State Football Playoffs Devoid Of Defense

Four Darien High football players were arrested and later thrown off the team the day before their Thanksgiving Turkey Bowl with hated rival New Canaan for spray painting a blue "D" on a NCHS sidewalk and writing Blue Wave on walls.

It's the only "D" any state-wide scholastic football fans have seen during this post-season.

Montville's 55 points in its Class S quarterfinal win over Cromwell topped all 16 quarterfinal games ... but barely. New London (53), Brookfield (50), Masuk (49), St. Joseph (48), Ansonia (47) and Gilbert (41) all produced points you expect to see in a one-sided regular season game. There was only one classic defensive battle - Glastonbury 7, Staples 6 in LL.

The Montville-Cromwell game featured 1,000 yards of offense. Two backs, Montville's Tyler Girard-Floyd and Ansonia's Montrell Dobbs, ran for 320 and 347 yards, respectively.

Whoever coined the phrase "defense wins championships" wasn't referring to the first-ever CIAC football quarterfinals. Evidently, offense wins quarterfinals and defense still wins championships.

We football purists don't necessarily long for the days of Army and Notre Dame playing 0-0 ties in the '40s, but is it unreasonable to expect a little more balance of solid defense and offense in a playoff game? Some of these quarterfinals looked like summer passing leagues ... no contact allowed.

Here are a few reasons for the offensive explosion:

Turf fields

Many of the high-scoring games, including Montville and New London, were played on Field Turf synthetic surfaces. It's like playing football on a track. No mud, no high grass, just fast, fast footing. Unlike the old artificial turf fields that were concrete-like, Field Turf has a slight cushion of rubber beneath the turf, making it safer.

Add in the factor of 50-degree, slightly rainy weather, about the best you can expect for Nov. 30, and the conditions were ripe for offense.

"This is much better than playing on natural grass," Girard-Floyd said. "There's there is not high grass, you can run much faster. When you consider we play and practice on it, we feel very comfortable on turf."

Middletown High, the site of Montville vs. Ansonia in the Class S semis Saturday at 2, also has a turf field. With Dobbs (2,700 yards, 37 TDs) and Girard-Floyd (1,900 yards, 26 TDs) on display, those who enjoy fantasy football fireworks could enjoy the offensive gluttony.

Poor tackling, coverage

Tackling technique fundamentals suffer at all levels of football. NFL defensive backs reach and grab today. You see it every Sunday. Tackling isn't what it used to be on the high school level either.

While we realize wrapping up and taking down a 250-pound fast runner like Girard-Floyd compares to carrying a refrigerator up stairs, some Cromwell players wanted no part of that collision. One sideline official quipped, "They don't want to get hit by the big guy."

And while we marvel over Montville's Skyler McNair's cutback ability and moves, he made nearly impossible changes of direction to slice for 189 yards on 13 carries. Cromwell overpursued all game, creating cutback opportunities that McNair took. The preponderance of backs averaging 10 yards a carry for a season is alarming. Are these backs that great or is the tackling lousy?

Watching a video of the New London game, Platt made woeful attempts to contain the outside edge on punt returns, waving their arms at Whaler runners sprinting around the corner. Montville was confused and ineffective on pass defense, allowing receiver Josiah Simmons (160 yards) to roam free down the middle of the field like Jerry Rice in his prime.

"We've faced spread offenses throughout the season and have [defensive backs] who can make plays on the ball," Montville coach Tanner Grove said. "Tonight, I tip my hat to Cromwell. They exploited our zone coverage. It's something we'll have to work on."

Best players, more glory on offense

When you consider the quarterback and tailback are usually the two best athletes on most scholastic teams, the offense enjoys a talent edge. Some quarterbacks play defense, but not all. Girard-Floyd is one of Montville's best defenders at end - he caused Montville's only takeaway on an interception - but he doesn't play every defensive snap.

Few scholastic teams enjoy enough depth to employ two-platoon units, forcing the same players to log time offensively and defensively. It appears as if players are more fired up on offense to make Channel 3's highlights and the papers' statistical leaders.

Ansonia averages 38 points a game but allows 23. Do great teams allow nearly four TDs a game? Montville's scoring margin shows more dominance, scoring 467 and allowing 167. Perhaps only Xavier, ranked No. 1 in most state polls, is a team that carries a defensive profile in the state, allowing 90 to date.

All the best New London teams under Jim Buonocore prided themselves on a suffocating defense. Same with Bill Mignault's Ledyard champs. Montville has shown a relentless pass rush and shutdown defense at times, but the Cromwell performance frustrated Grove.

Expansion = Dilution

The CIAC playoffs, like anything that is expanded, shows a diluted product, adding eight teams to post-season this year. The more teams you add, the greater chances there are for a mismatch.

Great Players Make Big Plays

Perhaps we should simply chalk up the scoring explosion to a collection of great athletes that are well trained, strong and fast and unstoppable.

But the indelible impression remains ... the quarterfinals were devoid of defense. When you think of football's greatest teams: Lombardi's Packers, the "No Name Defense" 17-0 Dolphins, the "Steel Curtain" Steelers, "Doomsday Defense" Cowboys, '85 Bears, '86 Giants and Belichik's Patriots, they all boasted great defenses.

Now that we've whittled down the CIAC playoffs to the Sweet 16, let the hard hitting and the defense begin.