Cornersville @ Forrest

[GeneralForrest]

5 minutes ago, Salem said:

You must be getting old, you can't even pick a fight on here any more.

KINDER GENTLER.  Work WITH me here. 

[TheFootballDad]

9 minutes ago, Salem said:

You must be getting old, you can't even pick a fight on here any more.

Hahahha, no bro...cant get mad when i missed a long recap?! Hahahaha

Edited August 26, 2023 by TheFootballDad
Correction

[TheFootballDad]

16 minutes ago, GeneralForrest said:

Forgiven

Hahahaha, thanks brother...by the way, great recap ...and no hard feeling lol...that was allll on me for sure.

[RocketHouse]

1 hour ago, GeneralForrest said:

Strong hint:   Read my recap before you post like this. Makes you look kind of dumb

Terrific game summary. I agree 100%. I'll touch on your first point (the bad)  later after watching the live stream. 

No denying it was an exciting game. We will know in a 2 weeks if it was two good teams or two bad teams battling it out. 

 

3 hours ago, GeneralForrest said:

So let’s talk about what was good.

1.       The kids. On BOTH teams. Gutty. Cramping left and right (I was looking for Lane Kiffin on Cornersville’s sidelines. Kids were going down after every play). Hot and awful conditions and I am certain the ball felt like a hot greasy turkey right out of the oven. Lots of dropsies all night. But overall, the kids were extremely tough for both teams.

2.       Ben Franklin. Let’s be COMPLETELY honest. As much as he dragged players for 10-15 yards several times, he is NOT a 35 carry-a-game back. His body is physically taxed by the battering he takes each game. He went down with cramps half a dozen times. But he is tough as nails and a great athlete, and kept coming back in, after I thought he was done, at least twice. Great blocker. A psychotic tackler when he was in on defense. I’m a fan.    

Franklin's stat line was like last year - 15 carries for 120 and a TD. He accounted for 120 of their 160 total yards. But he can't physically carry and drag defensive players for 4 quarters. He annihilated our #22 in the first quarter on defense. Why were we running in his direction in the first half? We ran right at him and didn't touch him and almost got 1 and 22 killed. He got tired on offense not on defense and he decapitated one of our better players. 

 

3 hours ago, GeneralForrest said:

3.       Liam Bell. This Forrest team is #6’s team. His spirit, running, tackling, and sheer grit and will are why Forrest won this game. As he goes, they will go this season. Toughest runner not named McClendon this school has seen in a long time.

4.       His brother, Eli. Great footwork and makes things happen.

Two good ones. Cornersville had one Bull in the backfield but Forrest had two Bells and 2 Grissoms and a Fields in theirs. 

 #6 has been the number worn by the man at Forrest for over 10 years. Who gets it next year? Our #6 played 95% of the snaps on both sides and took over the game in the 4th quarter. Finished with 15 carries for 87 yards and a TD added another 4 catches for 40 yards. Awesome to see him coming back in form from a major injury. 

#22 is quick but his blocking (inside and outside) is off the charts. He was flying inside to smash linebackers in the 2nd half. Not many kids his size are that tough. Not many kids of any size would have got up from the 1st quarter hit he took. No matter how good he blocks inside he will eventually get hurt ramming linebackers. We lost him last season doing the same thing and we're doing it again.  Does Marion use Pickett as a blocking back often? Doubt it.

 

3 hours ago, GeneralForrest said:

5.       Aidan Cantrell. A battlefield promotion to QB, and this kid did a pretty good job. I like his arm. If they can continue to work with him I think Forrest will be ok. The kindler gentler General talking here.

6.       Fletcher Fields. He broke loose for a TD, and he is the fastest kid at The Rock since Jacob Daughrity. He might be even faster. He hit the edge and was GONE. I am baffled that Forrest cannot figure out how to use that speed thruout a game. I’m no Bill Walsh, but here’s what I would do: I’d put him in the slot. Call me crazy, but run him on short routes, and GET HIM THE BALL IN STRIDE. He’s Cooper Kupp-esque to me. What he might lack in height he more than makes up for in speed. I’m not sure any defender on the schedule will be able to stay with him. You get him the ball in space and he will score at least 2 TDs a game. I guarandangtee it.

Cantrell's story is great. Another kid who was told by coach he couldn't do something gets an opportunity and shows he can. Overlooked and demoted at QB in the spring he comes back and saves their bacon.  Also, one of the hardest hitting safeties in 2A. To me he reminds me a lot of Marion's QB. Small, mobile, accurate. He throws lots of short passes to athletes spread out in space with great success, sounds like a great idea. 7 completions in this game.

#1 actually runs like Kupp now that you mention it. Coaches job to get him in space and his job to hold on to the ball. He will be the most explosive player on the field most plays. I don't consider scissors getting him the ball in space. 

