TCA at OTC Round 2
- Thread starter Fan 74
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Very interested in this one, and I think it will be a great game. In my opinion, TCJax is playing well right now on both sides of the ball. They are, however, very penalty prone and tend to get silly penalties. That needs to be cleaned up or it could prove disastrous against a good team like OTC. As far as the game goes, I think TCJax matches up with anyone in 3A as far as talent is concerned. OTC is always well coached by Brantley, and normally plays well in big games. I think this game comes down to the ability of OTC's O line to stand up against Trinity's D line and Linebackers. Running the ball this year against TCJax has proven almost impossible for most teams, but if OTC is able to protect their QB and give him time to throw, it could prove to be a problem for JaxTC. I'm sure OTC has an array of screens prepared to deal with the pressure that JaxTC normally brings. My gut tells me that JaxTC wins a close one, but I always have an uneasy feeling about OTC and Brantley. At this point I'll go with TCJax 28, OTC 20.
Boy, if my old bones can stand another night of cold, as they did for 3 quarters against Providence, then I will be enjoying the game Friday at Celtic Field. The weather man is saying a high of 70 degrees for Friday with a cooling off to about 60 or a little lower at game time. So, maybe we can all escape frostbite.
Anyway, let me try to give my opinion on the positives and negatives of this Celtic team for 2014. I cannot comment on TCJax as I have not yet seen them play.
The positives are:
* Much improved team from the 2013 team. No real comparison between the two teams.
* Much much bigger team physically than in 2013. Huge offensive and defensive lines. Big athletic LBs.
* Excellent QB and another excellent backup QB. That position last season was..........well, what can I say.
* Experienced receiving corp led by one of the better ones Sr Richie Denicola. Mr. Sure Hands.
* One of the best RBs the Celtics have ever had, Sr London Gaskin and two other competent RBs
(Gaskin did not play against Providence due to a team infraction)
* An offensive line that is finally clicking on all 8 cylinders.
* One of the most competent coaching staffs in the business.
Now for the negatives:
* Although our Sr QB is very good this is only his first year playing football. He didn't play any football in 2013.
* Except for London Gaskin I don't think we have the speed on offense that we normally have.
* We do have a kicker. But, he is not experienced enough for any long field goals.
* Just like TCJax, OTC is prone to penalties due to the player's over zealousness.
* I think that OTC may have an offense that is a bit too complicated for a HS team although they do their best.
Since I know little about TCJax, except that they won it all last season and don't seem to have lost a step this season, I cannot give any type of prediction. I can say that, with the exception of Buford and IMG, this will be the toughest and best team that they have faced by far. This OTC team is not the team they defeated 46-17 in last year's playoffs. That team was not good enough to challenge TCJax. This team is.
Proset : thanks for the info on the Celtics. I always have had a great amount of respect for the Celtics and the way they play the game. TC's schedule has really been brutal this year. Buford and IMG are both great teams that are ranked very high nationally, and rightfully so. Trinity's remaining schedule outside of these two teams also featured some very good teams that are still playing in the playoffs (Godby in 5A and Madison County in 4A). Trinity was fortunate enough to win both of these games.
As far as TC this year.. here is my take on the Conquerors:
- The defense is extremely tough to move the ball on, especially on a long field. The Defensive Line is big, athletic and runs to the ball very well for 280-300 pound guys. TC is tough against the run. The linebackers are all in the 220-235 pound range and are very active. The DB's are also very good with the #9 ranked safety in the country and the #1 ranked corner in the country in Tolliver (if he is able to go after missing the last two weeks with a knee injury).
- The offense is a work in progress in my opinion. During the last number of weeks, TC has really worked on the passing game which is starting to pay off. Sophomore QB Cobb threw for almost 400 yards and 6 TD's last week against Maclay, mostly in the first half. The RB position features up to 4 backs in a rotation.
