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+---- Thread: *Waterdog Defenders Excite in Prospect Bowl (/showthread.php?tid=22883)
*Waterdog Defenders Excite in Prospect Bowl - Cincyfan96 - 06-09-2020
As scouts prepare for the DSFL draft tomorrow, a helpful set of games was played last night wherein new recruits got a chance to show their skills on the field for the first time. You can never put too much stock into a scouting game, but it certainly is a big indicator of where a player is and who they can be expected to be on the field. Big individual games were scattered throughout the night, with a few receivers cashing in on big gains and some gashing runs showing the speed of new RBs (or the lack of speed of opposing safeties), but a couple of defenders for the Waterdogs stood out most to me. Lining up at the linebacker position, Adam Schell and Alejandro Chainbreaker both had big nights, making big statements as draft night approaches. Below is a drive by drive analysis of their performances in their on field debuts.
Game one was came against the Chihuahua, who proved to have the most impressive offense of this tournament. In the first drive of the night, Schell quickly racked up 4 tackles while Chainbreaker added 1 and the Waterdogs were able to stop momentum in the red zone, holding the Chihuahuas to a field goal with a classic “bend but don’t break” style drive. Next came a quick 3 and out with a second down tackle for Schell. On the third drive, Schell made his sixth tackle. Chainbreaker was caught out of position and flagged for tripping on this drive, but quickly made amends with a 10 yard sack setting up a long third down that ended the drive. At halftime Schell had 6 tackles while Chainbreaker had 2 tackles and a sack. The second half began with another “bend but don’t break” drive for the Waterdog defense. Chainbreaker picked up a tackle while Schell had 2, including a huge tackle at the 1 yard line on 3rd and goal to force a field goal. The next two drives were both 3 and outs, with Schell picking up 2 more tackles and Chainbreaker picking up 1. Following this drive was another red zone stop for the defense, this time with two big tackles for Chainbreaker. This drive was followed by the defense’s worst drive, as Schell had 2 tackles and Chainbreaker had one, but a facemask by Chainbreaker allowed momentum to build for the Chihuahuas as they went down the field and scored a late TD to take the lead. Hampton’s offense came through, though with a late TD to put them up 5 and the defense shut the Chihuahua’s rally attempt down with a big sack by Schell forcing them to use up a lot of clock, resulting in the drive not being able to be completed. The clock ran out, and the Waterdogs celebrated a 17-12 victory in their first game.
This first matchup showcased Schell’s speed as he was all over the field. A 13 tackle performance was one of the best of the night and certainly brought him to the forefront early. Both Schell and Chainbreaker showed the ability to make big plays in big moments as Schell stuffed a would-be TD run on third down and they each had a sack that halted big drives. An initial concern arose for Chainbreaker regarding penalties and self discipline after this game, whose two penalties for 23 yards certainly had an effect on keeping the Chihuahuas in this game, but a resilience showed as after each penalty, he quickly made important stops for the unit. Overall, this was a solid first game for both players; I would give Schell an A and Chainbreaker a B in their first game.
Game One:
Schell - 13 Tackles, 1 TFL, 1 Sack
Chainbreaker - 7 Tackles, 1 Sack, 2 Penalties, 23 Penalty Yards
Game two came against the Iowa Corn – certainly the most clever team name of the evening, even if they did not perform up to the hype. This game started fast for Chainbreaker, as the first 4 drives by the Corn were 13 plays total (three 3 and outs and one first down combined) in which he racked up 4 tackles. After a TD drive by the Corn, Schell had two tackles and Chainbreaker had another as the defense rallied to stop their momentum. Three more quick drives by the Corn that went nowhere saw Chainbreaker with a sixth tackle and brought the rather dull first half to a close. The Corn came out of the locker room moving quickly and drove the ball down the field, but couple of key tackles by Schell along with a tackle and a big sack by Chainbreaker forced the Corn to settle for a field goal. The next drive was another three and out with a tackle by Schell. The Corn opened their next drive with a huge 27 yard play, but Chainbreaker shut down that momentum quickly with a big sack followed by a quick tackle by Schell which set up a third and long the Corn were unable to complete. After this drive came a missed field goal by the Waterdogs whose offense simply could not move the ball in the first three quarters of this game. However, Schell came up big following the miss with a first down tackle followed by an interception on second down, returning it all the way to the 5 yard line, setting up an easy TD for the Waterdog offense to put the team up for good. After another defensive stop for the Waterdogs, the team scored another TD, now in firm control of the momentum and unwilling to let go of the lead. If there were any doubt, on the next drive Chainbreaker pounced on a loose ball, recovering the fumble and getting the ball back to the offense. A final defensive drive ended with a turnover on downs and the Waterdogs won this first meeting 21-10.
