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North Huskies vs Bosse Bulldogs- at Budrant Stadium Sep 26, 2014

Game Stats    Game Recap   

Offense

Team Stats

Defensive Stats

Game Recap

HISTORIC HUSKIES CLOBBER BULLDOGS 55-6

The offense clicked at a near historic pace for the Huskies in a 55-6 mauling of the Bosse Bulldogs Friday night.  From the opening kickoff until just a few minutes remaining, North’s offense ran rampant and scored touchdowns on eight of their first nine possessions.

Before the night was over the Huskies would run for 528 yards—the first North club to top 500 rushing yards since the 1960 team with Mike Madriaga ran for 553 against Evansville Lincoln.  Three Husky rushers would top 100 yards in the game:  Chase Whitler (133), Ford Johnson (124), Zach Pate (117).  No Husky club had accomplished that since 1999 against Memorial (Derenzo Bushrod, Antonieo Madison, and James Bell).  The 668 yards of total offense (running + passing yards) SET AN ALL-TIME NORTH VARSITY FOOTBALL RECORD!

WHITLER SETS THE OPENING PACE

Senior Chase Whitler put his amazing skills on display from the first moments of the game.  He took the kickoff and went 50 yards to the Bosse 30 in the game’s opening seconds.  With the offense displaying a new wrinkle featuring senior Ford Johnson as a tailback in an “I” formation, the Huskies ran downhill to the end zone.  Senior quarterback Zach Pate dove over from the one to complete a 5 play, 30 yard drive and give North a 7-0 lead.

After captain Ryan Wargel dropped a runner short of a first down on third-and-eight to force a punt, North took over at their 17 to begin their second possession.  Whitler took a counter handoff from his customary wingback position, broke open through the middle of the line, and went 83 yards for North’s second score and a 14-0 lead.

It was junior Trevor McDowell’s turn to drop a runner short of the first down on third-and-two and following a Bosse punt, North lined up at their 28 with Whitler lined up wide right.  On the snap, he took off on a post pattern and beat his defender deep over the middle.  Pate hit him with a pass and Whitler proved he’s human by bobbling the ball before hauling it in.  The bobble cost him his momentum and a Bosse defender managed to bring him down—but not before he had gained 56 yards. 

The game was barely six minutes old and Whitler already had 189 all-purpose yards despite touching the ball just three times—a 63 yard per ‘touch’ average!

THREE SCORES IN THE SECOND QUARTER

While the third possession resulted in a rare missed field goal for the Huskies, they found pay dirt on ALL THREE of their second quarter possessions.  The new wrinkle of moving Ford Johnson from left wingback in the ‘Flex Bone’ to the tailback in an ‘I’ paid dividends.  North ran their bread and butter ‘Midline’ play the best that they have run it all season long and Johnson was able to pick up power yards on off tackle runs. 

North played ‘smash mouth’ football on their fourth possession of the game and drove ninety yards on 12 plays—all of them runs.  Johnson accounted for 62 of those 90 yards and powered in from the two yard line to make the score 21-0.

The Huskies’ offensive line looked the best that they have looked all season.  Tackles Riley Fidler and Cody Smith in particular delivered crushing blows to both ends of the defense and the presence of a fullback helped to peel back the rush.  Pate’s reads at quarterback were consistently correct and Johnson displayed tremendous power for a man his size.

THE DEFENSE WORKS ITS MAGIC

While the night (and the scoreboard) belonged to the offense, the defense was no less impressive.  Bosse’s possession chart while the varsity defense was on the field read as follows:

QTR        START   RESULT

1              B33         Punt

1              B30         Punt

1              B20         Punt

2              N47         Punt

2              B31         Punt

2              B41         Downs

3              B30         Downs

3              B40         Downs

3              B35         Punt

Nine possessions, six punts, three turnovers on downs, and just four first downs—and one of those came on a questionable roughing the quarterback penalty.

Sophomore Cage Street has emerged as a “Gamer” on defense.  Few second-year players have stepped onto the gridiron for North in the last 15 seasons and had the kind of impact on defense that Street has.  Before the night was over, he would record THREE quarterback sacks, two runs stopped for loss, and six solo tackles.  His first quarterback sack of the night forced a punt from midfield after Bosse had their only starting field position inside of North territory.

