The Region Sports Network's Nathan Laird continues his “Three & Out” series with a look at the upcoming 2011 Duneland Athletic Conference football season.
Laird gives his three key points on each of the team. Below is the Portage High School excerpt from the preview, but be sure to click here and read the full breakdown of the DAC and the Indians' upcoming football season!
1st Down: The Indians finished at 5-5 last season, but I don’t think anyone would put up too much of a fight if you listed them as one of the more disappointing teams in 2010. With Zach Huston and Jake Dixon in the backfield, the Portage offense was supposed to be one of the most lethal attacks in the Region, but they never found consistency on the year with offensive outbursts one week followed by single digit efforts the next.
2nd Down: In his second year, Portage head coach Jeromy Flowers is going to have to find that consistency his team lacked last year if he wants to compete in the DAC. It’s not going to be easy, especially with the departure of Dixon and Houston, but having his system around for another season will only help the returning players as they look to find a rhythm.
3rd Down: Portage might still have a bad taste in their mouths with the way the 2010 season end. Looking like they were going to advance to the second round of the post-season for a date with Munster and a potential trip to the championship game, the Indians lost on a last second play to the Crown Point Bulldogs and made an early exit. This is one of those moments that Coach Flowers has to teach his team not to forget, but not to dwell on as well. If they focus too much on how that game and their season ended, 2011 won’t be able to get started on a positive not, but by using it to fuel the fire, he could have a determined tribe on his hands.