I still think this is one of the top games in the state this week and is a complete toss up. OTC has some really good players that jump out at you on film. The LB's are very, very good and the RB is a special player. It will be interesting to see how OTC's OLine and QB hold up to the pressure from TC's front seven in this one. They will be unlike any group that OTC has seen this year. In my opinion, that may determine the outcome of the game.
As far as TC this year.. here is my take on the Conquerors:
- The defense is extremely tough to move the ball on, especially on a long field. The Defensive Line is big, athletic and runs to the ball very well for 280-300 pound guys. TC is tough against the run. The linebackers are all in the 220-235 pound range and are very active. The DB's are also very good with the #9 ranked safety in the country and the #1 ranked corner in the country in Tolliver (if he is able to go after missing the last two weeks with a knee injury).
- The offense is a work in progress in my opinion. During the last number of weeks, TC has really worked on the passing game which is starting to pay off. Sophomore QB Cobb threw for almost 400 yards and 6 TD's last week against Maclay, mostly in the first half. The RB position features up to 4 backs in a rotation.
I still think this is one of the top games in the state this week and is a complete toss up. OTC has some really good players that jump out at you on film. The LB's are very, very good and the RB is a special player. It will be interesting to see how OTC's OLine and QB hold up to the pressure from TC's front seven in this one. They will be unlike any group that OTC has seen this year. In my opinion, that may determine the outcome of the game.
These are all great comparisons, TCA has 17 Div I athletes on their team, that is more than live in the Ocala area. TCA should never lose a game with those dudes. I am not sure the Gators could hold up against that front 8 on defense for TCA or the All American secondary. I don't understand how anyone has scored.
Great point. I assume a lot of these young men are talented but may not all be on the same level (Grade wise and skill wise) as of yet. Still a lot of growth needed by TCA to match the media hype. I am sure OTC will have as many skilled players on the field on Friday night. TCA defense plays the run better than the pass IMO. Still going to be a great game. Both teams have speed and size. OTC reminds me of Buford in their fundamentals and size. A team (TCA) can have a lot of talent but if they don't play on the same page then it don't matter.
This post was edited on 11/20 5:45 PM by Fan 74
This post was edited on 11/20 5:45 PM by Fan 74
You are probably 100% correct. Yes, TCA has a very formidable team. However, OTC has played many formidable teams down through the years. Most of the higher classification teams that they play have many more D-1 players than OTC has. In fact most of the time OTC doesn't have one D-1 player on its roster. This year I think they have at most 3 D-1 players. More than they have ever had.
It is true that TCA has played Buford, IMG, Madison, and Godby. These are all excellent teams. OTC has not played as tough a schedule this season as has TCA, although in the past OTC has played very tough schedules and also went undefeated.
IMO, this game will come down to how well TCA is able to cope against a good Pro-Set offense. OTC has one of the best passing offenses in 3A which many teams can't handle. If the passing opens up then the running game will be possible. RB London Gaskin has not yet been stopped, even against CCC and Jesuit.
That being said, it will all just be talk if the Crusaders are just a better team and muscle the OTC line of scrimmage. If the OTC OL cannot do a credible job against the vaunted defense of TCA, then not much of anything will work and they will lose.
For someone who is supposed to be the biggest supporter on this board for OTC you seem to have a very limited knowledge of the program.
1. This OTC team has 4 seniors with division 1 offers, one junior with multiple offers, and one sophomore that is getting a decent amount of attention from big schools. This is all to my limited knowledge there could possibly be more than this.
2. OTC has never had a team with only one division 1 player since they won their first state championship.
3. Even if your number of three division 1 guys for this year was correct that would not be the most because the 2008 team had five, the 2009 team had four, and the 2005 and 2006 teams had at least 3.
While none of these teams come close to the amount that TCA has this year I just thought we should get our facts straightened out.
1. This OTC team has 4 seniors with division 1 offers, one junior with multiple offers, and one sophomore that is getting a decent amount of attention from big schools. This is all to my limited knowledge there could possibly be more than this.
