Undefeated Blacklick Valley season 1983: The quandary about selecting a Player of the Year
… two great choices
Sometimes, if a team loses a football game, the coaches should be fired. That was the case in which we as coaches at Blacklick Valley found ourselves in 1983.
Paul Shandor was the head coach and I was his assistant. This was our fourth year together, but we both realized that we had blown a great opportunity in 1982. We finished 9-1, losing a one-point game to Shade, which was undefeated and eventually won the Appalachian Conference championship.
Both Coach Shandor and I realized that each of us had made a major mistake in that game that allowed Shade to score its last touchdown. We resolved to not allow that to happen again.
It did not. This was a solid team, and the only thing that could beat us were injuries -- and we had no major injuries to our starters.
Ww were good everywhere
We had an outstanding offensive line with five seniors tackle-to-tackle, good receivers, a veteran backfield, a strong defense, and a solid kicking game.
The result was an 11-0 season, and none of the games were close. This was before district championships started, unfortunately. We would love to have had to chance to compete in the District 6 football championships, but they did not start until two years later.
Quandary
At the end of the season, we had to determine who to recommend for membership on the Appalachian Conference all-conference team. Included in that was the Player of the Year, which generally went to a player from the championship team unless someone else simply dominated the league.
We narrowed our POY list down to two: Running back/linebacker/kicker Ted Worthington and offensive and defensive tackle Erik Johnson. They both had outstanding seasons.
I do not have the stats in front of me, but Teddy had about 1,500 yards rushing and 25 touchdowns. He was a great outside linebacker, and he did our punting and placekicking.
When Erik's name came up, Coach Shandor -- himself a lineman and the line coach -- said that the league would never give the POY to a lineman. I, who coached the QBs, RBs, and receivers, along with DBs, said that his name should still be in the running since he had dominated the line of scrimmage and devastated offenses for two seasons in which we went 20-1.
Nevertheless, I said that Ted's stats were such that they were impressive enough that he was a legitimate POY candidate.
It was a quandary.
The league coaches selected the team and negotiated it somewhat based on coaches' hopes, but the POY may have been a secret vote. Cannot remember that exactly. Coach Shandor attended the meeting, and it is more than three decades later.
What we finally decided to do was tell them that we were okay with having Erik and Teddy as Co-Players of the Year, but that it was obviously their decision.
Decision
The coaches decided to give the POY to Erik Johnson, our lineman, probably the first and last time that a lineman other than an end had earned it. It was an amazing feat for number 70, who might not have seen it coming.
Nevertheless, it was well-deserved.
However, I always felt bad for Teddy since he too, could have won that award.
Still, the coaches made an amazing decision, and today, I look on it as a great accomplishment by a special lineman who was one of the quickest off the ball that I have ever seen, except for Mean Joe Greene, of course.
Two amazing choices indeed!
ReplyDeleteCoaches should be fired for loosing a game? I don't think so. There were many reasons for the loss to Shade in 1982. If you remember correctly, I was called for roughing the punter giving Shade a first down and I believe they turned that drive around and took the ball in and scored because the drive was kept alive.
Finishing 9 - 1 my junior year helped develop a winning desire and drive for my senior year. You continue to blame yourself for that loss when it takes a team to win any team sport played. Mistakes were made by many that day.
The 1983 Team was solid, just as the 1982 team was. The difference.. Confidence.... We were lucky not to have any major accidents, but you failed to mention something else that I consider to be very important. That's right, confidence. Without confidence, we may not have been able to win even without injuries.
We did have one close game our senior year. Meyersdale.. Tough team. I thank you and Paul for recommending me for membership on the Appalachian Conference all-conference team and Player of the Year. I was and am truly honored.
Ted Worthington not only had an outstanding season, but was also an outstanding player. I was not able to see every running back play, but I find it hard to believe there were any better. Let's not forget, Ted Marines took yards away from Ted Worthington simply because our backfield was excellent.
I too felt bad for Ted because he was such an awesome running back. He was a great player and never asked to be praised but led by example as I did. It was a pleasure to have him on my team and easily could have received the Player of the Year Award and few would have questioned it.
I would like to mention one other player that is my nomination for player of the year even though it means nothing. What player is that? Hmmm... We had almost the entire team return our senior year. One position started a player that hadn't played in a Varsity game. That player could have easily choked at any time during the season costing us the game.
You see this player touched the ball on every play. He had ample opportunity to screw up every play on offense. This player had to follow two other players that excelled at the position in 1981 and 1982. He had some tough acts to follow. My nomination for player of the year in 1983. Skip Cook Perhaps not the best QB in BV history, but the most valuable player for BV in 1983. Maybe not player of the year, or most valuable player, but the biggest surprise for me.
Now to finish this comment with a secret. A secret I've kept to myself for more than 30 years. That secret is......
I never roughed the punter. I didn't touch him. I should have vigorously argued the call. What ifs are what ifs. Don't second guess yourself! You turned out all right!!
Thank you for writing this. I'm going to let his kids read it in the morning.
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