Next Opponent: South Oak Cliff

[99JBBG]

This “expert” is a huger homer for SOC. He constantly thrives on talking about them and interviewing their HC. He hates on PNG any chance he gets and rarely gives them their due rerespect.

In the video he says Jackson Christian is an A&M commit. I get with so many teams you gloss over to the numbers... but then why do it?

I'm starting to think there's a train of thought up in Lewisville. Stepp and Tepp technically are lower rung announcers. It's hs football. But they have to glam it up. So you promote fancy, flashy football. We are not that. That's why Tepp picked Texas. It's more fun and easier to cover. Plain ol meat and potatoes never tasted good. But it's about that trophy. You can be flashy, but if that hardware ain't in the trophy case... that's what the goal is. You do what you have to do. Who cares how it looks.

 

[Reece McCelvey]

To me on paper Texas High is a better team then SOC but there’s one huge difference coaching, Coach Todd is a very very good coach who knows how to win and knows what PNG can do. Texas Highs coach has been known to choke and make some questionable calls Coach Todd is not gonna give us those opportunities. Every single drive will count for both teams we need to make 0 mistakes unlike last week where we had some breathing room. This game is gonna go by quick both teams will be attempting to run clock on every single drive it’s gonna be a gritty battle won in the trenches but PNG has one thing going for us and it’s size and coaching we match up very well with them in both of those categories. It is gonna take almost everything we have to pull this off but I trust we can do that LETS GET THIS W!!

 

[Rez]

To me on paper Texas High is a better team then SOC but there’s one huge difference coaching, Coach Todd is a very very good coach who knows how to win and knows what PNG can do. Texas Highs coach has been known to choke and make some questionable calls Coach Todd is not gonna give us those opportunities. Every single drive will count for both teams we need to make 0 mistakes unlike last week where we had some breathing room. This game is gonna go by quick both teams will be attempting to run clock on every single drive it’s gonna be a gritty battle won in the trenches but PNG has one thing going for us and it’s size and coaching we match up very well with them in both of those categories. It is gonna take almost everything we have to pull this off but I trust we can do that LETS GET THIS W!!

That’s important. With all their talent (and believe me, I have opinions about the “transfer portal” SOC uses every single year - It’s a wonder anyone else in DISD can even find a wateboy, much less a football team), it gets often overlooked how excellent the coaching is. They’re extremely disciplined, not only in their play but in their play-calling. They game plan as if the other team is better than them. They have a lot of swagger, but they play humble. They won’t try for 50 yards when they only need five. That means they won’t give us a lot of mistakes or wasted drives. Their closing speed on defense is better than anything Texas, Huntsville, Nederland, La Porte, Montgomery, or Klein Oak had to throw at us. I also think their WRs are underrated this year.

 

[Reece McCelvey]

Another thing is they will give us some chances I listened to the whole Huntsville game that game was closer than it seems. SOCs offense and special teams slipped up multiple times and Huntsvilles defense kept them in the game for a while but there offense made wayyy to many mistakes. Huntsville would have a good drive going then it would be squashed by a dumb play call a bad penalty or just a mistake in return Huntsvilles defense stayed on the field the whole game making them exhausted. Point is PNG will make sure to capitalize on there mistakes and also it will be much harder to tire out our defense because our offense will sustain some drives.

 

[99JBBG]

Another thing is they will give us some chances I listened to the whole Huntsville game that game was closer than it seems. SOCs offense and special teams slipped up multiple times and Huntsvilles defense kept them in the game for a while but there offense made wayyy to many mistakes. Huntsville would have a good drive going then it would be squashed by a dumb play call a bad penalty or just a mistake in return Huntsvilles defense stayed on the field the whole game making them exhausted. Point is PNG will make sure to capitalize on there mistakes and also it will be much harder to tire out our defense because our offense will sustain some drives.

I watched that game. There was obvious places where if Huntsville played better, they could have made a difference. SOC wasn't invincible. The other team has to take advantage

 

[19PNGndn68]

I watched that game. There was obvious places where if Huntsville played better, they could have made a difference. They weren't invincible. The other team has to take advantage

I was at the game on Huntsville side. Their receivers wouldn’t make any adjustment to catch a ball. I was surprised to hear the Huntsville moms around me calling out their WR players names saying he ain’t caught a ball all season. An Exaggeration. but.
Huntsville offense couldn’t sustain a long drive in the first half.

