OKLAHOMAMOSES
10-27-2009, 10:26 PM
http://www.coachesaid.com/Article/2009/9/11/Within-Reach-Shattuck-Aims-for-National-Eight-Man-Record
Eight-Man Record
By: MICHAEL SWISHER • 8/11/2009 6:24:23 PM
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http://www.coachesaid.com/Content/ContentImages/pigskinCShattuck-1.jpgShattuck's winning streak puts them within reach of breaking the national eight-man record.
It's going to happen.
It's not a matter of if, but when.
The winning streak that is six seasons in the making - and has six state championships to go along with it - won't last forever. But, for now, it's still intact and because of it, Shattuck is currently the most dominant football program in the state, and even the country, for that matter.
As it stands, Shattuck has won 81 consecutive “on-the-field” games and 83 in a row when counting two forfeits (one in 2003 and another in 2006). The Indians have not tasted defeat since a 39-7 loss to Pond Creek-Hunter in the 2002 Class C semifinals.
Since then, it's been a series of dominating wins - nearly seven dozen of them - and six Class C gold balls. The Indians could break the national eight-man record for consecutive wins this season. That streak - 90 - is held by Morrison, yet another Oklahoma football powerhouse.
"There's nothing to be ashamed of if we don't do it," said Indian head coach Troy Bullard of breaking the record. "If we do, great. But if not, there would be no shame in what the kids have done."
Bullard has taken part in every single football championship won at Shattuck, which is exactly seven. He was a junior wide receiver and defensive back on the 1991 Class A title team that went 15-0. He returned to Shattuck as an assistant in 2000 and took over as head coach in 2001.
In other words, he's been there for every bit of the current run. It started at the beginning of the 2003 season, back when George W. Bush was in his first term as president and iTunes was in its first year of existence.
Bullard was genuinely excited just to win one state championship. "I can remember after that first one and truly appreciating it, because you never know if you'll be back," Bullard said. But the Indians did get back, time after time after time.
The coach expected continued success. He didn't necessarily expect history.
"I had no idea," he said of the incredible ride his program is currently on. "I knew we'd be good because we had a good group of freshmen that year we lost in the semifinals. But that group graduated three years ago. We've had several kids step up since then.”
The 2009 version should be no exception. The Indians return four starters on each side of the ball, mostly at the skills positions.
One of those returning up front is senior guard and defensive end Lincoln Gaisford. He'll be joined in the trenches by first-time starters Colby Iliff at center and Brandon Witschi at guard. That group will do its best to provide protection and make holes for what Bullard feels will be the stronger of his units. One of the reason is junior Cade Young, a 6-foot, 170-pound speedster who takes over the reins of quarterback that his older brother, Kahle, commanded last season. "Cade has the chance to be one of the better quarterbacks to ever come through here," Bullard said.
Already a two-year starter, Young was a deep-threat receiver for his brother last year and might be the fastest player on this year's team. His best target is yet another deep threat, sophomore Aaron McCandless. Also someone who started as a freshman, McCandless had five plays over 60 yards last year.
Surprisingly, the Indians haven't had a 1,000-yard rusher in three seasons. Brent Starbuck, a 5-foot-8, 165-pound senior, was the closest thing to it last year with just over 600 yards. He'll get a chance to top that landmark this year.
All of the Indians will do their part to play both ways. Starbuck is also a safety, Young and McCandless are also defensive backs. Witschi and Iliff play on the defensive line with Gaisford. Connor Babcock, a junior, is both a defensive back and wide receiver.
Mitch Henson, the returning starter at tight end and linebacker, is yet another of the blue-collar workers that defines the Indians.
"We just do what we do," said Bullard. "We get ready and prepare all week, then go out and play hard on Fridays. There's not much more to it than that. We get ready and we go play. If you do everything you can, there's not much you can say about the outcome at the end."
In fact, it's almost like the Indians treat each game like a business meeting. They get their agenda, they take care of business and they go home.
