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Questions loom as Trojans travel to Denison
By Jeff Lundquist
NT Editor
ATLANTIC - There is an old running adage that states it doesn't matter where you start the race, what matters is where you end it. With the first week of the season barely behind them, the Atlantic Trojans are dealing not only with a bruising opening 19-7 loss to Clarinda, but a new and struggling offense, the loss of its starting quarterback, and enough turnovers in the first game to make the stoutest Trojan fan scratch their head in concern.
But going weak in the knees is not the Trojans style and they know the race, in this case for one of the four district playoff spots, has just begun. So rather than dwell on last weeks miscues, the Atlantic coaching staff and team are putting their heads down and working through their problems while preparing for Friday night's district opener against Denison in Denison.
At the top of that list is who will be leading the Trojan offense. Last week, senior quarterback Jacob Hartwig left the game after the first series with a broken collar bone. Hartwig is out for at least four weeks, probably six and maybe the season.
Sophomore Parker Hoye came in and did an admirable job against Clarinda, working with an unfamiliar and sputtering offense that managed only 67 yards last week.
Atlantic Head Coach Gaylord Shelling said Wednesday that while Hoye will probably get the starting nod Friday night, a final decision between Hoye and senior Zach Christiansen won't be made until game time.
"I'm not sure who we're going to start, maybe we'll start Parker just because he's had more reps, but that will be a game time decision," Schelling said.
Whoever gets nod, it will mean the Atlantic offense will have to make some adjustments, even as the game progresses. That means look for more running and less passing.
"I don't know how much you can throw the football, so we'll kind of determine as go how much we can throw, and what we can do in the game."
One thing the offense will have to address are turnovers, last week Atlantic committed eight, possibly the difference between a Trojan victory and an ugly loss. The Trojans will need to hold onto the ball, and control the clock if they hope to come home with their first victory.
"That's a critical issue for us, they're a ball control team and you can't turn the ball over and you can't shorten the field for them, so that's a big part of the game," Schelling said.
The emphasis on cutting down on turnovers was evident at practice Wednesday with the entire team running laps every time the ball hit the ground. It didn't take long for the novelty of that to wear off.
Shelling said turnovers, along with ball control, will be a key factor against Denison, a big physical team that likes to run the ball right straight ahead and control the clock. The Trojan defense, a bright spot in the last week's game, will be center stage in Denison.
Last week the Trojans gave up just 74 yards rushing and 54 yards passing for 128 total yards total offense.
"Anytime you hold a team under 150 yards you've done a great job," Shelling said. "Our linebackers matchup and we've got to really come to the football. Our defensive line has got to do some things, we've got to go at them."
But Schelling adds the defense can't spend all night on the field, that means more production from the offense. Schelling says the Trojan's game plan will look remarkably similar to Denison's - work the rushing game and try and control the football.
"We need to score and get our defense off the field, control the football and we want to win the rushing game and that's what they want to do. So it's two teams doing the same thing. We've got to win the rushing battle and eliminate the penalties and our turnovers."
The fight for the four district playoff spots, up from two last year, begins next week. Harlan is expected to claim one of those spots but the Trojans are expected to be in the mix for the final three slots. The Trojans will have to play better than they did against Clarinda, and doing it on the road, with a new quarterback and against a good team won't make the job any easier.
But many feel that, aside from Harlan, there is a lot of parity among the remaining teams in the district, so look for the Trojans to make a statement Friday in their final tuneup before district play begins and to serve notice that they intend to be there when the finish line approaches.
But going weak in the knees is not the Trojans style and they know the race, in this case for one of the four district playoff spots, has just begun. So rather than dwell on last weeks miscues, the Atlantic coaching staff and team are putting their heads down and working through their problems while preparing for Friday night's district opener against Denison in Denison.
At the top of that list is who will be leading the Trojan offense. Last week, senior quarterback Jacob Hartwig left the game after the first series with a broken collar bone. Hartwig is out for at least four weeks, probably six and maybe the season.
Sophomore Parker Hoye came in and did an admirable job against Clarinda, working with an unfamiliar and sputtering offense that managed only 67 yards last week.
Atlantic Head Coach Gaylord Shelling said Wednesday that while Hoye will probably get the starting nod Friday night, a final decision between Hoye and senior Zach Christiansen won't be made until game time.
"I'm not sure who we're going to start, maybe we'll start Parker just because he's had more reps, but that will be a game time decision," Schelling said.
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"I don't know how much you can throw the football, so we'll kind of determine as go how much we can throw, and what we can do in the game."
One thing the offense will have to address are turnovers, last week Atlantic committed eight, possibly the difference between a Trojan victory and an ugly loss. The Trojans will need to hold onto the ball, and control the clock if they hope to come home with their first victory.
"That's a critical issue for us, they're a ball control team and you can't turn the ball over and you can't shorten the field for them, so that's a big part of the game," Schelling said.
The emphasis on cutting down on turnovers was evident at practice Wednesday with the entire team running laps every time the ball hit the ground. It didn't take long for the novelty of that to wear off.
Shelling said turnovers, along with ball control, will be a key factor against Denison, a big physical team that likes to run the ball right straight ahead and control the clock. The Trojan defense, a bright spot in the last week's game, will be center stage in Denison.
Last week the Trojans gave up just 74 yards rushing and 54 yards passing for 128 total yards total offense.
"Anytime you hold a team under 150 yards you've done a great job," Shelling said. "Our linebackers matchup and we've got to really come to the football. Our defensive line has got to do some things, we've got to go at them."
But Schelling adds the defense can't spend all night on the field, that means more production from the offense. Schelling says the Trojan's game plan will look remarkably similar to Denison's - work the rushing game and try and control the football.
"We need to score and get our defense off the field, control the football and we want to win the rushing game and that's what they want to do. So it's two teams doing the same thing. We've got to win the rushing battle and eliminate the penalties and our turnovers."
The fight for the four district playoff spots, up from two last year, begins next week. Harlan is expected to claim one of those spots but the Trojans are expected to be in the mix for the final three slots. The Trojans will have to play better than they did against Clarinda, and doing it on the road, with a new quarterback and against a good team won't make the job any easier.
But many feel that, aside from Harlan, there is a lot of parity among the remaining teams in the district, so look for the Trojans to make a statement Friday in their final tuneup before district play begins and to serve notice that they intend to be there when the finish line approaches.
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| Cross Country Team does well in Glenwood | Football: Denison trumps Trojans in defensive tussle, 13-3 |
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