Just left a 3 quarter game at a local high school with the score 56-21. One thing I did not know that I found interesting is that in the 3rd quarter, they were running a "turbo clock" . When a team has a big lead, the clock does not stop except for a score.
A second thing of note was that 33 players were listed on the local team, three quarterbacks, one offensive lineman, and twenty nine wide receivers!!!! There are about double that number who dress, but that roster listing is baffling.
A few of you from Ohio may be getting a notion as the Coach, who is in his fourth season, moved here from Kenton, Ohio, where, as he told me personally, his QB was second in the nation in passing yards ( I may not remember...it may have been first). He struggled here for 3 seasons looking for kids that could throw and catch as well as building a defense that could tackle (unlike the coaches at ND). His current QB now leads the nation in yards per game (don't ask me where that is listed, but several locals have told me this) and I believe he averages over 600 yds. per game. The kid is 6' 155lbs. and is as accurate of passer as I have ever seen up to twenty yards and the very best at swing passes and flanker screens, putting it perfectly to the receiver time after time, always in a tight spiral, and with accuracy most collegiate coaches would envy in their QB. He can throw it about 60 yds. but needs work on long ball accuracy). Watching him throw outs, screens, and swing passes to moving receivers was a thing to behold and he did it better than any ND QB of the past 12 years at least.
Coach's offense does not include any designed running plays. They throw every down....and score on the large majority of their possessions against the state's top competition....though that competition is not near the team level in OHio and Penn., let alone Texas, Fla., and Cal.
The team won maybe one game in Coach's first season, but is now ranked #3 and undefeated. The defense is now solid, not dominating, but good enough to be somewhat impressive with their tackling prowess, quickness, and swarming to the ball.
It is kind of a rags to riches story, and one with ND ties. One of Coach's sons played for Brian Kelly at Cincy and another was recruited big time by Kelly for ND but chose another direction....somewhat of a good thing for ND as it turned out. But one of the best parts of this story is that Coach is a cancer survivor, having been diagnosed a couple of years ago and still getting treatments while continuing, obviously well, his coaching duties He has influenced these kids and molded a winning team while battling his own problems, both on and off the field.
This should be enough information for any ND fan to know who Coach is. Congrats and all the best to Coach Mike Mauk.