Derech Etz Chaim begins its 2005-2006 football season on Friday October 28 at Kraft Stadium against Norman's. It will be the first of the five-game initial phase of the season which will determine whether DEC is placed in the top or bottom half of the league for the second phase of the season.
In order for DEC to improve over last season's mark of 6-5, the team will have to jell quicker than last season. A season ago, the team didn't record a "W" until the fifth game. Although they did roll off a string of six victories, those first four losses put the team in a must-win position until the end of the season. A more comfortable season will require early-season victories.
A win in the first game will be hard to achieve considering that the starting quarterback this week, team captain Moshe Franklin, has never played quarterback in his two AFI seasons. Although his athleticism cannot be denied, whether or not he has the head and the leadership skills it takes to lead the team up and down the field remains to be seen. His play alone may be the deciding factor in the game and, if he is successful, how the rest of the season unfolds.
Another hurdle that stands in the way of the team jelling quickly is the amount of rookies on the team. The amount of rookies on last year's squad may have been what kept the team from winning their first four games. Both the offensive and defensive lines, units which are the keys to a winning season, are stacked with rookies as well as other key positions. The fate of the team will depend on how quickly this year's rookies can pick up the nuances of the game.
They'll get their first opportunity to show what they can do this weekend.
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