The Bench Warmer (Book 1)

Chapter 13: Slant Route

This first snap was awful, for both sides none the less, as it was clear that no one had a single clue as to just what it was that they were doing right at this very moment in time. Luckily that made it worse for the defense how ever, as no one seemed to know where to go, as I saw about 4 different guys going after a single receiver right at this very moment in time, and there was a bunch of guys he had went back, as if they had expected a pass play to be called, as I could tell they were afraid of that.
I did not blame them for being afraid either, as I knew that our team had been the worst pass defense in the division, all at the exact same time too, last year, none the less, as I was sure that they had heard plenty of the fact that the defense needed to get better on the passing side of the ball, never the less.
But it was clear that our offensive head Coach, coach Strauss, was very smart with the decision that he had made about the fact that we should run on the first play, as he had showed them the play call, as it was a simple run up the gut, that had the defense confused as to just what it was that was going on right now.
The offensive line seemed to be in fairly decent sync at the very least, as the defensive line did not have a chance, as the running back went right down the middle quite a bit easily, getting past the defensive line with ease, as he got the linebackers. The linebackers had seemed to be expected a pass play as well, as I could see that they had all moved back, but once it was that they saw the running back going down the middle, all 4 of them seemed to swarm on to the running back.
The running back did not stand much of a chance, as even if he had an open seem to hear down, it was clear that he was a little bit scared, and he was not all too sure as to just where it was that he should go right at this very moment in time, as I saw him seem to stop at the last second, as the linebackers swarmed on him, and took him down quite a bit easily, all at the exact same time too.
That was not before he got a solid 6 to 7 yards how ever, and it was quite a good run, all at the exact same time as well, as it seemed like the offensive line had done a very good job, all at the exact same time too, as that was good to see for sure, though I doubt any of them would be starters in year one, never the less, as I shook my head, shaking off all of the thoughts that I had been having before now, all at the exact same time as well.
I saw that both sides of the ball were quite a bit confused as to just what it was that was going on still, as I still saw a bunch of players going all across the field right now, even though nothing was happening, and the plan had already ended. After a few more seconds, I then heard a whistle called, all at once, signaling to every one that the play was over, and that they should all get back over to the side lines now.
I blinked my eyes a few times, as I then all of the sudden nodded a bit to my self, all at the exact same time too, as I then all of the sudden turned my head over to the other side of the field, as I looked at the 3rd stringers on defense, as there was a lot less of them, than there had been of 4th stringers, as it was clear to me that they were a lot more safe than the 3rd stringers were, as a lot of them were sophomores that had already played on the JV team last year.
I blinked my eyes a few times, as I looked away from the defensive side once again, as I knew that it did not matter all too much to me, about them at all, as I knew that I had to get my focus on the fact that the offense was the side that I needed to be on right now, as I then turned my head over to the 3rd stringers on the offensive side of the ball, all at the exact same time too, and just like the defensive side, I saw that most of them were in fact sophomores, though I did see a few Juniors, and a few freshman in there as well.
I blinked my eyes a few times, as I let out quite a bit of a soft sigh to my self, as I could see that Coach Strauss was talking to them right at this very moment in time too, as it was clear to me that he was trying to tell him what play it was that he had designed up for them now, all at the exact same time too, as I stared at him with quite a bit of a blank look on my face, as I was not all too sure as to just what else it was that I should be doing at all, right at this very moment in time any ways.
As I looked over there for just a little bit longer, I then saw that all 11 players that were on that side, all of the sudden clapped their hands, all at the exact same time too, as I then all of the sudden began to start to see them head on to the field, where the ball sat right at this very moment in time as well, as I stared at the ball with quite a bit of a blank look on my face.
That was the football that I was going to have in my hands, very soon from now, if I had to take my best guess, as I was sure that Coach Strauss had called another run play, all at the exact same time too, as it was clear that he thought that we were going to get a first down off of it, all at once, which I did not blame him for, as we were already over half way there, all at the exact same time too.
I blinked my eyes a few times, as I then all of the sudden looked over to the defensive side, all at the exact same time too, as I could tell that they were a bit ahead of us, and it was clear that they were already ready for the ball to get snapped, when our team was not even near the ball just yet, all at the exact same time too.
I kind of felt like at first, that it had me a bit worried, that the defense might be a little bit more in sync right now, but as I began to think on it for just a little bit more, I then began to start to realize that there was not all too much for me to be worried about right now, at this very moment in time any ways, as I knew that the defensive side of the ball should take more time, so that was not all too good for them.
