Week 3 Preview: St Xavier

History...

These two teams have only played each other once - and it was on the grandest of stages: the 2007 Division I state championship game. Fawcett Stadium was cold and wintry that night. St Xavier made the game feel even colder as they handed Mentor a 27-0 shutout. Since the resurgence of the program (especially the offense) in the early 2000's, that was the only time Mentor had a goose egg on the score board. The St Xavier 2007 team is widely considered one of the top Ohio teams of the last 25 years. It was the last game for Mentor's Mr. Football QB Bart Tanski. Not a good memory for Mentor fans.

Last Week...

Mentor played at home and knocked off St Ignatius in a wild 63-56 game. It featured several lead changes, over 1400 yards of total offense, several broken records, and 17 offensive touchdowns. It was a night to remember for many at the JTO.

The premier public/private rivalry in NEO is Mentor/St Ignatius. The premier public/private rivalry in SWO is St Xavier/Colerain. Coincidentally, both games were in Week 2. Unlike the offensive explosion in Lake County, the boys in Cincinnati had a defensive slugfest. Colerain won the game, 13-10, in overtime. Instead of 1,400 yards of offense, it was closer to 400. Instead of 17 touchdowns, there were just a couple. Regardless of the contrast, both games lived up to the hype.

What to Expect...

Heading into the season, I expected St Xavier to stand out on offense. They had a lot of returning talent. The Bombers scored 50 points in the first half of their Week 1 game with Covington Catholic (KY). Colerain found a way to slow down the Bombers in Week 2 as St X was limited to just 46 passing yards. The Bombers were committed to the run. Senior RB Sean Prophit is the go-to back as he had 75 of the team's 155 total rushing yards. Junior QB Sean Clifford, already a Penn State commitment, was limited to just seven completions. 

St X will look to run the ball to set the tone, but don't be surprised if they open up their passing game more as Mentor comes to town. Unfortunately, Mentor didn't show much ability to stop the long ball. That should lead to the coaching staff trying to take advantage of their talented QB and skill players. Senior TE Noah Davis (Michigan State commit) will be a tough matchup for Mentor linebackers.

Mentor showcased their offense in a big way during Week 2. The trio of QB Tadas Tatarunas, WR Jason Blizzard, and RB Alex Mathews are getting some serious attention across the state. This balanced offense was clicking on all cylinders against St Ignatius. Considering the history of strong defense from St Xavier coach Steve Specht, the Cardinals will need to be on the top of their game. St X runs a similar defensive scheme as St Ignatius. The 3-3 stack defense is well suited to contain an active passing game. The ability to use 5 defensive backs who are comfortable in coverage will make it more difficult for Tatarunas to find an open receiver. 

In order to win this game, Mentor will need to establish the running game. With just a three-man defensive front, it is imperative that Mentor's offensive line wins that battle. If Mathews can get to the second level of the defense, he is tough to bring down with his combination of strength and speed. Mentor's line will be key in opening up options for the passing game. If Tatarunas has the kind of time he did against St Ignatius, you can bet that Mentor will have a successful night on offense.

This is a classic clash of great offense versus great defense. In the past, Mentor has overcome some strong and talented defensive teams (see St Ignatius and St Edward in 2012 and 2013). Both of those teams had senior All-Ohio QB's. Tatarunas has been much better than expected, but the Bombers present his biggest challenge yet.

Prediction...

Mentor got a big confidence boost with their Week 2 win over St Ignatius (their fourth win over the Cats in the last five games). St Xavier presents a different kind of challenge. Their offense isn't built like St Ignatius. After surrendering multiple quick touchdown drives last week, that is good news for Mentor. The "long ball" is not in the offensive scheme for the Bombers. That works in Mentor's favor. But don't expect St Xavier to be content with passing the ball just 14 times like they did in Week 2. They will likely open up the offense a bit and challenge a Mentor defense that has a lot to prove.

While St X should have one of the top defenses in Ohio, Mentor has a reputation of being one one of the top offenses. It works in Mentor's favor to have played an opponent like St Ignatius the last 10 years. Their 3-3 stack defense is the same scheme as St Xavier. Mentor has been able to exploit that scheme over the years. At other times, it has been a ruthless assault on the Mentor QB. How will Mentor's line react to the blitzes? We shall see. 

Because St Xavier doesn't appear to have the kind of offensive threat that St Ignatius did, I don't expect this game to be in the 50's or 60's. If 35 or so points wins this game (and I think it will), I predict Mentor gets their first and wins this game. 

Prediction: Mentor 38 St Xavier 35

Week 2 Recap

Test #1 is Passed...

Mentor got through the scrimmage season with some important things. The coaching staff identified the winner of the QB competition. The offense and defense got to see a variety of opponents and systems. The Cardinals came out of scrimmage season mostly injury-free. After a solid "dress rehearsal" scrimmage against Hoover and a successful Week 1 against Boardman, it was time for the real test. St Ignatius and St Xavier, two of the elite programs in Ohio, awaited Mentor during Weeks 2 and 3. Going into those games, many (including yours truly) felt Mentor was going to be fortunate to win one of those games. They proved some doubters wrong with a wild and satisfying 63-56 win over the Wildcats. The first test was not perfect (it can't be when you surrender 600 yards and 8 TD's), but it was definitely a passing grade. The win takes some pressure off Test #2 in Cincinnati this week. 

Record Setting...

What can you say about the offense on a night where they score 9 touchdowns and pile up record-setting numbers? QB Tadas Tatarunas, RB Alex Mathews, and WR Jason Blizzard are quite a "Big Three" for this electric offense.  Tataruans finished with 523 passing yards and 4 TD passes. The sophomore broke the single-game passing record set by 2013 Mr. Football Mitch Trubisky. Senior WR Jason Blizzard's 342 receiving yards also set a school record. 

