NDSU vs. SDSU Round 2: Playoffs

All eyes in the Dakotas will be fixed on Fargo tomorrow for Round 2 of the playoffs when #1 Ranked NDSU (10-1) takes on #21 SDSU (9-3).

The teams met three weeks ago in the regular season, and I discussed the players and game plans at length in a previous blog post. That game ended with NDSU winning 20-17 and limiting SDSU to 209 yards of total offense. Tomorrow's game will be the 100th meeting of the teams, but their first ever playoff meeting. NDSU leads the series 54-40-5, but it's playoff time, and this will be a great challenge for both teams!

It is always difficult for teams to play multiple times, and these teams know each other well and are very similar in their style of play. So what should we watch for in this game? A battle. NDSU is playing great football right now. They currently lead the nation in time of possession at @ 35 minutes per game, and they are averaging 8.6 plays per series.

SDSU: They have to break the trend of NDSU's powerful defense by getting first downs, extending drives, eliminating mental mistakes, and establishing positive yards on 1st down. SDSU cannot put themselves in 3rd and long situations very often or the NDSU defense will walk off the field with a turnover. QB Austin Sumner must be willing to take what the defense gives him until they make a mistake, and then he must find a way to capitalize on that mistake.

Defensively, SDSU just cannot give up any big plays! NDSU will continue to pound at them with their run game and will hit short passes to extend their drives. But the difference maker for the NDSU offense has been the one or two big plays they complete each game. A swing in momentum, controlling field position and capitalizing with points is usually all the NDSU defense needs to get a win. SDSU's defense has to prevent any big plays and win 3rd down situations in order to take down NDSU.

NDSU: There are two things NDSU will hope to use: 1) Defense. NDSU wants to be able to let their defense dictate the pace of the game with 3 and outs, a couple of TO's, controlling field position and playing with a lead. This is what NDSU was able to do the first time the two teams played, and it was a successful strategy for them. 2) Crowd. NDSU will have a sold out crowd, and that creates a hostile and incredibly loud playing environment. The sell out will not be a surprise to SDSU, but it is still a very difficult atmosphere to handle. NDSU's defense has held 10 of the last 12 opponents under 250 total yards, and the crowd is a huge factor when they play at home.

It will be a great game. Enjoy!

The Race for the Heisman

We are nearing the end of the college season, and this year, there is a lot of discussion on who deserves to win the Heisman Trophy. It is worthy of discussion, as it’s the most prestigious award in college football and the field of candidates is somewhat unusual this year. Ultimately, the award gives recognition to the best player in the nation. But what makes someone the best player? Is it being a team leader? Being the best athlete? Being a play maker? All the athletes are very important to their team, and their teams would not have enjoyed their current level of success without them.  But this year, I think the Heisman will go to the best play maker!

This year has been a year like no other, in the sense that the dominant teams in the college rankings have not produced a clear favorite for the Heisman. The conversation this year includes some unique influences, such as youth and position. We have three QB's, including a redshirt freshman, a player on a team under sanctions, one WR and one defensive player. An unusual year, to say the least!

Here are my rankings for the Heisman Race: 

Marqise Lee

5. Marqise Lee (Sophomore, WR) USC 
He is extremely talented, but he may not even be the best WR on his own team. He will be a very good NFL receiver, but he will not be the Heisman winner.

Braxton Miller

4. Braxton Miller (Sophomore, QB) Ohio State
He led his team to an undefeated season, but cannot play for the Big 10 Title or participate in a bowl game. He was the heart and soul of the Ohio State team and made tremendous plays all season long. It will really hurt Miller that his team was left out of the national spotlight due to the sanctions on Ohio State. Look for him to have a huge impact next year.

Collin Klein

3. Collin Klein (Senior, QB) Kansas State 
He is a perfect fit in the style of offense that Kansas State runs. They are a no-nonsense type of offense that will take what you give them and will not force the issue. This is how Klein plays. He has very few turnovers and runs and passes well, but does not have anywhere near the "flash" of the other QB's in the race. Klein is the most consistent player, but his lack of pizzazz and Kansas State losing a game will hurt him.

Manti Te'o

2. Manti Te'o (Senior, LB) Notre Dame 
Te’o has made the most of this season’s amazing run for Notre Dame. Te’o is the only defensive player in the running and has put up some really impressive stats. Many people believe that he may not be the best LB in the nation as far as NFL caliber goes, but Te’o brings all the elements that you look for in a student athlete. He returned for his senior year, leads by example on and off the field, persevered through tragic family loss, continues to be a mainstay in the media spotlight and has led his team to an undefeated regular season with a chance at a national title. He is a tremendous leader, an outstanding football player,
and extremely popular with fans and media. All that said, I think he will be the runner up.

