Lessons learned in McGuinness loss?

Friday night was interesting at Pribil Stadium on the campus of Bishop McGuinness as the BlueJays dropped their season opener to the Irish 12-7. The loss represents the first season opening loss since 2005 when the Douglass Trojans took down Guthrie, 18-17, at Langston University. To add salt to the wound, Guthrie is 4 and 5 in season openers since 2001 and a big part of that record is a result of the Shawnee Wolves. Shawnee won the openers in 2001, 2002, and 2003. In that span of 9-years, Guthrie has split the series with McGuinness (2-2) with both losses coming in Oklahoma City. To expand on the current situation, the Jays have now lost back-to-back games with Booker T. and McGuinness. The last time Guthrie dropped back-to-back games goes all the way back to 2004.

Noble and McGuinness gave the Jays losses in Weeks 5 and 6. 2004 was the only season in the previous eight where the Jays did not make the play-off's.

Heading into the 2009 season we knew the Guthrie offense was going to be on a learning curve with a new quarterback, a receiving group with no experience outside of Kentrell Brothers, but were hopeful with an offensive line being ahead of schedule compared to recent seasons. Some changes may be on the horizon for the Jays offensive front?

Bryan Dutton, a freshmen, took all the snaps and in his first outing and I thought played well. You could assume the nerves were working for the young buck, but after the first few hits you can see the youngster getting more comfortable as much as he could. Unfortunately, for him he was being hounded by the Irish defense for a good part of the night.

Yes, at times, he could have gotten rid of the football to avoid a loss or two, but one could assume by the time he gets his drivers license he will learn those types of situations. With the constant harassment from the Irish defense he was not helped much with multiple drop passes and finished his first varsity game with 95-yards passing by completing eight of 20 attempts. Regardless, of who was going to be named starting quarterback for the Jays there was going to be a learning curve and was not going to be no fair to follow the best passing quarterback in Guthrie history.

A play here or a catch here in the second half and Guthrie wins the game. The Guthrie defense gave the Jays every chance to win by shutting out the Irish on the scoreboard in the second half. Guthrie must find a leader on the offensive side of the ball. There are some candidates, but who wants to be that player?

J.P Bruner had moments where he was popping off 5-yards a run, but the passing game was what kept the Jays moving the ball despite the balance

numbers and just the single touchdown that saw Dutton finding Brothers from 23-yards out.

The 7-points is the lowest scoring output since Week 3 of the 2006 season when Guthrie was upset by Deer Creek, 19-7. Guthrie has not scored in two games since 2001 and both were in the playoff's (Altus 2001, 21-0, and Ardmore, 2003, 20-0).

The front seven of the Jays defense appeared to be as tough as advertised. Irish sophomore quarterback Quinn Shanbour talked about the physical play of the defense. However, Shanbour was able to connect with receiver Sam Crabtree on a 64-yard touchdown reception, midway through the first quarter, that reminded me of the exact play Daytawion Lowe scored on last year in the Carl Albert game. Play action pass to a wide open receiver, down the middle, for a lengthy touchdown.

Perhaps, the people that were telling me that the jersey switch would not have mattered last year and Lowe would have scored regardless of the bait and switch tactic. I suppose they were all correct now looking back on it, but I digress.

The Friday loss to McGuinness stings and BlueJay fans are not quite used to this feeling. The Guthrie coaches are looking for answers and practice this week may not be the best of times, but do remember that it is just Week 1 and it has no barring on the play-off's.

Need an example? McGuinness started 0-2 a year ago and still made the state championship game.

Suppose this will be a good learning tool for players and fans that the 2002, or the 2007, and even the 2008 seasons does absolutely nothing for the 2009 season.

A win here over that top ranked opponent in 2002, or a win there by this amount of points, in 2007, does this group of 2009 Jays no good. Guthrie players and fans may have learned a lesson that showing up is not going to win games this year. Guthrie will have a bulls eye on their helmets each and every game because they are still a good team, a team that will remain ranked, and what the program has done over the last few years to their opponents.

This week will be a good week to start learning some of these lessons because El Reno wants nothing more then to come into Jelsma Stadium and give the Jays another loss and show that they belong in the elite of Class 5A this season.

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