The War Room (D3) – Week 5

 

Mid Season Report:

 

First off, I would like to thank the FlagPlus community for their heartfelt messages and support over the last two weeks. It has been greatly appreciated and reminds me that football aside, we are all one great FPF family. Special thanks go out to Mike Paolozza and the FPF staff for all their help and compassion.

 

That being said…

 

Welcome to the War Room’s Mid Season Report, this article will differ from my usual columns as I try to give a “state of the union address” to all the teams in Division 3.

 

Power Rankings (1-17):

 

 

#1 Ducks (5-0): Who knew a flock of relatively unknown players would be top of the pack after 5 weeks of football? They have played relatively difficult opponents and proved all their critics wrong. The Ducks have a legitimate shot at 10- 0 if they get passed the Week 10 Trap Game. Star Player: Mikhail Davidson

 

#2 Lazy Boys (4-1): I’m beginning to think that Daron Basmadjian has gotten into the head of Paul Lapierre. What a way to spoil a perfect season by losing to Collusion 67! Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise, a much needed push to become less complacent. Whatever the case, they are still loaded with great talent and a decent schedule. Star Player: Nathan Thompson

 

#3 DK (4-1): They have only lost to the Lazy boys which isn’t terrible, but they have yet to strike fear into their opponent’s hearts. They do possess two well respected players in Jamal Pierre and Rochdi Bednabdelkader, who can be X factors on any given day. Star Player: Rochdi Bednabdelkader

#4: D-Boys (3-2): The D-Boys frustrate me, on paper they look unbeatable. But somehow, someway they do manage to lose. The have a tough road ahead of them with games vs Sandlot Saints and VR6, but if they manage to get through those without a loss, these men are for real. Star Player: Gino Di Fazio.

 

#5: Dirty Birds (4-1): This team is very fortunate to be 4 and 1. They have had some very close games and have managed to pull them out. The loss to VPC demonstrated how important Jon Young is to this team (both physically and emotionally). They have some tough matchups ahead and will need to come together as a unit on defence to pose a playoff threat. Star Player: Jon Young

 

#6: GPK (4-1): The good Ole Boys are off to a fine start and look to have taken the next step in their evolution. They have played some tight contests which will help them down the road. Look for this team to be a tough playoff out in rounds 1 and 2. Star Player: Jason Smith

 

#7: VR6 (3-1-1): The only press this team ever gets is due to the presence of Kevin Challenger. But in a short time in the league, they have managed to piece together a decent nucleus of talent. The only issue with VR6 is the depth of talent at certain positions, which may limit their future success. Star Player: Kim Hoyte

 

#8: AMB Eages (3-2): These gentleman could possibly be the best team in terms of athletic ability in the league. Only problem is they don’t have a consistent game plan. They rely on their skills to win them games and don’t seem to play as a solidified unit. They are a huge x factor going into the second part of the season. Star Player: Godfrey Abu

 

#9: Souljahs (3-2): The have losses to Lazy Boys and Bandits, which is understandable to a certain extent. They have a firm belief in themselves and a manageable schedule ahead. How they play against D-Boys in week 9 should define their season. Star Player: Mathieu Dumont

#10: Cobras (3-2): Everybody’s Favourite Div 4 team is playing well in the upper division. They have yet to separate themselves from the pack but are eager to get the monkey of their back with respects to the Dirty Birds. Trudeau and Gendron seem to be emerging stars in the division. Star Player: Alex Lever

 

#11: VPC (3-2): The Robbie Robinson Show, guest starring Louis Richard and Co. This team continues to surprise me. As long as Robbie is making plays, this team is going places. Star Player: Really? Do I need to repeat it?

 

#12: Sandlot Saints (3-2): This team is being exposed as an early year fraud. They have struggled without their star player and this is evident from their last two outings. They need to work as a unit and stop relying on Kraemer to bail them out. Star Player: Tim Kraemer.

 

#13: Primetime (3-2): They were on a roll before getting dismantled a couple weeks ago. I think they are better than they have been playing recently. Keep your heads up gentlemen and get back to basics; it isn’t too late to waltz into the playoffs on a hot streak. Star Player: Leon Holder.

