Ugly. Seriously ugly.

   

I added it up. Hart had 160 yards from scrimmage. Moorpark had a 170. The refs assessed 165 yards (when I include two declined penalties).

 

Lyons was 8 of 19 for 105 yards and 1 TD. He was sacked 6 times and flushed once for a gain. He deliberately ran from scrimmage 7 times gaining 48 yards. He had 18 net yards on 14 carries.

 

Howell had 7 carries for 13 yards. He left the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury and did not return.

 

Robbie Casselberry took over the running duties and had 21 yards on 5 carries, all in the fourth quarter.

 

Yudin had 3 catches for 62 yards, Casselberry (as a slot, not running back) had 3 catches for 23 yards. Wheeler had 2 catches for 19 yards net. Two of the catches ended with fumbles after the catch, the only turnovers in the game.

 

The Hart defense became increasingly effective as the game progressed. They gave up about 84 yards in the first quarter, 35 in the second, 44 in the third and only 7 in the fourth.

 

Moorpark used 2 QBs and the RB had one throw. Collectively they were 5 of 12 for 57 yards. The QBs were sacked 6 times and flushed 3.

 

Scott, the Moorpark RB, had 76 yards on 16 carries. However, he had only 5 in the second half.  The QBs had 15 net yards on 13 carries. Moran, the other running back had 25 yards on 6 carries.

 

Moorpark had 8 penalties for 70 yards (more or less – there were two really wacky measurements) plus 2 penalties (15 and 10 yards) that were declined. When it came down to it, the Moorpark kids were killed by a pass interference call late in the game that gave Hart a first down and let the Indians run out the clock.

 

Hart had 6 penalties for 70 yards including a pass interference, a facemask, a late hit and an unsportsmanlike conduct.

 

Not much to get excited about in the offensive stats.

 

I’ll dispense with most of the play by play.

 

Hart took the opening kickoff and the first play set the tone: a defensive holding by the Moorpark DB on Yudin. In the drive, Hart moved from the Hart 26 to the Moorpark 22 but then a sack (coverage; Lyon had plenty of time), moved Hart back to the 31. The kicker tried a 48-yard field goal that was partially blocked and downed on the 4-yard line. (One wacky penalty in the drive: a “little” face mask was marked off at 3 yards for no reason other than a pure screw-up so far as I could tell).

 

Moorpark started well with a 2-yard run by Scott, a 24-yarder, then a 5-yarder. He also had another 13-yard run and a 29-yard reception in the drive. In 13 plays, Moorpark got down to the Hart 13, stalled and kicked a 29-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead at 10:57 in the second quarter.

 

Hart went three and out (including a sack). Moorpark was looking at a three and out but a pass interference call gave them a first down; then 3 and out.

 

Hart started at the 14 and got out to the 36 when Casselberry fumbled at the end of a pass play. Moorpark got 3 yards on 4 plays and Hart took over at the Hart 33.

 

That series went; incomplete (Wheeler), run by Howell for -3, pass to Wheeler for 23, pass interference (+15), pass to Yudin for 33 and a touchdown (pass interference declined).  Hart 7-3 at :57.

 

On the ensuing series, Scott had two runs of 15 and 5 respectively and the QB got 8 after being flushed but gave it up on a sack to end the half. Lyon was 6 for 12, 97 yards and a TD.  He also was sacked 3 times, all three being “coverage” sacks from my perspective.

 

Second half: Moorpark 3 and out.

 

Hart 3 and out (including another “coverage” sack)

 

Moorpark started the next series on the Moorpark 45: The first play was a 7-yard run by the QB. On the next play, Moran ran for about 14 and 15 yards were tacked on the end for a face mask taking it down to the Hart 19, 2 sacks later, Moorpark was back to the 25 and Scott failed to get the first down from there so Hart took over at the 20.

 

Hart got a first down and then went 3 and out. Howell was injured in this series and did not return.

 

Moorpark went basically 3 and out on the next series: sack, holding, QB flush but runs for 10 and punt.

 

Hart had the ball for one play. Lyon passed to Wheeler behind the line of scrimmage. He fumbled as he was tackled and Moorpark recovered at the Hart 38. Moorpark got down to the Hart 9, 15 of it coming on a late hit penalty. Moorpark was stopped there and kicked a 24-yard field goal. Hart 7-6 at 11:54 left in the game.