Johnny Manziel

1. Johnny Manziel (Redshirt Freshman, QB) Texas A&M 

Manziel = Mr. Excitement. It is Texas A&M's first year in the SEC, and they have accumulated a 10-2 record and defeated #1 Alabama at Alabama. No one would have predicted that level of success, and no one would have predicted that a freshman would be the leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy. Manziel has set a new record for total yards in a season in the SEC, which was held by Cam Newton and 2nd was Tim Tebow. (Both Heisman winners.) He will be the first freshman to win the award and it is well-deserved.  He is the best  

                                                           player and play maker in the college football ranks for 2012. 

NFL Game to Watch: Colts vs. Patriots

Andrew Luck

There has been a lot of talk about Andrew Luck in his rookie NFL season with the Indianapolis Colts. He has performed extremely well so far, winning four consecutive games and six out of nine games so far in his first season with the Colts. This week might be the greatest test for Luck, and that’s why I think the Colts traveling to New England to face Tom Brady and the New England Patriots is the game to watch.

Very few people are picking the Colts to beat the Patriots this weekend, but you have to sense that Luck likes being in this situation. The Colts have already doubled their win total from last year with Luck under center, and he is meeting or exceeding expectations every week. Even with a 6-3 record, the Colts are recognized as a better team, but not a contender, and a contender has to go into New England and beat the Patriots. The Patriots are also 6-3, but they are 5-1 at home, and that could make a difference in the outcome. The Colts have scored 186 points and given up 206 points this season, compared to the Patriots who have scored 299 points and given up 201. Tom Brady and the Patriots’ offense bring a much more balanced attack for the Colts’ defense to deal with, and they won’t be able to just focus on Brady’s passing game. 

Tom Brady

So how do the Colts establish that they are contenders? Luck needs to be able to get first downs and keep the New England offense off the field. When the Colts have the opportunity to score points in the red zone, they need to walk off the field with TD's rather than FG's. The Colts' defense has to mix up their looks to try and confuse Tom Brady, while at the same time find ways to get pressure on him. Look for the Colts to try to make the Patriots one dimensional and take away their running game. 

With both teams coming off of wins last week, watch how Luck handles the pressure of matching the New England offense, especially in the hostile atmosphere of Gillette Stadium. It will be interesting to see if Brady can stay patient and keep a balanced attack, or if the Patriots will try to strike quickly and put pressure on the rookie. This should be a great match up between two talented offenses, and it will give us an idea if Luck can make the Colts contenders. 

College Game to Watch: NDSU vs. SDSU

Area football fans are watching the SD High School championship games this weekend, but if you can take a break from high school to tune into a great area college game, check out SDSU traveling to NDSU on Saturday.

Marcus Williams

Both teams are playing well, and (#16) SDSU is 7-2 while (#1) NDSU is 8-1 on the season. The winner of this game will sit atop the Missouri Valley Football Conference, and SDSU needs to win this game to keep their playoff hopes alive.

NDSU's defense is #1 in scoring and fuels their tremendous success. Marcus Williams is arguably one of the best corners in 1-AA football, and many believe he is already NFL ready. He has limited opportunities to make plays because most teams (wisely) throw away from him, but he will take advantage of any chances he is given. NDSU's offense has a very balanced attack, and they will try to run the ball to wear down SDSU's defense and throw quick 3-step drop passes to help avoid turnovers.

Austin Sumner

SDSU ranks #7 in scoring defense, and QB Austin Sumner is very athletic and has the ability to take a game over with big plays. He needs to make the easy throws in this game and keep a balanced offense so that NDSU can't key on SDSU's running game. RB Zach Zenner is the leading rusher in the Football Championship Subdivision with an average 166 yds/game. SDSU's challenge today is to come off the field with points whenever they get in the red zone. That is something NDSU does not allow very often. 

The game is expected to be sold out, and the crowd noise could definitely have an impact on SDSU. NDSU needs to feed off the crowd and play the field position game, and SDSU needs to minimize turnovers and capitalize on opportunities against NDSU's stout defense. Watch to see how NDSU's big offensive line fares against a solid SDSU D-line...that will make a difference in the game. Whichever offense can take care of the ball but also make big plays when given the chance will definitely have the advantage.

 It should be a great college football game. Enjoy!

