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Indians face too many '3rd and long' plays to win
Trouble is, adding pass plays to a playbook that barely listed them in the appendix in the past five years adds a degree of difficulty similar to walking into a child's playroom in the dark and trying not to step on any toys. The most obvious indication of Jacksonville's struggles in the passing game in last Friday's 20-9 loss to Brownsboro was Paxton Lindsey's three fourth-quarter interceptions. All of them no-doubters. But the struggling started much earlier. I direct your attention to one of the most telling-yet-underrated statistics in football: the average distance-to-gain on third down.
Most of last season, Jacksonville's average distance-to-gain on third down was under five yards. Against Brownsboro, it was over 10. So how big of a deal is that? To put it in perspective, one needs to determine just how the offense arrived at third-and-long. What's happening, or not happening, en route to that third down? Jacksonville opened the game by passing on 11 of its 13 first-and-10 situations in the first half. Of those 11 passes, Lindsey completed five for 43 yards - 35 of which came on backto back plays and led to the Indians' only touchdown. The incompletions on first down ultimately led to eight third-downs with an average of 12 yards to gain, resulting in six punts and a lost fumble in the first half. In the second half, Jacksonville passed on first down 10 of 12 times, with disastrous results - Lindsey completed three of those passes for 22 yards. That leaves Jacksonville with an average of about second-and-8. Second-and-8 tends to be passing situation, or a run play out of a passing formation like a draw. An incomplete pass there leads to third-and-8 - another passing down. Even a 5-yard run leaves you third-and-3 - makeable for a team that pounds the ball with a heavy backfield, but more difficult for a team with four receivers and one running back on the field averaging less than 3 yards per carry. Throw in 60 yards of penalties and four turnovers in the fourth quarter, and it's obvious that first look at the Indians' new look wasn't exactly what they had in mind. Embarrassing? Probably. Disastrous? Nah. That's what nondistrict play is all about. Besides, let's not forget that in spite of all its struggles on third down, Jacksonville was very much in the game until it fumbled a punt that Brownsboro turned into its second touchdown in under two minutes. The news wasn't all bad for Lindsey. He and senior receiver Kelvin Hall hooked up five times for 64 yards. Lindsey and sophomore Chris Hall found each other twice, including an 8-yard touchdown pass with three minutes remaining in the first half. The Indians also put together a 13-play, 45-yard drive where Lindsey completed three of eight passes for 35 yards and had a 15-yard touchdown run called back for a chop block. If that play stands, Jacksonville leads at least 13-7 midway through the third quarter. Playing with the lead instead of a deficit - especially in the second half -- means more choices in the playbook. Run the ball and keep the clock running, or throw the dice and pass? Trailing by four with 6:50 to play, Jacksonville was forced to keep rolling the dice, and Brownsboro knew it. The Bears dropped as many as eight players into pass coverage, especially after so many incomplete passes on first down and time running out. Clearly, the season opener didn't go as planned for Jacksonville. Turnovers, penalties and long third-downs are all bad enough on their own, let alone in combination. Minimizing or eliminating all three with a pass-heavy offense will require a discipline and focus not required of past Indians teams under Randy Copeland. Looking ahead This week: Jacksonville (0-1) will travel to Corsicana (1-0), 7:30 p.m. Friday. Corsicana beat West Mesquite, 41-34 in its season opener. Jacksonville beat Corsicana 35- 28 at the Tomato Bowl last season behind a 255-yard, three-touchdown effort from then-senior running back Carmon Boyd-Anderson.
The game will be broadcast on KWRW-FM, 97.7 FM with pre-game activities beginning at 7 p.m. INTERCEPTIONS Jacksonville: Chris Williams. HOW THEY SCORED Second Quarter BHS - Taking advantage of a shanked Jacksonville punt, Brownsboro quarterback Zach Bailey completes five of six passes for 27 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown pass to Tristian Warren. Brownsboro 7, Jacksonville 0, 11:54 JHS - The Indians capitalize on a fumbled punt return deep in Bears territory with Paxton Lindsey completing both of his passes in a twoplay, 35-yard scoring drive that took 15 seconds and tied the game. Sophomore Chris Hall caught the 8-yard touchdown pass. Jacksonville 7, Brownsboro 7, 3:01 Fourth Quarter BHS - Bears running back Courtney Warren scores on a 1-yard touchdown run, capping an 11-play, 56-yard drive off the first of three Lindsey interceptions in the quarter. Brownsboro 13, Jacksonville 7, 6:50 JHS - Indians specialist Colton McCown picks up the blocked PAT and returns it 101 yards for a two-point conversion. Brownsboro 13, Jacksonville 9, 6:50 BHS - Warren turns another Jacksonville miscue - this time a fumbled punt return - into a 29-yard touchdown run on the next play. Brownsboro 20, Jacksonville 9, 3:32. graphic: Cherokeean Herald |
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