 

Hart went 3 and out including a sack (coverage once again).

 

Moorpark went three and out. Sort of. On fourth down, Moorpark punted down to the Hart 20. There was a flag for illegal procedure so Hart had Moorpark kick it again. The refs moved the ball from the Moorpark 49 back to the Moorpark 46 – I guess it’s the new variable distance penalty – only 3 yards if you are offsides by only a little!

 

It was a bad trade off for Hart because the ball was downed at the 5. Hart managed a first down on a nifty 11-yard run by Lyon but then went three and out.

 

Moorpark went three and out, punting with 5:02 left and 2 time outs remaining. Hart kept the ball for the rest of the game.

 

It could have turned out much differently. Hart started the last series at the 19. Casselberry ran for 5 out to the 24. Lyon ran for 2 on the next play, making it 3rd and 3. Casselberry ran for 10 – a first down – and then after the play got up and shoved an opponent and got a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct which moved the ball back to the 21 but still left Hart a first down. On the next play, Lyon was sacked for a 4-yard loss. On second down, Hart got hit for a 5-yard illegal procedure. On the repeat of second down, Lyon was sacked for a 3-yard loss, moving the ball back to the 9. On third and 22, Lyon threw long down the left side. Pass interference! Was the ball catchable? Probably (Hart view). Barely. Maybe not. Definitely not (Moorpark view). In any event, Hart had a first down at the 24. Lyon ran for 8 and then for 2 for another first down. Two knees later it was over.

 

Some thoughts: The Hart defense got increasingly aggressive as the game progressed. Biggest problems: a couple of stupid penalties and a failure on several occasions to “wrap up.” What looked like sure losses turned into gains by Moorpark.  I also felt that the corners lost track of the ball on a couple of occasions and Hart was lucky that the Moorpark receivers were unable to catch the ball.

 

Offense: Some positives. Lyon showed some very nimble feet. On the intentional running plays he did very well. After the first quarter, even the sacks were minimal losses.

 

The center snapping was virtually perfect – crisp and low. One of the long snaps (by the second string QB) was a bit of a problem, almost over Burton ’s head.

 

The offensive line: I’m not going to hang all the sacks on them. Three for certain, and probably a fourth sack were coverage sacks. Lyon had the time, just no one to throw to.  I don’t know if he couldn’t locate the receivers or they were covered or had taken themselves out of the play with faulty routes. A couple of the sacks had to do with the play-calling in my view. There was no doubt that Hart was going to pass (3rd and long sort of gives you the idea). The QB, in shotgun, faked a handoff, no doubt that’s the way it’s in the playbook.  But everyone knew he was going to pass! By taking time to fake, he lost a couple of seconds and lost the RB as a blocker.  A sack was almost inevitable.

 

In other situations, particularly very late in the game it was perfectly obvious that Hart was going to run in order to run out the clock.  So Hart is in the shotgun formation intending to run the ball as a ball control offense?  Am I missing something: running/ball control out of the shotgun? I think it is impossible.  And the receivers: when it’s an obvious blitz – which meant about 80% of the plays -- isn’t someone ALWAYS supposed to run a hot route or fill in the spot vacated by the linebacker? It seems like everyone takes off down field on the assumption that the QB will just loft one over the defense. These guys have to make themselves better targets.

 

Casselbury, Wheeler and Yudin all have the capacity to get very nice yards after the catch. They don’t need to catch the ball way down field to be successful.

 

Hart really has to get the hot routes and screens down in a hurry or every opponent on the schedule is going to be getting 10 sacks a game against Lyon .  Moorpark runs a 3-4 defense and in essence blitzed at least one backer on every play, sometimes two and occasionally three including a safety.  If the receivers drop into the spots vacated by the rushing LBs, it's an easy catch.  And guys: trying to run out of the shotgun when its clearly a running situation doesn’t cut it. Quick linebackers are going to eat you alive.

 

Hopefully, the offense learned a painful but winning lesson. If they didn’t learn, next week is going to be trouble. Defense: keep improving!