Expect the unexpected with prep football this season

The theme of this year’s prep football season is becoming more and more obvious – expect the unexpected.

Everything that has become the norm in my three years covering local football has been turned inside out.

What used to be taken for granted is now uncertain.

Everything is just sort of spun around and turned inside-out.

Let’s start with the most obvious flip-flops – Patterson and Ellender.

In recent years, Patterson was a mean machine glittered with college football standouts.

As a result, they looked like men playing against boys in 90 percent of their games, rolling to easy victories.

They were so dominant in previous years that their backup players had similar stats to their starters because of the high number of blowouts the team played in – they were that good.

This year, Patterson’s roster is depleted of most of its college-level talent and the Lumberjacks have mightily struggled.

Let’s let some statistics do the talking, shall we?

Last year through four games, Patterson had a perfect 4-0 record. They averaged 44 points per game and allowed just a measly 4.5 points per game.

This year, the numbers are flipped around and the Jacks started the season with just a 2-2 record, while scoring 27.5 points per game and allowing 29.6 on defense.

Patterson is young and there’s no doubt they have time to right their wrongs, but the team doesn’t appear to be its usual state championship-contending self in the first half of the schedule.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Ellender football has been a mess for the past half decade.

The Patriots historically have lacked depth and experience and they were continually pounded every Friday night.

But through a rainstorm has come a big and bright rainbow and the Patriots are a high-powered scoring machine.

The Patriots’ offense is a treat to see – they are a threat to put the ball in the end zone on every play.

Through four games, Ellender posted 172 total points, including a 60-point effort against West St. Mary and a 68-point night against Albany.

The Patriots scored just 162 points in all of 2011 combined.

No one is saying that Ellender is a state title contender – they probably aren’t.

But to go from winless to legitimate threat in one season is amazing.

With most of the team’s best players still having a year to go at the high school level, the sky may be the limit as to much the team can grow.

Away from the role reversals we’ve seen in the standings, other teams are also making moves to buck the trends of yesteryear.

Start in St. Mary Parish with Morgan City.

Like Ellender, the Tigers aren’t necessarily known for their recent successes on the gridiron – heck, they haven’t made the playoffs in more than a decade and counting.

But after posting a much-improved 5-5 mark last season, Morgan City is hungry for more in 2012, rolling to a 3-0 start.

Sure, the teams the Tigers are playing aren’t the best, but Morgan City is winning each week in blowout fashion.

Last year, the team’s early-season wins were coming down to the wire – illustrating this year’s obvious improvement.

The Tigers sat at No. 7 in the unofficial LHSAA power rankings last week. If they can hold onto their place in the Top 32 and reach the playoffs, it would make Morgan City coach Brandon Nowlin a strong contender to repeat as our local Coach of the Year.

The dude just knows what he’s doing, and the results speak for themselves.

Speaking of young coaches with bright minds, South Lafourche is also reversing its fortunes in Galliano.

After being plagued by turnovers and mental mistakes for the past two seasons, it is the Tarpons who are reaping the benefits of takeaways, using an opportunistic defense to spark a high-powered offense.

South Lafourche averaged an impressive 31 points per game in 2011 – a mark that set the school record for total points in a season.

This year, the team is averaging 49 points per game and looks to be on pace to wallop the school record – even with one fewer game played because of Isaac.

Kudos to first-year coach Dennis Skains and his staff for a job well done.

In Terrebonne Parish, we also have a plethora of storylines.

In the Bayou District, Terrebonne has been a topsy-turvy, up and down team all season.

Some weeks, they limp and struggle and lose at home to Ellender or commit close to 20 penalties in a loss to E.D. White.

Other weeks, they gel and dominate Westgate on the road – the first bayou area team to defeat the New Iberia school since they became members of our district.

What Terrebonne team will show up each week?

As the Tigers Turn is becoming a football drama worth keeping an eye on every Friday.

Just across the road, Vandebilt is showcasing the Elijah McGuire Show each week.

If we had a Tri-parish Heisman Trophy, McGuire would be the hands-down favorite.

His shifty moves are fun to see – unless you’re a fan of his opponent.

With the final whistle blown on this past week’s action, the prep football season is halfway over.

Guess what?

I don’t really have a true pulse for any of our local teams.

That’s different than the story has been in years past.

But the unpredictability should make for an exciting finish to the season.

I can’t wait to see how it all plays out.

Expect the unexpected.