Annandale Atoms Freshman(Va.)

[BUS36]

Rix...

I understand are coming but.... I never said that we could not develope to be our starter. Every coach looks at what he has and then teaches what is needed to be learned. High School everything has to be earned every position on the team. The ability of that player will be constantly be built up to become their best.We want these players to always return the following season, so teaching fundlementals is so very important.
Have you ever played football for an organized team like High School or College? I played high school and semi-pro, worked from being a walk on to starter... breaking down film, abilities and tendencies, so I can teach those to players to become better.

[BUS36]

Well, one more day of Week One of Training Camp for the Annandale Atoms Varsity Football team. I have been working on OL getting in new terminlogy and some new blocking assignments down. This year's Varsity (JV squad to be determined) squad has hit 72 total players....unfortunately more skilled than grunts. We are solid at LT,C and RG. Finding the right LG and RT and backups seem to be more projects than guarantees. It does seem we have the idea of who will fill those positions. The only thing is the Head OL coach and I have worked our tails off getting these guys confidence up to be starters.
Cause next week the freshman come in and then all my time will be with them. Our first scrimmage comes on Aug.25 and followed by another tune up game the following week. Then it is GAME ON...time to split the men from the boys and kick ass.

[BUS36]

Well here we go....
Week one done and, well, this maybe a long season. Our coaching staff has it's work cut out as our team right now has about 33 players(compared to 12 last year at the same time).
OL/DL has depth and size but retension is a problem..we can't go 5 minutes where guys can't remember their job. WHAT IS WORSE WHEN THEY MAKE A MISTAKE THEY STAND THERE AND LAUGH ABOUT IT.
Still no true starting QB, Every deep throw is hung out there so high it doesn't get there.One guys is getting there and is working to get better.
RB/LBs are pretty good but inconsistant with their play. LBs are tackling tohigh and not filling in gaps where they need to be.
In other words this season is a true work in progress.....
We start afternoon practices this week...more to come!!

[BUS36]

We are off to a very good start.....
9/8..Game 1: 36-0 victory over the Lewis Lancers. Led by a 5 Turnover Defense (2 INTs and 3 Forced fumbles) ( 2 TDs-INT Return, Fumble Recovery also a blocked FG) along with a Power Running game that took the wind out of the Lancers.
9/15..Game 2: 8-0 victory over the Thomas Edison Eagles. Ball Control on both sides had the clock running for most of the evening. An Eagles bad snap and fumble allowed the Atoms to punch in TD from the 1 yard at the start of the 2nd Quarter. Defense led the way by keeping the Eagles with a goal line stand in the 4th. Then the Atoms ran out the clock, starting at their own 5 and taking to the Eagles 5 eating up 7:30 minutes.
Atoms are 2-0 44PF 0PA
Next up Lake Braddock Bruins

[MikeWest502]

We are off to a very good start.....
9/8..Game 1: 36-0 victory over the Lewis Lancers. Led by a 5 Turnover Defense (2 INTs and 3 Forced fumbles) ( 2 TDs-INT Return, Fumble Recovery also a blocked FG) along with a Power Running game that took the wind out of the Lancers.
9/15..Game 2: 8-0 victory over the Thomas Edison Eagles. Ball Control on both sides had the clock running for most of the evening. An Eagles bad snap and fumble allowed the Atoms to punch in TD from the 1 yard at the start of the 2nd Quarter. Defense led the way by keeping the Eagles with a goal line stand in the 4th. Then the Atoms ran out the clock, starting at their own 5 and taking to the Eagles 5 eating up 7:30 minutes.
Atoms are 2-0 44PF 0PA
Next up Lake Braddock Bruins

The hard work is paying off, way to get them ready to battle. Stay humble, don't let the early success go to their heads.
That defense is playing pretty good huh, "shuttin em down"!

[BUS36]

9/22…..0-41 ass kicking loss… 0 first downs, 0 pass attempts, 0 ints or fumble recoveries. No momentum changes for the Atoms. NO Heart!!!! There was a handful of nice plays but way too few and none strung together.

[BUS36]

10/6......

After a bye week what looked like a very promising week of practice, shown that the lack of heart is the major problem.
Freshman Atoms were against the Mount Vernon Majors, first half the Atoms showed that they were ready for anything and jumped out to a 7-0 lead.

Then the heartless Atoms ahowed up for the second half....Mount Vernon returned the second half KO for a TD and got the 2point conversion. The Atoms then just gave up..no movement on offense an botched punt and a couple of collapses of the DL lead to two more scores and the Majors had a 24-7 lead.

[BUS36]

This weeks game went exactly the way we figured....a loss. This was one of the best teams in our conference..3 goaline stands, but 4 missed tackles lead to 24 points.
Offensively it was offensive...0 points and a handful of first downs and too many drive killing penalties.

[BUS36]

wednesday 10/26.. last game of the season
Record 2-4
Defense has played tough in games and Offense has been..well..offensive.
This was the hardest season I have had in coaching .... just grasping the fundelmentals has been a task on offense. The guys just have no way of fighting back. Linemen will standup to block and then turn around to see what is happening.Backs will hit the hole 50% of the time or just not run hard at all.
A quarterback that can't throw past 10 yards.
Defensively.. they have been tough until they have been out on the field for more than 75% of the game ( 8 minute Quarters ). But at times they have made great goaline stands.
The games we have won were the worst teams in our Division..I want to see if this game any player(s) have the pride to dig deep and play with heart.

[BUS36]

I will sum up this season like this....I am glad it is over!!
Final record: 2-5, won the first two games by a 42-0. In the 5 losses....Atoms scored 7 points to 150 against.
To say we got hammered is an under statement.
This group for the most part was a bunch of good kids, but they never grew up out of the Jr. High phase. I would say that 90% must have ADAH. Retention of plays and what to do was completely out the window. It was like we had bodies but nothing else. Now there was a few bright stars but even those guys were inconsistant from play to play.
Welll... I can say there is next year and a new hope.