Fort Mill vs. Nation Ford; which defense can get a stop?

Fort Mill didn’t punt once during its 67-38 hammering of Nation Ford last year.

That fact - and the score - should tell you everything you need to know about a game that was all-around light on defense. The score of Friday’s rivalry rematch should be closer, but defensive stops will again be at a premium in a matchup of two of the area’s most systematic offenses.

“If your defense is playing well and you’re giving your offense an opportunity with the football, you’re in good position to be successful in that game,” said Nation Ford coach Michael Allen.

Even if Nation Ford (4-2, 1-0 Region 3-4A) and Fort Mill (5-2, 1-1) weren’t located 5.7 miles apart and didn’t draw students from the same couple of middle schools, Friday’s contest would be important in the broader Region 3-4A context. The Falcons’ four straight wins prior to their bye week - including a 16-point victory at Gaffney - served notice that they’re legitimate playoff contenders, while Ed Susi’s Yellow Jackets are well on their way to another winning season. It’s very possible that Friday’s outcome will be amplified in early November when the regular season concludes.

For Fort Mill, that makes slowing the Falcon offense imperative.

“We’ve got to make them punt some times, get some three-and-outs,” said Fort Mill coach Ed Susi, before Thursday’s walk-through at Bob Jones Stadium. “That’s no secret. You’ve got to keep their offense off the field and hopefully we can control the ball and the line of scrimmage.”

So then, how does Fort Mill get the Nation Ford scoring unit - with just seven punts in the last four games - off the field? The first clue- Allen’s team throws the ball 66 percent of the time.

“We’re gonna have to drop a lot of people, man-up on some people with a safety over top to help them, and have a good rush up front,” said Yellow Jackets senior Brett Ferguson, a starter at defensive end and fullback. “If we get a good pass rush, we can drop guys all night.”

On a good night, Ferguson and the Fort Mill offense augment the Jackets’ defensive effort by controlling the ball. Ferguson ran for 227 yards and two touchdowns in driving, chilly rain last week against Clover, and the bridge of his nose bears the never-healing scab that any football player familiar with the trenches can’t avoid. A healthy dose of Ferguson and quarterback Rogan Wells running the ball would keep Nation Ford’s nitrous-fueled offense parked on the bench.

“We have our run game down to a science,” said Ferguson. “Me and Rogan work really well together and we’re feeling good after last week’s win.”

Even coming off a bye week, Nation Ford is humming offensively. With so much experience at the skill positions, led by senior QB Cole Martin and receivers Josh Shade, Jordan Helms and Hank Tuipulotu, Nation Ford’s offense has taken a professional approach to preparing. The key to the machine-like productivity has been “continuing to practice and not let up and staying focused,” said Allen. “They’re pretty talented as well.”

So flip the earlier question: how does Nation Ford’s defense shake off last year’s thumping and produce a winning performance Friday against a Fort Mill pepper-grinder offense averaging 239 yards per game on the ground?

“It’s very important to not allow them to control the pace of the game, and certainly that’s what they’re gonna be attempting to do,” said Allen. “It’s our job for us to set the pace. To do that we have to have defensive stops.”

Like Ferguson, Helms will play on both sides of the ball for Nation Ford. Sturdy veterans like Helms will be tested by a Fort Mill team running the ball on 72 percent of its snaps.

“I think we’ve got to shut down their run game,” he said Wednesday. “They gashed us last year, and I think if we shut that down we have a good chance of stopping them.”

Nation Ford’s defensive line is quick but doesn’t have the girth up front to go belly-to-belly with Fort Mill. Allen’s team can slow the Fort Mill run game by stacking the box around the line of scrimmage, though that leaves them susceptible to big-gaining pass plays over the top.

The first yellowing of leaves is starting to show on the trees surrounding the newly spiffed up Bob Jones Stadium. It’s the time of year for rivalry games. Discipline - mentally and assignment-wise - will be crucial for the Falcon stoppers, especially when Fort Mill runs its zone read scheme.

“We’ve just got to do what we’re taught and stay in our lanes,” Helms said.

As Allen said, “if you’re misaligned, they’re gonna punish you.”

The offensive persuasion doesn’t matter; that could have been either coach talking.

This story was originally published October 8, 2015 at 6:59 PM with the headline "Fort Mill vs. Nation Ford; which defense can get a stop?."