The Santa Ana Star
All proceeds to go George Wright for some reason
OTTERS PRESEASON BRINGS MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS FOR COACHES
Many had hoped the conclusion of the NSFL preseason would bring some much needed answers to the Otters coaches and front office, but it seems to have left them with their heads scratching instead. The Otters began with two dominant performances against conference opponents, with the defense giving up just 6 points in two games. While the defense continued to perform well in the second pair of games, the offense couldn't control the ball and find the endzone enough, ending in games where the Otters had the opportunity to come back but didn't seem that interested. This may be attributed to coaches being more invested in testing the limits of their players than actually winning preseason games, but for fans who expected to be the premier team in the league a .500 finish must be a let down. What went right and wrong, and what do the Otters need to get back on track?
The Good
Defense: There's no denying the Otters defense can utterly dominate a game when they want to. The team gave up just 3 touchdowns in all 4 games and dished out an embarrassing performance to the otherwise sharp Scrub Kyubee in Baltimore. GM Hearst focused heavily on building a strong front 7, but he's also managed to put together a solid secondary behind it that has given up few game changing plays. Safety will need to be a priority down the line as the speedy Verns and Arthur can provide deep support in coverage but lack the power to contribute on the front end.
Run Blocking: The team has managed quite the feat. With Cliff Hamilton's recent announcement that he is converting from QB to OL the Otters have completed a line with 5 true starters across it. Add to that Tight End George Wright Jr. and you get a unit that expects pancakes and gets them too. "Winning in the trenches" is an age old philosophy behind a successful football team, but it remains to be seen if the Otters run-focused line can turn into production as many doubt the overall important of linemen.
The Bad
Rushing Average: The Otters highly touted running offense certainly got production, but it was more a factor of determination than efficiency. In the home stand against the SaberCats, top man Omar Wright ran 9 more times than his counterpart Vick Bowers, but gained 3 fewer yards. The Otters will need to solve this puzzle before week 1, or they could find themselves with a championship defense and nothing to back it up. Some think that the heavy demand on the RBs leaves them gassed late in drives, causing them to fall flat when they should be playing at their best.
Turnovers: While the Otters defense gave up just 3 touchdowns all preseason, the Otters offense added another 3 on top of that. It doesn't matter who you are, you simply cannot have your offense giving up that many points off turnovers. For young QBs trying to find their way in the league, a few missteps should be expected, but to build a ball control offense you have to actually control the ball and it's clear that the Otters receivers and QBs don't have this down quite yet.
The Ugly
Too Many Quarterbacks: The team had chased down QBs in the inaugural draft, ending with 6 if you count Anthony Petrakis who didn't necessarily expect to stay there. They had hoped to find motivated individuals who could battle it out in training camp and preseason, with the losers switching position. That held true for Petrakis, Devitt, and Hamilton but the Otters still find themselves with 3 QBs and holes in the roster that could have been filled with one of those draft picks. Tall and handsome Mike Boss seems to be the front runner, and between Ethan Hunt and Josh Bercovici it's too close to call, Bercovici managed to avoid interceptions in his limited playing time so that likely gives him the edge. The Otters may be stuck waiting for a trade or an expansion to relieve them of their extra man, but in a league where QBs are a surplus that may be easier said than done.
Drops: It was the tragic story of the Otters preseason that held them back on so many series. Key third downs in or near the red zone would more often than not end with a pass dropped and a field goal attempt. While kicker Brandon Walsh is certainly up to the task, the fans and the players alike were highly frustrated by the team's inability to find the endzone reliably. They will be a must-fix to any team looking to end the season as the league's first champions.
The Otters have all the right pieces on the team to make a run at the championship this year, but it's clear that they haven't solved the puzzle just yet. Will the coaching staff be able to make the adjustments in time for the season opener against the Outlaws or will this continue to be a work in progress throughout the season? Fans will just have to wait and see.
All proceeds to go George Wright for some reason
OTTERS PRESEASON BRINGS MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS FOR COACHES
Many had hoped the conclusion of the NSFL preseason would bring some much needed answers to the Otters coaches and front office, but it seems to have left them with their heads scratching instead. The Otters began with two dominant performances against conference opponents, with the defense giving up just 6 points in two games. While the defense continued to perform well in the second pair of games, the offense couldn't control the ball and find the endzone enough, ending in games where the Otters had the opportunity to come back but didn't seem that interested. This may be attributed to coaches being more invested in testing the limits of their players than actually winning preseason games, but for fans who expected to be the premier team in the league a .500 finish must be a let down. What went right and wrong, and what do the Otters need to get back on track?
The Good
Defense: There's no denying the Otters defense can utterly dominate a game when they want to. The team gave up just 3 touchdowns in all 4 games and dished out an embarrassing performance to the otherwise sharp Scrub Kyubee in Baltimore. GM Hearst focused heavily on building a strong front 7, but he's also managed to put together a solid secondary behind it that has given up few game changing plays. Safety will need to be a priority down the line as the speedy Verns and Arthur can provide deep support in coverage but lack the power to contribute on the front end.
Run Blocking: The team has managed quite the feat. With Cliff Hamilton's recent announcement that he is converting from QB to OL the Otters have completed a line with 5 true starters across it. Add to that Tight End George Wright Jr. and you get a unit that expects pancakes and gets them too. "Winning in the trenches" is an age old philosophy behind a successful football team, but it remains to be seen if the Otters run-focused line can turn into production as many doubt the overall important of linemen.
The Bad
Rushing Average: The Otters highly touted running offense certainly got production, but it was more a factor of determination than efficiency. In the home stand against the SaberCats, top man Omar Wright ran 9 more times than his counterpart Vick Bowers, but gained 3 fewer yards. The Otters will need to solve this puzzle before week 1, or they could find themselves with a championship defense and nothing to back it up. Some think that the heavy demand on the RBs leaves them gassed late in drives, causing them to fall flat when they should be playing at their best.
Turnovers: While the Otters defense gave up just 3 touchdowns all preseason, the Otters offense added another 3 on top of that. It doesn't matter who you are, you simply cannot have your offense giving up that many points off turnovers. For young QBs trying to find their way in the league, a few missteps should be expected, but to build a ball control offense you have to actually control the ball and it's clear that the Otters receivers and QBs don't have this down quite yet.
The Ugly
Too Many Quarterbacks: The team had chased down QBs in the inaugural draft, ending with 6 if you count Anthony Petrakis who didn't necessarily expect to stay there. They had hoped to find motivated individuals who could battle it out in training camp and preseason, with the losers switching position. That held true for Petrakis, Devitt, and Hamilton but the Otters still find themselves with 3 QBs and holes in the roster that could have been filled with one of those draft picks. Tall and handsome Mike Boss seems to be the front runner, and between Ethan Hunt and Josh Bercovici it's too close to call, Bercovici managed to avoid interceptions in his limited playing time so that likely gives him the edge. The Otters may be stuck waiting for a trade or an expansion to relieve them of their extra man, but in a league where QBs are a surplus that may be easier said than done.
Drops: It was the tragic story of the Otters preseason that held them back on so many series. Key third downs in or near the red zone would more often than not end with a pass dropped and a field goal attempt. While kicker Brandon Walsh is certainly up to the task, the fans and the players alike were highly frustrated by the team's inability to find the endzone reliably. They will be a must-fix to any team looking to end the season as the league's first champions.
The Otters have all the right pieces on the team to make a run at the championship this year, but it's clear that they haven't solved the puzzle just yet. Will the coaching staff be able to make the adjustments in time for the season opener against the Outlaws or will this continue to be a work in progress throughout the season? Fans will just have to wait and see.
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