Coach Siegfried Says...Fundamentals First

I will occasionally invite guests to share their thoughts on football and youth sports in this blog.  This post comes from Josh Siegfried, Assistant Director at Riggs Premier Football. Enjoy! --KR

Coaching football sometimes gets muddled with confusing schemes and copycat systems. But when you break it down to its most simple form, football is still about fundamentals. Athletes today are bigger, faster, and stronger than ever, but the teams that are the most effective are those that are well versed in blocking and tackling. I am such a believer in doing the little things right on every play. Offensive and defensive schemes will change, but no scheme will ever be effective without the fundamentals. Teams that emphasize the basics and do little things right are the ones that will experience consistent success.

So what are those little things? As a defensive coordinator, there were four we continually stressed in big games:
                 1) Be the best tackling team on the field;  
                 2) Win the takeaway battle; 
                 3) Get to the football; and 
                 4) Eliminate costly penalties. 

From the offensive side, the coaches I have worked with stress winning up front (blocking), taking care of the ball (turnovers), and avoiding costly penalties that stall drives. So regardless which side of the ball athletes are on, the basics of blocking, tackling, takeaways, and avoiding penalties become the groundwork for performance. Combine those fundamentals with winning the special teams battle, and you have a recipe for success.

Yes, there is more to the game of football than the fundamentals previously mentioned, but if you have no foundation, you have nothing on which to build and expand. One major goal when I became the defensive coordinator at Roosevelt High School in 2005 was to do everything in my power to simplify the game so athletes could “play fast”. My mission was to simplify reads and schemes, rep alignments to make them automatic, and get my team to focus on the fundamentals of defensive football. We emphasized block avoidance, tackling, takeaways, and reads, and those basics became the little things that helped our team find tremendous success on defense. I used many variations of tackling and takeaway circuits to improve my players’ skills and help them remain focused on our goals, and that was a very successful strategy.

I’m a firm believer that “great teachers make great coaches,” because today’s coaches must not only know what to do, but must effectively relay this information to athletes so they can read and react…what I call playing fast! Youth football coaches today should be proud of teaching the fundamentals and not be worried about using intricate offensive or defensive schemes that younger athletes struggle to grasp. Player safety is also dependent on correct teaching of fundamentals, and our youngest players need to understand that tackling with correct form makes them better and safer in the sport. If we truly care about the development of these young athletes, we need to focus on the little things that result in great outcomes for safety and success in the future.

Regardless of the level of play, when you watch two good teams step on the field, the team that wins will usually be the team that executes fundamentals more consistently. As we approach the championships for South Dakota High School Football, we hope to see some great match ups with quality teams. If you have the opportunity to take in one of those games, watch those fundamentals carefully and ask yourself if the teams that perform the best have met these criteria for success!

Teamwork: Putting it All Together

In order to have a winner, the team must have a feeling of unity; every player must put the team first-ahead of personal glory. -Paul “Bear” Bryant

I have learned a great deal from my conversations with people about the lessons they have taken from football. Many of the kids I heard from told me how much they had learned about playing their position and improving their football technique. The adults were more reflective on things, as you would expect, and I appreciate their insights on the lessons of discipline, determination, humility and respect as important parts of sportsmanship and success in football. The final theme that people discussed was teamwork.

Football is the ultimate of team sports. One football play has so many moving parts and its success is solely reliant on the trust of each guy doing their specific job. Most importantly, football is truly a game of discipline and adversity, and success depends on how both of these are handled. If these two components are taught and learned, not only does success come on a field but it provides a foundation to be successful in all facets of life. --Jed S. 

I was fortunate to attend a high school that constantly preached the team first mentality. My coach was able to get the players to realize that we were not good enough to beat teams with individual talent, and our only hope for success was to play as one unit. Early failures and late success helped our team realize that our coach was right.

Those early experiences helped me understand the greatest part of football is the sense of accomplishment as a team. There are so many people who contribute during a season. It is an awesome feeling when people can see how their contributions are only one facet of the complete workings of a team. When athletes understand that their teammates were working as hard if not harder than they were so that everyone would have the opportunity to reach the team goal, a major step in maturing as an athlete and a person occurs. It is an important lesson for kids to learn that they can achieve much more working together than they ever would working alone.

A critical aspect of working as a team is the ability to do whatever is asked to make the team better: 

To be selfless is the most important thing I've learned about football. It doesn't matter what level you are, or what your involvement is with the team, if you are selfless then you are making the team better. To me, being selfless means so many things. It means as a player you want to do everything you can to make the team better. It means that during the off season you train as hard as you can to be the best player you can be. It means that if you aren't a starter you cheer the team on with a good attitude as if you were in the game. People have to understand that we weren't all created with the same abilities so there could be someone more talented than you. And that's fine because I guarantee there is a place on the team where everyone will succeed. --Chad C.

