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OKRedFan wrote:

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Here is my take:



Muskegon vs Lowell

Saturday 1:00 pm @ Hackley Stadium



Offense

Quarterback: Advantage Lowell

Kyle Nichol has been a success all season. Albite he has not faced a defense like Muskegon, he is a big cog within the Lowell offense and has proven he can beat you with his legs when his arm isn't up to par, ei Caledonia.



Receivers: Advantage Muskegon

Lowell uses one man for the most part - Torsten Boss. When he's not healthy the passing game virtually disappears as it did against Caledonia. Muskegon on the other hand has speed and height across the board, creating match up issues with a much small Lowell secondary.



Offensive Line: Advantage Muskegon

Muskegon has been opening holes for Jason Hannet and Co. against some of the best defensive units in the OK Red all year long. They have also provided valuable time for Elan Banks to toss the ball.



Offensive Back Field: Advantage Muskegon

Though Graham is very capable, and Nichol runs the ball with great balance - the weather conditions will favor the down hill attack of Muskegon, vs the slash and go attack of Lowell.



Total Offensive Advantage: Muskegon 3:1



Defense



Defensive Line: Advantage Muskegon

The Muskegon defensive line has kept powerful ground games in check all season. Jordan Jonker was limited to just 77 yards on 24 carries last week, and the big offensive line of Rockford was destroyed as the powerhouse D1 team ended up with negative 44 yards of total offense, and managed just 2 first downs in four quarters worth of work three weeks ago.



Linebackers: Advantage Muskegon

If speed kills, Muskegon's linebacking crew should be in prison. With an uncanny ability to get of blocks and get to and close down the flats, negating running lanes and offensive running space makes this linebacking crew one of the best in the state of Michigan, if not the midwest.



Secondary: Advantage Lowell

Lowell's secondary has been up to the task all year long. They contained the Caledonia passing attack lead by a very capable Luke Wiest. It's tough to tell if they can match up with the size of Muskegon's receivers, but at this point they haven't failed. Muskegon on the other hand gave up 240 yards to Casey Blackport in last weeks win, including a 70 yard pass only drive with 3:18 left in the game to put Hudsonville at the 10. Had it not been for two drops in the end zone on the last two plays of the game, Muskegon isn't playing this game. Kyle Nichol may not be as good as Casey Blackport in similar conditions, but there is little doubt he is more than capable to put the ball in the air effectively.



Defensive Advantage: Muskegon 2-1



Total Advantage: Muskegon 5:2



Projected score: 21-10 Muskegon



Final Thoughts and Keys to the game:



This could be a great game. Muskegon has looked bullet proof against anyone not wearing an Eagle's jersey. Given both Muskegon and Lowell run a similar offense, both defensive units shouldn't be terribly surprised by anything the other team does. The game will simply come down to execution and one-on-one battles, and that favors the bigger more athletic Big Reds.



Weather will again be an issue, and as mentioned before, Lowell's cut and slash running game could be slowed down under slippery conditions. Though Lowell is noted for their fast paced high scoring offense, they have had the luxury of playing inferior opponents most of the year.



Both teams will have to show up, if one fails to play well this game could quickly get out of hand one way or the other. I think the keys to victory for each squad are as follows:



Keys - Muskegon

Time Consuming Drives - Keep the ball out of Lowell's hands, and finish with touchdowns, not field goals.



Make Lowell Punt at least 5 times - If Muskegon can attain long drives, take five possessions away from Lowell that should be enough.



Score Early - With weather conditions looking similar to last week, the field will ware throughout the game, favoring the team with the lead.



Keys - Lowell

Establish the Passing game - Upfront Muskegon is bigger, and opening up the passing game early will put a very good Muskegon linebacking crew into drop coverage giving Lowell the opportunity to pick up yardage in chunks on the ground.



Keep Muskegon out of the Red Zone - One of the most deadly offensive units while inside the 20, if Muskegon gets in the Red Zone not only does it mean they'll most likely score, it also most likely comes at the expense of 6 minutes off the clock.



Tackle the player, not the ball. - Hudsonville continued tackling the ball against Muskegon looking for the strip, this proved especially costly on Muskegon's first play, where a 20 yard toss turned into two broken tackles and a 42 yard Muskegon Touchdown. Muskegon is to big and strong to not tackle at the legs.



Again, this should be a great game. If you can brave the weather it will be worth the trip to Hackley.