Westlake 31, Connally 7

[chap fan]

Not 21 to 7 as scoreboard reads.

[CougarBacker]

Very disappointing performance from the Cougars.

There looks to be ample talent on the field.

[ATXChap07]

Very disappointing performance from the Cougars.

There looks to be ample talent on the field.

Where was your team? You were missing a bunch of players and fans. No more than 250 showed up

[CCParent]

We have a bunch of fair weather fans, but when you have consistently bad direction many fans just give up. The rotation of the QB's another failed direction. I like the swing pass on the first series of the game on a 3rd and 1 and can't make a first down, "way to come out on fire". You just ran 2 plays up the middle for 9 yards. The suspension of one of our WR's also didn't help.

[CougarBacker]

I've followed Connally for 10 years. I've about given up on the current administration.

One QB was moving the ball, one wasn't. WHY switch back to the more ineffective of the two, particularly at the end of the half? One guy is in for a sustained drive. The other keeps going 3 and out. Pick one.

Then you start the second half with the less effective QB on the field. You're 3rd and 10, needing a 1st down to keep possession and maybe mount a scoring drive. The play called? QB keeper up the middle...with the slower of the two Q Bs on the field. Made absolutely no sense.

Just no will to win on display...and I don't mean from the kids in uniform. I see lots of speed and very decent size from our players. I also see lots of disorganization and mistakes that shouldn't be happening after 5-6 games. Plays coming in late causing 5 yard penalties.

Connally is a shadow of the program it once was and it's not all about having less talent now. BUT, in terms of support, I always thought game support was way below what it should have been even when Connally was running deep into the playoffs. Why, I don't know.

[CCParent]

As the parent of the ineffective QB. He was in on the opening series of the game with the 3 and out and then didn't get back in until the last series of the half, when we(parents) guessed the plays we would run before half the I'm sure the defense did also. Opening the second half, the second play called was for a screen to the RB, which just happened to fall down as the defense was getting to the less effective QB. If the ineffective QB would have been let to pass the ball against Bastrop we simply win the game. A good game plan would have been the 1 from last years' Pflugerville Westlake game where Pflugerville ran reverse plays which Westlake did not stop. But we don't know what a reverse is, a slant pass is, 2 step drop quik pass, a post, an underneath route, mis-direction play(s). Counter plays. Adjustments are rarely made in a game much less series to series. I have personally counted 32 dropped passes in 6 games thrown by the ineffective QB that hit both hands of the receiver, which continues to haunt us each game, how about some air raids or up-downs in practice?

[WestlakeTech]

Just no will to win on display...and I don't mean from the kids in uniform. I see lots of speed and very decent size from our players. I also see lots of disorganization and mistakes that shouldn't be happening after 5-6 games. Plays coming in late causing 5 yard penalties.

You know, in my experience it's pretty much always the coaches. At least, in high school. Sure, some kids are more talented than others and play BETTER. But you never really walk away from a game saying "Man! If that running back had only put more effort into it, we'd have won!" They put their heart and soul into the game and try their best. That's not to say that coaches don't. Just that if SOME member of the team isn't gonna do their absolute 100% best, it's gonna be the coaches.

[mojo61]

Yeah, I've always thought it was the coaches--year in, year out, over the long haul--they're the ones that can make it go, & it's not just the hc; it's all of them. Good talent is nice when you can get it, but most shcls don't have enough talented players every season. I'd rather have good coaches yr. after yr. Then the players will look better, & the wins will come. Then the fans will come. That's the natural progression of things, it seems to me. That's just the way people are. I support my team even if they look sorry (sure is hard, though; I understand why fans desert a sinking team--I don't like it, but I understand it).

[CougarBacker]

As the parent of the ineffective QB. He was in on the opening series of the game with the 3 and out and then didn't get back in until the last series of the half, when we(parents) guessed the plays we would run before half the I'm sure the defense did also. Opening the second half, the second play called was for a screen to the RB, which just happened to fall down as the defense was getting to the less effective QB. If the ineffective QB would have been let to pass the ball against Bastrop we simply win the game. A good game plan would have been the 1 from last years' Pflugerville Westlake game where Pflugerville ran reverse plays which Westlake did not stop. But we don't know what a reverse is, a slant pass is, 2 step drop quik pass, a post, an underneath route, mis-direction play(s). Counter plays. Adjustments are rarely made in a game much less series to series. I have personally counted 32 dropped passes in 6 games thrown by the ineffective QB that hit both hands of the receiver, which continues to haunt us each game, how about some air raids or up-downs in practice?

The point I was trying to make was not about a particular player but about coaching decisions. Clearly all of the kids on the field vs Westlake were giving it their best.

You are absolutely right about routes, etc. The QB, whoever it is, is usually not getting enough time to throw. When he gets time throw, #7 throws a very catchable ball, particularly the long ball...as he did vs W...can't remember the quarter. How many of those have been dropped this year by our speediest guys? And dropped passes are not on either the QB or the coaches. Missed opportunities happen to every team.

The way all the DBs play off the line, I'm shocked that neither team took advantage of that with quick hitters, slants, etc. We never seem to even try those routes and that's not on the QB.

The starting QB has taken a LOT of lumps and is obviously a tough kid who gets up and keeps going.

Still, when one QB is being effective and one is not, go with the hotter hand. IMO, of course.

Again...there seems to be plenty of talent and speed on the field. How it's being utilzied is sometimes confusing and frustrating...particularly if you've followed the program for a long time and have expectations of a higher level of performance.

[PD24675]

I would like to know why Westlake never throw to any of the tall guys. They have a TE at 6'6" and a WR at 6'3", these guys get thrown to like once a game, if they are lucky. The shorter, the better I guess.

[trojanbacker]

Yeah, I've always thought it was the coaches--year in, year out, over the long haul--they're the ones that can make it go, & it's not just the hc; it's all of them. Good talent is nice when you can get it, but most shcls don't have enough talented players every season. I'd rather have good coaches yr. after yr. Then the players will look better, & the wins will come. Then the fans will come. That's the natural progression of things, it seems to me. That's just the way people are. I support my team even if they look sorry (sure is hard, though; I understand why fans desert a sinking team--I don't like it, but I understand it).

Definitely about coaching and their ability to get the most out of the kids they are dealt. Of course, it's nice to have huge numbers to draw from. Programs with 300 kids going out for football have a distinct advantage over those with a third that number.