Team Prospect Report: Rosemount Irish
The Rosemount Irish went into Farmington’s homecoming game looking to even their record at 2-2. The did just that with a mostly dominating effort. After a scoreless first quarter, the Irish scored 35 unanswered points during a 35-7 victory. One…
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Continue ReadingThe Rosemount Irish went into Farmington’s homecoming game looking to even their record at 2-2. The did just that with a mostly dominating effort. After a scoreless first quarter, the Irish scored 35 unanswered points during a 35-7 victory.
One of the Irish players that immediately stood out was offensive tackle and defensive end Ezayah Oropeza. He made a great block on the corner to spring running back Christian Graske for a first down. Running back Garrison Green made two nice cuts in a hole created by linemen Oropeza and Xavier Sell for a 40-yard run. Green then scored a 15-yard touchdown off left tackle behind Oropeza.
“Our offensive line isn’t the biggest,” Oropeza said, “but we focus on our technique and our rules and make sure we do our jobs.”
Quarterback Max Carter was erratic early, but he made a nice throw on the run to complete a pass to Andrew Reuter on a deep out and a first down. On the run again, he completed a pass to Green on a shallow cross for a first down. He should have had a touchdown on a deep ball into the corner of the end zone – it was a perfectly thrown ball, but the receiver dropped it. On 4th and one late in the first half, Carter threw one of his best balls of the game. It was a deep throw down the sidelines, and Reuter caught the ball in the front corner of the end zone. Carter capped off his night with a 46-yard touchdown down the sidelines to Zach Barnick. The pass was right on the money; it was a long developing play, in which the offensive line gave him great protection.
Barnick made the catch of the night. On a skinny post, he was drilled just as he caught the ball. He hung on setting up a first and goal.
On a third and 16, Cadin Rudoll caught a wide receiver screen and worked his way across the field for 16 yards and a first down.
Minnesota Gophers’ commit Jonathan Mann made a diving catch on an underthrown ball for seven yards. Later he caught a five-yard in route. While he was bottled up most of the night, he opened things for his other receivers and was a force in the running game. He made a block on the edge helping Graske get the edge and into the red zone. He only got one chance on a kickoff, as Farmington kicked away from him most of the night, but he showed his speed exploiting a small crack in the coverage. He exploded through that crease and almost scored.
Graske picked up big yardage on another jet sweep set up by Mann’s downfield blocking to help set the edge.
“I try to bring energy where ever I can,” Mann said. “If I can block and help somebody out or if I get a chance to catch a pass I am going to try to score. Any way I am called upon I am going to do the job the best I can.”
Although it didn’t show on the stat sheet, head coach Jeff Erdmann knew Mann had an impact on this and all the Irish contests.
“In some of our earlier games he saw a lot of double coverage which opens up things for our other guys,” Erdmann said. “We didn’t run the ball very good in the first few games, so we were throwing in throwing situations.”
Irish receivers were blocking downfield all night. Rudoll and Barnick’s blocks on the edge sprung Green for a ten-yard gain and a first down.
The Irish’s most effective offensive weapon was Green. He scored three touchdowns and picked up big yards behind tackle Koye Leenderts. Tight end Carter Baune‘s seal block sprung Green on another run to the edge. On the run, Green broke a tackle on the sidelines for an additional 20 yards.
Fullback Max Enright was solid in the run game all night. He also did an excellent job picking up the blitz. On a Green run, he met a linebacker at the line of scrimmage and moved him out of the hole created by Cameron Rother and Leenderts.
“My strengths are ball security – keeping the ball high and tight – and reading the blocks,” Green said. “When I come out wide going full speed – being able to see where things line up and making the cuts.”
Leenderts made two great seal blocks on the outside to allow the Irish to attack the edges of the defense.
Grant Peroutka and Jacob Kaupa showed their athletic ability blocking on a bubble screen.
On the defensive side of the ball, Oropeza wasn’t fooled on a naked bootleg and made a sack. Then he got into the backfield again, this time the result was a tackle for loss. Late in the game, Daniel Tesch and Oropeza stuffed a run up the middle.
“With us being small I think we are conditioned better,” Oropeza said. “We just have the mentality that we are going to step on people’s throats the whole game regardless of the score.”
Playing slot corner, Evan Geiwitz dropped into a zone and picked off a pass. Then he made an open field tackle in the flat for a loss. He had nice one on one coverage downfield, especially when Farmington tried to run a double pass. Geiwitz didn’t get fooled, was right on the receiver and intercepted his second pass of the game.
Kam Werk got into the backfield and forced the running back into his teammates. Later, Werk and Dalton Hogan were both in the backfield and almost took the handoff and make a tackle in the backfield.
Linebacker Austin Lentz dropped into his zone and deflected a pass. On another throw into the flat, he de-cleated the receiver with a big hit. The form tackle forced the receiver to drop the pass. On a third and two, he stuffed a running play to force a fourth down.
Playing safety, Reuter made a break on the ball to undercut a route and knocked away a pass.
Other notable plays included Riley Schimmel making a one on one tackle in the open field, Garrett Graham with a pass break up, Jake Ratzlaff getting into the backfield on a blitz for a tackle for loss, and Rother with pressure up the middle to create a sack for one of his teammates.