Run a ton of fun at Canton
Grounded Chiefs take a pass at throwing the ball
Wednesday, November 5, 2003
In a prep football era where the pass-happy spread offense has become many coaches' best friend, Tim Baechler knows he is a bit of an anachronism.
Canton's coach doesn't like to put the ball in the air. Last week, in their 49-12 defeat of Wayne Memorial in the first round of the Division 1 playoffs, the Chiefs ran the ball 45 times and passed the ball just twice. On the season, 92
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As Baechler puts it: "Why throw when you don't have to?"
Indeed, when you're 10-0 and generating 360 yards of offense a game, there's little reason to ditch the three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust philosophy.
Except it's frequently more than three yards. The Chiefs' primary running backs-tailback Travis McKinney, fullback Chuck Schumacher and part-time wide receiver Devin Thomas - are all averaging more than seven yards a carry.
"It's a team concept offense," Baechler said. "One game Travis can be the star, the next week Chuck will be and the next Devin will be."
"It's a lot more balanced this year," said McKinney, a veteran of 2002's 9-2 team. "It keeps teams honest. They can't key on one player."
The unpredictability of who will take the handoff has made Canton's running game particularly effective this season. But so has the one aspect of the team that Baechler back in August feared would be its biggest weakness: The size of the Chiefs' offensive and defensive lines.
Thanks to graduation, Baechler was replacing 320- and 250-pound lineman with players who weighed 220 and 205 pounds. No current lineman is heavier than 230 pounds. The Chiefs' most effective defensive player has been senior Franz Gatzke, a 5-foot-9, 165-pound defensive end.
But instead of being a recipe for disaster, Canton's lack of size has been a revelation, according to Baechler.
"We found out this year that you can be too big to be an offensive lineman," the coach said. "It's all about blocking angles and double-teaming at the point of attack," the coach said. "You don't have to be big, but you have to be quick."
McKinney, a 5-7, 165-pound halfback, said the increased athleticism of the linemen makes things a little different at the line of scrimmage - and perhaps even better.
"They get off the ball real fast," he said. "With quick linemen, the holes stay open a half-second longer."
The odd man out in Canton's run-oriented attack is quarterback Shawn Little, a 6-foot, 160-pound sophomore who has passed the ball just 43 times this season. (That said, when he's gone to the air, he has been effective: In the season opening 28-14 victory over Pioneer, two of the three passes he threw went for touchdowns by Thomas).
Mitchell considers his limited role part of the learning curve.
"He's just getting me prepared for next year," Little said.
What isn't new to Baechler is Canton's run-first and run-last offense, which has been part of the equation since he was a player at Adrian College more than a decade ago.
"It's all I know - I grew up in this offense," said Baechler, who worked at Onsted, White Pigeon, Hudson and
Dexter high schools before arriving at Canton six years ago. "If people are doing things to it, I know how to adjust and fix it. If I were running the 'I' or the spread, I wouldn't know how to fix it."
During his early years at Canton, when the Chiefs went 3-6 and 4-5, Baechler said he was constantly harassed by critics who called for him to go outside and throw the ball more.
But he stood his ground. And he's glad because the Chiefs have just completed their first undefeated regular season and are facing Westland John Glenn at 7 p.m. Friday for the district championship.
Not bad for a team that doesn't do razzle-dazzle very well.
"I'm not here to put on a performance Friday night," Baechler said. "I'm here to win."
Rob Hoffman can be reached at (734) 994-6814 or rhoffman@annarbornews.com