Savannah’s defense prepares for challenge of Cameron’s flex-bone offense
By Calvin Silvers
Up in Savannah, Missouri, while it may not be homecoming, fans can still expect a thrilling atmosphere as they cheer on their Savages in a high-stakes MEC conference showdown against the Cameron Dragons.
Both teams have faced their fair share of injuries to key players and faced narrow losses, but this Friday promises to reveal which team can maintain discipline and focus for all 48 minutes.
The Savages enter Week 6 with a 3-2 overall record, including two consecutive wins that have built momentum heading into this week. Now, all eyes are on the Dragons, a team Savannah must prepare for with a unique strategy each year due to the Dragons’ flex-bone offense.
“We’re definitely not holding their record against them, they’re played a tough beginning of their season, tough schedule,” senior Jaiden Martinez said. “They’re going to live and die on their run game and that’s what our defense takes pride in is stopping the run.”
When facing a flex-bone offense, communication on the defensive side becomes paramount. Although the Savages have had limited experience against option offenses, they take pride in their ability to shut down the run game, a challenge they must continue against Cameron.
“It’s a unique week, I mean it’s the only flex bone team we see and they do it pretty well, so you have to play assignment football,” head coach Anthony Hays said. “We’ve done some drills where there’s no ball, we’ve done some drills where there’s three different footballs. We’re tackling everybody, you know, so it’s about discipline.”
With this change in scheme, the defensive players are adapting to new challenges. For Martinez, this has been loved by some and hated by others.
“Our linebackers and the D-line are loving practice, us corners, it’s kind of been a rough week,” Martinez said. “We’ve had to change a lot, change our alignment, what we read, our keys, we have to be more downhill, but it’s definitely been a different week in practice than normal.”
Shifting gears from defense to offense, the Savages suffered a setback with the loss of their starting quarterback earlier this season.
While they await his return under center, the offense has continued to focus on their always impressive run game, a success that begins up front with the offensive line.
“Coach (Cameron) Glenn came in and set up a hard nose emphasis for our o-line and they’re nasty,” Landon Noland said. “They get down low, they’re going to get up under you and they’re going to put you on your back, and that just opens up all types of opportunities for the skill guys.”
Both teams have experienced narrow defeats this season, one by a single point and another by just two. Instead of letting these close calls discourage them, they have chosen to keep fighting, finding their footing again.
“That one-point loss was tough, you know, the two point loss in our home opener was tough, they’re a punch in the gut, but we responded really well,” Hays said. “I’m really proud of that about this team. You’re going to take some on the chin in this game and it’s all about how you get back up.”
