ROCK SPRINGS — A blowout loss on Friday night against the Sheridan Broncs was a telling sign of where the Rock Springs Tigers football program is and where it can go.
As we near the halfway point of the season next week, the Tigers number one priority is to get better week to week and Rock Springs did just that tonight against the third-ranked Broncs.
The scoreboard won’t tell you that, but tonight’s postgame thoughts will.
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Let’s Start With the Improvements
The Tigers did see some improvements from last week’s heartbreaking loss against Kelly Walsh in the final seconds. To turn around and play what I believe to be the best team in the state the next week is a tough challenge in and of itself. However, Rock Springs did show effort and made some plays.
The passing game which has been up and down throughout the season seemed to be a bright spot in tonight’s lopsided loss. Isaac Shoenfeld and Andrew Skorcz had big catches tonight on great throws from Brock Bider. This team is better equipped to compete when they can throw the ball successfully and they did that tonight.
Another positive takeaway tonight was the ball security. In the three previous games, the Tigers have had at least one turnover. On Friday night, Rock Springs played a clean game and avoided turnovers completely, making it the first game of the season without turning the ball over. Possessions count in the sport of football and often times those mistakes lead to points.
Along with no turnovers, the Tigers played a game that saw fewer penalties than previous weeks. This is a good trend that will hopefully continue moving forward throughout the remainder of the season.
Third Down and Time of Possession Woes
The biggest note from tonight’s game between the Broncs and Tigers was third down. Rock Springs struggled to get Sheridan in third and long situations, let alone third down in general. When they did get Sheridan in a third and long situation, like they did in the second quarter, they put a stop to the Broncs offense and forced a punt.
On the opposite side, the Tigers struggled to avoid third and long situations on the offensive side of the ball. Against good teams like Sheridan, third down is where games are won and lost. Rock Springs’ inability to dominate the sticks and force third downs defensively was a major factor in Friday night’s game.
While there is no official stats available at the time of this article, it’s a safe bet that Sheridan also dominated the time of possession. The third down battle also directly correlates to the time of possession. Tonight the Broncs ate the clock and getting them off the field was a challenge the Tigers failed to overcome.
Speed Kills
Another clear difference between Sheridan and Rock Springs was the athleticism of both teams. Football is much like a track race: speed kills.
Sheridan was faster in all aspects. From hitting holes quickly and making cuts to split-second decision making, athleticism, and speed had influence on tonight’s score.
Speed isn’t something you can teach, but it is something you can develop. That will be something to watch over the course of a few years.
Flack’s Spotlight
I decided that it’s worth highlighting a player that you might not hear about or pay much attention to. That player is Jake Eddy.
Tonight I was impressed with the junior defensive end. In the second quarter, he had multiple tackles in the backfield that led to a rare Sheridan punt for the Tigers’ defense. He did a great job getting off blocks and setting the edge against a very good Broncs offensive line.
Keep an eye out for number four. He’s only going to get better.
