Blackhawk offense to be balanced

Anything can happen

— In my 15 years experience watching Pea Ridge football, Blackhawk teams have had several different head coaches at the helm but the one constant has been the teams dependence on the running game. There have been a few games every great once in a while where passing carried the day, but ’Hawk gridiron fortunes have been generally decided by success on the ground.

At the beginning of the past three seasons, head coach Tony Travis predicted that “we will be better.” This year has Travis talking up the improvement his team has accomplished in the offseason, but just how improved?

The 2012 Blackhawks have an experienced and savvy backfield, including Dayton Winn who was predicted by Hooten’s Arkansas Football to be the top 4A running back in the state this season. Austin Easterling has been picked by the same magazine to be one of the top four quarterbacks in the state.

Easterling took a lot of reps in the 7 on 7 games this summer to sharpen his skills, as did his trip to Louisiana to attend a quarterback camp. The senior signal caller has many good targets to throw to this year including Daniel Beard and Braxton Caudill.

Jack Rapp and Logan Rose will alternate at wide receiver to help coach Travis bring in the plays as well as provide targets for Easterling.

Backing up Easterling in the quarterback slot will be Caudill, Trent Ramsey and Shane Ivy.

With last year’s starting fullback, Caudill, sliding out to be a receiver this year, Dalton Morgan will be manning the fullback position. Morgan will be backed up by Dakota Canaday and Dylan McClellan. Both those backups will also get playing time resting the other Morgan, Garrett, who is the first team tight end.

Tight ends will be especially important this season as they will be expected to block and get open for passes as well.

Although the ’Hawks have one of the most experienced backfields in the conference, good offensive play from the linemen will be crucial to Pea Ridge success. Offensive backs and receivers get lots of attention statistic-wise, as does defensive players. Offensive linemen are perhaps the most anonymous players on the field but without their success, success for anyone else on the team is greatly diminished.

Jayse Anderson is one of the most experienced linemen, starting all 10 games last year at left tackle.

Equaling Anderson’s experience is left guard Charlie Holliday. Holliday has added 30 pounds of muscle in the offseason and will be a force to be dealt with.

Zach Norris is a returning starter at center with Will Klein also taking some snaps at that position. Zach Oldenbeken will be the starter at right guard with Lucas Fancher rolling in to spell both guard positions to keep the line fresh. Blake Roughton and Tyler Handywill share duty at right tackle.

Dalton Cochrane, Nathan Merritt, Willie Aikins and Caleb Marsten will be counted on to be competing for playing time on the offensive line.

This year the ’Hawks will have a very offensive special teams unit. Special teams consists of plays in the punting and kickoff aspects of the game.

Daniel Beard was a much feared return man in 2011, running several kicks back for considerable yardage.

Beard’s ability to change gears and change directions kept opposing teams trying to kick away from No. 8. Winn will also be back to return kicks, another returner with the potential to go all the way.

Good handed Rapp and Jonah Torres will also be in the mix in return duty.

Once an Achilles heel for the team, this season the kicking game will be a plus and might even be considered a weapon. Nick DeLeon and Will Klein have both shown to be capable kickers with Dalton Morgan, Logan Rose and Easterling getting in practice time punting.

Pea Ridge has sufferedthrough a kicking deficit over the past few years and the problem not only hurts the defense, but it also serves to hamstring the offense. If both teams are playing evenly, the team that has a 10- to 20-yard edge in punting yards will have the advantage. Short kickoffs put the opposing team in great position to start an offensive drive. In 2012, the kicking drought may just be over.

Passing offenses have been ratcheting up for the past few years with wide open, no huddle offenses the dream of sports fans. Arkansas native Gus Mahlzahn has been in the forefront of developing offenses with lightning passing attacks. Wherever Mahlzahn has been, the teams he coached have led their divisions or classifications in offensive numbers.

What most folks might not have noticed about Mahlzahns’ offense is that his rushing and passing yardage are usually fairly equal. About the time you are certain that a pass is coming, a running play will cross up the defense and keep them off balance.

Winn will be a marked man this year as the number one running back in the conference. However, if a team decides to load the box to stop Winn, then they will be leaving themselves wide open for a pass completion from Easterling. With the senior quarterback having a variety of targets to throw to, opposing defenses don’t have the luxury of keying on any one player.

A defenses’ worst nightmare is not having a clue to what the other team will do. Teams that don’t have a passing attack will have their running game slowed because of it. Teams that can’t run will invite blitzes and extra pressure on the quarterback.

Balance is the key to any good team and 2012 may just be the year when Pea Ridge has the right “yingyang,” the Asian term for the balance of life.

Anything can happen.

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Editor’s note: John McGee is an award-winning columnist and sports writer. He is the art teacher at Pea Ridge elementary schools, coaches elementary track and writes a regular sports column for The Times. He can be contacted through The Times at [email protected].

Sports, Pages 8 on 08/22/2012