Plant City 27 Manatee 32 FINAL

[gatorman001]

Plant City is playing extremely fast, having no trouble finding the edge on rushing plays and Mario Williams is the real deal.......Irone Jackson although he had a INT just before halftime, has had trouble all night keeping up with Mario. Manatee OC, whom I'm assuming is acting as the HBC since the actual HBC is suspended, I really have issues with his thinking Manatee is a team that specializes with its vertical game. You got big backs and a huge OL, lean on that smallish Plant City defense.....be physical and play action more running routes in the 5-15 yards range. I really feel the OC has no real feel or concept of calling a game.......just like last year he wants go vertical almost every other play

Manatee's playing like a team that has a ways to go, very slow and sloppy play all the way around. lucky its only 20-12 at half

 

[gatorman001]

Manatee comes back in the 2nd half to pull out a 32-27 win. Manatee should have been blown out the 1st half, with its generally sloppy and lethargic play. But 3 INT's by Plant City and Manatee finding ways to convert two 4th and long plays to keep drives going and by the 11 minute mark of the 4th QT, Manatee had it 1st lead of the game. Those gray jerseys are really hard to read, so I cant tell you who specifically stood out. The Manatee QB had a pretty good game, and Iron Jackson after having a less than spectacular 1st half.....I thought stood out in the 2nd half.

Plant City had a back that continually found ways to get to the edge for good gains. Mario Williams for Plant City was pretty much a non-factor the 2nd half. I still dont like the pass pass pass and more pass play calling by the Manatee OC, but a win is win is the bottom line! I think Manatee may have been also missing a few starters tonight, but because the jersery's are so hard to read I was never for sure about that.

Go Canes Go!

 

[twc2499]

Lets not be so critical of their performance until we put this game in better perspective. First off they where without their head coach Shakir due to suspension. And Manatee came into the game limping and banged up. Three offensive lineman Arizona St commit RT Charles Armstrong 6'6 300, LT Derek Mauice 6'3 297 and FR RG Andrew Morris 6'3 330 didn't dress. Manatee was forced to start two defensive lineman and one backup. Jr Cameron McCloud 6'3 255 started at LT. He was on the JV team last year and was suppose to start at DT. Tuesday was his first reps at that position. The plan was to run the ball with their big backs but had trouble doing so. Manatee ran the ball much better the second half.

Manatee defense is replacing 7 starters and was also missing three. And because of all the position changes didn't have any depth, and along with not being able to get off the field they were gassed! After being down 20-6 at one point. Manatee held Plant city to just seven points the rest of the way. Yes, it was not pretty at times, but the kids never gave up and played hard. On the road and with all of the last minute adjustments it wasn't a bad performance. Next week at home against Kathleen. Should see a big improvement! hopefully can get some kids back and healthy!

 

[gatorman001]

I wasn't critical of the team, maybe of the play calling but not of the team. There wasn't anything I covered that couldn't be attributed Manatee playing its 1st game of the season. Regardless of the my reality based perspective or your rose colored glasses perspective, we both enjoyed the bottom line "A Manatee win".

I indicated the possibility of missing starters.I mentioned the Manatee HBC was suspended. I mentioned which 2 players I thought stood out and apparently the coaching staff agreed with me, when they posted their 3 MVP's on Maxpreps today. Two of the three they selected were the same players I identified. Don't be so quick to be critical of what I post about the game, I was pretty pleased to see them come back the way they did!

Things that concerned me were 1.) The ability of Plant City to get to edge on rushing plays the entire game 2.) The kicking game (particularly the PAT's) 3.) The in general sluggish play, which I feel is something that will work its self out as the season progresses

Go Canes Go!

 

[Neutral 0bserver]

Manatee will defney win a state title this year. Fine a pencil and mark-it down somewhere. It's a lock.

 

[gatorman001]

There you go again with the ominous "find a pencil" instruction again....................

 

[Bradentonian]

State bound!