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Bronco boss dissects win over Elgin

N.L. Hines forces a fumble by Leo Castro (84) who would make the recovery, but it was plays such as this that really shut down the Elgin Wildcat offense during the second half.

By MIKE GEORGE

Updated: 11.24.08

The Dayton Broncos advanced to the semi-regional round of the state playoffs last Friday night with a convincing 42-14 win over the Elgin Wildcats, but it didn’t start out that way.

“The game started out difficult,†said head football coach Jerry Stewart. “We were playing pretty good defense even though they slipped off on us with a formation or so, but we felt good about it – we just weren’t clicking offensively yet. We punted the ball more, earlier than we had and when that happens, you have to play good defense.â€

What the Broncos basically did was to allow some big plays during the first half, only to completely shut down the Wildcat offense in the second half. Elgin got one first down off a quarterback scramble and two more by penalty, but that was it, offensively for the Wildcats in the second half.

“We got caught down in the endzone area one time and stopped them, but then we turned around and let them return a punt on us that shouldn’t have happened and then let them break two runs, but after that, they didn’t have but 21 yards in the second half of total offense and our kids played really well.â€

A sign seen by coaches in the stands that night brought some additional comments by Stewart.

“This is the kind of game I was telling you before would drive you to picking flowers on the side of the road,†said the Bronco boss. “Someone even had a sign up last night: ‘how about them flowers, coach’ and I might be tempted to pick them one more time in my life – just stop that truck and pick some flowers. It takes a lot for me to be picking a flower – I don’t have that flower temperament so it’s really going to have to be something.â€

Stewart then went on to describe game day and the good feeling he had about the second-round game.

“Friday was a good day,†explained the coach. “The day had been going good for us and usually that’s an omen for me that we have a good day on that Friday. Then, we have a good demeanor going into that night, but then you have to remember that they came to play to. Like I’ve said before, this is playoff football and everybody’s got a goal they want to achieve out there. I give credit to the Elgin kids – they tried hard. We got after it and started performing offensively with A.J. (Dugat) and Cody (Green) kind of putting it on their backs, which they’re supposed to do and they did a great job. Our offensive line started doing a great job and we ran the ball, only throwing it 18 times in the game.

The coach explained something new that he’s never brought out before. Stewart gets a “feel†at times about the game and it’s something he’s always done. The revelation evolved while discussing some innermost thoughts about the game.

“It was a great crowd last night,†began Stewart. “You always have time to reflect as a head coach when you’ve been one for as long as I have. You stand down in the endzone, look down at the other goalpost and you reflect as to what’s going on. I’ve got a vision I look at before every game and if you’ve ever seen me leaning against the goalpost, I’ve got a vision that I’ve always seen. I’ve never told anybody what that vision was, but I’ve got a vision I look at that’s down there staring at me and then I always know I’m ready to roll. I see that vision every year at every game, and this is part of something even coaches need. I mean we’re always trying to motivate the kids, but there are times when you’ve got to motivate yourself and this is just part of it.â€

All that aside, to be blunt, for most of the first half the Broncos pretty much stunk things up in not playing the way they were capable. This, of course, did not go unnoticed by the Bronco coaching staff and Stewart dealt with it at halftime.

“We made a couple of adjustments at halftime,†said Stewart. “They were running an unbalanced set at us that we weren’t filling so we changed some things and moved some calls, and that was game, set, match – our kids started just tearing them off the ball, then. I tell our kids every time heading into a football game that you’re going to have some adversity. You’ve just got to fight through it. If you think it’s going to be smooth sailing through the playoffs, well that’s not happening. There’s going to be some adversity, and there was at first. We had to settle in on stopping them and we did.â€

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Reader Comments

Ret

Don't  know anything about Terry,but that they lost to BayCity 21-7 and Dayton spanked BayCity 35-7. I know in the playoffs on any given night any team can win.  If Dayton brings their "A" game and they will --- I predict a whole lot of purple in Terry's endzone!!!!      GO BRONCO'S--------

Well the team should have the video from last year and ya he was hurt the last couple of games.  Everyone needs to quit watching youtube videos and just let the team watch the film.  Im tired of parents and kids watching old youtube videos and getting their comments from there.  Like i said good luck yall really are going to need it!!!   ;D

  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    OK- since our season is going to end tonight and will need all the luck we can get , I assume you've seen us play or better yet watched videos of us -so which is it--

Nothing but good karma my friend ! Dayton's football program is a class act thats why we took a knee in the last two games ----go Bronco's--

Thanks Mr. Lionfan its a shame to great teams had to meet in the first round you guys put the fear in us --- and I was impressed with both teams  ---good luck and go Bronco's--

The posted article is already on the bulletin board in the Dewalt fieldhouse.

