Team USA Notebook: Countdown to kickoff
By Joe Frollo Wed, 02/01/2012 - 12:11am
The plans are set. The two-deep is drawn up.
All that’s left now is to play the game.
The U.S. Under-19 National Team held its final practice Tuesday at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex, site of the 2012 International Bowl. Kickoff against the IFAF World Team is 5 p.m. CT Wednesday.
Team USA quarterback Sean Maguire of West Orange, N.J., said it’s difficult installing an offense in four days, but with the help of offensive coordinator Chris Merritt, Maguire is confident the unit is ready.
“The first day, it’s like, ‘What’s going on?’” said Maguire, who will sign his national letter of intent with Florida State on Wednesday morning. “After talking it through, watching the film it began to click. We’ve got a good grasp of what we are going to do.”
Maguire will start under center for Team USA. That center is Boone Feldt of Buda, Texas.
Maguire and Feldt are the offensive captains, joining linebacker Noor Davis (Leesburg, Fla./Stanford) and defensive lineman Caleb Bluiett (Beaumont, Texas/Texas).
Feldt said communication on the offensive line is good, and they are ready for whatever the World Team throws at them.
“The terminology is different, but football is football,” Feldt said. “We’ve got phenomenal skill players. We’ve just got to hold the defense off and let our guys make plays.”
Feldt will play his college ball at North Texas. Surrounded by SEC, ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 players, he is proud to represent the Sun Belt Conference.
No matter where they will play in the fall, this group that first met Friday have come together in a short time with only one goal in mind.
“From the time I first got here, I couldn’t wait to put on a shirt with ‘USA’ on it,” Maguire said. “I still get excited about it. Now, we’ve got to go out there and get the victory.”
IN THEIR DEFENSE While offenses need time to get their timing down and gel as a unit, defenses can move along pretty fast once the players get the terminology down.
“The nice thing about the defense we’re using is all the rules and reads and alignments are very simple,” said Team USA defensive coordinator Rick Streiff of Indianapolis Cathedral High School. “There are only a few things they have to learn. It’s very uncomplicated.”
Streiff said the fans will enjoy watching the speed and athleticism on Team USA’s defensive side. As for strategy: Players make plays. It’s up to Streiff and his staff to put them in position to do so.
“We’ve got a good group, a fun group,” Streiff said. “They were ready to go by Monday. They’ll be ready for kickoff.”
RED, WHITE AND BLUE U.S. defensive back Ryan Reid (Sherman, Texas/Baylor) is proud to be part of a group as physically gifted as Team USA. That he gets to do so while playing for his country makes his heart swell with pride.
“Some people have died for this country,” Reid said. “The least we can do is play football to the best of our ability.”
HE’S A PRO Team USA honorary captain Eric Metcalf spoke to the U.S. players and coaches Tuesday during a media luncheon. Metcalf talked about the importance of making good choices and how one bad decision can end a career faster than anything else.
“What you do on the field comes natural,” Metcalf said. “It’s what you do off the field, in the classroom that will make you successful.”
