What is going on at MBA?!

[faith]

KeenO

 

Yes, MBA does attract musicians, artists, debaters, and thespians, HC Jeff Rutledge has said in public several times that he does not recruit football players to MBA. He has made it clear that if he wanted to recruit he would have taken the OC job at UVA that was offered by Al Groh awhile back. While the lack of football recruiting has reduced the talent level somewhat, that is not the primary reason for the underperformance of this year's club.

 

THE BIG RED HAS BEEN DESCIMATED BY INJURIES!

 

Several long time MBA football observers (read alumni) are of the opinion that this senior class and last year's senior class are and were thin, athletically. They have been heard to say that there were zero seniors who went on to play D1 college football off last year's team and that there are zero D1 prospects in this year's senior class. While that may be true, plenty of HS teams have been successful without future D1 players. Unfortunately for MBA, it often plays teams that have one or more D1 prospects in their respective senior classes. So it would be advantageous if MBA could have tow or three D1 prospects on the field every season to help them compete with the other Super Sevens.

 

Because MBA's senior class is indeed relatively thin, MBA is playing more players than it would like both ways. But what has really hurt this year's squad are injuries. Let's review the season, so far:

 

In Week Zero, MBA traveled to Lexington, KY and defeated a very average Dunbar team 24-7, and did so without its starting tailback, Sr. Rich Thompkins, who is out for the season due to ankle surgery. Rich, who is an outstanding athlete, was runner-up this past spring in the decathlon.) Junior Safety, Jas Rader returned Dunbar's first punt 73 yards for a TD giving MBA a 7-0 lead less than 3 minutes into the game. Second string tailback, Jr. Christian Waddey scored MBA's second TD that enabled MBA to take a 14-7 lead into the locker room at the half. Third String Tailback, Soph Patrick Crum, and 2nd string, now 1st string TB, Christian Waddey led the rushing attack in the 2nd half which saw Sr Clayton Foster add a field goal and Waddey cap the scoring with a rushing TD.

 

In Week One, MBA went to Louisville and defeated defending KY State AAAA Champ, Trinity 23-21. MBA now leads the series with Trininty 3 to 2. In the last two minutes of this game, MBA's 2nd string QB, Jr. Austin Bennett, came off the bench, after Sr QB David Howe tore two ligaments in his right knee, to lead MBA down the field (with two herniated disks) to score the winning touchdown. The key play was a 30-something yard 3rd down pass over the middle to Sr. WR Charlie Plageman. Crum scored a key second half TD to get MBA back into the game, and in the 3rd qtr. Waddey, who is a step slower than Crum, but a tough, strong, shifty, hardnose runner who plays with great heart had two key 15-yard runs on draws during winning drive,. Waddey scored the game winning TD with 58 seconds remaining on a 3-yard plunge. This game showed the MBA fans that this season could be special, even though Thompkins was out, Soph TB Patrcik Crum emerged dramatically. But a pall hung over that victory because David Howe was lost for the season with a severe knee injury that occured with two minutes to go in the game.

 

Week Two saw MBA fall at MUS 10-7 as the offense tried to adjust to its new Jr. QB, Austin Bennett. Bennett played in great pain due to the herniated disks in his back and performed at about the 75% level, which limited BA's passing game. Unfortunately, an official who the MBA staff had requested to be scratched earlier that week, and who the TSSAA refused to remove, had far too much personal involvement in the outcome of this game, with five very questionable calls against MBA's offense. He penalized them a total of 40 yards in the 4th qtr. alone. This proved to be Bennett's last game to date. MBA's coaches went ballistic. (The TSSAA later removed this official from the lineup for the upcoming CBHS/MBA game.) MUS's defense played very well. It was led by Vanderbilt commit, Jon Stokes, a 6'5" 225 pound LB.

 

Week Three saw a 2-1 MBA squad play its first home game where it defeated CPA 28-21. Rutledge all but shut down MBA's passing offense to simplify things for Soph QB, Spencer Wise, who got his first start. Speedy Soph TB Patrick Crum, who carried the ball 12 times for 128 yards before leaving the game mid-way through the 3rd qtr with a high ankle sprain, opened the scoring breaking multiple tackles on a 29-yard run in the 2nd qtr. giving MBA a 7-0 lead. Crum broke loose again on a 44-yard draw play to score MBA's second TD before the end of the first half. Junior TB Christian Waddey lead an 80-yard MBA scoring drive to open the second half and scored his first TD of the game. This pushed MBA out to a 21-6 lead and it looked like MBA would run away with it. Waddey later scored his second touchdown of the night in the 4th qtr putting MBA ahead 28-6. MBA let the air out and saw CPA score two TDs late. One came on a turnover and the other when the Lions recovered a beautifully executed on-side kick. Waddey rushed for 154 yards on 34 carries. It was a costly victory as MBA lost Patrick Crum to a high ankle sprain.