I cracked a bit of a smile on my face, all at once, as I then stared at the OLine, as they began to start to get them selves set up, as I could tell that they were a lot bigger than the OLine that I had seen just a few moments before, as it was clear that they were older, and they were bigger and stronger than the freshman, all at the exact same time too, as I stared at them for a few more moments, as I watched the Quarterback start to set him self up, all at the exact same time as well.
He looked around, as it was clear that he was trying to confuse the defense right now, by acting like he was making sure that his receivers were ready. After he did that, I then saw him step a foot down, quite a bit hard, as I saw him try to drag the Tight End out to the other side, which I knew was going to confuse the defense even more, all at the exact same time too.
It was clear to me that Coach Strauss was very good at play calling, and it was clear to me that he knew when to spot weaknesses in the defense, all at the exact same time too. As I stared in silence, I waited for the Tight End to move, but it did not seem like he was going to do as such a thing, which confused me even more. The Quarterback was looking over to him, as I could tell that he was waiting.
All of the sudden the Tight End then got up and began to move over, as it was clear that he had not realized as to just what it was that was going on at first, as I saw from quite some distance away, that the guy had quite a bit of an embarrassed look on his face right now, as it was clear that he felt like he was an idiot.
Though he kind of was, as he was risking losing his spot on the team, as it was clear that he had not paid all too much attention to what Coach Strauss had said. If this was an actual game, it would have been a delay of game for sure, as I could tell that Coach Strauss did not have an all too happy look on his face, as he watched the Tight End slowly and gently walk over to the other side of the line.
Shortly after the Tight End set him self up, that was when the QuarterBack finally seemed to start to set all of it up for real now, all at the exact same time as well, as I then all of the sudden, not all too much longer after all of that, began to start to her him speak, just as the last Quarterback had done, as I then did in fact begin to start to listen as to just what it was that he even had to say in the very first place any ways, which it was obvious to me as to just what it was that he had to say.
"Down! Set! Hike!" He yelled, as I then all of the sudden saw the ball given to him, not all too much longer after that, as he then all of the sudden began to start to make the mistake of looking over to the running back, all at the exact same time too, which gave it away to the defense that it was going to be a run play, none the less. At first, I had a little bit of hope that the defense was still young, and they might notice, but as I watched the play develop, I noticed that it was not the case at all.
The defense immediately swarmed to the ball, as the running back had basically no where to go, as I could tell that he was in quite a bit of some panic, as he could see 11 players running over to him, all at the exact same time too, as I saw at the very least, that the running back was a lot smarter than the Quarterback, all at the exact same time too, as I saw him hold the ball in both of his arms, making sure that he did not lose it.
Not too much longer after all of that, the defense jumped all over him, and took him to the ground, without much of a fight, as it was clear that the running back knew as to just what it was that was coming, and he knew that there was no use, and that there was no point in trying to fight all of it off, in the very first place any ways, never the less.
I felt bad for the poor running back, as it was a poor play by the Quarterback, as to just what it was that he had done, as it was clear to me that the Quarterback did not have a single clue as to just what it was that he was doing right now. I saw that he was a bit upset at the offensive line, as I could hear cheering from the defense right now, as to the 3 to 4 yard loss that they had just got, all at the exact same time as well, which I felt like would not have happened if the Quarterback had not done what it was that he had did.
I sighed a bit to my self, as I could see that the Quarterback was getting upset at the OLine right now, even though it really had not been their fault, as there was not much that they could have done with that many players running their way, all at the exact same time too, as I squinted my eyes at the Quarterback for just a few moments, as I knew for a fact, at least so far, that the Quarterback was going to be the one cut already.
I rolled my eyes a bit, as I knew that it was not my decision at all how ever, as I let out quite a bit of a rough sigh to my self, and I then all of the sudden shook my head, all at the exact same time as well, as I then looked up over towards the scouts, to see if they had noticed as to just what it was that I had seen happen right in front of my own eyes, all at the exact same time too.
How ever, as I looked over at the scouts, I noticed that they did not seem to be paying attention to all that was even going on right now, besides perhaps one or two that seemed to be writing stuff down on a journal right now. For all I knew they still could not be paying any sort of attention how ever, as they simply could just be writing stuff down for other stuff, on that paper right now any ways.
