Bradford’s season opening loss to Brookville certainly wasn’t what the Owls and head coach Jeff Puglio were hoping for in Week 0.
The Owls were outgained 403-97 in total yardage en route to a 51-0 loss, and Raider quarterback Jack Krug 199 passing yards and four touchdowns in addition to 153 rushing yards and a score on the ground.
Despite all of that, Puglio says the Owls took away a few things from the game that they can build on, particularly experience.
“We got experience. A lot of guys hadn’t had a whole lot of varsity experience, and some played their first (varsity) game,” Puglio said. “We broke the film down, and it’s not all bad. The score can be misleading, and there are some positives from that game.
“I like the way that some of our guys get to the ball. We saw some fundamental problems to clean up. We’re aggressive in places where we need to be. Others weren’t as aggressive as we thought they’d be. It’s something we can correct this week.”
Those will be important building blocks for Bradford as the Owls take on St. Marys tonight at 7 p.m. in search of the season’s first win.
St. Marys suffered a similar fate as Bradford in their Week 0 loss to Ridgway. The Flying Dutchmen jumped out to a 6-0 lead after the first quarter, before Ridgway put up 42 unanswered points the rest of the way.
The circumstances are rather similar to what each team experienced entering the 2018 matchup, which Bradford won 14-2. A year ago, Bradford fell to Brookville 69-60, while St. Marys dropped its opener to Ridgway 42-0 prior to their showdown.
The similarities end there, though, as Bradford’s lineup has virtually been reset, while St. Marys has a new coach at the helm.
The Dutch are now under first-year head coach Chris Dworek, who spent the past two seasons as an assistant at Brookville and was also the head coach there for 19 seasons and spent some time at Clarion University, as well.
Their new spread scheme is nearly identical to what Bradford faced against Brookville.
“The offense is very similar; it’s designed by the same guys,” Puglio said. “It’s been simple in our game plans because it’s a mirror image of Brookville. We’re expecting to see some of the same things, so the key for us is to correct mistakes from last week. That’s the benefit of getting these teams back to back.”
That spread offensive scheme aims to get the ball to as many playmakers as possible, particularly through the air. Dutch quarterback Christian Coudriet put the ball in the air 21 times, completing 11 of those for 162 yards.
To slow that air game down, Puglio highlighted the importance of communication and open field tackling.
“We need to be more vocal and communicate with each other. That’s something we didn’t do a good job with,” he said. “And we need to attack the ball. When they catch it, we need to make tackles. It’s been a real focus for us to run and make the open field tackles.”
As for the Owl offense, it’s business as usual — establish the run, go on long drives and control the clock. Puglio also stressed the need for a balanced attack.
To do so, and to meet the defense’s goals, as well, Puglio says the Owls have to play with more confidence and speed against the Dutch.
“That’s something that comes with confidence and knowing what to do,” he added. “We’ve gained a week of experience now, so hopefully that translates to picking up the speed a little bit… Everybody has to get more comfortable with what we’re doing.”
Here’s a look at what to expect elsewhere around the District, along with some predictions:
Cameron County at Curwensville
Unfortunately for Cameron County, the Golden Tide have played a game and knows what it needs to clean up, and also has home field advantage. Curwensville by 14.
Elk County Catholic at Coudersport
If the Crusaders can get running back Stephen Bobby rolling like he did in Week 0 (178 yards, three touchdowns) then ECC has a chance to keep pace with Coudersport late into the game. However, the Falcons’ depth should eventually take over. Coudersport by 10.
Ridgway at Kane
This game should prove to be more geared toward the defenses than each team’s wins last week, which plays into the Elkers’ favor. Ridgway by 13.
Redbank Valley at Otto-Eldred
The Terrors stumbled out of the gates last week and have a lot to correct. Redbank Valley should cruise in this one. Redbank Valley by 17.
Port Allegany at Keystone
Expect feature running back Josh Rees to get rolling again, and to lead the Gators to their first 2-0 start since 2012. Port Allegany by 10.
Union/A-C Valley at Sheffield
Union/A-C Valley should regain its footing this week against Sheffield, which while improved, still doesn’t have the pieces to compete with a playoff-caliber team. Union/A-C Valley by 20.
