The Wrath of Khan (D2) – Finals Preview

Finals weekend is upon the FPF nation and we have our D2 matchup that no one in 18 years would have predicted. The five seed, Waterbuffaloes of Conference A taking on the one seed, Wolfpack of Conference B. Sure, it may not have the sexy appeal of a Shockers-Click Clack final, but the end result is still the two best teams of their conferences battling each other in their quest for the D2 title.

In the second half of their Conference Final win over Click Clack, the Wolfpack managed to maintain control following a devastating injury to Benoit Fredette. That was a huge confidence booster for the team morale. Before the injury, it seemed that the momentum was shifting towards Click Clack. Especially after they scored an early second half touchdown by Nareg Yessayan. But as predicted by this scribe, the depth of Wolfpack overcame the tough moment with clutch plays. Mikhail Davidson had 148 receiving yards, Alain Rousseau had one touchdown reception and two interceptions, and Alex Cavanaugh had one touchdown reception.

Now, they move onto the finals, when many pundits thought this team was nothing more than a Sean Mullins “one hit wonder”. Well, they proved everyone wrong. In the aftermath, some of the Click Clack players, said the Wolfpack schooled them from start to finish. Congrats to this team for making it this far. But they know their job is far from being over.

The Waterbuffaloes proved why no opponents wanted to face them in the D2 playoffs. Late in the second half against the Shockers, the Buffaloes were down by 10 points. They overcame the deficit with some timely catches on offense, and key stops on defense. As usual, the Buffaloes kept the game exciting by winning on the second to last play of the game. This team may not look athletically gifted. But they keep on trucking by keeping their calm and not panicking when their backs are against the wall. They came into the playoffs as the fifth seed but have spent the past two weeks proving that they could beat any team on any day. Just ask the Texas All-Stars, Messengers of Happiness and Shockers.

I would like to send my regards to the now eliminated Click Clack, and Shockers. Both of these teams have become mainstays in FPF. These two teams have been instrumental in developing this league’s popularity on the field, and on the Facebook walls. I sure hope they continue their progress, because they are class organizations, filled with class individuals.  

What elements will the Wolfpack need to win this Sunday night? It’s not an exact science, but the most important aspect of the Wolfpack’s philosophy has been their depth’s strong play. So far, eight different receivers have caught at least one reception. Quarterback of the Year, Pascal Murray has done a great job in handling this offense. In the playoffs, he has accumulated 531 passing yards, and 11 touchdown passes. He has proven why he was no fluke as the quarterback of year in D2. But can he dissect a smart Buffaloes defense?

If the Wolfpack are to be successful this weekend, the receivers will need to continue their strong discipline of running their crisp routes. An underreported fact about the Wolfpack has been their undeniable speed in the open field. It will be difficult for the Buffaloes to stop them if they get their hands on the football. Moreover, if Mikhail Davidson continues his dominance this Sunday, he will open up holes for his teammates all over the field. And if Pascal Murray has proved one thing this playoff season, it’s been his ability to consistently find the open man. The darkhorse to this equation will be Alain Rousseau. Rousseau had a great game against Click Clack. If he uses his size and athletic ability to his advantage, this might prove to be too much for the Buffaloes to handle.

For the Waterbuffaloes to win this weekend, there are a few things they need to do. For starters, quarterback Craig O’Brien needs to keep overcoming obstacles, as he has done since the playoffs started. In the last two games, O’Brien has led his team on game winning drives within the last five plays of the football game. He has done a great job incorporating all of his teammates. As I mentioned in my previous article, there is not one player that any opposing defenses can game-plan against. It is a team effort from start to finish. O’Brien may not necessarily look the part as an elite quarterback, but his ability to release the football at the very last second has made this team successful.

Furthermore, their defense has done a great job. In their win over the Shockers, they were able to withstand the waves thrown at them. As a result, the Buffaloes defense came up with a key sack late in the game, which shifted the momentum to the victors. If the Buffaloes are to be victorious, they will need to steal a drive away from the Wolfpack. They (Buffaloes) will need to force turnovers, not a third or fourth down situation that could result in a first down. If they can create a turnover, the Buffaloes, with their experience, can milk the clock down to their benefit.

Alright, its time for my prediction on who will win the D2 finals. For the Wolfpack to have any chance in this title bout, they will need the depth of their team to step up their game. Up to this point, all of their players have had an impact in their playoff wins. It will be difficult for the Buffaloes to concentrate on one single player defensively because of the game-breaking abilities these players have. Finally, Murray will need to out-duel his counterpart (O’Brien). If he is successful in creating points, the Wolfpack will have a huge edge.

If the Buffaloes are to win this duel, they will to need capitalize on the few errors produced by the Wolfpack offense. The Buffaloes are not athletically gifted, but what they have over their opponents is their experience. No matter who the Buffaloes have played in the playoffs, they have seen everything from speed, size, and deficits. They have overcome all these obstacles with their experience. Furthermore, will the Wolfpack be able to adjust to the potential two quarterbacks in the backfield if Chad Byers decides to dip behind the line of scrimmage? Byers has the ability to control the game when the football is in his hands. During his FPF career, on numerous occasions, he has single-handedly won games on his own.

I like the Waterbuffaloes to win this game. The end result will be the game play, smarts, and the clear-cut experience that leads this Buffaloes team to the title. However, no one should discount the big scoring ability of the Wolfpack. But if the Buffaloes can really slow down the tempo, then that will win the game for them.

Percentages%

1%, that Rey Starwar will look better in his suit than Moe Khan, and Ros Castleton.

23%, that Rey Starwar will wear a clip-on tie.

26%, that Rey Starwar will wear green in honour of his Pakistani roots.

50%, that Daron Basmadjian will be hosting the Road Show, thus, resulting in this scribe being demoted to backup status.