Motivation, execution key for Mustangs against Fredericksburg
Marble Falls senior linebacker/punter Isaac 'Larry' Larranaga wags his finger to the beat of the Marble Falls High School alma mater following a 34-0 loss to the Kerrville Tivy Antlers on Sept. 15. The Mustangs face Fredericksburg at home on Sept. 22. Staff photo by Nathan Bush
The Marble Falls Mustangs (0-4) aim to secure their first win of the season against the Fredericksburg Battlin’ Billies (0-4) during homecoming on Friday, Sept. 22, at Mustang Stadium, 2101 Mustang Drive. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.
Listen to the game live on KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune, at KBEYFM.com, or via the free KBEY mobile app. Pregame starts at 7 p.m. Fans can also watch a livestream of the contest at DailyTrib.com.
The game against Fredericksburg comes on the heels of a 34-0 shutout loss to the District 2-5A Kerrville Tivy Antlers.
“They (Kerrville Tivy) haven’t given up two touchdowns in any single game this year,” Mustangs head coach Brian Herman said in an interview with KBEY. “They’ve been turning people over left and right. It’s one of the best defenses we’ve seen.”
Herman was happy with how his team tackled, an issue he brought up ahead of the Sept. 15 contest.
“I thought (our) defense was playing well,” he said. “They were really swarming the ball and tackling well. It was much-improved tackling. I was pleased to see that.”
Motivating players has been an issue as the team struggles to compete early in the season.
“It’s been a challenge,” Herman said. “We’ve played some really good teams so far. I think all four teams we’ve played would be playoff teams if not competing for district championships in our upcoming district.”
A boost in confidence is needed, he said.
“It doesn’t matter how much the coaches believe in the kids if the kids don’t believe in themselves,” he said. “We’ve got to believe.”
Another issue Herman hopes to resolve is the team’s coherence.
“We have to be more consistent in our execution in every phase of the game,” he said.
Herman would also like to solidify his personnel.
“We’ve been talking for six or seven weeks now about finding the right pieces of the puzzle and making sure they fit where they belong,” he said.
If all of these problems are addressed, the coach believes his team will turn the corner.
“All three of those things are really encapsulating where we’re at …” Herman said. “Belief, execution, and personnel: We’ve been digging deep into all three of those phases this week.”
Herman has also ensured his players are concentrating on the matchup and not homecoming-related festivities.
“We can talk about belief, execution, and personnel all day long, but none of those things matter if you’re not focused on the game at hand,” he said.
The contest against the winless Battlin’ Billies could be a reprieve for the Mustangs as both teams find themselves in similar situations.
“I think they’re a little bit more like us in terms of the number of kids on the sideline and personnel,” he said. “They’re a little bit bigger and thicker than we are, but ultimately, it’s a much more even-matched game, I believe.”