This matchup for Schell showcased his playmaking ability. As his team came off the field after missing an easy field goal, Schell was overheard telling his kicker, “Don’t worry; I’ve got you,” as he headed onto the field. From there, it was his instincts that took over as he read the QBs eyes and cut off the opponent’s route getting a huge momentum-shifting interception for his team. This was clearly the play that changed this game and set the Waterdogs up to win. For Chainbreaker, it was a dominant tackling performance. While 9 tackles may not seem dominant, with the small number of plays the Corn ran against them, he was all over the field getting a tackle nearly every possession on the field in addition to pressuring the quarterback and picking up 2 big sacks in the second half. His quickness was also on display as he dove immediately into the pile when the ball came loose late in the game to get the ball back for his team and close out the game. Both players receive an A for their second performance of the night.
Game 2
Schell - 7 Tackles, 1 PD, 1 INT, 26 INT Return Yards
Chainbreaker - 9 Tackles, 1 TFL, 2 Sacks, 1 Fumble Recovered
Game three saw a challenge as the Chihuahuas clearly came in looking for revenge. The first two drives the Chihuahuas ripped through the Waterdog defense to score two TDs. Chainbreaker picked up a couple of tackles but the defense as a whole looked gassed to start this game. After the offense gave them a rest and scored a TD, the defense came out much stronger. Both Schell and Chainbreaker got a tackle as the defense got their first stop, followed by two 3 and outs as Schell picked up a sack and Chainbreaker had a third down tackle, leading to halftime. After the half, Schell had a big momentum stopping tackle on the first drive of the half as the defense held them in check. However, a safety by the Chihuahua flipped the game as the Chihuahuas followed it immediately with a long TD run that put them up and gave them strong momentum. The Waterdogs defense stood their own, though, forcing two stops with Schell picking up 4 tackles and Chainbreaker another 2 tackles as they kept this a one possession game for three straight drives. But in the end, the Chihuahua defense got a pick setting up an easy TD for their offense which essentially ended this game. Chihuahua win 30-17.
Scouts in this game got to see how Schell, Chainbreaker, and their teammates responded to being down in a game, and what they saw should have impressed them. After the Chihuahuas came out hot to start the game, each player had his share of big tackles to keep this game in check. Despite their offense only really moving the ball a couple of times, Schell and Chainbreaker continued to grind and push and fight for every play, showing a great level of effort and grit in a game that would have been easy to give up on, particularly after the safety and TD sequence by the Chihuahuas. Each player earned a solid B in this game.
Game 3
Schell - 7 Tackles, 1 Sack
Chainbreaker - 6 Tackles
Finally, the Waterdogs ended their night with a rematch against the Iowa Corn. The first half of this game was quiet, similar to their first matchup, with the Corn unable to move the ball and Schell and Chainbreaker each picking up a tackle in a series of short drives and limited opportunities. I’m sure they didn’t mind a bit of rest in this first half! The second half, however, was much more active for both players, Chainbreaker in particular. The first drive after halftime Chainbreaker picked up a tackle and the second drive Schell had one as they held the Corn to 3 points total on two drives where they moved the ball well. The Corn then got the ball with great field position, which Chainbreaker completely shut down with three great tackles to stop them form moving an inch and force a punt. The next drive saw two more good tackles for Chainbreaker as they held them to a field goal. The Corn, again moving the ball, were stopped on their next drive by a couple of Schell tackles and a sack for Chainbreaker, forcing them to attempt a long field goal which was no good. The Corn continued to try and claw their way back into this game, but a tackle by Chainbreaker and two tackles – one for a loss – by Schell shut them down again. Their next drive ended with a fumble picked up by the opportunistic Chainbreaker who was simply everywhere in this second half. Finally, with time running out, Schell got a tackle on what looked to be a long gain for the Corn and Chainbreaker ended the game with a sack as time expired. Waterdogs win 13-6 to end the prospect bowl 3-1.
