Ok. I know there are several coaches on this board as well as mostly knowledgeable football fans. What is everyone's thoughts on how that game went yesterday? Props to S/T for winning it. How would you have handled that game plan/game ending if you were coaching that game?
D-2 Game
- Thread starter Power_I_82
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You are up 44-12 with 6 seconds left in the game, you either let the clock run or you take a knee. In my honest opinion, classless.
If it was a backup or 3rd stringer I could understand it, but the starter who already had 64 carries and 5 tds is inexcusable.
I agree with the fact if it was a second string kid or maybe someone who had been out with injury or a senior trying to get the score. Buttttt based on what I read from a ST athlete it sounds like wynot players were yelling some profanity at the ST players. So in that case the last score was a bit of a humbling approach which I stand by. Can’t talk smack if you also want mercy. Can’t say whether or not that’s true however from what I saw from several Wynot fans attacking the players coaches and even media on social media last night with profanity it would not surprise me one bit.
The only reason I could think of was there must be some bad beef playing out between the two schools or coaches that we dont know about Still think taking a knee is more of a slap in the face
My two cents:
S/T had kids that didn't get in the game yesterday. I don't think their starters had any business being out there the last two series. Damn sure the last series. If you are running your base offense and the JV's punch one in that's great. I also read something that one of the S/T players said the call was to kneel the ball and they changed it in the huddle. I could not even fathom doing that as a high school kid. Its an tough deal on who should put in subs first. My gut feeling is the winning team should be the one to put them in. Some say its up to the defense to stop it. While true, I don't think that argument has as much validity in a high school game that is a blowout. I would be hard pressed to look those kids that ran your scout team and practiced all fall long in the eye and not feel like they got shorted out of a great memory of playing on Memorial Field.
S/T had kids that didn't get in the game yesterday. I don't think their starters had any business being out there the last two series. Damn sure the last series. If you are running your base offense and the JV's punch one in that's great. I also read something that one of the S/T players said the call was to kneel the ball and they changed it in the huddle. I could not even fathom doing that as a high school kid. Its an tough deal on who should put in subs first. My gut feeling is the winning team should be the one to put them in. Some say its up to the defense to stop it. While true, I don't think that argument has as much validity in a high school game that is a blowout. I would be hard pressed to look those kids that ran your scout team and practiced all fall long in the eye and not feel like they got shorted out of a great memory of playing on Memorial Field.
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Search @JaceBackman82677 on X/Twitter and look at his replies. And yes he openly admits to being Wynot alumni. I don’t wanna share it based on the language presented. Also on that thread is the Knights athlete responding with what happened on the field.
It’s a bad look. Who cares if the other team was chirping…You're winning so what does it matter. Show some class.
In my opinion being in a position to take a knee to end a championship game is much more of slap in the face to the losing team than a meaningless touchdown. Win the game and look good doing it.
In my opinion being in a position to take a knee to end a championship game is much more of slap in the face to the losing team than a meaningless touchdown. Win the game and look good doing it.
I’m not condoning the touchdown I also woulda called in the victory formation or rolled out the 2’s to get some snaps in front of the crowd that traveled to Lincoln and get them that experience. I also know Cox was close to the most yards in a championship game rushing so maybe they thought he could get that as well that drive. Who knows. Regardless of why the last touchdown was scored it doesn’t take away from the incredible performance by that team as a whole and it definetly doesn’t justify grown adults attacking athletes the way it did.
As the head coach for S-T I will be the first to admit I miss handled the end of the game against Wynot and I have all intentions of reaching out to the coaches and apologize for how it ended. There was a lot going on at the end and I let the situation get away from me and it is my fault and it is my hope the people direct any negativity towards me and not the young men that had a great ending to their season.
Ya know coach, it's admirable that you have posted here. Ultimately, this is your team and you have worked for and earned the right to coach them however you choose. If you choose to apologize to anyone, that is your call. Opponents always have the right to play defense. You really shouldn't be expected to coach both teams.
The majority of the people that are critical (not just this case) have no idea what it takes to even put a team in that position. (I fit in that category) Congratulations to you and your kids for what you accomplished.
100% agree what that kid did was amazing and a great effort on his part
My 3 cents (Leave it alone, inflation...) is that this is an awful embarrassment to the folks from Thedford, Dunning, and area. These people, by and large, are good folks. The kids are warriors. Too bad the only one that actually mattered failed miserably. To run up the score in a championship game is really, really bad form and taints, permanently for anyone outside those districts, a remarkable season. To not get every player into a 40 point games is even worse. This reeks of a guy who thinks he's untouchable because of his great players and will disappear after a year or two leaving S-T to deal with the fallout. I pulled for them. I'll never do so again.
So you run onto a public message board and SAY you intend to apologize? Wow. It didn't "end great" for the kids you left on the bench. It didn't end great for the team you tried to embarrass. It didn't end great for your fans and parents trying to explain and support your....decision. You want the negativity directed at you? lol. No shortage of that, with ANYONE I've talked to that was aware of your actions. So...DONE.
Enjoy the moment and accomplishment, Coach! Easy to get caught up in the whirlwind.
Apologize to who you need to, if you feel the need to, but don't let it take away from the year you guys had!
ok I will say this, yes kneeling would have been better but lets drop this, its not as horrible as some are making this out to be, not the best way, but even coaches learn from mistakes and they were by far the better team and it was a dominate performance and those kids and community should be proud. Kneeling would have been the correct thing to do, or getting everyone in would have been even better.