2. OTC has never had a team with only one division 1 player since they won their first state championship.
3. Even if your number of three division 1 guys for this year was correct that would not be the most because the 2008 team had five, the 2009 team had four, and the 2005 and 2006 teams had at least 3.
While none of these teams come close to the amount that TCA has this year I just thought we should get our facts straightened out.
Proseteye,
I understand the point you're trying to make, and feel this will be a great game regardless; however, I wouldn't compare CCC or Jesuits defense to TCA's. CCC has a decent 3A defense that is competent for what they are but you'd be hard pressed to find anybody that would start or even be a backup at TCA. They put all of their athletes on offense and just try to score 50 points a game. JaxTCA has a great defense that keeps them in games against National Powers. In their games against Buford and IMG, JaxTCA had issues on special teams, not so much the other teams moving the ball up and down the field.
That said, I agree- OTC's offense is extremely solid this year. For my money, this is the best match-up in 3A and a top match-up in the State this week. If you're in the area and your team isn't playing anymore, this needs to be at the top of the list of games to go to.
I understand the point you're trying to make, and feel this will be a great game regardless; however, I wouldn't compare CCC or Jesuits defense to TCA's. CCC has a decent 3A defense that is competent for what they are but you'd be hard pressed to find anybody that would start or even be a backup at TCA. They put all of their athletes on offense and just try to score 50 points a game. JaxTCA has a great defense that keeps them in games against National Powers. In their games against Buford and IMG, JaxTCA had issues on special teams, not so much the other teams moving the ball up and down the field.
That said, I agree- OTC's offense is extremely solid this year. For my money, this is the best match-up in 3A and a top match-up in the State this week. If you're in the area and your team isn't playing anymore, this needs to be at the top of the list of games to go to.
I don't know what your point is. I never said that I was an expert on the Trinity Catholic team. I am just a long time fan and attend the games. Most of my observations are at the games and what I read about the team. Maybe you have inside knowledge and that is great. Maybe you could give us the benefit of your vast knowledge about the team and name the D-1 players on each of those teams including this year's team instead of finding fault. There is a proper way to disagree with someone and then there is your way.
I apologize for not going about it in a more polite manner sometimes I can be a little confrontational. Anyway the 2005&2006 teams had Brantley, Dion Lecorn, and Antonio Allen(was not able to go to South Carolina right away because of academic reasons). 2008- Rob Henry, Kadron Boone, Kedrick Rhodes, Dionte Ponder, and Chris Johnson. 2009- same as 2008 minus Rob Henry.
I understand and do not take most things to heart. It's that time of year and we all get somewhat confrontational. HS football is in our blood.
Actually I don't believe that Rhodes, Ponder, and Johnson were D-1 drafts. Maybe D-2 or D-3. The rest were D-1. There also were a couple of OTC players drafted to West Point and the Naval Academy, to include a couple of Ivy League schools. which I believe are D-1 schools. The point I was really trying to drive home is that OTC normally does not have anywhere near the D-1 talent that many of it's opposition has, yet they always seem to be in the thick of things including 4 trips to the championship game.
I think they will do fine tomorrow night against one of the best football teams in the state of Florida. Win or loose OTC will be competitive.
It's supposed to be 56 at game time and 54 at 10 pm. Clear and cool. The perfect football weather. Not as warm as the fans would like, but not bitter cold like it could be. Friday during the day will be in the low 70s so should warm things up for awhile.
Jessica,
I have no illusions about this game. OTC is simply playing one of the best teams in the state of Florida tomorrow night. OTC does have a team this season that is light years better than last year's team. Whether that being the case will matter, I'm not sure. The Celtics seem to play really good teams really well. And, they could surprise everyone. Joe Pinkos only has TCA by 3. So, maybe things will happen. In the words of one famous announcer, "Lets get ready to rumble".
Right down the street from the OTC stadium is SR 200. At least 1,000 eating places on 200 maybe more.