Did that look like a typical St Ignatius defense? No. But to pile up those kind of numbers against a legendary coach like Chuck Kyle makes the records even more impressive. 

Check out this story about ridiculous stats from the game for more.

Fair to Compare?

Did Brandon Fritts was a physical freak and a matchup nightmare. Connor Krizancic was everything you want out of a slot receiver and more. Size, speed, great hands, and elusiveness. Eddie Daugherty was as electrifying of a receiver as you will find. All received DI scholarships to play the receiver position. Go back a little farther and All-Ohio receivers Brandon James and Tyler Schutz were key playmakers that helped bring Mentor to back-to-back state championship games. Blizzard is off to a ridiculous start, and he shows no signs of slowing down. He might not have the overall high school career or college opportunity that some of the above receivers had, but look out for any single-season receiving records. Blizzard is on his way to a magical and memorable season. 

Don't Forget...

Tatarunas and Blizzard set the records. But without a steady offensive line protecting the QB, those opportunities for record-setting numbers aren't there. The line also did a good job in opening holes for an active running game. With 42 carries, the running options helps balance out the strong passing game. On his first and only carry, Frank Toth exploded for a 52-yard touchdown run for the first score of the game. Alex Mathews was a workhorse with 31 carries for 235 yards and 3 TD's. Senior WR Malik Porter had a super game that was overshadowed by Blizzard. Porter had 7 catches for 137 yards and 2 TD's. He was Tatarunas' target for the go ahead score with 0:08 left. Watch that play (over and over) right here:

How about the D?

I was taught if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all. 

But seriously, the defensive play of the game came when senior safety Michael Ballentine came up with a huge interception in a tie game late in the 4th quarter. It put the ball in the hands of the Mentor offense, which is exactly what they had hoped to do. 

What's Next?

Mentor travels to Cincinnati this week for a game with St Xavier. This is a rematch of the 2007 state championship game. Look for a preview later in the week. 

Week 2 Preview: St Ignatius

History...

These two teams have played each other 13 times since 2005. Coach Kyle and Coach Trivisonno are very familiar with one another. St Ignatius has the 6-4 edge in the regular season series. The two teams played each other three straight years in Week 13. Mentor won two out of three. Last season, Mentor had their highlight win of the season with a 37-33 win at Byers. 

Last Week...

Mentor played at home to a Boardman team that couldn't match up at all in 2014. But this year's Spartans are a more talented bunch. The Cardinals did put them away with a 38-7 final. See my Week 1 review for more details and thoughts.

St Ignatius had a much easier time than Mentor in Week 1. In Part 1 of their trio of games with Parma schools, the Wildcats easily defeated Normandy at Byers Field. The Cats were clearly the superior team and it showed as they raced off to early and commanding leads of 21-0 (after 1st quarter) and 49-0 (halftime). The final score (63-7) was an example of generosity by the Wildcats. The entire varsity roster got some action in Week 1. 

All in all, neither team got tested at all in their opening game.

What to Expect...

The strength of both teams is offense. Mentor has a track record of developing successful QB's, skilled receivers, productive running backs, and effective offensive lines. Their system has produced many All-Ohio players over the years. Sophomore QB Tadas Tatarunas had a great varsity debut with over 300 passing yards and four total TD's. Mentor's balanced offensive attack will help keep St Ignatius on their toes. A couple of seniors, WR Jason Blizzard and RB Alex Mathews, are two of the area's best at their respective position. These two players will have to find a way to stand out against an Ignatius defense that will be well prepared to limit their big plays. 

Mentor's offensive line is always challenged against the Wildcats' talented defenders and diverse blitzing schemes. The line will have to be on top of their game as they look to open up some holes for Mathews a little better than they did last week. Pass protection was great against Boardman. St Ignatius will be a much more difficult task for the line as well as the decision making of Tatarunas.

Heading into the season, the biggest perceived strength of St Ignatius was their passing game. The line is anchored by a rare three-year starter (Notre Dame commit Liam Eichenberg). Senior QB Dennis Grosel is expected to take a jump to the next level after a productive junior season. The top receivers (Jack Cook and Cal Grbac) returned. Historically, St Ignatius has been able to pass the ball with a good amount of success on Mentor. 

The success in throwing the ball will be predicated on the threat to run the ball. The Cats have some weapons in the backfield with the speedy James Norris as well as junior Jimmy Andrews. There are plenty of weapons to go around for Coach Kyle. Trying to exploit Mentor's inexperience on defense will be the No. 1 objective for Grosel and company. Mentor's best hopes are to see continued improvement in the secondary as well as counting on the defensive ends to get some pressure on Grosel. If he has plenty of pass protection, Grosel will surely be able to pick apart Mentor's defense with his talented receivers. 

Both teams are known for their offense right now. But it will take a good defensive game plan and effort to win this game. 

Prediction...

This is not an ideal matchup for Mentor so early in the season. The good news is the game is at home, but talent and experience are going to matter more than homefield advantage. The last time St Ignatius had an opportunity against a sophomore QB at Mentor, the results were highly in their favor. It is not easy to figure out the Ignatius' defensive scheme. Tatarunas will have his hands full with decision making in addition to execution. 

If Mentor can get a senior-level performance out of Tatarunas, they have a real shot to win. But that is asking a lot out of a 10th grader. Mentor's defense showed some spots of excellence last week against Boardman. But overall, I don't know that Mentor will be able to overcome the obstacles of this talented and experience St Igantius offense.

Prediction: St Ignatius 35 Mentor 24