PATE AND WHITLER POUR IT ON

Starting from the North 24, the Huskies brought the “Option” offense back out for display.  In just six plays they marched down field and scored.  Pate took option runs around end for back-to-back gains of 20 and 13 yards.  He then pitched to Whitler on an option for 13 yards.  A Bosse offsides-penalty moved the ball inside the 20 and Pate carried the ball down to the 11.  On the final play of the drive Whitler again took an inside counter handoff and a thoroughly fooled Bulldog defense was caught looking outside.  Whitler dashed 11 yards to the end zone and North led 28-0.

When North got the ball back with just under two minutes remaining in the half, Pate initially looked to pass but saw a seam in the middle and ran 31 yards to the Bosse 36.  The Huskies hammered away with Whitler and Pate option-runs moving the ball inside the two yard line.  A handoff to senior Mason Jenkins netted six points with thirty seconds remaining and North went into halftime leading 34-0.

SECOND HALF

Bosse got the ball to begin the half and Street put on another show.  In eight plays (Bosse’s varsity’s longest possession of the game), the sophomore linebacker recorded four solo tackles, one for loss, and two quarterback sacks.  The last one came on fourth-and-two at the North 44 and returned the ball to the offense.

THE REVERSE WISHBONE OFFENSE

Showing yet another wrinkle that teams will have to prepare for, the Huskies came out from halftime in a three running back offense called the “Reverse Wishbone”.  With the quarterback under center, the formation features two fullbacks lined up three yards behind the quarterback and at a 45 degree angle to him.  Ford Johnson was the tailback in the formation and lined up six yards behind the quarterback.

The formation allows for both fullbacks to be deployed as blockers, or perhaps one as a blocker with the other as a decoy, or (as would be the case on the final play of the drive) as powerful dive backs on quick handoffs.  Regardless, the combination of North’s offensive line supported by two full backs proved devastating.

Especially since one of the fullbacks was the player who normally starts at right offensive tackle for North—senior Cody Smith.

Replacing Smith in the line with Buddy Waelde, Smith led the way into the line numerous times as Johnson piled up yards.  Eight running plays—all of them inside runs—brought the ball to second-and-goal at the two.  At that point, North called big 63’s number in the huddle and Pate handed Smith the ball on a dive play. 

Taking the handoff and plowing straight ahead into the line, a handful of Bulldogs looked like they were on ice skates as Waelde and guard Alex Freeman had their bulk doubled by the full momentum of Smith as he slammed in behind them.  The affect was overpowering and the play would have been a touchdown even if Bosse had been posing for a team picture in the hole.  There was no stopping Smith short of the goal line and North led 41-0

LAST VARSITY SCORE

Street batted down a fourth down pass at the Bosse 43 and the varsity got one more chance to pound the Bulldogs.  Senior Zac Turi had taken over at quarterback to start the third quarter and had run the Reverse Wishbone like a veteran.  On this second possession of the half, it was Turi’s arm that accounted for points.

Slamming away with runs, Bosse started to clog the middle with bodies and North faced a third-and-six at the Bosse 27.  Turi faked a handoff and rolled slightly to his right.  The Bulldogs read ‘run’ all the way—the Huskies had run the ball on 14 of the last 17 plays from scrimmage—and when Turi raised the ball to pass it took them by surprise.  Senior Ty Winchell had worked his way downfield behind the cornerback and Turi’s pass nailed him between the numbers near the goal line.  A quick spin and a couple steps made the score 48-0 and the varsity was done for the night.

JAYVEES ADD A SCORE

As the game entered the fourth quarter, sophomore quarterback Zack Martin led the JayVee offense onto the field.  Running exclusively from the Wishbone formation and facing the Bosse varsity defense, the results were much the same.  Alternating handoffs between junior Dylan Heiman and sophomore Daniel Sellers, the JayVee line battered the demoralized Bulldogs, and North went 70 yards in 9 plays.  Heiman’s two yard run made the score 55-0.

READY FOR REITZ

Bosse is not a good football team.  The Bulldogs are not a team to gauge your season long performance against.  But if North were seeking to find a measure for whether or not they are improving their execution and their strategy, then the proof would be written in a blowout of a team like Bosse.

The Huskies blew out Bosse.

The execution was tremendously better.  The offense, despite adding new wrinkles, looked cohesive and appeared to understand their assignments.

The defensive backfield did not yield a pass longer than 19 yards. 

The Huskies appear to be healthy, the execution is better, and Reitz will have to contemplate and prepare for new offensive sets this week.

This is a ball club that appears to be ready to take on the toughest part of its schedule.  The defense appears to be capable of holding even the toughest opponents below their scoring average.  The spirit is willing…  Friday night will tell if the flesh was strong enough.

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