It was a cold and chilly near freezing night in Oregon and we were out in it again. Around the NW the best teams of 2013 are heading to a final conclusive game. Soon enough everyone is going home and no one is escaping that inevitability. For most kids these final Fridays are the end of years of work. And we so respect all you guy have all done. Full Hearts… Clear Eyes.. Can’t Lose. It will be true for you all in those waning moments.
Last night on the 1080 the Fan Radio analysis that I do every Friday the topic of the running game came up. The question was posed if a team could win it all without a big time ground attack? The answer of course is yes.
But the reality is that is going to be the exception rather then the rule.
We watched Max Browne and Jake Heaps at Skyline thee past several years take to the air and obliterate opponents. And while those Spartan teams had running backs they did not feature the ability to run first over pass. In the Tacoma Dome teams are not fighting the weather. But out there in the elements the reality is the pass heavy teams are going to struggle.
In Oregon all the 6A teams left have featured running games. And History would tell us that a balanced attack is going to be optimal. But in these waning weeks with injuries taking hold and attrition of top players there can be no doubt. If your team can move the ball on the ground your going to win more often then not. Counter intuitive in a way in an era where more and more teams have abandoned Power Football to open up the field.
Our analysis last night even before we knew the outcome of these games was right on. The 4 final teams moving on in 6A are all pounding the ground. If your team can do that and do it well they have a great shot to take it all.
Here is our segment from last night.
