VIDOR, Texas — When Vidor dropped to 4A, the Pirates received plenty of hype, but after a (1-3) district start the Pirates had to fight just to make the playoffs.
Head Coach Jeff Mathews made adjustments that paid off by the end of the season.
"I think last year we tried to switch a little bit. We got out from what we normally do. We went a little more pistol and I think that took a little deception out of it. You know our whole offense is built on deception. If we can make that linebacker that runs a four-four hesitate and not run all of a sudden he's a five flat guy, now we're equal with them. And I think that we got away from the deception last year. The last two games of the season and the playoff we went back to what we normally did and we felt like we were a better football team."
While Vidor will be shifting away from the pistol, that doesn't mean the passing game is being eliminated.
"We threw the ball five times in the scrimmage the other day. We completed four of them. We really trust Eli Simmons, he's our quarterback. He does good things. It's not a sophisticated passing game, but it's affective if you read it right. He's very unselfish, he understands his reads. He stays here, he's one of my office assistants, he watches film with me. I'm not going to say we're going to throw it a lot, but we're going to throw it more."
Vidor is entering this season a little under the radar, but that doesn't bother Coach Mathews.
"I think we're a better football team than we were last year. I really do. You know we lost some good athletes from last year's team, but the attitude on this team. It's the highest attendance in the summer that I have ever had. We talked all summer about B,C,D. Blame, complain, defend. And I've not heard one kid make and excuse when he's messed up. It's so refreshing as a coach. So many times when a kid makes a mistake he blames it on this guy or says he didn't know. He makes excuses. These kids don't make excuses. Anytime you have a team that doesn't make excuses and accepts responsibility for their own failures or their own mistakes I think the sky's the limit."
The Pirates open the season at home August 27th against Silsbee.
VIDOR PIRATES
Last Year: (4-5, 2-3)
Playoffs: Bi-District (Lindale, L 29-13)
Players to Watch: QB Eli Simmons, TE/DL Jordon Smith, RB Layne Wilhelm, OL Aaron Aery, LB Connor McKay, OL Bryce Munoz, RB Westin Sepulvado, TE Ricky Gall, DB Lance Beavers, LB Tate Ardis, LB Jerrod Odom, OL Jesse Myers
2021 SCHEDULE
Aug. 27 | vs Silsbee | 7:00 pm
Sept. 3 | vs Houston Episcopal | 7:00 pm
Sept. 10 | at Brazosport | 7:00 pm
Sept. 17 | vs Bay City | 7:00 pm
Sept. 24 | vs Jasper | 7:00 pm
Oct. 8 | at Splendora* | 7:00 pm
Oct. 15 | at Little Cypress-Mauriceville* | 7:00 pm
Oct. 22 | vs Livingston* | 7:00 pm
Oct. 29 | at Huffman Hargrave* | 7:00 pm
Nov. 5 | vs Lumberton* | 7:00 pm
(*) District