Either way, I knew that it was none of my business how ever, as I blinked my eyes a bit, all at once, and I did my best to try to get my focus off of all of those thoughts, all at once, as well, as I knew that it would not make sense for them to be paying all too much attention to what it was that was going on with the 3rd and 4th stringers right now any ways, as they all knew that they did not matter all too much to them at all right now.
No... They were here for some thing much different than that... They were here for us 1st stringers... They were here for me... I blinked my eyes a few times as well, as I did my best to try to get my focus off of all of those thoughts, all at the exact same time too, as I knew that I needed to stay humble, and I could not think in that kind of way, whether it might be true or not, that did not seem to matter all too much to me at all, all at the exact same time as well, as I then blinked my eyes a few times none the less.
I then all of the sudden turned my head over to Coach Strauss instead, as I saw that he had his eyes, and he had his head on some thing much different than all of that as well, as I stared at him, and I saw that he had the Quarterback held back from the rest of the team right now, as he was right near me, and I could hear what it was that he was saying at the exact same time as well.
Based off of the look that I saw on his face, it was clear that he was not all too happy about what it was that had even happened in the very first place any ways, as I blinked my eyes a few times, as I could tell that he too had clearly seen, such as I had, that the Quarterback had pretty much given up the play call right away, when he had looked right over to the running back, shortly before it was that he had given the ball to him.
It was clear that he had known as to just what it was that it had meant for the rest of the defense, all at the exact same time too, as I saw that the Quarterback had his head quite a bit low to the ground, all at the exact same time too, as I could tell that he was a little bit hurt by what it was that the Coach was even saying to him, right at this very moment in time any ways, as it was clear that the kid was quite a bit of a cry baby, as well as a terrible player too.
I rolled my eyes a bit to my self, as I kind of hoped that was not the case at all for our new Quarterback, Cornell, as I looked over to him, as I saw that the kid had a smile on his face as to just what it was that was going on right at this very moment in time too. I felt like he might be a little bit of a toxic team mate, if I had to guess, but I had watched the game that he had played in, and he seemed to be very fast, as well as the fact that he was fairly good at tricking the defense.
The only problem was I had in fact seen him scramble a lot, and if that was the case for me, than I was worried that the ball might not be thrown my way as much as I wanted it to. Though I guess any thing was better than the Quarterback that we had last season, so I really should not be complaining as much as I was in my head right now, as I shook off all of those thoughts, and I looked back to Coach Strauss, as I turned my head away from Samuel, as I knew that was not what it was that I should have my attention on at all right now.
I blinked my eyes a few times, as I stared at Coach Strauss, with quite a bit of a blank look on my face, which I felt like it wouldn't matter as to what ever look it was that I was to have on my face any ways, as Coach Strauss did not have his eyes on me at all right now, as it was clear that his eyes were on the other kid right at this very moment in time, as he continued to speak up to the kid quite a bit loudly, none the less, so that the rest of the team could here.
I began to realize that was what it was that seemed to please Samuel so much, all at the exact same time too, as it was clear that it made him happy to see his team mates fail, which kind of scared me, and it kind of made me feel sick, all at once, as I did my best to try to get my focus off of all of those thoughts at once none the less, as I let out quite a bit of a heavy sigh to my self, and I then shook my head as well, as I then just began to start to listen as to just what it was that Coach Strauss had to say to the kid, in the very first place any ways, never the less.
"You can't do that kid! You're giving it away to the defense, if you look right at the running back before you hand him the ball... You gotta look away from the running back, okay?!" He said to the kid, to make sure that the kid had heard as to just what it was that he had said, all at the exact same time too, as Coach Strauss then all of the sudden tapped on the kids shoulders a few times, to calm the kid down, all at the exact same time as well, never the less.
I stared with a bit of a blank look for just a little bit longer, as the kid then began to start to head over to the side line, all at the exact same time too, as he joined up with the rest of the 3 stringers. I blinked my eyes a few times as well, as I then shook off all of those thoughts from my head, all at once, as I saw Coach Strauss turn his head away from the kid, and he rolled his eyes, all at the exact same time too, as it seemed to be clear to me that he did not believe that the kid had really actually listened to him.
I did not blame him either, as I let out a bit of a soft sigh to my self once again, and I then all of the sudden shook my head, as I shook away all of those thoughts from my head, all at once, as I then began to start to watch, all at the exact same time as well, as Coach Strauss began to start to head over to the 2nd stringers now, all of the sudden, as I shivered at the exact same time too, as I knew that we were up next after those kids...
