The Gryphon Stat Sheet

I love to look at maps. I can take a map and see something that I have never noticed before every time I look at one.

I am the same way with a stat sheet. Charles Alston's e-mail sending out the official stats after verifying with game film is like a road map to me. I see different things everytime I look at one.

Marquavis Alston is last of all the ball carriers with a 4.8 yards per carry. The team is averaging 5.7 yards per rush. We have six players over 6-yard averages.

Our top two players in attempts have not started any games. Damien Bynum has 26 rushing attempts, as does and L'Var Silver.

One half of all our rushing touchdowns have been scored by non-starters.

We are averaging 41 points per game despite playing usual 3-A power in Wilson Hunt and two 4-A schools.

The Gryphon defense is giving up 1.77 yards per attempt.

The pass defense is allowing 5.03 yard per attempt.

What do those two figures tell me?

Two runs and a pass and it is 4th and 1.

The Gryphon defense has faced 130 plays so far this year in three games.

The results: six quarterback sacks, four fumble recoveries and five interceptions. That does not include any play that was for no gain or minus yardage or and incomplete passes.

In our three games to date, we have averaged leading 24-0 at the half. The third quarter has been our second best quarter of the year, behind the first quarter.

We have averaged 12 points per game in the third quarter.

This tells me the old ball coach B.W. Holt is really prepared at the start of the game and then makes adjustments at halftime. It also tells me he doesn't let the Gryphon sit on their laurels coming back after the half with a big lead.

Jordan Ford has carried the ball 20 times this year for a 10.8 average per attempt. He also has a reception for 30 yards. Did I mention he also has a 99-yard kickoff for a touchdown?

Nick Hahula has kickoff 21 times and 14 have been touchbacks. Two of his kicks were brought back with one foot in the end zone.

Twenty different players have at least one tackle so far this year led by Chris Pittman with 18.

Keith Strickland is averaging five catches per game. If he does that all year, he will have 55 at the end of the regular season.

Finally tonight, here is a really good one.

Nick Hahula has punted three times for a total of 76 yards. We have six backs that have rushed for more yards that Nick's punts have gone.

What does that tell me? We are not punting a lot and we are dominating the line of scrimmage.

Please make plans to be at the stadium Friday night. This could be a special game between two super powers of the East.

Come early and bring your Walkman to listen to the game on AM 1390.

Be there or be square.