 

#14: The U (3-2): My preseason pick to be amazing is playing like the U of the late seventies. Gianni Settino needs to instil a sense of urgency in his troops, if they plan on making the playoffs. Star Player: Nelson Yeboh

 

#15: DIP (3-2): The most flagrantly loud team in the league is playing typical DIP football. Inconsistent and unpredictable, they seem to linger on the cusp of playoffs each year. I have no real idea where to rank them based on their performances, but middle of the pack seems ok for now. Star Player: Julien Hebert

 

#16: KGP Champs (2-3): This is a major disappointment as I thought this team was ready to skyrocket to the top ranks. I’m not quite sure what they need to progress, but its obvious they need some help. Star Player: Phil Cutler

 

#17: Big Tds (3-2): Can’t tell you much about this team, as they have played as well as their record has indicated. They have beaten the bad teams and lost to the good ones. So I figure they are middle of the pack right now. Star Player: Ryan Browne

Ask the Expert

 

Written Rick Nincheri, QB of the D1 Hurricanes and perennial All World QB.

 

Tips for young QB’s

I’m pleased to be able to pass on some knowledge and help out by writing this article. Thank you to Rostyn and the FlagPlus management for this opportunity.

Here are a few tips that will hopefully help a young quarterback.

The huddle.
Get your guys in a tight huddle. Don’t draw plays with your hands, as the other team may see that. If you do have to do that, make sure no one can see. Also make sure everyone leaves the huddle at the same time. If not, it can tip off where you may want to go.

I’m all about free speech. But that doesn’t exist in a huddle. It’s your huddle. You have limited time to call plays and figure things out. You don’t need someone in your ear. That being said, it’s good to learn to ask key guys what they think, or see. You go to them, and only if you really trust them, let them come to you and tell you what is open.

Before the snap
Stand sideways to receive the snap. Benefit of this stance is that you’ll catch the ball and already be in position to throw or run, giving you an edge to hit something quick.

Look over the D, and imagine how the play will go. Don’t stare. Look at both sides of the field to try and not tip anyone off. If you look and see that your play could be stuffed, be prepared to seek out at a secondary read.

Mix up the snap count. Don’t always go on the same count. Try to keep the rusher off balance and draw him offside in key situations. That being said, make sure you tell your teammates to watch the ball, as they may go offside as well.

Find a weak link. Football is all about match-ups, and it’s important to give yourself an edge in that dept. Find someone on the D that you can attack. And do so in key situations.

After the snap
Protect the ball at all costs. What I mean is try and not throw INT’s. If your play is covered, throw it away. Don’t force it into coverage.

Read the defender. Don’t watch your guy running his route, as you should know where he’ll be. You should be watching the defender, and reading his reactions. It’s sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how often it’s over looked.

Don’t throw the ball late or across the field. Most INT’s come when the QB throws the ball too late during a play, or tries to throw across his body. Just ask Brett Favre!

In General
Have fun! You’ll never play well if you are tight and taking things too seriously.

Stretch your legs: Good throwing technique starts with the legs. Don’t over look this aspect of your game.

If you get mad at your receivers when they drop the ball, don’t. You don’t make all the throws, and they don’t make all the catches. It all evens out in the end.

Get as many reps as you can: The more you throw, the better you will get.

Be gutsy in your play calling. The Football Gods favour the bold. Example: Try a stop and go on 4th down and short. Go for two and the win instead of 1 and the tie late in the game. Be aggressive, but pick your spots and always protect the ball.

Don’t go deep as much. Going deep is a blast, no question. But going deep isn’t always the right thing to do. Completing high percentage passes underneath and gaining yards is the best way to go.

Take what the D gives you: Next to having fun, this is the next best advice I can give. They have a safety 20 yards back? Dump it underneath to your center or inside WR. They are up on your receivers with no safety help? Try hitting something deep. Corner is 12 yards off? Roll out and hit a quick out or slant to your receiver. It’s all about completing passes and moving the chains. (I could have said “moving the bean bags”, but that doesn’t sound as cool)

Making mistakes is part of the process: Don’t beat yourself up too much after an INT or bad throw. Learn from it and remember mistakes are part of the journey into becoming a solid QB.