I kind of hoped that the got a 1st down on this play as well, if I was not going to lie to my self, as I knew that if we did not, than it was going to be a 4th down, which was always a bit of a stressful situation situation for me to do be in for one thing, but it kind of felt like it was on a bit of the next level right now as well, too, when I knew that it was going to be my first play of the new season, and if it was going to be a 4th down, than it meant that it was only going to be harder for me, all at the exact same time too.
I gulped at the thought of that as well, as I also knew that if they did get a 1st down right now, than it meant that we were more than likely going to do a run play on 1st down, as that was usually how it was that we did, unless the game was a high scoring game, which also usually tended to happen, due to the fact that I knew that we had an awful defense, which usually meant that we had to score a lot, all at the exact same time as well.
I sighed a bit, as I knew that this was a scrimmage, and I just had to go with the way that things were going to go, slowly over time, as I knew that I should be ready for any thing, and that I should not be hoping for things to happen. If I had to take my best guess, with this being a pass play right now, than it meant that it more than likely was going to be an incompletion as well, if not a pick, which I for sure hoped that it was not a pick.
I blinked my eyes a few times, as I knew that I had to be ready for a 4th down, and I had to get my self prepared for a slant route down the middle, or I had to be ready for it to be a drag or a corner route on the inside for a 10 yard gain that we get us a 1st down, all at the exact same time too. I nodded a bit to my self, as I let out a bit of a soft, as well as a gentle sigh, all at once, as I watched as 2nd stringers began to start to head on to the field, as it was clear that Coach Strauss was done speaking to them, none the less.
I stared at them, and I let out a bit of a heavy sigh to my self, as I watched them start to head over to where the ball was at, around the 27 yard line, as it seemed to be, as it looked like it was a 3rd and 8. It was going to be quite a bit of a rough situation that I was about to have to be in, all at the exact same time as well, as I just stood there, and I stared with a bit of a blank look on my face as well.
Just like it had happened with the 3rd stringers, the OLine got themselves set up, as these guys were the biggest out of the bunch, all at the exact same time too, as I let out a bit of a soft as well as a bit of a relieved sigh to my self, as I knew that we were going to be fine, and that every thing was going to be okay for us, never the less, as I nodded a bit to my self, all at once.
As the team lined up, I saw that just like the last play, the Quarterback stomped his foot down, signaling for one of the players to move, as at first I thought it was going to be the tight end, but I then noticed that it was the running back who moved, as I saw that he was going out with the 2 recievers that were on the left side right now, all at the exact same time too, as it was clear that he was making it obvious to the defense that this was going to be a pass play to matter what, which made sense never the less.
I breathed in quite a bit to my self, as I watched as the Quarterback nodded to the running back, as the running back got near the other 2 recievers, as all of the sudden, just as it had happened last time the Quarterback all of the sudden began to start to yell loudly, for all of the players on the field, and ever the players on the side line to hear for that matter, as I began to start to listen as to just what it was that he even had to say in the very first place any ways, which of course it was none other than...
"Down! Set! Hike!" He yelled to the offense, to snap the ball, as the Center snapped the ball quite a bit high in to the air, but luckily the Quarterback caught it at the last second, as he had to jump up high to catch it. I nodded a bit to my self, as I then all of the sudden turned my head over to the receivers, as I saw that the Quarterback now safely and securely had the ball in his hand all of the sudden, all at the exact same time as well.
I watched, as it seemed like every single player seemed to be doing a slant route all of the sudden, as I nodded a bit to my self, all at the exact same time too, as I also looked at the running back, who was standing completely still, near the line of scrimmage, as it was clear that he was wide open, though I did see that a safety had his eyes on him from not all too far away, just to make sure that the Quarterback did not throw it to him, or else he would stop him for a minimal gain.
I got my focus off of the running back how ever, as I got my eyes, and I got my focus on to the receivers all of the sudden, as I watched as I saw that the Tight End was wide open for an easy gain none the less, all at the exact same time too, as he was waving his hand up in the air, to try to get the attention of the Quarterback on him at the exact same time too, as it was clear that it was an easy first down, due to the fact that there were no linebackers down the middle for some odd reason or another.
I waited for the ball to be thrown his way, all at the exact same time too, but as the seconds ticked, it did not seem like it was going to be the case, for some odd reason or another, as I was not all too sure by all that was even going on right at this very moment in time any ways, as it seemed like that Quarterback was blind, and he could not see a wide open receiver right down the middle right now, for some odd reason or another.
