[h=1]Northwest showing balance on offense[/h]
CANAL FULTON The running game has returned for the Northwest Indians.
And with it, the Indians are looking for a return to the high school football playoffs after last year’s disappointing 4-6 finish.
After basically utilizing a five-receiver spread offense as its base, and only, offense the previous two seasons — and throwing the ball more than 40 times a game — the Indians are mixing it up more behind a deep group of skill position players and a maturing offensive line.
The results have been positive thus far, as the Indians have rebounded from a season-opening loss to Orrville to reel off four straight wins. Northwest will host Poland (3-2) this Friday in a matchup that will provide plenty of computer points to the winner.
“We’re very versatile this year,” senior QB Nick Riley said after practice earlier this week. “We’ve got two great running backs in Kyle (Harris) and Ronnie (Beers), we’ve got a bunch of great receivers, and we’ve got a great line up front that’s really worked hard in the offseason. We’re able to run the ball a lot better this season.
“It’s been hard the past couple of seasons to do that, but it’s (the running game) really come through for us this year. We can pass and run.”
While many coaches talk about mixing the run with the pass and achieving a balance on offense, the numbers so far show that head coach Vic Whiting’s crew is doing exactly that.
“We’re 50-50 running and throwing the ball right now, which is where I want to be,” Whiting said.
“We’ve got a Division I quarterback and great receivers, so we’d be foolish to not throw the ball quite a bit.”
“We’re spreading the ball around. When you’re really multiple on offense, the other team really doesn’t have enough time during the week to prepare for you. We like to do an awful lot on offense to make it difficult to prepare for us.”
Northwest rushed for 854 yards on 232 attempts last season, while passing 413 times for 2,569 yards. In 2009, when the Indians went 8-4, the numbers were very similar. Northwest finished with 3,420 yards passing on 413 attempts and rushed for 828 yards on 248 carries.
With Beers and Harris leading the way this year, the Indians have already racked up 804 rushing yards on 145 attempts. As for balance, Riley has attempted 141 passes, completing 77, for 1,003 yards.
Also, the per-carry average has risen from 3.7 last year to 5.5 this season. With 15 rushing touchdowns through five games, Northwest has already eclipsed last year’s total of 14.
Beers and Harris both played receiver last year when the Indians were an exclusive spread team. Their ability to play in the backfield or out wide expands the offensive possibilities.
“It definitely opens up our playbook,” said Beers, who has 517 yards and 13 TDs this season. “We have a few guys who are versatile like that, not only me. We can run a lot more plays and it mixes things up. Football is the element of surprise and it helps out with that.”
Beers and Harris are quick to credit an offensive line that features tackles Jordan West and Paul Wellman, guards Matt McDonnell and Cody Grogan and center Jerrad Cox. Tyler Bowman, at 240 pounds, helps clear the way at fullback, while Seth Duncan, Jay Strelecki and Jackson Shultz contribute at tight end.
“Our line, they work their butts off,” Harris said. “It’s great since I’ve grown up with all of them. We’re all juniors and they’ve been my line since the sixth grade. They’ve always worked well together.”
