3 Things Week 8

Every week after a Spartanburg Viking Football game, I’m going to put my thoughts here on the 3 Biggest things I took away from our game last Friday Night.  With that said, here are my thoughts on our Week 7 21-7 win over Boiling Springs.

1-I’m not usually big on time of possession.  It’s a stat that can be very misleading at times…HOWEVER…35 mins and 37 seconds vs 12 mins and 23 seconds is crazy.  The Viking Defense did not give up a TD in this game, yet was forced to create 2 red zone Turnovers to keep the score at what it was because the Bulldogs just kept moving the football.   It wasn’t the 3^rd down conversions that made the difference, it was the Bulldogs ability to win 1^st downs and create 2^nd and shorts.  What the Viking defense did so well though was make big tackles once Boiling Springs got past our 30 yard line.  I loved our effort  and RJ Estrich had another monster game including his 1^st career Varsity INT.  Give Tryon Duncan a tip of the cap because that young man was everywhere.  

2-Penalties, Penalties, Penalties.  12 more for 108 yards.  Pre snap penalties, personal fouls…listen I get the effort penalties.  I don’t mind those…but if we want to make a run in the playoffs, 12 for 108 in Game 8 has to be as bad as it gets the rest of the way.  

3-I know what you’re thinking…didn’t we win?  Yes..and I know the 1^st 2 takeaways may fool you…again give our Defense a ton of credit for how we played inside our 30 yard line and in.  I really want to emphasize just how well our run defense was inside our 30.  While Logan had his runs…the damage was done before Boiling Springs reached our 30 yard line.  Our Defense also forced 3 TOs, gave up only 110 yards passing and I was very proud of that group.  Let’s end on an Offensive positive as a big takeaway for me was how good RB Trenton Lynch was one again.  He didn’t break a 60 yarder to the house on the 1^st play of a drive like he’s done several times.  His long was 37 as he had 21 carries for 150 yards and a TD.  What he did so well in this game was grind and pound between the tackles.  He didn’t go down at 1^st contact and became a power back when he needed to be.  I also was very impressed with how Ruben Landrum ran the ball at the end of the game to close it out…he battled for some really tough yards.