Playoff Rankings!!!

[Dbsmithegg83]

I think they can play with Midland they are very similar. Not sure about Boerne I need to see more of them. Baytown plays with attitude sometimes good sometimes bad. They stretch the rules to the limit not saying dirty but with aggression almost in a bad boy way. They are good enough that they don't have to do that good athletes big and fast. Not predicting outcome but I think they can play with the other two top teams. Big drop to #4.

 

[THEQB]

DB....
This may be a team that could do some damage if they can keep their attitudes under wraps. Hopefully I will get to see that Rockwall game next week as I think FBCA just won't be able to handle Rockwall this week. I saw them play a few weeks back against Midland and have to say if Baytown is big and fast it may be a tough game for Rockwall but Rockwall is fairly deep and have a lot of kids.

 

[RocketMan4]

So excited to hear all the scores and see how everything plays out this week! Good luck to everyone!

 

[Dbsmithegg83]

I will go off topic just a little. With the playoffs beginning and looking at all the great match ups. My question is how does TAPPS decide what division a school goes in. I know UIL classification is all based on enrollment. I noticed that there are 3 2A schools playing Division 1 and from what I have seen they are much smaller numbers wise against some of the other 3A and even 4A teams in Division 1. There are plenty of 2A teams in Division II and Division III so this seems like the logical place to place them. There are 3A schools in Division II. I know some will say you can only play 6 kids at a time but with the speed of 6 man you cant tell me that a school that has 30 kids on the roster doesn't have an advantage over a school that has say 15. Just doesn't seem to make sense to me.

4A Houston Emery vs 2A Harvest Christian
3A Abilene vs 2A Austin
3A Rockwall vs 2A Pasadena

 

[SicEm74]

I don't understand it either.

 

[THEQB]

I think a lot of the kids are playing and standing on the sideline just to be a part of something which is good for the program but definitely a HUGE advantage to have extra helmets to throw at your opponent. A 2a school has their stud rb go out then most of the time they can hang it up because he is usually the stud lb as well, and they just have a few roll players to step in and help.

 

[Shane]

Football classifications are based on numbers of boys in the school, I believe. The other sports use numbers of students. (If I remember correctly.)

 

[Dbsmithegg83]

Thanks just seems odd and unfair when I look on one sideline and I see 6 on the field and 6 or 7 on the sideline. Then on the other side I see 6 on the field and 20-25 on the sideline. Its like a 6A team playing a 3A team. Seems like a few of the 4A schools have enough players to field an 11 man team which then begs the question why aren't they playing 11 man instead of playing down to 6 man.

As I have said in the past I have no affiliation but I like to root for the underdog if they do it the right way.

Shane I am sure you are right but I would like to know the reason why they use to different numbers for different sports. It doesn't make sense.

 

[Shane]

I don't understand why they use different classifications for different sports either. It's confusing. I don't see the point. It would be better if they'd pick one system and use it for everything, in my opinion.

 

[Maroon6157]

Great topic. I agree with THEQB to a point, but I think for the most part if you are in the playoffs you most likely have a couple dudes not just one. I have wondered all season why some teams have so many kids and others so few. It does seem like TAPPS needs to make some adjustments. The biggest thing at this point is injuries and conditioning. Smaller schools have kids that play both ways while bigger 4A schools may have 1 or 2 kids play both but not near as many two way players. The other thing I've noticed and maybe there is direct correlation is the number of coaches/adults on a sideline or in the press box. Example I counted 7 coaches trainers etc on the sideline for Midland and almost the same number for Rockwall and DC. ACH and Ovilla maybe 3 to4 Harvest with 2. That is another huge disadvantage for the smaller schools. Can schools have volunteers on the sidelines? Not talking about yardage and down markers either.

I also root for the small school

 

[THEQB]

I think a lot of that may be due to the coaches believe it or not... Some coaches like to be in control of almost every aspect of the game and others like to have as many coaches as they can. Too many can be a big issue... a lot of testosterone floating around on them sidelines!

 

[Dbsmithegg83]

I know weather forecasts are not always right but they usually get close. I was wondering based on what they are predicting for North Texas over the weekend who benefits the most? Cold and possible rain. Does it benefit a passing team or a running team. If one team has speed do they have an advantage with that kind of weather. A big strong team like Midland do they have an advantage I realize they have a bye but just curious. Who benefits most from cold weather. I know it mostly depends on the player or players.

 

[THEQB]

I would think run teams would have the advantage. Cold numb hands would make it hard to catch a solid brick being thrown at you!