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Bothered me at the time but figured somewhere down the line there will be payback. It may not be Wynot doing the payback but who knows. And would also think an assistant would mention something about getting other kids in so don't think it can all be laid at head coaches feet.
I got a pretty good laugh outta it. Let the coaches coach and the keyboard warriors keyboard warrior. ST is a well respected program around the state, thought their kids represented themselves very well. Especially vs a wynot team that likes to talk the whole game. I’m sure someone will do it back to ST eventually just like I’m sure some teams played starters vs hitchcock county the whole games this year.
Thought it was classless and was definitely trying to run up the score. I followed ST a little this year, multiple games they would get up by 30-40 pts and put in scrubs. I guess not when its televised
Don't disagree with the first part, but the problem is, it's generally the people who aren't remotely connected with it that foot the bill. As for the second, not even remotely buying that. At about the 4 minute mark every good coach I've ever known turns to staff and says "make sure we get everybody in". And quite often they make a cool deal out of it, by using a time out to let starters, especially seniors, come off to a big applause. Not only is that a great memory for the kids that get to play in the championship game, but for the better/older kids themselves, right? And what about the opponent? Maybe I'm getting my teeth kicked in and would like to sub, but against a 3000 yard rusher and some bad-ash blockers? My 90 lb freshman against the Zutavern kid or someone similar? No, this ALL gets put on the tab of the HC. Besides, he likes the attention it seems. He did ask for it, after all. I would also argue that from a long term view, it's a horrible, horrible idea to not get every kid into a game when it's a blowout. That is the biggest way to not get kids to go out that I can imagine.
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Amen. The ending got out of control? Lame excuse.
It was unnecessary, but ultimately not that big a deal. I've certainly seen much worse and in a few months hardly anyone outside of Wynot will even remember it happened.
Not much. They played their starters ALOT in games that were well in hand. Not just a S/T thing. I think bringing back the 45 point rule would make a lot of coaches play their young guys more to extend the game. This running clock deal has done nothing but allow coaches to run up scores and skew stats. Think if some of 8 mans best backs got two more drives in each game for 3-4 seasons. That adds up to a lot of other carries and yards in a career.
Well, with that spin you could justify pretty much any behavior in these games. No one really cares outside of the small worlds that these games take place in. It doesn't make it right, especially since it's so easy to do it the right way. There's zero chance this coach "miss handled" the end of this game. He knew exactly what he was doing.
I worded that incorrectly. Those assistant coaches are at fault as well. When the finals got moved to Lincoln lots of people said how great it will be for kids to get the chance to play in Memorial Stadium. Not sure how many kids didn't get in for either team but that opportunity was wasted for all them. And all that good that was built by Cox kid going down at 2 yard line to give teammate td was also wasted.
I disagree on the 45 point rule.
I've been in a game where we got 45'd. I'd rather lose by 60 playing a full game than to have to quit early because we were down 45.
Coaches will either put their 2nd string in when up 5 TDs or they won't regardless if it's a running clock or 45 point rule.
I don't think he said it was right or justified. He just said it isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things.
It's a tough situation.
I think it could have been handled in an entirely different manner, but everyone is going to have an opinion on it.
I will tell you, there is some karma involved in this all. Wynot opened the year with a win where they threw the ball late, late in the game to score a touchdown on the JV defense that was on the field. They didn't seem to mind then that they were running up the score.
I guess what goes around comes around. Maybe Sandhills/Thedford sees that late touchdown come back to bite them when they aren't as dominant as they are now.
I think it could have been handled in an entirely different manner, but everyone is going to have an opinion on it.
I will tell you, there is some karma involved in this all. Wynot opened the year with a win where they threw the ball late, late in the game to score a touchdown on the JV defense that was on the field. They didn't seem to mind then that they were running up the score.
I guess what goes around comes around. Maybe Sandhills/Thedford sees that late touchdown come back to bite them when they aren't as dominant as they are now.
I know, and I don't see that being a relevant point. This whole forum is a discussion of what things mean in the regular scheme of things. You know, within the scope of Nebraska high school sports. I think we all know we're not engaged in matters of global importance here.
Definitely not global, I agree.
I think he's meaning within the scheme of Nebraska HS sports, it's not a big deal.
How does it effect other sports or even other towns? Maybe it does, I guess I'm just not seeing it either.
Way to show class High Plains Coach or better yet lack of class. A man is apologizing for his actions and you continue to dump on him. Sometimes it is better to simply keep your opinions to yourself!!
That's nonsense. Apologize? To who? No he came on a public message board, which quite honestly, is more ambivalent than people I hear talking about it, in person. He tried to excuse his actions. He tried to justify what happened. There MAY be some belated concern about whatever reputation the guy thinks he has, maybe some "suggestions" from Administration or pushback from S/T parents, i don't know. Don't care. If THAT passes for an apology in this day and age, God help us all. I'll not keep my opinions to myself, not when that sort of behavior slowly crreps into being acceptable when all you have to do is go on social media and say "my bad....but not REALLY my fault..." No. The dude should have been apologizing to lots of people, mostly to his community and ESPECIALLY to the guys wearing his colors that never got in the game. You want to defend him? Be my guest. But do NOT try to call me out for calling a spade exactly what it is.