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By Times staff writersGeneral Robert Neyland introduced the seven "Game Maxims" to his University of Tennessee football team in the 1930s. Many high schools and colleges can still use them 70 years later. Restated throughout the season, the maxims remind players what they need to do to win. Each Friday the Times will apply Neyland's seven maxims to a previous week's game to see how they hold up.
THE MAXIMS
NO. 1: The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.
NO. 2: Play for and make the breaks and when one comes your way - Score!
NO. 3: If at first the game, or the breaks go against you, don't let up - put on more steam.
NO. 4: Protect your kicker, your quarterback and your lead.
NO. 5: "Oskie." To alert teammates yell "Oskie" when you intercept. Cover, block and gang tackle, for this is the winning edge.
NO. 6: Press the kicking game for it is here that the breaks are made.
NO. 7: Carry the fight to your opponents and leave it there for the whole game.
APPLYING THE MAXIMSA closer look at Monday's East Bay-Wharton game (which Wharton won 17-16) displays how the maxims hold true:
No. 1 - MISTAKES: East Bay had two passes intercepted and lost 4 of 7 fumbles. Wharton lost one fumble and threw one interception. East Bay also had touchdowns of 46 and 70 yards called back on penalties. East Bay totaled 14 penalties for 105 yards.
No. 2 - BREAKS: Wharton's DeAngelo Davis picked up a fumble and scored to tie the game at 10 in the third quarter. With less than three minutes to play and trailing by six, the Wildcats' Clay Collins intercepted a pitchout and put his team in position to win. Wharton took advantage of the break and scored with less than a minute to go.
No. 3 - DON'T LET UP: East Bay had 314 total yards to Wharton's 102. The Indians also scored twice before the Wildcats got on the board and led at the half, usually strong indicators of winning. But Wharton stayed within reach. After Wharton tied the game at 10, East Bay went out in front again by a touchdown. Wharton countered with a last-minute touchdown and won with the extra point.
No. 4 - PROTECT YOUR QB, YOUR KICKER AND YOUR LEAD: East Bay threw two interceptions, had a punt blocked, a fumble returned for a touchdown, and lost its lead for the first time 47 minutes into the game. In the final minute, Wharton quarterback Danny Wilford hit Kejuan Young with the tying score. The Wildcats then protected for kicker Kyle Bronson to kick the winning extra point.
No. 5 - OSKIE: It was an interception of an errant pitchout that gave life to Wharton at the end of the game.
No. 6 - PRESS THE KICKING GAME: It was a blocked extra-point after East Bay's second touchdown that allowed for the margin of victory. Bronson also had the longest field goal Monday in Hillsborough County, a 47-yarder that got Wharton on the board for the first time in the third quarter.
No. 7 - CARRY THE FIGHT FOR THE FULL GAME: Refusing to buckle under to the relentless East Bay ground attack that averaged 6.8 yards per carry, Wharton always stayed within striking distance. It took a last-minute break for it to get the ball, but when that break came, the Wildcats took advantage of it.
- Compiled by Scott Purks and Jim Reese.