 

Week Four required that MBA return to Memphis to face Christian Brothers. Going into this game MBA had 11 players on what the NFL calls the "Injured Reserve" list. Ten of those are in the 2-deep and they include the #1 TB, the #1 & #2 QBs, two starters in the defensive backfield (one of whom doubled as a wide receiver). I personally think the Big Red was emotionally drained by the injury situation as they played with no enthusiasm or energy of any kind. Five offensive turnovers killed them giving CB a short field on several occasions. MBA was blown out 31-6. MBA, which generated over 250 yards rushing against CPA, tallied only 62 yards rushing and 40 yards passing against the Brothers, whose defense was led by a four-star D1 propect, 6'5" 225 LB, Chris Walker, who has 4.65 fourty speed. He has been offered by LSU, Bama, Auburn, Ole Miss, Miami, Tennessee and others.

 

Week Five saw MBA return home to host JPII. The offense was virtually scrapped in favor of the single wing....yes, the single wing! And it was actually quite effective (I know the JPII defense isn't the stiffest, but...) Soph QB Spencer Wise started the game with a hand-off to Waddey who ran for about 8 yards. The rest of the first qtr. saw MBA run from the Single Wing set with Waddey and Jr. FB, Ben Bartholomew, lined up side-by-side most of the time and the ball being snapped directly to Waddey. Wise returned sporadically to the game and threw about five passes; one was intercepted, which led to a Knight field goal. MBA ran up and down the field on the Knights but turned the ball over twice with fumbles on JPII's five yard line. They also lost another fumble near mid-field to the Knights killing another good drive. Mid-way through the 4th qtr., Jr. punt returner Jas Rader allowed a Knight punt to sail over his head and he inexplicably chased the bounding ball. The result was a fumble which was recovered by a Knight at MBA's 21 yard line. Another D1 prospect, Sr. Golden Tate, scored for the Knights six plays later, which proved to be the difference in the game.

 

MBA has played all of its games on artificial turf; therefore, some think that may have something to do with the ankle and knee injuries, but there is certainly no way to determine that. Long time football fans all know that sooner or later most every coach will have a team that will suffer an extraodinarily high number of injuries. (Ask Jeff Fisher & Phil Fulmer) Evidently, the "Football Gods" decided 2006 was Jeff Rutledge's year!

 

Looking ahead, MBA has a tough row to hoe, Father Ryan, Brentwood Academy, McCallie and Baylor. IMHO, it is too much to ask of a Soph QB to engineer the type of offensive production to which MBA has been accustom with Ingle Martin, Michael Fisher and David Howe at the controls. Therefore, MBA's defense will have to step up, and its new single wing attack will have to be less predictable than it was against CPA. Additionally MBA will have to develop a nominal passing attack quickly to keep future opponents from putting 8 and 9 defenders in the box on every play.

 

The Junior and Sophomore classes have more talent than the senior class. That talent combined with the experience they are getting this year, along with a strong off-season training effort should enable the MBA coaching staff to field a very strong and fast team next year.

 

Last year's MBA Freshman football team was 8-1. Its only loss was a last minute defeat at the hands of a 9-0 Lebanon squad, 35-31. Last year's MBA 8th grade team was 6-1.

 

Last year's freshman track team won the Inman Trophy which is awarded to the best track squad in Metro Nashville. It was the first time an independent school has ever won the trophy. The five leading scorers on that track team are Sophomores on this year's varsity. They are Patrick Crum, Leland Howe, Reggie Ford, Joseph Sloan, and Scott Bubis. RB Crum and DB Ford scored heavily in the sprints and relays. DB Howe dominated the pole vault and TE Sloan and OG Bubis scored heavily in the shot and discus.

 

Unlike most other high school programs, MBA does not allow its football players to begin weight training until AFTER their freshman season. This forces MBA to rely more heavily on its seniors than most high school teams, so when the senior class is relatively weak athletically, on the field performance will suffer somewhat. MBA makes up for much of that with strong coaching and thorough game preparation. One can imagine that if MBA were to begin strength and conditioning for its 8th graders AFTER their football season ends, MBA would eventually have more players available for its two-deep roster three years later and wouldn't have to rely so heavily on its senior class.

 

MBA is down this year primarily due to injuries, but it will be back next year, with more bigger, stronger and faster players than they have had the last two seasons. Additionally, for the first time in three seasons MBA will have at least two D1 prospects (6'2" 230 lb LB/FB Ben Bartholomew and 6'5" 320 lb. OT/DT Preston Bailey).

 

The $64,000 question is quarterback. What will happen there? My guess is that Austin Bennett will have healed and will return for his senior season, and that Jeff Rutledge will have him well schooled and that he will perform very well. Waddey and Crum will be back too.

 

So the football future at MBA is not as dim as you paint it, KeenO.

didnt father ryans freshman beat mba last year ?

[just1np]

It is odd to look at MBAs record this year, but it is mainly due to injuries isn't it?

 

I had heard they were doing direct snaps to the tailback at one point.

 

Tough year for the Big Red, but we've all been there at one point.

 

It is just a cycle, MBA will be back- probably sooner rather than later.