 

[Shane]

It was very cold, very wet, and very windy at the state championship game in 2011. ACHS vs. Covenant. We were a spread formation passing team then. Hardly ever handed off and ran. Covenant ran mostly. Everybody thought (me included) that the weather was going to do our game plan in. It didn't. We still passed the ball and won.

We played Covenant in the semifinals the next year with perfect passing weather. They (along with a couple other teams that year) figured out that all they had to do was rush 4 fast guys against our direct snap spread offense and that would shut it down. Our two running backs spent all night cut blocking two of the rushers, and the other two got a free shot at the QB every play. We didn't make any adjustments to run the ball or keep the RBs on their feet so we could throw screens or anything, and they killed us. Same story for 2013.

It's cold on both sides of the field, and it's easy to fumble on a running play or on a snap too. The advantage will go to the team who is best prepared and wants it bad enough - just like every other night.

 

[6 man believer]

I also believe it depends on the type of athletes you have. That year ACHS won state in 2011 they had amazing athletes. That QB that year (#10 I believe) was probably the best true passing QB I've seen in six-man football private or public. It is rare to get true passing QBs in in six-man football. The wind and cold did not bother him. He had a great arm that could pass into the wind and still have some zip on it. Plus, they had great receivers. They were big fast and strong. We did the same defense against them that year as we did the last couple of years. The only difference was the change in athletes. ACHS did not have the same type of QB and receivers and we had faster and stronger rushers that were able to get to them quickly.

Being able to ground and pound the ball is always great in the cold weather and in playoffs. Just look at the past Champions in Tapps.

2013 - DC (running)
2012 - DC (running)
2011- ACHS (spread passing)
2010 - Greenville (running)
2009 - Greenville (running)
2008 - Rockwall (running)

 

[THEQB]

6MB..
My thoughts exactly...If you have a qb with some zip and a strong arm with some solid wr weather really isnt much of a factor. Hard to find all of that year after year. I think that ACHS year was a very rare case. Ground and Pound seems to be more efficient for the cold weather games..

 

[Shane]

We definitely had some serious athletes in 2011, and Shae Beltran was the best QB I've seen as well. But, aside from the athletes, we ran the offense better in 2011 too, in my opinion. We had #15 and #22 at running back in 2011, 2012 and first half of 2013 - well, in 2010 too. But in 2011 they didn't cut block much. They stayed on their feet, and whenever a defense would try to blitz us Shae would dump a screen to one of them, like here in the state game....

...and again....

...and again...

And we did run more than normal that day, even though we passed a LOT.

That kept the defense honest and kept them from rushing 4 every play. Covenant still rushed 3 most of the time, but 2 of those were occupied with our RBs with only 1 free to the QB. That gave Shae more time to scramble and find those incredibly gifted receivers that we had in 2011.

In 2012 and 2013, #15 and #22 were our best two offensive players. They spent way too much time laying on the ground trying to cut block. Water Valley was the team in 2012 that started blitzing 4 fast rushers on use every play, and they killed us. Our QB ended up out with a concussion. They beat us because they were really good mostly, but also because our QB had nobody to dump a screen to with both RBs laying on the ground every play. We never gave the Water Valley rush a reason to pause. It was full speed blitz every play, and we couldn't do anything about it.

It was the same in 2013...

I'm not a fan of the cut blocking RBs when you direct snap to the QB (so he can't run), if you can't tell. LOL

 

[6 man believer]

That is tough to do for a QB but it still goes back to type do QB. I don't remember ever tackling Beltran one on one. He was strong and fast and that would leave single coverage on WRs. Same is true on Watauga and Midland this year. You can get one on one or even two on one on them but their kids make you miss. I remember having #6 from watauga locked up and all of sudden he was free for a TD. Something for midland with #15 and #20. Watauga runs a very similar offense to ACHS in 2011 and they are very effective with it because #12 is big strong, and has a great arm with good receivers.

I just believe you have to have a certain type of athlete to be effective in the spread. Especially during the cold weather.

 

[6 man believer]

That is tough to do for a QB but it still goes back to type do QB. I don't remember ever tackling Beltran one on one. He was strong and fast and that would leave single coverage on WRs. Same is true on Watauga and Midland this year. You can get one on one or even two on one on them but their kids make you miss. I remember having #6 from watauga locked up and all of sudden he was free for a TD. Something for midland with #15 and #20. Watauga runs a very similar offense to ACHS in 2011 and they are very effective with it because #12 is big strong, and has a great arm with good receivers.

I just believe you have to have a certain type of athlete to be effective in the spread. Especially during the cold weather.

 

[THEQB]

agree with #12 being big and strong but when pressured he just has no speed. quick pass rush would seem to be very effective in slowing down their passing attack. just my opinion fellas....