This game was singlehandedly won by the defense, as they were forced to stay on the field nearly the entire second half, yet allowed only 6 points. Fighting exhaustion, Schell and Chainbreaker stayed in the middle of the action, making big plays when needed, and Chainbreaker in particular took over this game with 9 second half tackles, 2 sacks and a fumble recovery. For a pair of rookies making their debuts, by this last game they were standing head and shoulders above the competition and were one step ahead of the opposition the entire game. Schell earns another B for a solid outing and Chainbreaker get an A+ for the best half by any player in these four games.
Game 4
Schell - 7 Tackles, 1 TFL
Chainbreaker - 10 Tackles, 2 Sacks, 1 Fumble Recovered
Overall, these rookie prospects both gave teams a lot to be excited about. Schell was extremely consistent in shooting gaps and filling holes so that big plays were few and far between against this defense, particularly coming up the middle of the field. His coverage skills are also far more advanced than expected at this point, as he read the opposing quarterbacks extremely well and did not get burned by opposing TEs in coverage. He also showed his ability to make big plays when it matters most – highlighted by his interception against the Corn, but also shown by several big tackles on third downs to stop drives short of touchdowns, particularly in the red zone. He seems to have another gear when the moment matters the most and certainly was not intimidated by these first games.
Chainbreaker on the other hand showed incredible speed and instincts in his game, helping him to slip through the line several times to make big sacks. He seemed to always be right in the middle of the action when it mattered most and, as the night went on, his early recklessness which resulted in a couple of harmful penalties was channeled into a more appropriate aggression as he harassed the quarterback and leapt on a couple of loose balls to recover fumbles with abandon. The sky’s the limit for this kid; it’ll be exciting to see what good coaching and refinement of skills will do for him.
Overall Tackles TFL Sacks PD Int FF FR Penalty Penalty Yards
Schell - 34 Tackles, 2 TFL, 2 Sacks, 1 PD, 1 INT, 26 INT Return Yards
Chainbreaker - 32 Tackles, 1 TFL, 5 Sacks, 2 Fumbles Recovered, 2 Penalties, 23 Penalty Yards
It’s always fun to watch how new players will respond to their first time under the lights. For some, the moment is too big and the lights are too bright. Flashy high school and college careers only mean so much when everyone you are playing against has those same stats and records to their names. But some of these players, whether they are the ones we expect it from or not, prove to be something special. At this point in their careers, it’s all projection and educated guesses as we try to find the diamonds in the rough who will carry our franchises to new heights in the years to come. There will inevitably be busts who played well in these games but don’t have what it takes to make it in the DSFL and ultimately the NSFL, but there are certain traits I look for in a player that tend to translate well. Speed is extremely important as these players are about to step into a game that is faster and more complicated than anything they’ve experienced so far. Strength is a must to make big tackles, to not be pushed over by the huge tight ends and linemen at the next level, and to make game-altering hits as an elite defender. And finally, much less easily measured is what I call the winner’s DNA. This is the player who comes up big in the moments when the team needs a spark, who doesn’t give up when down in a game, who never turns in the towel until the final whistle, and who HATES to lose. At the end of these games, I walked away thinking, “these guys have got it.” I know if I was drafting tomorrow, I’d give each of them a long, hard look.
*Waterdog Defenders Excite in Prospect Bowl - mithrandir - 06-09-2020
The GMs were watching and were definitely impressed with what they saw! I think you forgot Chainbreaker's fumble recoveries in your final totals.
*Waterdog Defenders Excite in Prospect Bowl - Cincyfan96 - 06-10-2020
Good catch, Mith! I originally had tables but couldn't get them to transfer here. Must have left them off when I transferred it. Fixed now! Still working on cleaning up formatting for my media on here.
*Waterdog Defenders Excite in Prospect Bowl - DarknessRising - 06-10-2020
Yea unforuntately can't bring tables onto the forum but what people do is post the photo on imgur and insert the link as a link, that way it shows up in the article
*Waterdog Defenders Excite in Prospect Bowl - Cincyfan96 - 06-10-2020
Nice, thanks for the help! I'll try that out next time.