A manufactured seven-point lead was the difference tonight.  It came in parts, from great drive blocking, to tough carries from a ‘Prodigal Son’ fullback, from a great kicking game effort, to a great special teams effort, to using the Kick Chart.

Blacksburg opened scoring on a 66-yard touchdown by senior quarterback Brett Smith.

The Indian defense was crashing at the feet of the pulling Cougar linemen, disrupting the trapping offense.  The Cougars were held to three and out.

Blacksburg drove to the Cougar 3, then fumbled.  The Cougars would return the favor three plays later and the defense took it in for a touchdown.

The Pulaski County offense was three and punt again. John Hedge punted from the PC 32 line of scrimmage to the Blacksburg 3.  This was key in setting up what would follow.

On third and 3 from the 10 a curl pass to Indian Scott Sterrett was broken up and almost intercepted by Greg Cobbs.  Chris Denny blocked the punt and it was almost recovered in the endzone for a touchdown.  The Blacksburg punter covered the ball for a safety, PC 2-14

The momentum shifted with the long punt by Hedge.  Blacksburg ran at will early in the first half.  Sterrett is being recruited by his hometown Virginia Tech Hokies.

Cougar fans should be thankful for Indian Head Coach Dave Christ’s choice to pass deep in his own territory.  A short sideline pass interception at home against Salem last week was returned for a touchdown and was the deciding points in a 31-24 loss. 

Contrast that with Joel Hick’s ‘boring up-the-middle’ play that we Cougar ‘arm chair’ coaches complain about so much.  The PC offense shifted from trap blocking to straight-ahead drive blocking, and ran a dive play to Jeremy Porter.  He gained about 190 yards using one play; sometimes carrying the ball on the same play 10 plays in a row.

After the post-safety free kick from the 20, PC would drive 56 yards in 10 plays to score on a 16-yard quarterback keeper.  Alan Wheeling was surrounded by three Indians, who had their tomahawks on him, and he still broke through. Somebody should send Frank Beamer the tape of this play.  Wheeling is also talking to the Hokies. 

The key play on the drive was a fourth down conversion from the Cougar 19.  Blacksburg called a time-out to gather their thoughts, but they were for naught, as Porter carried for 3 and the first down.  This set up Wheeling’s score. Hedge kicked the PAT.  The Cougars trailed 14-9.

On third and 13 from the PC 39 Smith had fooled corner Josh Calfee on a pump fake on the hitch, Sterrett was open deep, having a yard or two on Calfee, but the ball was overthrown.  The Indians would punt to the PC 6.

The Cougars offense was pinned in.  Hicks knows not to pass from his own 10.  The Cougars could not earn a first down and Hedge would punt.  Matt Roan had a phenomenal Fresno State like smash on the punt returner just after the catch, that was penalized.

The Indians scored three plays later on a 3-yard quarterback sneak by Smith.  The PAT was blocked by Senior Chris Denny, Blacksburg led 20-9.  The modus operendi was the same on the PAT block as the punt block. 

“Denny and I line up side-by-side,” said Josh Slusser.  “I knock the guard out of the way.  We watched the ball, shifted over, and got off the ball.  I gave it all I had.  Chris got through. It was good team work.”

“I just run up there, it was wide open,” said Denny. 

On offense, Denny did not seem to mind running the same play over and over.  “If it works, It works,” he said.

On third and 5 from the PC 14 Calfee carried for 18 yards and a first down.  Three plays later Wheeling carried on the quarterback keeper for a 62-yard touchdown.

Coach Hicks reached for his Kick Chart, and decided to call a timeout.  The Cougars were down 20-15.  Every head coach has a Kick Chart to refer to after every score.  The chart shows that when trailing by five points after the touchdown, a team should go for a two-point conversion instead of the one point PAT.

Calfee carried left for a crucial two-point conversion.  PC trailed 17-20.  It is interesting that with as crucial as Hedge was tonight as a kicker, punting long, kicking into the end-zone, kicking PAT’s and a crucial field goal, that this opportunity for him NOT to kick was just as important.

One minute remained in the half.  Hedge kicked his usual touchback.  The referee did not even get ready for the play, since he knew it would go into the end zone.  The Indians kneeled twice and took their three-point lead into the locker room.  They had already left their momentum on the field.

The Cougars hoped to keep the momentum with the football after the second half kickoff.  Three plays later PC would elect to punt instead.  The Indians would start at the Cougar 42.

