Neshaminy co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Neil French is familiar with both North Penn and St. Joe’s Prep, and he breaks down Saturday night’s PIAA 6A Semifinal/Eastern Final pitting a pair of teams ranked in USA Today’s Super 25.
SuburbanOneSports: What does a moment like this mean for a football program?
Neil French: I think the key word here is program. There are other schools that make a run once in a while but they are not programs of the nature you will see Saturday night. When you look at the North Penn coaching staff and see the names Laky and Raffle, it tells you all you need to know. They have experienced this moment both as players (‘03) and coaches (‘11). Great players returning to their program as coaches is a reflection of the experience they had and now want for those they are coaching. This type of environment exists on Girard Avenue as well. There were at least thirty former SJP players in lettermen jackets on the sideline at Northeast on Saturday. A number of them looked more excited than the players on the field. These examples are a credit to what Dick Beck and Gabe Infante have built. This game in no way defines either program. SJP has won two of the last three state titles. North Penn has been to Chocolatetown twice before. Their stature as big time programs is long cemented. Having said that, it is also what makes this game so special. The history matters.
Both coaches have tasted this before and want very badly to take a new group of players and families along for the ride. They also fully understand the positive impact it can have on a young person’s life. The players are trying to hang a banner, earn respect and become a permanent part of the conversation at their school. More importantly, they will be desperately working to capture seven more days to do what they love to do with their friends. Football is unique in the sense that you can only do it when you’re doing it. There’s no travel or AAU football in the offseason. Every day is precious. The biggest prize for winning this game is more time for your program to live and breathe in 2016.
SuburbanOneSports: What is the biggest challenge for a coaching staff during a week like this?
Neil French: Managing emotions will be crucial for both head coaches this week. That includes both players and assistant coaches. Hershey is so close now you can smell the cocoa. On the other hand, it might as well be a million miles away. There is a fine line between excitement and distraction. It can’t be crossed. As hard as it is, you simply cannot afford to waste time daydreaming about what might be. There is too much work to be done. This is an even greater challenge in the social media age. As the man in New England says, “Ignore the Noise.” Both staffs are feeling the anxiety and pressure that come with making sure you’ve prepared the players for every possible scenario. However, those feelings need to stay in the coaches’ office. Regardless of what your concerns may be – and there will be many – you must present a positive, confident plan. Attitude reflects leadership. All of this is much easier said than done.
What does North Penn have to do to beat the Prep?
Control the Controllable
Here are a few aspects of this game I feel North Penn can and absolutely must control:
Force SJP’s defense to play against 12 men.
The Knights need to involve an additional weapon on offense Saturday. His name is Dick Beck. North Penn has long been a “Check With Me” team. What that means is the defensive front or coverage they see will determine the play that is run. Early in this game, I believe that is the way to go. Don’t just call plays. Play chess with Gabe Infante and Hawks Defensive Coordinator Shawn Stratz. Line up, let them show their hand and then call a play from the sideline. This allows you to counter with something you love rather than just run a play and hope for the best. In addition, motioning or shifting after the look-over can further ensure you get the box count you want to run or best possible coverage matchup to pass. Emotions will be running high early in this game. Look for Coach Beck to help his guys navigate the early stages by putting them in high percentage situations.
Do not kick the ball to D’Andre Swift under any circumstances.
Kicker Kelly Macnamara will once again be in the spotlight Saturday night. This time for reasons more strategic than physical. She has proven capable of touchbacks all year. That would obviously be the best case scenario. However, I wouldn’t risk it. The Knights need to identify where Swift is in the return formation and squib or sky kick away from him. The same goes for punter Dan Drop. Angled punts are the only option. If it goes out of bounds, so be it. You’ve come too far to have the game wrecked on special teams. Don’t play with fire. Lastly, load the coverage teams with starters and reliable tacklers. Leave nothing to chance.
Disrupt rhythm.
The Hawks front seven (or sometimes 8 or 9) flies around. There is no better way to describe it. They are aggressive, hard charging and fast. Real fast. Reece Udinski must help his offensive line deal with this. Look for him to mix up his cadences, use both quick and hard counts and go up tempo at times. If SJP is able to time up the snap count, plays will be over before they start.
Don’t let the train get rolling.
When the Hawks are clicking on offense, it can be overwhelming and it can happen fast. You have six timeouts. Use them. The biggest play of the game may be the next play. Settle your guys down and regroup. The last thing you want is a big play to occur because your guys were on their heels or unsure.
SuburbanOneSports: D’Andre Swift shredded Parkland’s defense for 318 yards on 18 carries. What does North Penn have to do to contain him?
Neil French: For those not familiar, D’Andre Swift will go down as one the great players in the history of PA football. I’ve been asked the question hundreds of times since 2013 when we unfortunately had to defend him in an Eastern Final. “Is he really that good?” I answer the question the same way every time. “No. He’s better than that.”
He is not an elite running back. He is an elite football player. He would fit in any scheme on any team in any era. I realize it sounds strange to call a guy whose college decision announcement video has been viewed 36,000 times on YouTube a throwback, but it is indeed true. Take last Saturday against Parkland as an example. Swift lined up at six positions (RB/Slot/X Receiver/ILB/OLB/Corner) in addition to returning kicks and punts. There was nothing he didn’t do. In an age of specialization, he is an absolute joy to watch...unless you are on the opposing sideline.
