Tiger Gameday – Week 5
Tiger Gameday – Week 5
Last Game: Marshall 49 Hutchinson 6
Game Recap: It was quick and it was often as Marshall put up 42 First half points on the board and never looked back. If you’re looking for a bright spot, RB Kyle Bell had the first 100 yard game of his career, running the ball well in the game.
Current Record: 1-3
This Week’s Opponent: Willmar (1-3)
About the Opponent: The Cardinals equaled Hutch the last two weeks in that they lost to Rocori by 1 and got blown out by Marshall. The two teams are similar in the fact that Defensively both teams have played OK this year. Offensively, Willmar has a very fast and quick Quarterback to deal with. So even a called pass could turn out to be a run if he scrambles. This is a BIG game for section seedings. The winner of this one is about guaranteed the #3 seed in Sections, while the loser will get #4.
Key Hutch Players: OL. It’s week 5 and the Offensive Line has still been up and down. Time to change that. 7 players will be in rotation tonight. Which ones can step up and open some holes? We only seen those 10+ play “Tiger Drives” sparingly this season. Would be a good night for about 4 or 5 of them!
4 Downs/Storylines:
First Down: Consistency on Offense. Not just the OL mentioned above, but Hutch isn’t equipped to deal with 3rd and long. Getting consistent yards….whether rushing or passing…is key. Get into 3rd and 4 or less is very manageable. But to do that you’ve got to get positive yards consistently. Not just for a time or two and the it fizzles out.
Second Down: Rush the QB…Carefully. Willmar features a QB that is very fast and elusive. He’s good at extending plays and can just flat out take off and run if there’s no one open. You have to be able to keep him contained and then tackle well. This is one of the big keys tonight. He can keep drives going by himself.
Third Down: Keep showing improvement. The last three weeks you’ve faced 3 very quality teams and two of those with state championship hopes. So can you “Breathe” a bit now? I hope not. Facing those teams should have shown you what it takes to get to that level. Nothing but your best is acceptable for a Friday night. You may not always win every Friday night…but you can always give your best.
4th Down/Quick Hit Keys: It’s Homecoming tonight for Hutch. Expect a big crowd, expect a lot of fun. But to quote Andy Rostberg from an interview many years ago, “The dance aint much fun if you dont’ take care of the game.”…Events going on tonight for Homecoming inlude the Tiger Tailgate for High School kids, The Showstoppers POM Squad performing, and stay after the game for the band’s annual “Lights Out” Performance.