Tipped passes that resulted in interceptions were the difference tonight.  Thank whoever invented the tip-drill.

Smith threw toward an open Sterrett on the slant route, but the ball was tipped by Cougar Chris Hardin and high into the defensive linebacker’s area where it was intercepted by Gordon Cross.

“They rolled out my way, and threw it low.  I put up my arms and it hit me in the arm,” said Hardin.

“Our defensive end tipped it, and I was in the right place at the right time.  It was right in front of me.  I have Coach Landreth throw balls real hard right at me in practice,” said Cross.  Landreth spent some time at quarterback at ETSU.  “Sometimes it hits me right in the facemask,” he added.

Porter was pounded all night by the Indian defense.  However, five plays later he broke through for a 27 yard score.  Hedge’s PAT was good for a 24-20 Cougar lead, with 7 minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Three plays later Smith threw the bomb to Sterrett, who was caught at the PC 25 by Calfee.  Calfee had Sterrett’s jersey, but wouldn’t let him pull away.  The tackle from behind was a sight to see.  Two plays later Smith hit Junior Cory Price in the absolute left corner of the endzone for a touchdown.  The PAT was good and the Indians lead 27-24.

The Cougars drove 68 yards in 7 plays to regain the lead.  Lucas Nester had a key block from his wing position on a 42-yard touchdown run by Porter.  Hedge’s PAT was good to the regain the PC lead, 31-27.

“I was slow on the motion in the backfield.  But, I was able to get up with Porter and make the block,” said Nester.

Blacksburg’s last best chance was from third-and-2 at their own 23.  However, the Indians were charged with a damning illegal procedure penalty.  From third-and-7 Smith overthrew a very open Michael Robertson. 

Wheeling would fair catch the punt at the PC 42.  Six plays later Hedge kicked a 28-yard field goal to pull seven points ahead of Blacksburg. 

The punt block that the Cougars almost recovered in the endzone that resulted in a safety, PC’s first two points of the game, plus the Calfee two point conversion thanks to the kick chart, the PAT block by Denny, and Hedge’s field goal: finally; a Manufactured 7 point lead.

Senior Matt Nester plays on the PAT and field goal team.  His group was perfect; not allowing blocked kicks and not missing tonight. 

“One time the guy hit me, and I got spun around and hit another guy.  I don’t know exactly what happened,” he said.  No kicks were blocked, that’s what happened.

Blacksburg would drive to their own 42 then punt.  Three plays later Hedge would punt back.  It was a short kick but rolled to the 50.  5:20 remained in the game and the Manufactured seven-point lead loomed large.

Smith passed to Sterrett for a 12-yard gain.  Calfee had given him a 10-yard cushion.  Smith was very confused about the next play call and stepped up to the line out of sorts.  The Indians were called for delay of game.  On the next play Smith threw high for his receiver, who went high, but only for a tip.  Senior corner Joey Radcliffe caught the ball tip drill style just before it hit the ground for the interception.   He is also the highly-precise-passing back up quarterback.  This was the proverbial nail in the coffin for the Indians.

Radcliffe makes one wish that high school players could have a red-shirt year.  It’s such a shame Radcliffe couldn’t red shirt this year and play cornerback and quarterback for the Cougars next year.  But that option is only available in Texas, where families hold back their boys from starting Kindergarten until they are 6, so they will be bigger when they are seniors. 

Football fans, please find and read the book ‘Friday Night Lights’ about High School football in Odessa, Texas.  Oil country, West Texas.  Their rival is Midland Lee, in the oil town where George Bush the elder started his Law career.

But Radcliffe WILL make his impact as back up quarterback, just like he did last week against William Fleming.  He is the greatest Cougar quarterback that never had his chance to start.

PC ran out the clock with real offensive plays. 

Herman Edwards currently coaches the New York Jets.  He won a game in the late Seventies when he played corner for the Eagles.  The Giants were winning in the final seconds.  Instead of kneeling down, the Giants ran a dive play that was fumbled.  Edwards returned the fumble for an Eagles touchdown and win.

Dick Vermeil was the coach of the Eagles at the time.  He took this as an instructional lesson, despite his team’s victory.  He created the Victory formation.  We have all seen it at the pro level.  It looks like a punt formation, with the quarterback still under center.  Vermeil won a Super Bowl with the Saint Louis Rams, long after retiring as the Eagles coach.  He now coaches the Kansas City Chiefs.

