Tiger Gameday – Week 1 vs GSL
Tiger Gameday – Week 1
Last Game: First Game of the Season!
Game Recap:The Tigers are coming off their 7th state championship with a win over Rocori in the Prep Bowl last year!
Current Record: 0-0
This Week’s Opponent: Glencoe Silver Lake (0-0)
About the Opponent: Love that this rivalry has returned! Last year was the first time for this rivalry in about 10 or so years, and glad to have it back in Glencoe tonight. The crowds and atmosphere are some of the best we’ll see in the regular season. The Panthers took a step forward last year under new coach Gary Kosek. The transition shouldn’t be as new as it was last year, so I expect more steps forward from this GSL team this year.
Key Hutch Players: Hutch’s returning players. Week one brings more mistakes than most weeks. New players come in who haven’t played much, or playing a new position. That lends itself to more mistakes. Those returning veterans that Hutchinson has like Nate Thode, Manny Pearce, Davontay Parker, Peyton Schumacher, and others…I dont’ expect mistakes from. If you played in a Prep Bowl game 9 months ago, a week 1 game shouldn’t rattle you. Lean on those veterans.
4 Downs/Storylines:
First Down: The Lines. Hutch has a few graduation holes to fill on the O-Line and D-Line this year. Sure there are some names in there we recognize, but there’s also some new names in there as well. How will they work together? Can they improve as the season goes? I’ll be honest this was on my list last year as well in week one and both lines we’re just fine. These guys can get there…but will they?
Second Down: “The Kid”. Hutchinson has a freshman Quarterback starting tonight in Graydon Rostberg. That’s a tall task for any freshman to step into a varsity football team and be the leader. Let alone a team that won the state title last season. One thing to help “The Kid”, is Hutch’s running game. Hutch brings back 1,200 yard rusher (in about half a season at RB) Nate Thode, plus a playmaker in Eli Croatt. And when Graydon does throw he’s got versatile back Manny Pearce and BIG target Peyton Schumacher to throw to. There may be growing pains with a Freshman…but Hutch has the pieces to be a POTENT offense again.
Third Down: Tackle. Hutch’s strength on defense should be their Linebackers and DB’s this season. When you play a GSL team, they’ll try and fool you a bit with fakes, different formations and the like. Just subtle little things to try and get a hole. Stay on your position…play good positional defense and tackle. That’s how you beat a GSL team.
4th Down/Quick Hit Keys: Last year Hutch won this game 46-8…GSL will feature a left handed starting QB, just a little different look for the defense…Week one to me is more about what YOU do as a team and not so much gameplanning for an opponent. I expect both teams will try and work on what they need to work on…Only 5 teams in the section this year so top 3 will get a bye at the end of th eyear (Hutch, St Peter, New Ulm, Marshall, Willmar) … And as long as we’re at it 4 teams in the district (Hutch, Becker, Rocori, Willmar).