Let’s examine two possible options for containing the Georgia Bulldog commit:
Should North Penn put some sort of spy on him?
No. The last thing you want to do is play hide and seek all night. Swift is going to line up somewhere different every play. He is often part of a shift or in motion. Focusing too much of your attention on him is going to leave you vulnerable in other areas. Plus, what kind of player would you use? If you use a linebacker and he’s at X receiver, you have a headache. Just getting lined up to everything SJP does is going to be enough of a challenge. I wouldn’t try to further complicate things.
Should North Penn load the box when he’s in the backfield?
It depends on field position how comfortable you feel defending Terrance Greene and Khari Jones with man coverage. The Hawks do not use a ton of sub packages. They have virtually no tendencies. Jack Crossed is a versatile TE/HB. His alignment isn’t going to give you a great idea of whether it’s run or pass. There are some groupings SJP uses primarily to run the ball. Unfortunately, they usually show up when they are salting away a lead in the second half. You also have to think about the consequences of vacating the middle of the field. With no free safety, you are one missed tackle away from disaster.
In the end, the Knights need to tackle. It’s that simple. Swift is listed at 210. He runs like he’s 240 and he runs angry. The Knights must be technically sound and match his physicality.
SuburbanOneSports: Does St. Joseph’s Preparatory School have any other weapons that can hurt North Penn?
Neil French: To answer this question all you need to do is break down the Hawks’ first scoring drive against Parkland:
Seven Plays. Seven Different Formations. D’Andre Swift didn’t touch the football one time. Touchdown.
The Hawks’ greatest weapon is their versatility. Much like North Penn, their best players can hurt you in a variety of ways. Marquez McCray, a 2,000 yard passer, is also deceptively powerful running the ball as a dual threat quarterback. Like Swift, Khari Jones will line up all over the field. The offensive line is massive but also very athletic in terms of pulling and getting out in front of screens.
You don’t make it to December being a one trick pony. This team can do it all.
SuburbanOneSports: What will be some keys offensively for North Penn?
Neil French: North Penn’s Offensive Line is obviously the key. SJP got two sacks against Parkland last week rushing just three. If that’s the case again this week, it’s going to be a long ride home to Lansdale. North Penn needs to keep the field spread and attack with short and intermediate routes. If you can force SJP to play coverage, opportunities for Dillon and Udinski to run the ball should present themselves from one back formations. I would run a few zone reads early to keep at least one defensive end honest. I think North Penn will struggle to consistently run the ball against SJP’s front from Pro or 2TE formations. I would look for the Knights to use their tight ends more as blockers on the perimeter. Thomas (if healthy) and Vasger blocking undersized corners with a high percentage quick or bubble screen behind it is as good as running play and already in the playbook. I would challenge the Hawks’ safeties to come up and tackle Henley and Hubler in space. Lastly, the Knights must protect the football. This was an issue against Garnet Valley that they were fortunately able to overcome. I can’t see North Penn losing the turnover margin and winning this game.
SuburbanOneSports: Aside from Swift, who are the players to watch for each team?
Neil French: SJP – #10 James Johnson SR. LB
Much like Swift, Johnson is a kid that would fit on any great team. He reminds me of a player from the great CB West teams of the 90’s. He’s not extremely big but just plays out of his mind on every snap. It’s awesome to watch. He’s a hybrid so you will see him displaced from the formation covering a slot receiver at times. However, he’s at his best when they attach him to the line of scrimmage as more of a defensive end or turn him loose in the pass rush. He is the third in a line of brothers to star in Stratz’s defensive scheme. Johnson, the Hawks’ emotional leader, is headed to Princeton. Do the math.
North Penn – #8 Ricky Johns SR. WR/RB/OLB
Last week in this space my attention was focused on the quarterback. This week it turns to the multipurpose West Virginia recruit. The question Saturday night is how can the Knights maximize his production? In his traditional position of wide receiver, he has a six-inch height advantage over SJP corners Richard Carr and Ricky Goodson. If the Knights show a two-back set, the Hawks will put no less than eight in the box. This will put Johns in a man coverage situation. However, the ball must come out quickly as SJP will be in attack mode up front. I’m interested to see if North Penn elects to line Johns up in the slot at times. If they do, he will find not only the same size advantage but safeties who will struggle to cover him vertically. Again, the key will be protection. Johns will also be extremely busy defensively. His athleticism will be crucial when the Hawks go four or five wide.
Prediction
When was the last time two PA teams ranked in the USA Today Top 25 met this late in the year? This is an absolute classic matchup and the without question biggest game of the year in PA. None of the six potential finals will have this level of hype and intrigue. I really hope the crowd reflects this. If we are the football state we claim to be, then Charlie Martin Stadium should be mobbed Saturday night. The players deserve that type of atmosphere.
I’ll stick with the three questions that got me here:
1. Which team possesses the best player on the field?
2. Which team can win in a variety of ways? (Low Scoring/From Behind/Shootout)
3. If both teams play their A+ game, who wins?
Those answers add up to St. Joseph’s Preparatory School 40 North Penn 28.
Enjoy the game.
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