PLYMOUTH – It will be an opening night like no other this Friday at the Rockpile with Plymouth taking on East Noble in a rematch of last year’s sectional game when the Rockies were sent home for the 2016 season.
Both teams return a multitude of players with talent, the highlight name being Andrew McCormick, the Knights talented DI recruit at quarterback.
“They (East Noble) are very well coached, you can see that on film, they know what they are doing,” said Plymouth head coach John Barron. “When you talk about East Noble you’re talking about their quarterback. Andrew McCormick is a heck of an athlete. He starts as a linebacker and at quarterback, the last big time two way player they had was David Gator several years ago and they won a state championship with him.”
With the raves about McCormick you know that the Knights are going to put the ball in the air to a talented wide receiver corp. That will be quite a difference from what the Rockies saw in their scrimmage a week ago at LaPorte.
“They are the exact opposite of LaPorte,” said Barron. “They are a no back, sideline to sideline team they want to stretch you out not only vertically but also horizontally and it’s an uncomfortable feeling for a defense to be so spread out. Defenses like to get more people to the ball than what they (the offense) have but they make that very hard to do.
“Even when you are in zone you but somewhere even then you are in a man principle because there is so much area to cover. And they are very good at it.”
Along with the tough opponent it will also be Plymouth’s senior night as well as the christening of the completed football field renovation that now includes field turf. The distractions only add to the uncertainty of opening night.
“It’s week one so we really don’t know what we have,” said Barron. “We’ve had the 11 on 11’s this summer but we couldn’t really evaluate any defensive schemes. It’s all the things involved with week one, like special teams. I mean who knows anything about their special teams right now? I think we have a lot of kids that can run and play in space which should help us. I know how good Andrew McCormick is. I know how good a couple of their receivers coming back are.”
Defensively Barron expects to see the same from the Knights.
“The way they played our option last year I’m going to assume that it will be similar,” said Barron. “They are going to try to take away our dive as much as possible and then try to make Cole (Filson) pitch the ball quickly and then rally to the pitch so our perimeter blocking will be really key to this game.”
A strong spring and summer of practice has the coach optimistic about his offense led by junior Cole Filson at quarterback for a second season.
“I think Cole is a completely different player than he was last year,” said Barron. “He’s a three sport athlete that’s used to being in a lot of competitive environments. We are going to miss Jarred Hurford (on the offensively line out with an injury) but Sean Masson has filled in for him admirably. This senior class is focused and they have a lot of talent. I’m cautiously optimistic. Our kids have worked hard.”
The keys for Barron are simple for Friday’s match up.
“We’ve got to hang on to the football,” he said. “I think our defense can run with people and we’re going to try try to be physical. I’d like for our offense to find some personality and identity and we can’t be third and long all night. If Andrew McCormick beats us because he’s a special player, then he beats us. If that’s what it is we’ll accept that. But we are going to learn a lot because we could see them again in nine weeks.”
