioned.
"No, he didn't. The Druid line backers read it perfectly, seeing the pulling backers, and adjusting mid play" Shin commented as Niblett was tackled in the backfield by Eggnatz. Sena could hear something from the huddle, but he couldn't understand it.
"Good run Nibs, this time, same play, but Joyner will get the ball"
"I think they are doing the same thing" Sena said. "I heard it from the huddle"
The ball was hiked, Joyner taking the handoff. Using the pulling backers as a ploy, he went up the same gap he did the play before, only this time with the ball. The stampede was arguable weaker without the full back or TE, but instead, Versaci ran out to block for him, flattening Eggnatz. Joyner then cut his way past the other tacklers, celebrating into the endzone. "TOUCHDOWN Colts"
With the extra point, it was 7-0, and the Colts seemed to have little weakness. Sena could see coach Finkle had taken not a single note on the Colts, while taking some on the Druids. Sena questioned Shin what weakness was there.
"They have only one weakness, but it is such a small factor you need to train to even take advantage of it." Shin responded in a quiet voice, as to keep it secret. He spoken even softer, "They have an inexperienced wing back, he wasn't supposed to follow the TE on either play. He doing that on the second play might have been planned, but he doing it on the first one was a joke. With the first play, having both pulling made it obvious where the ball was going. For the second play, it only makes sense for him to do it again, instead of blocking for Joyner again. The only reason it worked is because the Druids locked onto the play type, seeing both pull before. Having thought it was the same play; Eggnatz and the others had to go back, being cut off by the linemen. It also seems only Versaci can cut off Eggnatz, all the other blockers get cut through."
"Worth noting also is that Niblett's size went unused as Eggnatz tackled him. He could have easily ran over his small stature, right?" Sena asked.
"Actually, not," answered Wakeen. "Eggnatz has quite powerful legs, from this viewpoint, we cannot tell if he didn't use run force"
"Calm down Wakeen" Shin told. "Niblett tried his best, but wasn't using all his power so to keep it a secret for later on. I can tell for sure. I myself wonder how their defense fairs against the Druids all Shotgun set."
On defense, the Colts were in a new set, with three down linemen, five linebackers, two corner backs, and one safety. The linemen were lined up on the center, and on the tackles, while the linebackers were in the gaps of that, with the exception of the middle being over the nose guard. The Druids on offense had a shotgun set with the quarter back 4 yards behind the center, with Eggnatz a yard on his right. "Liz, Liz" could be heard from the linebacker Visca. Suddenly, all the linemen shifted to the side with the running back on it, moving over one man. The linebackers stayed as is, Visca surveying the field waiting for the snap.
"Hut" called the quarter back, quickly handing the ball off to Eggnatz, who bolted up the field, hitting the wall that was the line early. The speed linemen of the Colts had used their speed to halt the line, forcing Eggnatz outside. The linebackers used similar moves to what Plant used, using the nose guard, now over the guard, to go one way, while the linebacker over him went the other way. This forced Eggnatz to go the opposite way of what the blockers had planned. It was too late, Visca had already locked on with his Stun Gun arms, hitting the cutting running back with a quick jab, knocking him down behind the line. He stood over Eggnatz for a second, showing dominance. This was going to be a long night.