In-Season Twitter Film Study, Pt. 1

As teams across the state gear up for postseason runs, I thought it'd be a great time to dive into some film highlights that have come my way throughout the season. Each of these players brings unique strengths to the table, but they all share one key trait: they've been instrumental to their team's success in 2024.    [player_tooltip player_id='1312084' first='Karsten' last='Cornell'] has some really nice quickness and for a bigger back, he doesn't need much of a gap to burst through the trenches. Often leaving him one-on-one with a linebacker, his impressive footwork makes him really hard to bring down in open space. That fancy footwork also shows up whenever he's around the sideline where defenders will ease up thinking there's no way he can stay in bounds. Using incredible balance, Cornell is able to not only stay upright but stay in bounds as well and turn it upfield for a big gain. With his combination of speed, power, and balance, Cornell is the type of back who can change the momentum of a game with just one play.     [player_tooltip player_id='369025' first='Ezy' last='Brown'] is an incredible athlete playing in the defensive backfield for Highley. Whether it's up at the line of scrimmage in short-yardage situations, or playing a deep zone to keep everything in front of him, he's both fast enough and physical enough to do both well. He currently has six passes defensed to go with an interception on the season. A real playmaker with the ball in his hands, Brown leaves an impact on special teams as well averaging 25 yards each kickoff return and has 143 total kick return yards so far this year. Making his presence felt in two phases of the game, Browns athleticism has made him a prospect coaches should take a long look at as he finishes out his high school career.     [player_tooltip player_id='1177564' first='Jackson' last='McCarthy'] has a combination of speed and power that offensive coordinators hate having to gameplan for. Often coming off the edge for Canyon View's defense, he can get into the opponent's backfield in a hurry, even if that means driving the offensive lineman back there with him. He currently has ten tackles for loss to go with six sacks and a whopping 13 quarterback pressures through the team's first seven games. McCarthy's relentless pursuit and disruptive presence make him a constant threat to blow up plays before they even have a chance to develop.     Playing on the interior of the defensive line for a Marana team that finds themselves atop the Open rankings, [player_tooltip player_id='1177561' first='Hayden' last='Utley'] has been a real force to be reckoned with. With an impressive 18 tackles for loss so far this season, he's added ten sacks and another two forced fumbles. Using his sheer strength to consistently drive his opponent back, he practically lives in the backfield. Utley's aggressive, high-motor style of play makes him a nightmare for opposing offenses; he's relentless in his pursuit of the quarterback or anyone else who has the ball. His physicality and tenacity have been key in disrupting plays at the line of scrimmage, setting the tone for Marana's dominant defense.     [player_tooltip player_id='739451' first='Hyatt' last='Lang'] is quite the versatile weapon for a 5-3 Gilbert Christian squad. On the offensive end, he has 285 receiving yards — averaging more than 23 yards a catch — and three total touchdowns. The ultra-physical tight end doesn't go down easy, and with his long strides, he has the ability to win footraces against defensive backs. When the Knights are on defense, Lang turns into an instinctive and aggressive wrecking ball. Despite not having the most size on his frame, he doesn't seem to lack any strength and his feet always seem to be in the right position. His nose for the football has landed him 72 tackles so far in 2024 with two games left to play.     Don't let the 7.5 sacks fool you, Jayden Kloth is a dominant run-stuffer in the middle of Tonopah Valley's defense. He does an excellent job of using his hands to keep opposing linemen from engaging with him which allows him to slip to whichever side the ball carrier goes. When the quarterback drops back to pass, Kloth has some sneaky burst in his first two steps that make it really difficult for even athletic quarterbacks to sneak away. Kloth's aggressive playstyle and quick reactions make him a player to watch closely, consistently shutting down run lanes and pressuring quarterbacks into bad decisions.

As teams across the state gear up for postseason runs, I thought it'd be a great time to dive into some film highlights that have come my way throughout the season. Each of these players brings unique strengths to the table, but they all share one key trait: they've been instrumental to their team's success in 2024.