Thank God for over zealous fans and media.

GO LIONS BEAT DAYTON!!!!!!!!

                                                                                                                                                                Please.please Mr lionfan what will it take to break in the Dewalt fieldhouse tonight and confiscate that nasty Dayton Bronco article on the Bulletin board!  please,please just name your price??

Might be getting a little ahead of myself here not sure if Everman can make it that far but if they do I think Dayton rolls easily to a state championship way too much speed for anyone to stop.

good luck Broncos just curious have you guys thought about which company you will use to design you state championship rings?

I have heard balfour does a good job.

Sarcasm is great, but on a serious note....I have seen Everman play a couple times this year and they have as much speed as anyone in 4A....The only tough games I see them having in the playoffs before the title game would be round 2 against Aledo and the semi-final matchup.   

have you seen Dayton play  !!!

  Reverse Psychology will get you nowhere !!!

  Norest Forest has a relentless running game ,alot of misdirection stuff they keep you guessing and have dangerous speed.  There main weakness is they're a non-passing team. One of the  better teams Dayton played.

When Dayton makes  its run in the playoffs they will create a purple vortex of such magnitude that Channel 13 will think something is wrong with its doplar radar.  Then after getting swept up in the  purple fury of Bronco highlites  the political (sports) media will have no choice but to aline themselves with the truth and give credit where credit is due. (by then they will claim its was their idea all along)    ----- Resistance is Futile-----

lets not have dillusions of grandeur!!

As long as there is a 5A Houston area school in the playoffs, Dayton will be an afterthought.

  DON'T TAKE IT TO SERIOUSLY JUST HAVING A LITTLE FUN !!!

DAYTON #1------nuff said-----

Friendswood #3

When Dayton makes  its run in the playoffs they will create a purple vortex of such magnitude that Channel 13 will think something is wrong with its doplar radar.  Then after getting swept up in the  purple fury of Bronco highlites  the political (sports) media will have no choice but to aline themselves with the truth and give credit where credit is due. (by then they will claim its was their idea all along)    ----- Resistance is Futile-----

bump

bump

It would be another blowout ,but in Dayton's favor this time. We had nine starters not playing and we were still experimenting with our offense while our QB was working out alot of rust after missing last season due to a injury. We now have 4 of those 9 back and our defence and offence is coming togeather in a big-way!!! Its all starting to gel and were peaking at the right time. While you on the other hand are  struggling to eek out wins from week to week not to mention getting spanked by Angleton.  Lets see who goes futher in the playoffs.

I was at the  dayton/hill game  and from what I saw- BH had a decent team. They had good size,some speed and made alot of hard  hits and I never saw  them throw in the towel  when they new the game was out of reach. Really didn't see any coaching glitches either . Thus far Dayton is a team that can make really good teams look average and good teams look bad. The one good thing about loosing against a team like the Broncos -it raises the bar and makes you better!  Welcome to  4A ----

    Trying to be 99% objective,but I know minus 1 or plus 1% I could be a little bit subjective !  Ok then -This Bronco team is so much fun to watch ,my gosh AJ.DUGAT, CODY GREEN -such talant that small highschool towns only dream about once in a blue moon.( not to mention all the other talanted supporting cast)  Cowgirl I like your style -concise, condenesed and to the point!  TO MUCH PURPLE in the inzone. ( just a plain fact ! )    I see this team jockying for D-11 state finals>>>> While Lake Travis & Longview breath a collective sigh of relief that they dont get to tangle with the likes of the  Dayton BRONCOS !!!!

      ( YEAH-now thats the tickett )

Your right Dayton's defense isn't as good as last years -its shaping up to be even better !!! Did you see #42 against GP ?  He's a  proverbial monster on a mission . This year we have fewer players playing both side of the ball,were also bigger,taller, faster and deeper on both sides of the ball than last yrs impressive team. Two and out in post-season now that's funny !!!