"They don't really get too excited and, I won't lie, sometimes that bothers me a little," said Bullard, who can be a bit on the fiery sideline, as can his younger brother Tyson Bullard, a 1997 Shattuck graduate who is an assistant on the football team and the boys' basketball head coach. "The kids don't yell a lot before the game. They don't talk a lot. But when the whistle blows, they get after it and take care of business. As long as they turn it on when it's time to start, I can't complain too much."
This group will likely be just as quiet and likely be just as hard-working. The difference is, it might be faster than previous Shattuck teams, which isn't a good combination for opponents. "Speed will be one of the strengths of this team," Bullard said. "This will be one of the quickest teams we've ever had."
That quickness, combined with experience, should propel the Indians ever closer to that record, which could fall late in the season.
"We've got a lot of young guys that we'll have to depend on, but they're also guys who have been in there before when we've had big leads," Bullard said. "They're guys who have been on the field, so that's a bonus."
The key, along with building those offensive and defensive lines, will be staying healthy. A must for any football team that gets by with just 22 players on the roster.
If everything comes together, it could be a record-breaking season for the Indians. If not, it could be the end of one of the most impressive streaks in the history of football. Either way, it's going to be a pressure-cooker to keep it going.
"I saw where Bob Stoops once said pressure is a privilege," Bullard said. "When I saw that, I wasn't so sure. But when you think about it, I'd rather be 83-0 than 0-83 and searching for a win. We look at this as an opportunity that not many people ever get."
It's an opportunity that awaits and one the Indians are fully aware of. The team doesn’t talk about ‘the streak’ formally, but Bullard says he knows the guys talk about it on their own. “They don’t want to be the ones [to lose],” he said.
But, eventually, it's going to happen. Somewhere, sometime, it's going to happen. The run will end. And when it does, Bullard plans to be a part of it. "I'm going to be there," he said. "It will happen someday and it will be a big deal around here.
"But there will be nothing to be ashamed of when it does.”
Eight-Man Record
By: MICHAEL SWISHER • 8/11/2009 6:24:23 PM
Share on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://www.coachesaid.com/Article/2009/9/11/Within-Reach-Shattuck-Aims-for-National-Eight-Man-Record)
http://www.coachesaid.com/Content/ContentImages/pigskinCShattuck-1.jpgShattuck's winning streak puts them within reach of breaking the national eight-man record.
It's going to happen.
It's not a matter of if, but when.
The winning streak that is six seasons in the making - and has six state championships to go along with it - won't last forever. But, for now, it's still intact and because of it, Shattuck is currently the most dominant football program in the state, and even the country, for that matter.
As it stands, Shattuck has won 81 consecutive “on-the-field” games and 83 in a row when counting two forfeits (one in 2003 and another in 2006). The Indians have not tasted defeat since a 39-7 loss to Pond Creek-Hunter in the 2002 Class C semifinals.
Since then, it's been a series of dominating wins - nearly seven dozen of them - and six Class C gold balls. The Indians could break the national eight-man record for consecutive wins this season. That streak - 90 - is held by Morrison, yet another Oklahoma football powerhouse.
"There's nothing to be ashamed of if we don't do it," said Indian head coach Troy Bullard of breaking the record. "If we do, great. But if not, there would be no shame in what the kids have done."
Bullard has taken part in every single football championship won at Shattuck, which is exactly seven. He was a junior wide receiver and defensive back on the 1991 Class A title team that went 15-0. He returned to Shattuck as an assistant in 2000 and took over as head coach in 2001.
In other words, he's been there for every bit of the current run. It started at the beginning of the 2003 season, back when George W. Bush was in his first term as president and iTunes was in its first year of existence.
Bullard was genuinely excited just to win one state championship. "I can remember after that first one and truly appreciating it, because you never know if you'll be back," Bullard said. But the Indians did get back, time after time after time.