If you like good Indian food there is the Amrit Palace. My wife and I eat there quite a bit and they serve authentic Indian food. The prices are reasonable and it's a very comfortable restaurant. As you are coming from Jacksonville on 301, 301 becomes 441, you turn right on SR 200 right after dwondown Ocala. You go a couple of miles on 200 and Amrit Palace will be on your right. If you are coming by way of I-75 then you will turn left at the exit for SR200. The Amrit Palace will then be on your left after a couple of blocks.
Of course there is every restaurant known to human kind on SR200, Take your pick.
Amrit Palace
If you like good Indian food there is the Amrit Palace. My wife and I eat there quite a bit and they serve authentic Indian food. The prices are reasonable and it's a very comfortable restaurant. As you are coming from Jacksonville on 301, 301 becomes 441, you turn right on SR 200 right after dwondown Ocala. You go a couple of miles on 200 and Amrit Palace will be on your right. If you are coming by way of I-75 then you will turn left at the exit for SR200. The Amrit Palace will then be on your left after a couple of blocks.
Of course there is every restaurant known to human kind on SR200, Take your pick.
Amrit Palace
Rhodes signed with FIU. Ponder signed with Troy. Johnson signed with UF. And ofc they don't have the amount of D1 talent as TCA not very many teams do wasn't disagreeing there.
This post was edited on 11/21 3:26 PM by boknowsdidley
This post was edited on 11/21 3:26 PM by boknowsdidley
At the half. OTC 10 to 7. OTC looks to be the more aggressive team. OTC O line is keeping TCA D away from QB. #7 for OTC is open almost every play. He is clutch also. OTC D came to play. Speed to the ball. TCA has to catch the ball on O. OTC special teams, punter and FG kicker are on their A game. OTC punter killed it within the 5 yard line 3 times. Twice at the 1. Gonna be a dog fight 2nd half. I give OTC upper hand in this one. Penalties on both teams have slowed their offenses down. TCA hurting theirselves on delay of games. OTC seems more prepared tonight. Hopefully TCA comes out in 2nd half with a plan.
10-7 Trinity Catholic at the half. 14-10 Trinity Christian until less than a minute left in the game. Trinity Catholic driving for the win. A pass is intercepted by Trinity Christian and returned for a TD as time expired. Two evenly matched teams and the best in 3A. The Conqueror's defense is as advertised. So is the Celtic's. Congrats to the TCA team and fans. You have quite a team, to say the least. I'm sure that this will be the team that wins it all once again this year.
CCC lost Jeff Smith and CJ Cotman for the season, so it'll be a running clock for American Heritage.
So, JaxTCA vs American Heritage. That will be an amazing high school football team.
So, JaxTCA vs American Heritage. That will be an amazing high school football team.
Hate to hear about smith and Cotman. Great players that CCC would have needed to have in order to even hope to stay with AHDelray. To be honest, I'm very surprised that mooney was able to hang with CCC at all. Best wishes to CCC's players for a speedy recovery. As far as the OTC vs. TCJax game last night, it was a really good high school game. OTC came out strong and really gave TCJax all it could handle. In the the second half, the TCJax defense we are used to seeing showed up and held OTC to 3 first downs for the half and helped TCJax out score OTC 13-0. TCJax's DE and LB's were just too much for the OTC line in the second half, and in one crucial spot in the game sacked the OTC QB on three straight plays. The game really could have gone either way and OTC proved itself to be a great football team. PROSET was spot on with his assessment of OTC and we are just happy to still be playing after facing the team we saw last night. Enjoyed the game at OTC and was very impressed with the Celtic fans, team and facilities.
CCC @ Mooney was a great game...CCC was very fortunate to get the win. Jeff Smith is CCC's whole team, their offense literally went backwards in the 4th quarter when he went out of the game. I expected to see a much more well rounded team. Cotman is a player and will no doubt get more touches next season without Smith there but Smith will be impossible to replace...he is that good.