I was about to turn my head to the Quarterback, to see what was going on, when I all of the sudden heard a whistle be called, as it was clear that the play was over, though I had not seen the ball get thrown to any of the receivers how ever, which did in fact have me quite a bit confused, as well as the fact that I was lost, as I did not have a clue as to just what it was that was even going on in the very first place any ways, never the less.
I looked over to the Quarterback, to see that he was on the ground, as I saw there was about 3 different players on him right now. That was when it all of the sudden hit me, as to why there was no linebackers down the middle, as it was clear that all of them had gone on a blitz, and it had been a successful blitz all at the exact same time too, none the less, as the Quarterback seemed to have no sort of chance to throw the ball, once he had caught the bad snap.
I felt bad for the Quarterback, as I was sure that he had taken quite a bit of a big hit, all at the exact same time too, based off of the fact that I could tell that he struggled to get up, and he seemed to be a little bit dazed once it was that he had gotten up from off of the ground in the very first place any ways, as I felt quite a bit bad for him.
I saw at the very least, the the kid had at least managed to throw the ball away, as it was clear that the kid knew that he did not have much of a chance to do any thing with the ball, as it was clear that by the time he had caught the errant snap, the defense was already up on him. I blinked my eyes a few times, as I let out a bit of a soft sigh all at the exact same time too, as it was just as I had hoped it not to be.
It was 4th and 8, and we were about to have to head out on the field, all at the exact same time too, as I blinked my eyes a few times, and I then nodded to my self, as I saw that the 2nd stringers were now starting to head on to the side line, as I saw that they had their heads down, as I saw that they all had quite a bit of a disappointed look on their faces, all at the exact same time as well. Though, that did not matter all too much to me, as I was not sure as to just why it was that my focus was on them at all right now.
I gulped a bit to my self, as I then all of the sudden shook my head, and I then got my focus on the fact that I knew Coach Strauss was walking over to us, the 1st stringers right now, as I stared at him instead, all at the exact same time too, as I could tell that all of the players that were on my side right now, seemed to be just as uncomfortable with the situation that we were in, such as it felt like I was, all at the exact same time too.
It made sense none the less, how ever, as I knew that it was never a good situation to be in, when we had to go for it on 4th down. I breathed in quite a bit to my self, all at the exact same time too, as I just nodded a bit to my self, as I got my focus on the fact that Coach Strauss was now right up on us all of the sudden, as I saw that he was lifting up a big note pad, all at the exact same time as well, that it seemed like he had some play call on it, all at the exact same time as well.
I tilted my head, as I was not all too sure about what it was that I was supposed to be looking at right now. That was until Coach Strauss then all of the sudden nodded to all of us, all at the exact same time too, as it was clear to me, that he was letting all of us know, that he was about to go ahead and start to speak to us never the less. I blinked my eyes a few times, as I just stared at him with a blank look on my face, all at the exact same time too.
In the end how ever, I did in fact nod back to him, along with the rest of the team, as we huddled in, to hear what it was that he even had to say to all of us, in the very first place any ways. I blinked my eyes a few times, as I stared a him for a little bit longer, as he then all of the sudden opened up his mouth up, all at the exact same time too, as he then began to start to speak to us all, and I did in fact begin to start to listen as to just what it was that he had to say to us, all at the exact same time as well, none the less.
"Alright... Ray, you are going to have to block, odds are, they are going to blitz again, just like they did on the last play... Meaning that, Cornell you are going to have to get the ball out fast..." He said to first, Ray, as he nodded to him, to make sure that Ray heard just what it was that he had to say in the very first place any ways, as Ray then all of the sudden nodded to him, all at the exact same time too, to let him know that he had heard what it was that he had said. Coach then turned his head to Samuel, to make sure that he had heard as to just what it was that he had said as well. Samuel then seemed to have a serious look on his face finally, as he then nodded back to Coach, which I let out a bit of a soft and a relieved sigh to my self, all at once, as I was glad that he was paying attention at least. I got my focus off of all of that how ever, as I then all of the sudden saw that Coach Strauss now had his eyes on me for some odd reason. It made me feel a little bit uncomfortable if I was not going to lie to my self, but as I saw him nod to me, to let me know he was about to speak to me, I did in fact nod back to him, to let him know that I was listening to him once again, as he began to speak not all too much longer after that, as he had seen me do as such a thing. "You're going to go right down the middle, on a slant route...