This writer would have liked to have seen the Victory formation by the Cougars tonight on the last two plays.  Please, just take a knee!

Not related, but remember, Jeremy Porter was a star running back in the Kansas City area as a freshman.  Last year he backed up Josh Calfee, barely seeing playing time after returning to Pulaski County, where he attended elementary school. 

He is not a ‘recruit’, but a Prodigal Son, a true Pulaski County man who could not be kept away.

Does anyone remember what Robert E. Lee said about Virginia? 

“I will fight with Virginia.  I will go as she goes.” 

Former Virginia Governor Doug Wilder has said much to the same.

Porter should be counted with this lot, as far as Cougar fans are concerned.

Because of the way Blacksburg chose to play their defensive line, Calfee didn’t get many carries or yards tonight.  However, Porter knows Calfee is team player, complementing his blocking.

“Josh got some great blocks tonight.  If he doesn’t get that, my play doesn’t go,” said Porter.

Ben Davidson is the biggest Cougar player in more ways than one.  He is 6’8” tall, but he also gives great interviews.  He is well composed in his thoughts and the absolutely, positively polar opposite from a dumb jock.  This writer predicts he will be successful in any endeavor that he undertakes in his life.  He not only has the size of the man, he speaks like one, and humble as well.  Can he really be still in high school?

“We just really went to work tonight. Straight dive blocking, playing man-on-man football,” said Davidson.

“I’m proud of my football team,” said Hicks.  “There is a tendency to blame when things go wrong.  The Offense blames the Defense, and so on, its Natural.  But We don’t do that.  We are a team.  You just play and play and play,” he added. 

One gets the feeling that the reason Hicks won’t retire any time soon is that he likes to coordinate an effort like the one tonight.  Then when he speaks to his team, he gets to preach to them about real life.

Americans have been challenged lately, but they haven’t resorted to blaming each other!

“It was a rough game tonight, a War,” said Wheeling.  “I wore my camouflage pants.”

“The Defensive line was diving for our feet,” said Travis Williams.  “They had a good game plan.  On defense, their quarterback (Smith) has the greatest fake I’ve ever seen.  He puts the ball in there and both guys have the ball, then he call pull it out and run with it.”

Matt Roan did a great job tonight at all his positions.  He plays Offense and Defense, but his Special Teams contributions made such a difference.  He snaps the ball for PAT’s and punts.  “I had some trouble earlier this season.  We have worked on that in practice, and my confidence is up,” he said. 

One could call Hedge and Porter co-player’s of the game, but don’t forget it was such a team effort.

Expect to see more long passes to Roan when the Cougars have better field position.

Post Script

As far as Blue Ridge District play goes, in all sports, Blacksburg is a real champion in Soccer, Boys and Girls Basketball, and all sports.  The Cougar teams will be tough to break even against Blacksburg, all boys and girls sports considered.  But Blacksburg lacks full high school football tradition.  If the Indians had half the football spirit of Radford High School, the Cougars would have lost tonight.

In the spirit of the ‘Retro and Local’ theme this writer has mentioned in earlier articles, he offers this poem about RHS football tradition.  It was written by a 1980 RHS graduate for her sandlot football-playing son.

Oh what a thrill, O what a thrill
To be a Bobcat on the Hill.

The Black and Gold is here to stay,
And on my chest
I will wear it someday.

When I grow up-
Oh what a thrill,
To be a Bobcat
On the hill.

Sabrina Tolley, RHS 1980

Be thankful, Cougar fans, that Blacksburg doesn’t have that deep a football tradition.

RHS defeated Tazewell 34-0 tonight.

PCHS defeated Tazewell 59-7 in the season opener.

That’s food for thought for people who believe in comparative scoring.

Salem defeated Blacksburg by 7 points last week.  That is the same margin of victory as tonight’s game.

Who is the Beast of the Blue Ridge?  We will see, Friday night, at Salem.
 

The Kick Chart

Go for two after a touchdown score if:

Ahead by 1,4,5,11,12,19,22, or 25 points
Behind by 1? (? means coaches choice) 2, 4?
 5, 9, 10, 12?, 16, 17, 18, 21, 25, 26, 28

Keep in mind, that early in the time of a game,
It is simpler to kick the PAT.
It is later in the game that the Kick Chart
Is appropriate.

The Cougars Manufactured a 7-point lead tonight
By going for two when down by 5