A team’s success requires individuals that are truly willing to be selfless and sacrifice for the greater good. I have been a part of many great teams and with each of them, the first thing you recognize is that every great team plays as one. Every player and coach accepts his role and buys into the team goals and the team strategy for achieving those goals. Setting egos and individual goals aside is not easy, but the satisfaction that comes from the team effort and experience is well worth it.

Parents and coaches can help kids understand that every position on the field matters, and every kid on the field and on the sidelines contributes to the end result. Help them to see that it takes every single player fulfilling his role in order to find success. Great satisfaction comes not from individual performance, but in caring about their teammates enough to set individual needs aside and trust each other to achieve something bigger than they ever could alone.

Kids who understand the value of working together, sacrificing for the greater good, and winning or losing graciously as a team will have learned one of the most valuable lessons of sportsmanship...and some valuable life lessons as well.

Humility and Respect: Balancing the Talk with the Walk

Over the past few weeks, I have been reflecting on what lessons people have taken from their participation in football. Some of the stories have been funny and encouraging, but not all the lessons have been fun or easy to learn. Respect and humility are two themes that are extremely important to sportsmanship, but fall in the category of “tough to teach” and “tougher to learn.”

Respect for teammates, opponents, officials, and the game itself is a value of sportsmanship that needs to be modeled and practiced by everyone involved in a program. Humility is important to individual athletic development, and it is also the key to becoming a gracious winner or loser and a team’s dynamics.

It was a common theme from people on these two topics that some of the most valuable learning occurs in the moments many of us consider our worst:

This season I was reminded that our kids are hard enough on themselves when they make a “mistake” that they don’t need us as parents to remind them of it during or after the game. As parents, we need to remain positive during all aspects of the season. –Amy U. 

Let the coaches coach, players play, refs ref, fans cheer - all ends well. --Carey Z. 

Attitude has a huge impact on the performance of a player and the team as a whole. In practices and games, a team always plays its best when they stay positive. As parents and coaches, we are a huge influence on that positivity. In both success and failure, learning is always best acquired through encouragement. –Erika S.

Respect begins with a positive attitude and supportive atmosphere. Coaches, players, parents and officials all play a role, and they each need to do their best to fulfill those roles and honor the efforts of others. Respect is something that coaches and programs establish and build over time. I believe this is a step-by-step process and you can not overlook the little things that will help you earn respect. Simple but sincere acts like shaking hands with opponents after a game, cheering on teammates from the sidelines, and hearing positive comments from parents for opponents and officials help to teach respect to young athletes. Remind your kids that respect is not exclusive for the team that wins the most, it is given to those who work hard, show character in all situations, and follow through with their beliefs.

While respect is a tough concept to teach, humility is a tough one to learn. Every game has a winner and a loser, and every athlete will make mistakes at some point in time. Learning to handle those moments with grace and humility is a critical aspect of sportsmanship: 

First game of my last year of high school football, I carried the ball once. I fumbled and never got a chance to carry it again. It would be a few years later when it didn't bother me anymore.

The fumble taught me I'm not going to be good at everything, but the things I can do, I want to do well.   --Craig M 

One of the great challenges of sports is learning to set your ego aside and recognize what is the greater goal for the entire team. That is something I struggled with as an adolescent and find even to this day as a competitor is not an easy task. I was fortunate to have some strong mentors that helped me realize that winning was not always the most important thing and how I handled myself winning or losing as I walked off the field demonstrated more about my character than anything else.

My early years at the University of Sioux Falls were difficult to say the least as I bounced around in positions and sat the bench, but they might have been the most important years of my maturation as an athlete, coach and person. As our team struggled, I watched and learned from Coach Young what it meant to be humble and the importance of putting the team’s goals ahead of all things, even when this was trying to learn lessons from a difficult defeat.

Nobody likes to lose, but in the situations where mistakes occur or a team loses, we have an opportunity to demonstrate individual character. Those situations are only “failures” if we don't learn from them and improve. Coaches and parents are important role models in this area, so speaking favorably of opponents and officials is incredibly important. Helping kids keep emotions under control and support their teammates at all times is also extremely important to their individual development and the team’s atmosphere. We need to model respect in every aspect of the game and humility in winning and losing if we expect our kids to do the same.

The themes of discipline, determination, respect and humility form essential aspects of sportsmanship and success. The final theme that people discussed with me was ‘teamwork”…more to come.