Georgetown Prep Fundamentally Sound
Georgetown Prep will see contributions from a great deal of underclassmen that will be playing varsity football for the first time in 2009.
Photo By: Louie Escobar / GamedayMD.com | VIEW GALLERY
Leading the Hoyas will be one of three senior captains; tight end/defensive end Paul Phillips. Phillips will be looked at to play a larger role in the passing game this year after catching 15/15 balls last year.
Photo By: Louie Escobar / GamedayMD.com | VIEW GALLERY
The Little Hoyas will look to replace more than a dozen graduating players, but returns twenty eight players including eleven starters, in what hopes to be a strong season.
Photo By: Louie Escobar / GamedayMD.com | VIEW GALLERY
BETHESDA, MD - The great Woody Hayes said, "This game is about blocking and tackling," a philosophy Georgetown Prep Head Coach Dan Paro does not want to stray far from. Entering his thirteenth season at the helm for the Little Hoyas, Paro still believes the fundamentals are what need to be concentrated on in order to have success as a team.
"Pad level and leverage are what all programs work hard on. For us to be successful, kids have to be in the right spot, and that is what we as coaches work hardest on with our players. Everyone has to compete and do the right thing on every play.....you're going to get beat by the guy across from you, maybe most plays if he's really good, but the plays you keep fighting are the difference," Paro explained.
When you play a schedule as tough as Georgetown Prep has in 2009 there will be many really good players lining up across the ball. The schedule will include tough matchups from start to finish, so it can be tough to single out one game as the, "Game of the year," but most of Montgomery County is well aware of the rivalry between The Landon School and Georgetown Prep.
This year returning to the schedule for the first time since 2006, when Prep was still an IAC member, Landon will be hosting the big game in early November as a near closer for both teams. Fans and players alike are happy to see this rivalry continue on the gridiron hopefully for years to come.
"This year it fits in our schedule, last couple years there wasn't an opening," commented Coach Paro. "With our schedule we are playing against great teams every week, there are no weeks off. The Coaches in our conference are very good, every one of them."
MIAA division A, the conference Prep has belonged to since 2007, does indeed have tough competition, with notable three time defending conference champion Loyola, Gilman, and Mt. St. Joseph's all on the schedule. The Little Hoyas will look to replace more than a dozen graduating players, but returns twenty eight players including eleven starters, in what hopes to be a strong season.
Leading the Hoyas will be the senior captain trio of quarterback Jack Schryber, tight end/defensive end Paul Phillips, and lineman Robert Posnewski. The senior leadership headed by the captains will be called upon to get the most out of the team by directing younger players on and off the field.
Schryber returns under center after a strong junior campaign, completing over 60% of his passes during the 2008 season, in which Prep finished with a 7-3 record and 2-3 in conference. Schryber is a strong leader with a solid arm and mobility. He will be called upon to direct the Multiple I offense that Coach Paro has in place. The offense will look to run the ball as much as effective and use play action to come up with big plays in the air.
Running the ball is easier said than done, but Georgetown Prep has plenty of returning talent to run and block with. Bobby Gribbin started at tailback as a sophomore a year ago and will continue to attack defenses in 2009. His speed and toughness will supply a great deal of the offense this year for the team behind a high quality blocking group.
Senior 6'4" 310lbs Julian Green, will anchor the line that will use size and toughness to run on opposing defenses. Green will also be looked at to help bring along rising sophomore Mike Bowland. Bowland at 6'6" 280lbs has shown flashes of great potential and will look to contribute this year on varsity. Prep also has the luxury of using star tight-end 6'4" 225lbs Paul Phillips in run blocking situations.
Phillips will be looked at to play a larger role in the passing game this year after catching 15 balls last year in the same role. Making the 15 catches more impressive was the fact that he was only thrown to 15 times. Yes, you read that correctly, Phillips made the catch every time he was thrown to without fail in 2008. Look for this standout to really breakthrough this season with a strong year blocking and receiving.
Senior Matty Collins along with others will provide quarterback Jack Schryber with outside targets. The receiving group will need to block quite a bit, but can be the difference making a big play or two in play action each week.
Defensively, Prep will run a 5-3 base defense utilizing its strong returning lineman.
Phillips and Posnewski will be needed to organize and lead as well as cause havoc against opponents. One of the keys for the defense will be how well the middle of the line can demand double teams and allow their playmakers shots at ball carriers. If they can do this well, the Hoyas should improve on what was already a solid area, holding teams to an average of only 15 points per game last season.
The other key for the defense will be to not give up the big play. "We gave up to many 3rd and longs last season," an area Coach Paro hopes to improve on.
Super athletic rising junior Bobby Rutland will have coverage responsibilities out of his corner back position and give the Hoyas an athlete capable of running with some of the conferences elite receivers. Rutland and the secondary will have their hands full this year as they play multiple teams with big time division 1 prospect wide receivers.
With both solid size at 6'0" and 185lbs, as well as, 4.5 speed in the forty yard dash, Rutland will be a key to stopping high powered passing games along with the pressure up front from Posnewski and Phillips.
5 Camp Observations
Limit Big Plays
Coach Paro points to allowing too many big plays on 3rd and long last season as a weakness. The secondary will look to use a little more cover 3 and especially cover 4 in situations to combat the long pass. "We don't want to give up the long quick touchdown, we're going to try to make teams drive the whole length of the field," Paro made clear.
Grooming Winners
Georgetown Prep will see contributions from a great deal of underclassmen that will be playing varsity football for the first time in 2009. Standouts like sophomore Mike Bowland, were a part of two special groups last year that saw a great deal of success. Prep's freshman team and junior varsity teams combined for just two losses in 2008, and the varsity is hoping to see the younger talent fill in holes nicely.
Legacy Tradition
Both Paul Phillips and Bobby Gribbin are not unfamiliar names at Georgetown Prep as both of had brothers standout on the football field in the recent past. Phillips has two older brothers one of which is a starting offensive lineman at Stanford University and the other is a starting tight end at University of Virginia. Paul looks to easily follow in the family footsteps next year as a division 1 tight end. Bobby Gribbin will play the same position that older brother Billy played, tailback, on the same field at Prep this year.
Special Teams
As a former punter himself, Coach Paro pays special attention to his special teams units. "Punt team and punt block team, we've won a number of games over the years blocking punts and protecting our punts." Paro also points out that punting can often be the longest plays from scrimmage per game and can dramatically affect the outcome of a game if not done correctly.
Playing Defense as a Unit
While there are standouts on the defensive side of the ball for the Hoyas, Coach Paro and his staff instill a team strategy that will look to make plays as a unit with everyone taking care of their own responsibilities. "We are going to be a pursuing, swarming type of defense, a no name type, and everyone has to know and correctly do their assignments.
Great defenses are all disciplined, but have a nasty attitude....swarm to the ball." This strategy combined with the talent on this year's team, Georgetown Prep is looking forward to getting started on what looks to be a strong 2009.
