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| Leesburg Head Coach Wilbur Lofton |
By CLAY HARTSOE
Commercial Sports Editor
Daily Commercial
December 18, 1969
After the clicking of the cleats died down, all that could be heard was a steady whirr. The smell of sweat permeated the room and the temperature steadily rose.
Sixty eyes watch the pictures flick across the screen mounted on the ceiling in the corner of the room. Occasionally a rustle or a cough could be heard in the background.
"Watch this boys." said Coach Lofton with awe in his voice.
On the screen a left handed quarterback dropped back fifteen yards to pass. When he let loose the ball flew sixty five yards to a receiver running down field, who went in the end zone for a TD The quarterback was Blake's.
All of a sudden the receiver started running backwards and the ball flew out of his arms and went back to the quarterback, as Coach Lofton ran the projector in reverse. Laughter.
Once again the ball flew out of the quarterback's hand, after Lofton ran the film forward again. "Ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, sixty-five yards," chanted 30 voices in unison.
"That's what your going to have to defend against Friday night. Your going to have to put pressure on him or he'll kill you. Let him set up and he can throw that ball for a T.D. from almost anywhere," said Coach Lofton with a matter of fact tone.
"We'll get him Coach."
Laughter again, as a Blake halfback ran into the line, went in reverse and came right back out again.
"This is their bread and butter play. When ever they need yardage they'll run this off tackle slant," said Coach Lofton, "Watch their blocking."
The Blake Jackets failed to make their first down so they punted.
Now it was the other team's turn with the ball. They lined up in a formation similar to Leesburg's. A sweep around end was stopped for no gain because of Blake's defensive end's quick lateral pursuit.
The next play was an off tackle slant, which was also stopped for no gain.
"Watch those linebackers, they're all over the field," commented Coach Lofton.
The next play was an incomplete pass. The team in white dropped back to punt.
"This is where Blake can hurt you. They blocked three punts in one game," remarked Coach Wettstein. "Watch them go after the ball."
The ball was snapped back to the punter and here came the Blake lineman, as if they were shot out of a gun. The punter manged to get the ball away, but just barely, the out-stretched hands of a Blake player just missing the ball by inches.
After taking the punt, Blake drove down to score, mostly on running plays. The other team (which was Tampa Plant) scored later on and the game ended in 7-7 deadlock.
Several things were evident in the film, Several of Blake's weaknesses were Leesburg's strong points and vice versa. For example: Blake has a tremendous punt rush-Leesburg has had a hard time getting punts away.
Leesburg has a strong passing attack-Blake's pass defense leaves something to be desired.
Blake has fast backs who can get around the end quickly-Leesburg has had trouble with end sweeps.
Leesburg's big line is hard to move inside -- Blake's big play is their off tackle slants.
If the Leesburg Jackets can stop Blake's sweeps as they did Belle Glades' last week and they can get their punts away they should win.
Commercial Sports Editor
Daily Commercial
December 18, 1969
After the clicking of the cleats died down, all that could be heard was a steady whirr. The smell of sweat permeated the room and the temperature steadily rose.
Sixty eyes watch the pictures flick across the screen mounted on the ceiling in the corner of the room. Occasionally a rustle or a cough could be heard in the background.
"Watch this boys." said Coach Lofton with awe in his voice.
On the screen a left handed quarterback dropped back fifteen yards to pass. When he let loose the ball flew sixty five yards to a receiver running down field, who went in the end zone for a TD The quarterback was Blake's.
All of a sudden the receiver started running backwards and the ball flew out of his arms and went back to the quarterback, as Coach Lofton ran the projector in reverse. Laughter.
Once again the ball flew out of the quarterback's hand, after Lofton ran the film forward again. "Ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, sixty-five yards," chanted 30 voices in unison.
"That's what your going to have to defend against Friday night. Your going to have to put pressure on him or he'll kill you. Let him set up and he can throw that ball for a T.D. from almost anywhere," said Coach Lofton with a matter of fact tone.
"We'll get him Coach."
Laughter again, as a Blake halfback ran into the line, went in reverse and came right back out again.
"This is their bread and butter play. When ever they need yardage they'll run this off tackle slant," said Coach Lofton, "Watch their blocking."
The Blake Jackets failed to make their first down so they punted.
Now it was the other team's turn with the ball. They lined up in a formation similar to Leesburg's. A sweep around end was stopped for no gain because of Blake's defensive end's quick lateral pursuit.
The next play was an off tackle slant, which was also stopped for no gain.
"Watch those linebackers, they're all over the field," commented Coach Lofton.
The next play was an incomplete pass. The team in white dropped back to punt.
"This is where Blake can hurt you. They blocked three punts in one game," remarked Coach Wettstein. "Watch them go after the ball."
The ball was snapped back to the punter and here came the Blake lineman, as if they were shot out of a gun. The punter manged to get the ball away, but just barely, the out-stretched hands of a Blake player just missing the ball by inches.
After taking the punt, Blake drove down to score, mostly on running plays. The other team (which was Tampa Plant) scored later on and the game ended in 7-7 deadlock.
Several things were evident in the film, Several of Blake's weaknesses were Leesburg's strong points and vice versa. For example: Blake has a tremendous punt rush-Leesburg has had a hard time getting punts away.
Leesburg has a strong passing attack-Blake's pass defense leaves something to be desired.
Blake has fast backs who can get around the end quickly-Leesburg has had trouble with end sweeps.
Leesburg's big line is hard to move inside -- Blake's big play is their off tackle slants.
If the Leesburg Jackets can stop Blake's sweeps as they did Belle Glades' last week and they can get their punts away they should win.
Resources
CLAY HARTSOE
Commercial Sports Editor
Daily Commercial
Commercial Sports Editor
Daily Commercial
www.dailycommercial.com
December 18, 1969
December 18, 1969
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Article provided by:
Gerald LaceyStaff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club
1986 Varsity Jackets Football Lettermen #82
Class of 1988 Leesburg High School
leesburgyellowjacketsfootball@yahoo.com
www.leesburgyellowjacketsfootball.com
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