Hounds looking for 'their' game Friday at No. 2 Williamsburg

NO BLOCK, NO ROCK

We’re growing for sure. Without a doubt. Our tackling was way better this past week. We have to see that continue to grow. We spent time blocking with skill players. It’s a “no-block, no-rock" type of thing. Here’s the deal, if you’re not blocking you’re not getting the ball.”

Derek Doherty, FM Head Coach

FORT MADISON – This week is no time to “wuss” out for the Bloodhound football team.
Fort Madison gets on the road and heads west of Iowa City to perennial powerhouse Williamsburg on Friday. The Hounds take an 0-3 record to the Class 3A No. 2 Raiders to play a game of football.
“We don’t care about the score, but about how you play the game,” head coach Derek Doherty said.
“We’re going to go up there and play to the best of our ability. Those are the expectations. There were a few other choice words in our talks this week, but we're not going to go up there and wuss out. We’re going to play the game of football.”
Williamsburg is led by senior quarterback Grant Hocker who’s thrown for 13 touchdowns and close to 900 yards through three games. The Raiders sit at 2-1, with the only loss coming to then Class 4A No. 5 Cedar Rapids Xavier 29-27.
Names like Wetjen and Weisskopf still show up on the Raiders’ roster, and Doherty says he doesn’t really reference names. He just shows numbers on video and says the Hounds have to take care of what’s in front of them.
But he said practices were very energetic this week and conversations remain strong around the commitment. Doherty said what’s giving him insomnia is why practice drills aren’t transferring onto the field Friday nights.
“I’m not sleeping very well, but that comes with the territory. I take it very personal,” he said.
“Literally, my life is invested in Fort Madison athletics. Mainly football and it’s kinda hard not to take it personal. But that’s who I am and you know what - athletically we’re there. Their numbers are there, I just don’t get mentally why can we not get beyond this hump.”
Fort Madison has dropped three games in a row to start the season for the first time since 2016 when the Hounds went winless for the season.
The Bloodhounds aren’t unaware of who the Raiders are, but Doherty said they are just trying to go up and give their best football game.
“It’s the downside of social media now. All the kids know who’s who. And some of that’s in our scouting and our preparation and we need to be alert of where this guy is or that guy is at all times,” he said.
“They know who these kids are. It is what it is and you gotta go play. Hopefully they're excited about it and we’ve got to learn to be excited to play in games like this.”
He said first year offensive coordinator Dylan Mussleman and defensive coordinator Travis Cullen are fully invested, as well. The two were very animated on the sidelines of last week’s loss to Centerville in Fort Madison
“After I go through all the goals and standards, and you see how bad it was, you also can see that we’re a way better football team. That’s where the frustration is. These guys have high expectations if you’re not putting it all out there, they’re gonna get on you about it and that’s what I love about them.
“That’s another thing I enjoy about the guys, they're always moving forward. They don’t sit back and complain. They know we have to get to this or back to that. There’s also 100s of Saturday morning and they put stuff in there about moving forward and ideas.”
Doherty said the Bloodhounds are growing and played better last week, including offensive production and tackling.
“We’re growing for sure. Without a doubt. Our tackling was way better this past week. We have to see that continue to grow. We spent time blocking with skill players. It’s a “no-block, no-rock" type of thing. Here’s the deal, if you’re not blocking you’re not getting the ball,” he said.
“How you block for your teammates shows the type of teammate you are. I’m willing to reward them with whatever it takes to be a receiver blocking on a scoring play 20 yards down field. No matter how much the game has changed schematically, it comes down to blocking and tackling and moving the ball.”
Fort Madison got a boost from Caden Barnes last week on offense with some nice gap runs, one that went 36 yards for a touchdown, but a penalty wiped out the play. Senior quarterback Marcus Guzman had another solid performance, but continues to be the main source of offensive production.
The Hounds have been outscored 118-34 on the year and Williamsburg has put up 126 points on the year playing on the I-80 corridor. It’s also Homecoming for Curt Ritchie’s Raiders’ with a 7 p.m. start.