Editor’s note: This is the latest installment in a series of weekly columns about USD Toreros football by a six year veteran of the team, running back J.T. Rogan.
Another Saturday has come and gone and our team has extended its losing streak to four while pushing our conference record to 2-5. The team leading the conference at 6-0, Butler, was a team that narrowly defeated us 25-24 in Indianapolis. The difference between the teams leading our conference and the teams who are out of contention for the league championship is minimal, but it’s the small things that win football games.
It is said that the outcome of a football game is never determined by one play, but rather by a handful of pivotal plays. We have been routinely failing to seize opportunities when they present themselves, but instead allowing the other team to capitalize off of our inability to execute.
As has been customary for all of our league games, we had some plays that were fantastically performed with significant attention to detail by all players on the field with the result being a team effort that was reminiscent of a dominant football team. Conversely, we had plays where we failed to demonstrate a competency that would suggest that we knew how to win a game. Inconsistency will get you beat.
The players that we are playing against are non-scholarship athletes who, more or less, possess the same amount of talent. Our teams of the past, and even our current team, had more talent than most of the teams that we have played. It is converting that talent into performance that produces success.
I believe every game that I go into that I am more talented than the player that I am going against on the other team. I believe that I am more polished in my skills at my position than my opponent is at his and that the outcome of our playing against one another will be in my favor. The more games that I have played, the more I have believed this to be true.
When you have a young football team comprised of guys that are not familiar with winning games while being more talented than the players opposing them, the result can be defeat. However, the team defeat does not dictate the outcome of the individual battles.
Legendary coach John Wooden insisted on athletes finding, and subsequently giving, their personal best. In a losing season, the most important thing for a player to do is to strive for their personal best. About halfway through the season I let the team’s mediocre performance affect my personal play. I had to refocus and dedicate myself to attempting to achieve personal greatness on every play. With two games left to play, achieving personal greatness for each individual player should be what’s important now.
A summarization of our game versus Davidson isn’t necessary. It is the same formula that has allowed us to lose our last four games. In one of the more simplistic adages of all time, the difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little bit extra. Right now we are lacking that little bit extra.
This week we travel to Morehead, Kentucky to lay Morehead State University. We will be practicing at Ohio State University’s indoor practice facility on Thursday and at University of Kentucky’s indoor practice facility on Friday. This will be my last PFL game and it would be nice to go out with a win. The outcome may be uncertain, but I look forward to continuing to give my personal best.
Offensive Grade: C Defensive Grade: C Special Teams Grade: B- Personal Grade: B
