by Taylor Williams
June 1, 2010 - The Grace King Fighting Irish are similar to most other football teams regarding their staunch belief in a preseason scrub game. Scrub games are modified scrimmages whose main purpose is to enlighten the coaches on the current progress and problems actually occurring on the field. On May 21, at Joseph Yenni Stadium in Metairie, the Irish showcased a “coming out party” of sorts to school administrators, parents, and fans, in a heavily advertised “green vs. gold” game. Part of Coach Steve Ruckman’s promotional agenda, the green/gold game utilized a shortened field and improvised scoring system to facilitate scoring on both sides. But that stuff was just for show; the real purpose of the game was demonstrational. Grace King is coming off their worst season in recent history, and this game was a statement of change to everyone. Without getting too fancy with formations and play calling, the Irish offense under quarterback Curtis Sibley showed its multi-faceted spread configuration and didn’t hesitate to throw the ball and take shots downfield.
Sibley has a good arm though and some dangerous targets to throw to, particularly Le’Jeune Moye, and with some improved accuracy will be a major threat to backfield defenses. And while the passing game was (unsurprisingly) a little rough around the edges, the running game was consistently supportive. Maintaining that consistency will be instrumental to the development and progression of the passing game throughout the season. Defensively, the Irish showed the kind of poise and composure the coaches were looking for. Running a basic 4-3, the defense had excellent backfield coverage throughout the game and brought good pressure on the offensive backfield. The D line defended the option particularly well, which is arguably the toughest type of offensive football to neutralize. The defensive ends and linebackers showed good anticipation off the snap count (although there were no officials to call them off) and delivered their hits like it was October instead of May. Equally as important as the performance on the field, however, was the reaction from the stands. This is a pivotal year for the Irish, who are competing in a tough division against teams with established chemistry and confidence. But everyone in attendance was genuinely enthusiastic about the game itself, helped along in part by the powder puff/cheerleader scrub game that preceded the green/gold game. All part of Coach Ruckman’s innovative strategy to stir up the buzz around Grace King football and postulate a “clean slate” philosophy. When asked about their opinions after the game, school administrators readily agreed that it was one of the most organized and entertaining Grace King football events they’d ever been part of. And while the fact remains that it was just a lighthearted scrimmage, the fierce sounds of contact and competitive drive coming from the players were anything but casual. If they can tweak the imperfections and maintain the intensity, there’s no question that the Grace King Fighting Irish will be a much improved team this year.
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