Two out of three not bad for Elgin

Elgin is proof that football teams don't have to excel in all three phases of the game to experience success.

“There's an old saying that two out of the three phases have to be successful for you to win, Elgin coach Dave Bierman said. “We've had two out of the three.

With two-thirds of the regular season complete, the Maroons have won 4 of 6 games on the strength of hard-nosed defense and explosive special teams play.

The Elgin defense is limiting opponents to 16.2 points per game, the stingiest total in the Upstate Eight Conference's River Division. The next closest team is tonight's opponent, Batavia (19.2).

Two weeks ago, special teams played a major role in the Maroons' victory over rival Larkin as senior Jordan Dean returned punts deep into enemy territory.

Moreover, in last week's 26-19 victory over St. Charles North, Dean returned a punt for a touchdown and senior Earl Holloway returned 2 kickoffs for scores.

“It was just two easy kickoffs, Holloway said. “I had blockers, I saw the hole and there it was touchdown.

The only phase not pulling its weight through the first 6 games has been Elgin's offense, which is averaging 253.5 total yards per game. The unit managed just 221 total yards against St. Charles North, but such inefficiency was obscured by 3 special-teams touchdowns and the euphoria of another victory.

“It's been frustrating offensively trying to get something going, Bierman said, “but the bottom line is finding a way to win and the kids have done that.

Coordinator Kyle Rhode's defense has represented the tip of the Elgin spear to this point. The Maroons have become a dynamic defensive unit in their second year in Rohde's 3-4 scheme, led by linebackers Adrian Martinez, Dan Muenzer, Tyler Lake and Jake Meyer, safeties Holloway and hard-hitting junior Dennis Moore and cornerbacks Will Wood, Devin Gilliam and Dean.

Compared to the 2009 season, Elgin's biggest improvement has been up front. Physical linemen like senior Toby Schimel (6-foot-3, 240), junior nose guard/wrestler Jorge Zavala (5-9, 200) and second-year starter Travon Hall (6-1, 220), a junior, have become run-stoppers.

“It's working pretty good for us because now we have a little bit of beef up front, said Schimel, a player versatile enough to line up at defensive end or stand up as a linebacker.

Another big reason the Maroons have improved defensively is their overall physical strength. Though their commitment to the weight room is still not as complete as Bierman would like it to be, he said this group is the strongest he's coached yet in three seasons at Elgin. And that makes a world of difference.

“Kyle Rhode is our defensive coordinator and is obviously doing an excellent job as far as preparing for the various formations we're seeing, but the bottom line is it's the kids, Bierman said of the Elgin High graduate. “There's no magic on paper, no magic in calling a defense, a play, a kickoff return or a punt return. The magic is in the players, not the piece of paper or the Xs and Os on the chalkboard.

“A lot of the things we're doing are the same things we have been doing. The players are the magic. They're all good athletes and they're all good kids. They worked hard to get better and now they all bring something.

There is hope around Elgin camp that the offense can soon tap into the same brand of magic as the defense and special teams, enough so to help the Maroons earn the 2 victories they need to guarantee their first playoff berth since 2001.

Senior Lee Jackson was inserted at quarterback two weeks ago and has since led the Maroons to 2 victories while completing 25-of-36 attempts for 481 yards and 2 touchdowns.

“I'm up to it, Jackson said Thursday of elevating the offense's level of play.

“If our offense can be at the top of its game like our defense is, we can be pretty much unstoppable, said Dean, who has rushed for 298 yards and 4 touchdowns. “We have a lot of talent on offense, a lot of talent on defense and we have a lot of people who can make big plays.

“If the offense can play as well as the defense has played, we'll be putting up points in a hurry.