TCA and OTC sounds like it was a great game, I expected a close game- but it sounds like the front 7 for JaxTCA made the differerence. I don't think JaxTCA will have much of an issue with Lakeland Christian. LCS has a 5 year starter at QB (He started for LCS in 8th grade). But, LCS hasn't seen the physical play of JaxTC.
JG23, Congrats to your Cardinal Mooney Cougars on a really solid season this year. I heard you guys gave CCC everything they wanted and then some- I also heard it came down to a WR dropping a wide-open touchdown pass to win the game. Hope the kid doesn't beat himself up to much.
JG23, Congrats to your Cardinal Mooney Cougars on a really solid season this year. I heard you guys gave CCC everything they wanted and then some- I also heard it came down to a WR dropping a wide-open touchdown pass to win the game. Hope the kid doesn't beat himself up to much.
TCA's front 7 will have to control the game against LCS if they throw the ball. I thought last nights game at OTC still came down to the last 10 seconds even with TCA's front 7 having the upper hand in the 2nd half. If LCS has time to throw it will have a chance to be a shoot out.
By the way it was a great atmosphere last night at Celtic Field. Field, Fans and Facility is First Class.
By the way it was a great atmosphere last night at Celtic Field. Field, Fans and Facility is First Class.
I haven't seen any video but I can tell you that it looked like a catch to everyone on both sides in live action...except one line judge obviously. I don't know what happened but there weren't any defenders near him. It wasn't a super easy catch though, but still one that should be made. If Mooney's young Oline were a little older and more physical the game ends differently, but it was pretty awesome nonetheless.
I've found that Trinity Catholic's venue is the best I have been to and I have been to many HS stadiums. The players, coaches, students, and fans are all first rate people. That is the reason that I picked the Celtics as my team over 11 years ago and have stuck with them ever since. Appreciate the kind words, Fan74 and here's hoping that you guys take it to the house in Orlando.
This post was edited on 11/23 12:04 AM by ProSetEye
I agree with Peezy. CCC is going to have a stronger defense next year as they bring back most of their key guys. I've also heard from some CCC fans they might move CJ to WR, Rashaad Steward to RB and one of the Newton kids to WR- they still have 3 huge guys on the O-Line led by Adam Samee. In other words, they have all the pieces needed for another strong run (pending reclassification), they just need a QB. I've also heard that the Newton brother that isn't the WR can sling the football and has tremendous speed. If that turns out to be true and the Marauders get a few transfers, they'll make another strong run next season. As good as Smith is, the core of the team is Sophomores and Freshmen right now.
My point is this...if you're a QB in the Tampa area..and you can throw the ball to CJ Cotman, the Newton kid and the Scargle kid with a good Offensive line in front of you in John Davis's offense? Yeah, somebody is going to show up and step right into that void. Will they be Jeff Smith? No, they don't need to be either with those guys at WR.
Without Smith and Cotman, CCC just doesn't have a shot in this one against Heritage, they are wayyyy to young to do much against a senior laden Heritage team without those 2 guys. But, I'm thinking the 2015 version of CCC is going to be a much more complete team top-to-bottom.
My point is this...if you're a QB in the Tampa area..and you can throw the ball to CJ Cotman, the Newton kid and the Scargle kid with a good Offensive line in front of you in John Davis's offense? Yeah, somebody is going to show up and step right into that void. Will they be Jeff Smith? No, they don't need to be either with those guys at WR.
Without Smith and Cotman, CCC just doesn't have a shot in this one against Heritage, they are wayyyy to young to do much against a senior laden Heritage team without those 2 guys. But, I'm thinking the 2015 version of CCC is going to be a much more complete team top-to-bottom.
Maybe I was wrong... IF the below is true and not a Belichek deflection CCC will get beat worse than they did against University 2 years ago
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CCC coach John Davis said he's 95 percent sure @CotmanCj will not play at all. Both have sprained ankles.0 replies1 retweet0 favorites
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CCC coach John Davis said he's 95 percent sure @CotmanCj will not play at all. Both have sprained ankles.0 replies1 retweet0 favorites
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