 

3 hours ago, GeneralForrest said:

Cornersville played hard. Woodard was another kid who stuck out in a positive way for them.  Good luck the rest of the way to them.

Sept 1
Forrest at Community
Cornersville hosts Collinwood

We essentially have a JV game next Friday and Cornersville has another physical game thats a must win. 

For Cornersville: On offense #33 and 9 stood out and freshman #6 was a ball player. #8 caused issues on the line. 

For Forrest: #68 was a beast on Dline and played both ways for us. #38 is a wrecking ball and needs to be on the field. It was good to see #56 gutting it out. 

Outlook: Best of luck to Cornersville but keeping it real (in my best tyrone biggums accent) they will battle Eagleville, Wayne Co, and Collinwood for the 3rd and 4th seeds in region 5. Wayne County is much better (and physical) than expected. Eagleville will have a great gameplan. Moore Co and Richland will be too much. A key injury or two and it will look like 2022 again. 

Forrest is guaranteed to beat Community and could host Marion County on October 6 with a 6-1 record for the region championship. They could also enter that game with a 2-5 record and already eliminated from post season contention. That's the inconsistency we have come to expect. If we avoid further injuries, find an offensive identity, and get a little luck we can host a playoff game. If those three things don't happen we may relive 2022 again, too. 

Edited August 26, 2023 by Salem

[RocketHouse]

1 hour ago, TheFootballDad said:

Hahahha, no bro...cant get mad when i missed a long recap?! Hahahaha

[Playerscoach]

On 8/26/2023 at 11:21 AM, GeneralForrest said:

A WIN IS A WIN

I could dissect the multiple ridiculous events that happen within EVERY Coach Eli game…

·         4 lineman being drawn offsides AFTER A TIMEOUT on 4^th and 4 for Cornersville

·         Multiple delay of game or near delay of game because it take Coach Eli an eternity to decide what play to call, so the play clock is counting down to expiration while Rockets are still in the huddle.

·         Overall disheveled-ness thruout.

This almost went a different way. Forrest was on their heels 14-3 and tempers were flaring all around. 4 turnovers at least.

But I’m not going negative. It was a win.

So let’s talk about what was good.

1.       The kids. On BOTH teams. Gutty. Cramping left and right (I was looking for Lane Kiffin on Cornersville’s sidelines. Kids were going down after every play). Hot and awful conditions and I am certain the ball felt like a hot greasy turkey right out of the oven. Lots of dropsies all night. But overall, the kids were extremely tough for both teams.

2.       Ben Franklin. Let’s be COMPLETELY honest. As much as he dragged players for 10-15 yards several times, he is NOT a 35 carry-a-game back. His body is physically taxed by the battering he takes each game. He went down with cramps half a dozen times. But he is tough as nails and a great athlete, and kept coming back in, after I thought he was done, at least twice. Great blocker. A psychotic tackler when he was in on defense. I’m a fan.     

3.       Liam Bell. This Forrest team is #6’s team. His spirit, running, tackling, and sheer grit and will are why Forrest won this game. As he goes, they will go this season. Toughest runner not named McClendon this school has seen in a long time.

4.       His brother, Eli. Great footwork and makes things happen.

5.       Aidan Cantrell. A battlefield promotion to QB, and this kid did a pretty good job. I like his arm. If they can continue to work with him I think Forrest will be ok. The kindler gentler General talking here.

6.       Fletcher Fields. He broke loose for a TD, and he is the fastest kid at The Rock since Jacob Daughrity. He might be even faster. He hit the edge and was GONE. I am baffled that Forrest cannot figure out how to use that speed thruout a game. I’m no Bill Walsh, but here’s what I would do: I’d put him in the slot. Call me crazy, but run him on short routes, and GET HIM THE BALL IN STRIDE. He’s Cooper Kupp-esque to me. What he might lack in height he more than makes up for in speed. I’m not sure any defender on the schedule will be able to stay with him. You get him the ball in space and he will score at least 2 TDs a game. I guarandangtee it.

Cornersville played hard. Woodard was another kid who stuck out in a positive way for them.  Good luck the rest of the way to them.

Sept 1
Forrest at Community
Cornersville hosts Collinwood

Franklin is a great player but he can’t do it all himself on both sides of the ball, at his size. They guy is just a load to tackle and makes plays everywhere on defense. The heat and humidity had to affect the guy who makes almost every play on defense and carrys sometimes 2 and 3 defenders on his back every time he runs it.

Franklin reminds me of Todd Logan from Moore County in 1988 or Bo Carr from Huntland in 1987 except he’s at least 30 lbs bigger. I can’t imagine a guy that’s more important for his team in the division than him because without him I’m not sure how they could win vs a decent team? 

Congrats on the Rocket win from a 1/2 Rocket household.