August 29, 2018 at 12:06 p.m.
Pigskin Preview: Rhinelander at Wausau East
RHS looks to bounce back tonight against Lumberjacks
Pigskin Preview: Rhinelander at Wausau East
A short week might be just what the doctor ordered following a 14-7 loss to Tomahawk on Friday that Hodag coach Chris Ferge categorized as "a very sloppy game on our part." Penalties at critical junctures and sluggish line play hampered the Hodags most in their Week 2 defeat.
"It's stuff we expected our kids to be ready for but when they got to the game situations they were not," Ferge said. "It's something I know they're capable of doing. I said talent's a great thing, but you have to execute, you have to show that you're talented and you have to play as a team. We didn't do that well enough."
Meanwhile, Wausau East enters the contest 0-2 overall, but was competitive in losses to Osceola (35-21) and Southern Door (20-14).
Rhinelander defeated the Lumberjack 28-14 last year, but the Hodags expect a different Wausau East team this year with Kevin Grundy in his first year at the helm, bringing with him the Wing T running attack he used in his previous coaching stints at Wausau West and Antigo.
On film, Ferge said he saw an East team that was slowing getting used to Grundy's offense, after running a pistol/spread style under former coach Tom Tourtillott.
"The first couple weeks, when you're running a new system, it's a challenge with kids no matter how well camp went and what you were able to do in the offseason," he said. "They'll be running their system better Week 3 than they were Week 1 and Week 2. We expect that. I expect they'll be more crisp and running faster. Our kids have got to be square to the line of scrimmage, hold down their gaps, fight a lot harder on the defensive line than we did last game, be more disciplined, make tackles. We'll be in a good spot if we can do that, and that's what we're stressing this week."
Some other storylines to follow tonight:
Short week
Rhinelander is playing on a Thursday night for the first time since 2010, the last year the WIAA used a Thursday-Tuesday format for the final week of the regular season and Level 1 of the playoffs.
Ferge equated the short practice week to being on a job and working four 10-hour days instead of five 8-hour days. The team was off Saturday, had its typical Monday practice on Sunday and had an abbreviated practice on Monday with several players taking part in a JV contest. Tuesday was the team's first full-on practice of the week, and Ferge said Wednesday's practice consisted of more team than individual periods in preparation for the Thursday night contest.
"It can be done," Ferge said of the short practice week. "Our kids understand what needs to be done and we'll be ready."
It will be one of two short practice weeks this season for the Hodags, who will have only six days between a Saturday afternoon game at Merrill Sept. 29 and their homecoming contest against Ashland Oct. 5.
Get back running
Rhinelander was outgained 228-125 on the ground last week, a stat Ferge said he knows in not part of a recipe for success.
"We need to run the ball, absolutely. We are not going to be one-dimensional and passing," he said. "That doesn't work for us."
Ferge said more players would be added to the team's offensive line rotation this week in an effort to keep more players fresh for the duration of the contest.
East trio
So far, Wausau East's offense has centered around of trio of seniors - quarterback Jack Kane and running backs Will Nash and Trey Buchberger.
Nash has been East's primary ball carrier, rushing 31 times for 184 yards in two games so far this season, while Buchberger has rushed 21 times for 122 and also has four catches for 123 yards. The two have accounted for all five touchdowns the Lumberjacks have scored.
Kane is only 5 of 25 through the air so far this season with a touchdown and three interceptions. The passing game has been hit or miss, but has been a big hit when it works. Kane, so far, is averaging 28.4 yards per completion.
Return to Thom
Thom Field brings back memories for both Ferge and longtime Hodag football fans.
It serves as the venue for both Wausau East and Wausau West. Rhinelander would often make at least one, if not two, trips there each season.
Rhinelander hasn't played at Thom Field since 2008, its last year in the Wisconsin Valley Conference.
"It's an older field, stadiums that are just made for football," said Ferge, who remembers playing in games at Thom Field when he was in high school at Marshfield. "It's unique. It's a great place to play. Playing West and East there, I remember playing there as a player. It's something that I hope our kids continue to get. I want to keep East on our schedule. I like that we're playing some of the old Valley schools. I miss the old Valley. I think anyone who's ever played in it or coached in it misses it as well. It's always a great thing for these kids."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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