For the third straight week, Outside the Huddle is headlining the North Side Legends in their Friday matchup.
With games already against Snider and Bishop Dwenger, it is easy to see why we have stuck with North through the first three weeks.
What’s on the line at Carroll on Friday? Let’s break it down.
THREE STORYLINES
BATTLE FOR SECOND?
At this point of the season in the SAC, Carroll and North Side are prime candidates to be pegged as the second-best teams in the league. Now, the Chargers may very well be tops above Bishop Dwenger, but we can only judge on what we have seen thus far.
So, in that vein, both of these teams want to make a claim as in the conversation towards the top of the league. North Side backed it up last week with a determined fight against Dwenger but fell short. Meanwhile, Carroll wants to show it is for real after easy wins over Snider and Bishop Luers.
SHOW TIME AT QB
When discussing the top quarterbacks in northeast Indiana, nearly every list has Jeff Becker and Duce Taylor as one-two in that conversation.
Collectively, the duo has amassed 1,384 total yards in TWO WEEKS. What is a good over/under for the tandem on Friday? 700 yards? 750 yards?
One thing is for sure, Becker and Duce should put on quite a show on Friday.
GEARING UP FOR A GRIND
As mentioned previously, Carroll has not had much of a challenge in the opening two weeks, beating Snider and Bishop Luers by a combined score of 90-26.
But this week starts a stretch of challenges for the Chargers, with the debate still raging on just how good this team is. Following Friday’s showdown with North Side, Coach Doug Dinan’s team will face Northrop on the road in Week 4 followed by Bishop Dwenger at home in Week 5.
Yes, we will know a lot more about Carroll over the next few weeks.
FOUR PLAYERS TO WATCH
QB DUCE TAYLOR, SENIOR, NORTH SIDE
Duce did what he could against Bishop Dwenger last week, throwing for 328 yards and a score despite no running game whatsoever and steady pressure that intensified as the game went on.
The senior’s ability to hit receivers in stride for big plays is something that Carroll’s defensive backs have not been threatened with so far this season.
QB JEFF BECKER, JUNIOR, CARROLL
The most complete quarterback in northeast Indiana, and still just a junior.
Becker has put on a clinic over the first two weeks of the season, although the competition hasn’t exactly been elite.
Becker’s versatility will make North Side’s defense work much more than it had to last week when Bishop Dwenger kept Brenden Lytle in the pocket. Can the junior continue to light it up with his arm and his legs?
DL ASPEN PIPPERT-BOARD, SENIOR, NORTH SIDE
An overlooked aspect of last week’s showdown with Bishop Dwenger was how well North Side defended the run for the majority of the game. Pippert-Board was in the thick of that, getting penetration up front numerous times and bringing Saints ball carriers down close to the line of scrimmage.
Pippert-Board and his defensive front-seven cohorts will have more to contend with this week with a dual-threat QB in Becker who can torch defenses in a variety of ways. Can the Legends keep Becker from running wild outside of the pocket?
S ETHAN BEAUPRE, JUNIOR, CARROLL
Cornerbacks of Carroll will have first dibs on the North wide receivers and shutting them down, but the Legends like to send pass catchers out at various levels of the defense. That means the safeties will come into play to defend against big plays.
Beaupre had a pair of INTs in Week 1 against Bishop Luers. His help over-the-top when North Side goes long will be key.
KEYS TO VICTORY – NORTH SIDE
PROTECT DUCE
While the Legends did a good job initially last week in keeping pressure off of Duce Taylor, Bishop Dwenger was steadily able to grind down the offensive front of North and put hit after hit on the senior quarterback in the second half.
The same cannot happen this week, as it is expected that this game will be an offensive shootout. If you neutralize Duce Taylor, you neutralize the Legends offense as a whole. Keeping their star QB upright is paramount.
WRAP UP
North Side showed adept tackling form and ability last week, largely able to bring down Bishop Dwenger offensive players once contact was initiated.
That must continue this week. The squirmy Becker can be difficult to bring down, as well as receivers Mason Englert and Jameson Coverstone. A solid stable of RBs also present a problem with A.J. Lazoff and Luke Carmody front and center.
Wrap and bring down. That simple.
KEYS TO VICTORY – CARROLL
LET BECKER BE BECKER
Carroll is eager to prove itself against a quality opponent. It gets its chance on Friday. Last year, Becker threw for 174 yards and rushed for another 75 in a win over North Side.
While the Legends’ defense has improved, so has Becker. He will be utilized in a variety of ways against North, just as he has been in the two games to open the season. The more Becker is able to create, the better situation the Chargers will be in.
STAY FRESH
Bishop Dwenger was able to rotate a plethora of guys in over the course of four quarters against North last week. Meanwhile, the Legends roll with a lot of the same guys in the trenches. Over time, that really wore out some of the bigs up front that was so important in the SAC.
Carroll has the numbers to do the same thing. If they find themselves in a close game, the Chargers should utilize their greater depth on the offensive and defensive lines to keep guys fresh and exhaust North over the course of 48 minutes.
PREDICTION
Find out who Blitz picked to win this game and many more here.
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