The coach expected continued success. He didn't necessarily expect history.
"I had no idea," he said of the incredible ride his program is currently on. "I knew we'd be good because we had a good group of freshmen that year we lost in the semifinals. But that group graduated three years ago. We've had several kids step up since then.”
The 2009 version should be no exception. The Indians return four starters on each side of the ball, mostly at the skills positions.
One of those returning up front is senior guard and defensive end Lincoln Gaisford. He'll be joined in the trenches by first-time starters Colby Iliff at center and Brandon Witschi at guard. That group will do its best to provide protection and make holes for what Bullard feels will be the stronger of his units. One of the reason is junior Cade Young, a 6-foot, 170-pound speedster who takes over the reins of quarterback that his older brother, Kahle, commanded last season. "Cade has the chance to be one of the better quarterbacks to ever come through here," Bullard said.
Already a two-year starter, Young was a deep-threat receiver for his brother last year and might be the fastest player on this year's team. His best target is yet another deep threat, sophomore Aaron McCandless. Also someone who started as a freshman, McCandless had five plays over 60 yards last year.
Surprisingly, the Indians haven't had a 1,000-yard rusher in three seasons. Brent Starbuck, a 5-foot-8, 165-pound senior, was the closest thing to it last year with just over 600 yards. He'll get a chance to top that landmark this year.
All of the Indians will do their part to play both ways. Starbuck is also a safety, Young and McCandless are also defensive backs. Witschi and Iliff play on the defensive line with Gaisford. Connor Babcock, a junior, is both a defensive back and wide receiver.
Mitch Henson, the returning starter at tight end and linebacker, is yet another of the blue-collar workers that defines the Indians.
"We just do what we do," said Bullard. "We get ready and prepare all week, then go out and play hard on Fridays. There's not much more to it than that. We get ready and we go play. If you do everything you can, there's not much you can say about the outcome at the end."
In fact, it's almost like the Indians treat each game like a business meeting. They get their agenda, they take care of business and they go home.
"They don't really get too excited and, I won't lie, sometimes that bothers me a little," said Bullard, who can be a bit on the fiery sideline, as can his younger brother Tyson Bullard, a 1997 Shattuck graduate who is an assistant on the football team and the boys' basketball head coach. "The kids don't yell a lot before the game. They don't talk a lot. But when the whistle blows, they get after it and take care of business. As long as they turn it on when it's time to start, I can't complain too much."
This group will likely be just as quiet and likely be just as hard-working. The difference is, it might be faster than previous Shattuck teams, which isn't a good combination for opponents. "Speed will be one of the strengths of this team," Bullard said. "This will be one of the quickest teams we've ever had."
That quickness, combined with experience, should propel the Indians ever closer to that record, which could fall late in the season.
"We've got a lot of young guys that we'll have to depend on, but they're also guys who have been in there before when we've had big leads," Bullard said. "They're guys who have been on the field, so that's a bonus."
The key, along with building those offensive and defensive lines, will be staying healthy. A must for any football team that gets by with just 22 players on the roster.
If everything comes together, it could be a record-breaking season for the Indians. If not, it could be the end of one of the most impressive streaks in the history of football. Either way, it's going to be a pressure-cooker to keep it going.
"I saw where Bob Stoops once said pressure is a privilege," Bullard said. "When I saw that, I wasn't so sure. But when you think about it, I'd rather be 83-0 than 0-83 and searching for a win. We look at this as an opportunity that not many people ever get."
It's an opportunity that awaits and one the Indians are fully aware of. The team doesn’t talk about ‘the streak’ formally, but Bullard says he knows the guys talk about it on their own. “They don’t want to be the ones [to lose],” he said.
But, eventually, it's going to happen. Somewhere, sometime, it's going to happen. The run will end. And when it does, Bullard plans to be a part of it. "I'm going to be there," he said. "It will happen someday and it will be a big deal around here.
"But there will be nothing to be ashamed of when it does.”