MACON — Coaches worry about everything.
From where their teams stop for their pre-game meals to who tapes the players to how long the team stretches, there are so many details that need to be sorted out every week for a squad to have a shot at playing a perfect game.
Noxubee County High School football coach Tyrone Shorter has something a little more important that is giving him reason to be concerned. As impressive as the Tigers have been in winning their first three Class 4A, Region 4 games, Shorter knows his team is far from being at 100 percent, especially on defense.
“We are so banged up right now, you just pray for the best,” Shorter said.
Noxubee County will try to fight through the injuries at 7 p.m. Friday when it takes on Caledonia in an important Region 4 matchup.
A win would help the Tigers (7-2, 3-0 region) clinch first place in the region and secure a home playoff game in the first round of the Class 4A North State playoffs.
The game is equally important for Caledonia (5-4, 2-1), which is seeking its first playoff appearance since 2005. With victories against Houston and West Lauderdale, Caledonia likely needs one more win to secure a spot in the playoffs. A win Friday and a victory against Leake Central in the regular-season finale would put it in position to finish atop the region standings and play at home in the playoffs.
Shorter has watched plenty of film on Caledonia this season, so he knows a team that isn’t at 100 percent could be in trouble, especially against a team with a running back like senior Brandon Henry and an experienced offensive line.
But Shorter likes the way his offense is coming together. He continues to be impressed with the maturation of junior quarterback Timorrius Conner. he also feels his offensive line is developing a mind-set that it wants to dominate every week. That is a good sign for an offense that struggled early in the season to find balance between its passing and running attacks.
On defense, Shorter isn’t sure if he will rest players Friday or next week to get them healthy for the playoffs. Whichever way he goes, he knows Caledonia will be pumped up to strengthen its playoff chances and to prevent Noxubee County from clinching first place in the region.
Shorter already has taken steps in practice to eliminate the physical aspects of practice to keep his players fresh. He said the murderer’s row Noxubee County faced in the non-conference schedule (Starkville, Columbus, Aberdeen, Louisville, West Point, and Charleston) should have prepared it for the final two regular-season games.
“I don’t think they are playing timid right now,” Shorter said. “Our kids are so focused. It seems like as the season goes on the more aggressive we get. We turn on the film, especially our offensive line. They are getting thrills from pancaking people. It seems like when the lights come on they turn it up a notch.”
That focus is motivated by the memory of a 9-0 loss to Lafayette in the third round of the North State playoffs that ended Noxubee County’s season too soon. With many of the players on this year’s team hungry to stake their claim to a title they can call their own, Shorter believes his team can make it through seven more weeks and survive the South’s best team and win a state title in Starkville.
“Just to hear the kids talk about the fact there is seven more weeks to play makes you feel good because they are focused,” Shorter said. “This group wants to play for a state championship. It is easy to keep their focus in practice.”
Shorter also said the players are doing a great job of protecting each other in practice to ensure the team doesn’t suffer any more injuries. Despite all of the precautions, though, football coaches know anything can happen, so Shorter isn’t taking anything for granted.
“Playing seven more weeks is a long time,” Shorter said. “I have been in this game 17 years as a coach. I know once you get to the playoffs you have to stay healthy if you are going to have a chance. Staying healthy and making the fewest mistakes will give you a chance. If we can stay healthy, I like our chances this year.
“We thought we had the better team last year, but we wound up losing (to Lafayette) because we made so many mistakes. That is what we’re trying to focus on.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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