LJ FB: Week 3 Preview

From left, right tackle Tyler Eckermann (94), left tackle

Grant Miller (85), and Andrew Mitchell (47) go through

pregame paces with their coach before Blastoff

Sept. 5. (Photo by Ed Piper)

Coach Kyle Williams of Fallbrook High is, like La Jolla coach Jason Carter, in his second year of rebuilding a football program that spent a lot of time wandering in the wilderness.

In their wing-T offense, "We try to break the huddle and snap the ball in four seconds," said Williams, who was overseeing a weight training session at the time. "We do have 10 different guys carry the ball for us. Last year we only had four guys to feature."

He wasn't boasting, and he said the Sept. 12 tussle on the Warriors' turf will be a tougher challenge then what they faced so far in the first two weeks. "We've had a lot of success the first few weeks of the season. We have some returning starters."

Two things that opposing coaches do: One, they exchange film and watch their opponents to prepare for the upcoming contest. Two, they are unfailingly complimentary of the opposing coach and team in everything they say, because they aren't about to make a remark that can end up on the opposition's bulletin board as motivation.

Williams, following suit, said, "We know they're (the Vikings) going to be a good football team. It's their second year under Coach Carter. We know the challenge will be much greater than we've had previous weeks." Fallbrook (2-0) had little trouble with University City, 42-18, at home, and Serra, 55-0, away.

On what his Warriors have to do to have success at home Friday night against the Vikings (1-1), he said, "We have to do a couple of things. On defense, we have to stop the run first. We know they like to pass, but we have to stop the run.

"On offense, we know they clog the line with a lot of people. It's going to be difficult to break through that initial line, but if we can then we can get into open space."

The Vikings had difficulty establishing the run against crosstown rival Bishop's in the Blastoff game Sept. 5 to open the passing lanes. Stay tuned for a match-up of Division 3 teams. In the MaxPreps era of the last 10 years, La Jolla and Fallbrook have not met.


Copyright 2014 Ed Piper