Wildcats Offense Humming Heading Into Round 2

Monterey travels to Westmoreland in round two of the playoffs Friday night in a rematch from week five.

Westmoreland won that game 28-7. Since then Monterey has reeled off six straight wins. Hughes said success Friday night starts with the offensive line.

“Our guys know they got to execute their tracks, they got to execute their landmarks on every play,” Hughes said. “Pad level and footwork is going to be critical this week. Westmoreland is really physical, but they cause such a problem with their athleticism.”

Through 11 games, the 9-2 Eagles are giving up just 10.8 points per game and held Monterey to their second fewest points in 2024. Hughes said their run heavy attack on offense relies on the patience of the ball carrier.

“A lot of our guys that are carrying the football, they were skilled guys since they were little, so they understand that,” Hughes said. “Some guys just have a knack for it and other guys don’t. But our guys understand that it’s a little bit safer to stay with their lineman and their blockers. And they also understand that’s where big plays happen, just trusting the gap and trusting the scheme.”

The Monterey Wildcats offense is known for running heavy packages with multiple halfbacks and tight ends. Hughes said he has noticed other programs in the area start to mimic their offensive schemes.

He said while this season has seen players like Kole Bowman and Colin Fowler break off 50+ yard runs, the Wildcats offense is designed to wear down on defenses and bleed the clock. He noted that kids playing video games or watching the pros makes it seem like big, chunk plays are common and easy to come by.

“Real life football is not that way,” Hughes said. “Explosive plays are limited and they come at different times at different areas. And so you’ve got to trust the process and our guys have bought into trusting the process.”