Scheme change for Marble Falls football requires time

CAPTION: Marble Falls senior receiver Kole Becker has emerged as the Mustangs’ deep threat thanks to his great speed and reliable hands. Photo by Stennis Shotts

The Marble Falls High School football team enjoyed a bye last week that allowed coaches to watch Stephenville beat Lampasas 42-31 and Brownwood defeat Burnet 31-30 in overtime.

The Mustangs (2-6, 0-2) will welcome the Badgers Friday, Nov. 1, before going to Brownwood Nov. 8 to end the regular season. Kickoffs are set for 7:30 p.m.

Stephenville (7-1, 2-0) is alone at the top of the district standings followed by Lampasas (7-2, 2-1), Brownwood (4-3, 1-1), Burnet (5-4, 1-2) and Marble Falls.

Though Marble Falls had a bye, head coach Keri Timmerman noted they still had several days of practices as they look to snap a four-game losing streak. And they still have a shot at a playoff berth.

He noted the players understand “the importance of practices. They’ve been good.”

That’s where they continue to develop their skills and utilize every minute to get better. The reality is that a scheme change requires the players to do more than make simple adjustments, especially in a program that had been operating under a different system for five years.

Timmerman is making the most of every minute of practice. When the Mustangs didn’t field an onside kick properly during the loss to Jarrell Sept. 6, they spent part of the Sept. 9 practice going through the specifics to properly field it.

The truth is there’s a lot to learn that takes time.

“We’re grasping how to run a route with hand placement and ball placement,” he said. “Going backward is different than going forward. It’s hard to get all those things developed and change scheme.”

The coach believes it’s easier for the youngest players — those who aren’t upperclassmen — because of age.

“The older kids are starting to break habits,” he said. “They’re staying with it. It’s a lot of new — new coaches, new system, new district.”

One big difference between football and other sports is simply the amount of knowledge each position requires. While some can say a couple sports are games of reaction where players simply move according to where the ball is located, football needs more.

Every player, no matter which side of the ball, has a unique responsibility according to the play that’s called. That player must have the proper footwork, hand placement and know his role that includes where to go and who to block or fight through to make a play before the ball is snapped.

That explains in part why each position group has his own coach. In short, there’s so much to point out and teach that it seems near impossible to think one coach can teach it all.

Throw in a different scheme that doesn’t resemble the old one, and that requires more teaching and repetition for the players to get it. Add in injuries and that some athletes aren’t available to play, and the hurdles just got higher.

“And you have so few games it’s really difficult,” Timmerman said. “That makes it harder to come in in any game. Development takes time.”

He noted that in other sports, simply getting on the court is beneficial because a jump shot or forehand or kill is the same, whether that’s in a district contest or a pickup game. Even in football’s most well-known version of a pick-up game — 7 on 7 — offenses are using plays from their passing attack and defenses are calling for specific plays.

And Timmerman recognizes each Mustang best learns and implements differently. Some may best get it by doing whiteboard work where they draw it out or watch film where they can see it or be on the field where they can rep it. The program uses all of that to teach. Timmerman said it’s around six hours a week.

“It’s a different mindset,” he said. “Because of how much scheme football entails, it’s just different. It requires so much more.”

CAPTION: Junior running back Joaquin Aguilar continues to lead the Mustangs’ ground attack. Being unafraid of contact is a big part of his game. Photo by Stennis Shotts