The rain was dripping off Tyler’s hair and into his face as Coach Reilly looks him straight in the eye and says, “Tyler, we need that ball back or it’s over.” Tyler nods his head in understanding and they both walk away. Coach went back to the sideline, where he knew Tyler would bring him the ball. Tyler went to the huddle knowing he was going to get the ball.
Tyler entered the huddle and took a knee as the rest of the defense circles around him. “Here’s what’s going to happen,” Tyler says. “Rick and Frank, you’re going to open a hole in the offensive line and I’m going through. After I put a hurting on the quarterback or the running back, whichever it may be, someone better be there to pick up the ball.” Tyler looks around to make sure everyone knew his part. “They’ll be in their tight formation and we’ll be in the 5-2 defense. D-backs, if anyone tries to go out for a pass for any reason, jam him at the line. Ready!”
“Break!” they yell in unison as they set up to face the offense.
The offense came to the line in a tight formation with the fullback and halfback in the I-formation directly behind the quarterback. As the quarterback goes through his signals, Tyler creeps forward toward the line of scrimmage with Shawn following slowly behind him. Tyler was gambling on the quarterback going on the first hut, not wanting to draw his own linemen off sides with a false start. On the first hut, Tyler was on the move. Rick Renkens and Frank Frahm, the defensive tackles, create enough of a gap between the center and right guard for Tyler to shoot through. Tyler delivers a jarring blow to the quarterback’s back just as he was about to hand the ball off to the halfback, causing the ball to slip out of his hands and fall to the ground. The halfback stops, and turning around, he picks up the ball as Shawn lays him out with a blind side blow, causing the ball to once again roll freely across the ground. Tyler crawls over the quarterback, who was struggling to get his breath back after having the wind knocked out of him, and gets to his feet. Regaining his balance, Tyler picks the ball up on the run and heads for the end zone. At the twenty-four yard line, Duane Moore brings him down from behind. The Camden fans cheer wildly as Tyler hands Coach Reilly the football.
