This week used to be week 3 of the play-offs and is kind of a truth serum for many teams. If you have a top 6 seed you 'Should" advance in round one IMO. So it isn't some kind of big deal for the top handful of seeds. If you lose as a top5 or 6 seed, it's usually a stain on a good season. Winning the next two makes it a very good season for many. Some have more consistent success and expectations are higher, but most programs are pretty happy and pumped up to be in the final 8 .
The Springfield play-off pedigree the last 5-6 seasons is obvious and at this point is a measuring stick for folks. This isn't the best S-Field team of the last 5 years but it's still a very tough out obviously. This game serves as a truth serum type game for Coffman. This game will reveal the truth about them in terms of being able to compete with this type of speed and athleticism. Go against an experienced play-off staff. How do you match-up up front? Are you tough enough to go hard for 48 minutes and compete physically? Can you tackle in space and or get enough hats near the ball carrier to get him to the turf or limit big plays? Can you grind like you usually do shortening the game and make a few explosive plays to complement your clock churning process?
Springfield has an OSU commit Aaron Scott a lock down corner who they use on offense as well in a few ways. They have a lot more speed than Coffman has. Bay Bay Norman [ First team All name team} ran for 200 vs. Tangy including a 76-yard sprint and game ending dagger. Can the Rocks limit the big play? Tackle well? Control the ball long enough to shorten the game? The truth will be learned. It's like the good solid tough boxer rising up a bit wining a few go either way fights and gets the big fight with the fast slick experienced fighter and at some point, the fighter either has a champ's pedigree and class or is just a rough and tumble opponent who will get hit a bunch because the other fighter has more class speed and better footwork. The Rocks needless to say will have to be at their best here and may be get a few breaks and bounces. Not a great match-up. Tangy even with their big D-1 QB would have been better. Can the Rocks cover up some of their weaknesses by maximizing some of their strengths?
Talked with a Tangy guy and I saw some of the tape, the man said the big thing with Tangy was along with Springfield's big play ability and speed was Tangy was NOT at their best. Didn't take advantage of some things, and a tie game with a little more than half a quarter left, turned quickly. Overall, the special teams really let them down. Not only had a punt blocked in their territory but had a couple poor shorter punts as well. Adding to the specials misery was a KO that had tangy kids standing around watching it and Springfield guy came in pretty much unimpeded and covered it. Another short field? Disastrous. Ball game. Don't think it was conditioning as has bene bandied around on the victors thread.
Coffman was on par with Springfield athletically in the last meeting in the regional final is 2019 and the Rocks should have won the game but didn't execute and had a little bad luck in the red zone, outgaining the Cats, more yards per play, and more red zone trips but couldn't score, missed short FG and missed a few 4th downs by a little and lost. They weren't out athleted if you will and weren't too slow, They played great defense and were able to defend their speed very well. I think someone asked how long it's been since they went to a regional final as if it was ages ago? No they went back-to-back years WAAAYYYY back 2018 and 2019 and matched up well athletically with Springfield in 2020 as well but the lost to less athletic Liberty who didn't match -up well with Springfield and off of the monster Coffman win that went down to the last plays had little left. This Coffman club is more on that level speed wise with Liberty that year and last year where the 5-5 Patriots went on a 3 game run before the truth caught up with them and they got run out by Springfield. The truth will be found out Friday.
On the record for the last couple years since Stokes got to Coffman Road that I really like the hire and like his energy, philosophy and think he is a excellent coach in pursuit of excellence. Anyone who knows what's up realizes Stokes hasn't had the same level of talent that Crabtree had in many years. He got a pass for 4-8 and many blowout losses in 2021 from most in the know. Nice improvement last year as he molded the program in his image, but a disappointing ending losing to an 11 seed at home as a 17-point favorite to Marysville who had been blown out by other teams a few times. Year one saw an upset of Wayne in round one as a 13 seed on a Hail Mary last play heave. Wayne was really banged up but still a great win. Got eviscerated the next week up in Findlay. Never in the game. Disappointing but a TON of starters back and also a couple transfers entered the building including a D-1 Illinois recruit. So, I know the emotion of making a regional final gets some people excited enough to declare this is the best coach Dublin has ever seen. yes of course it isn't about winning. it's about culture built. Point taken.
But here's the bottom line. I love the hire and think Stokes is a future HS hall of fame coach if he goes on at this level. Hope he is the Rocks coach long term [Don't think so unfortunately} a no doubt HOF guy in my mind. I think he did great things at Minster, when he left, they were down a bit his last year adn the next year. He left for a reason as most coaches do. Challenge of a bigger division and his program may have run it's course for a bit. Say Stokes is a better coach all you want than Crabtree but don't dare demean his 20 years of consistent success in the process. Or say the program is at its best right now in the last 25 years. It's not. A really nice run and I'm excited for the kids and the opportunity that awaits but a little perspective is needed. . Injuries aside, and they affected some games [Most injured Rocks team I can remember} they had a lot of starters back from a 7-win regular season team {two transfer starting level players only one made a bigger impact a power 5 guy John at DL} and ended 7-3 again with two games that were razor close wins. All three losses were not in much doubt. Beat a 5-5 sturdy scrappy Fairmont team. Beat a 4-7 Liberty team that was really better than that overall but had a tougher schedule than anyone in CO. and then beat a very solid Berlin team who was 11-1 coming in. BUT were without their star QB. Rocks have played so well executed so well , made plays when they have had to, coaching and special teams have been really on point and of course have played so hard which is a given with this tough bunch. I really have enjoyed watching them play.
Lastly this is the time for coaches of most programs at this stage of the proceedings to utter phrases like, "Fellas, there are only 8 D-1 teams in Ohio that are preparing for their 14th ballgame this year and the Coffman Rocks are one of those teams. Be proud of all the hard work you've done and how you've played, this is a special place you've earned the right to be in, but we've got another ballgame to prepare for and go win .