 

[19PNGndn68]

"And many of the fans from the 70s are deceased" :-( , but I'm still kicking , Lord Willing, and 10X the Indian Spirit than y'all younglings . And I'm bringing my son (24yo) with me. Nieces from the 2015-2020 era are not. It is definitely time to pass on the good traditions of a supportive community.
But this can start to trend better as our communities are growing again. To have a future is to have hope.

My sons are turning 50. Most of my PNG classmates are gone. Every Day is a gift from God. I have my ticket and hotel room for the SOC game. I will be dressed for the game and/or duck hunting. Bring on the cold.
My sister (PNG grad) and two generations of her family of five came to the game from Baton Rouge. They had heard so much from Mema and wanted to experience the PNG phenomenon. They were not disappointed. Some of these are die hard LSU grads and fans.

 

[betterthenmost]

IMO....The La Porte game prepared the Indians for these games like this....31-24 Indians

 

[CS]

IMO....The La Porte game prepared the Indians for these games like this....31-24 Indians

I said this very thing last week against T-High. I agree with you.

 

[Xcrystalbeachbum]

I don’t understand the Dave Campbell’s hatred. Matt Stepp picked PNG to win last year. They put our coach on the cover of the summer magazine. They did a multi-page story on the Joseph family. They ranked us number 1 most of the season (despite ample evidence we weren’t at that level yet). Now, any impartial observer could tell you SOC has the best o-line we’ll face this season, is better on defense than they were last year (including the best linebackers and secondary we’ve seen this year), paired with a PNG defense that has struggled in comparison to last year (where it took all of our best defense ever and an onside kick recovery to win). I think we’ll win, but it’s not unreasonable to look at the two teams and their history and predict that SOC will win. It’s likely they will. I know we can do it, and we’ve got an amazing coach. Saying we’re the underdog isn’t evidence of bias or hatred for PnG.

Yes, Port Neches Grove has a chance....

 

[NDNmom91]

I was at the game on Huntsville side. Their receivers wouldn’t make any adjustment to catch a ball. I was surprised to hear the Huntsville moms around me calling out their WR players names saying he ain’t caught a ball all season. An Exaggeration. but.
Huntsville offense couldn’t sustain a long drive in the first half.

Yeah, my Huntsville cousin said the issues they had in that game have been a repeated problem all season. Eliminate those things and I think they could’ve beaten SOC, or made it a much closer game.
I’m sure all the “Rah-Rah” stuff gets annoying BUT I REALLY think the 12th man could be a BIG factor…ESPECIALLY in this game because other than the State Championship, I doubt SOC ever has to deal with much crowd noise…so let’s BE LOUDER and ROWDIER than EVER!!

 

[Sethndn2]

I don’t understand the Dave Campbell’s hatred. Matt Stepp picked PNG to win last year. They put our coach on the cover of the summer magazine. They did a multi-page story on the Joseph family. They ranked us number 1 most of the season (despite ample evidence we weren’t at that level yet). Now, any impartial observer could tell you SOC has the best o-line we’ll face this season, is better on defense than they were last year (including the best linebackers and secondary we’ve seen this year), paired with a PNG defense that has struggled in comparison to last year (where it took all of our best defense ever and an onside kick recovery to win). I think we’ll win, but it’s not unreasonable to look at the two teams and their history and predict that SOC will win. It’s likely they will. I know we can do it, and we’ve got an amazing coach. Saying we’re the underdog isn’t evidence of bias or hatred for PnG.

Giving all 88 teams still standing proper coverage would be tough, not to mention the 1000s of teams in the state who have been eliminated. I feel like they do well for what they try to do.
TBH, having perused this forum for the past several months, I feel like the “Expert’s” observations fall fairly in line with the local opinion on PNG.
And yeah, it’s really hard to have proper context on every stat and storyline across the state. IE the defensive performance in the Lake Creek game definitely looks worse for us now than if Lake Creek had won the Nederland game and got into the playoffs

Regardless of the media’s opinions, PNG is going to have to face a tough test in SOC. They’re talented, hungry and looking for revenge. But if PNG goes out and plays PNG football, we can absolutely rain on their parade once again.

 

[NDNmom91]

Honestly, I think the lack of coverage and pretty much none of media outlets predicting us to win plays a BIG part in the Indians staying HUNGRY to keep proving all the nay sayers WRONG, so I hope they don’t change a THING…lol!

 

[IndianFan]

The problem with media, or rather the few writers that write anything about PNG, is their narratives and tendency to minimize accomplishments and ability. Other teams are continuously hyped. But that’s nothing new and is expected now.

Just as PNG will be challenged, SOC is going to face a tough test against PNG. The Indians are talented, hungry and looking to continue winning. SOC has no parade at the moment. They put their pants on just like any other team. Gloves are a different story (symbolism). The team that wants it most in this game with players that make plays will win.

 

[Xcrystalbeachbum]

Honestly, I think the lack of coverage and pretty much none of media outlets predicting us to win plays a BIG part in the Indians staying HUNGRY to keep proving all the nay sayers WRONG, so I hope they don’t change a THING…lol!

Yea, I mean DCTF could not, would not stop talking about Tyson Henry's 241 yards on 41 carries against thigh(#1 Maxprep 5AII rated team). I mean golly gee whiz he is only a sophmore. Yuk Yuk Yuk.

 

[Usedtocould]

Just like THS hopefully we can wear down their front 7
I always look at body language
And during the game I commented that they looked defeated at the beginning of the 4th Q
And it showed in the final minutes
If we don’t go down early with mistakes and turnovers and big plays
We should win
This is the formula stay close if in a struggle
Keep the pressure on if we go up.

 

[Rez]

Honestly, I think the lack of coverage and pretty much none of media outlets predicting us to win plays a BIG part in the Indians staying HUNGRY to keep proving all the nay sayers WRONG, so I hope they don’t change a THING…lol!

Agree - We play better when we play humble. I hated us being ranked #1. Our boys aren’t talented enough to overcome constantly being reminded they’re the best. That’s not a knock on our players - It’s an acknowledgment that we play at our highest level when we have to dig deep and play as a TEAM. Being the underdog is liberating. We don’t need anyone to say anything nice about us, so clamoring for people to say nice things about us is a distraction.

 

[IndianFan]

In the video he says Jackson Christian is an A&M commit. I get with so many teams you gloss over to the numbers... but then why do it?

I'm starting to think there's a train of thought up in Lewisville. Stepp and Tepp technically are lower rung announcers. It's hs football. But they have to glam it up. So you promote fancy, flashy football. We are not that. That's why Tepp picked Texas. It's more fun and easier to cover. Plain ol meat and potatoes never tasted good. But it's about that trophy. You can be flashy, but if that hardware ain't in the trophy case... that's what the goal is. You do what you have to do. Who cares how it looks.

Slightly off by a few miles, but at least they know he's a D1 player.

Leyton - College Football Recruiting Expert on Instagram: "Three star IOL Jackson Christian has committed to Texas, a source tells me. He chose Texas over schools such as Texas A&M, Colorado State, and Houston. Jackson is a top 30 IOL in the count

leytonroberts_ on May 13, 2024: "Three star IOL Jackson Christian has committed to Texas, a source tells me. He chose Texas over schools such as Texas A&M, Colorado State, and Houston. Jackson is a top 30 IOL in the country. #HookEm".

www.instagram.com

 

[1989NDN]

PNG needs to survive SOC's initial wave of emotion. The Bears will walk out angry, motivated, prepared, and hyped for revenge. If the Indians can withstand that initial wave of intensity and emotion and let the game settle down down while still being tied or within striking distance, then game on. The game plan is the same as the 2023 state championship---finish drives with points, take care of the football, stay away from penalties, run the ball, control the tempo and clock, catch the ball when we do throw it, and squeeze the game down to a few possessions. Keep it close, roll the dice, get a little luck, and see what happens. It worked last time. Let's give it another shot. GO INDIANS!

 

[IndianFan]

SOC wants people to believe in their hype (Mecca, legends, etc). I believe there is an equal chance that the Indians will walk out with just as much if not more aggressiveness, motivation and preparation.