Centre has been flattening opponents. Centre athletics photo

As the oft-maligned former New York Jets head coach, Herman Edwards once said, “You play to win the game.”

On the surface such a statement seems (as it did when Edwards said it) overly simplistic and deserving of ridicule. But when one considers that most of the things human beings do are usually to achieve success (and win), it ain’t so stupid anymore.

The Centre Colonels, who are 9-0 heading into the last week of the regular season and currently ranked No. 21 in the D3football.com Top 25, aren’t necessarily too concerned with an undefeated season and some of the milestones that might come with it.

No, coach Andy Frye and his troops are only interested in that designation inasmuch as it leads them to their true goal — the opportunity to keep winning.

“Obviously, it’s great to be in this position [at 9-0],” Heath Haden, the Colonels’ senior quarterback said. “That’s definitely special, but our goal has been a conference championship, secure a bid in the NCAA playoffs and then make a run in the playoffs. If 10-0 is what we’ve got to do to get there, then that’s great.”

Then again, to be undefeated in an improved conference and to sustain the focus that has created such a situation is impressive and not an easy thing to do.

When asked how he’s kept his team from congratulating itself too early and resting on its laurels, coach Frye said, “[From] a coaching standpoint, we emphasize, over and over again … the most important play is the next play. As a coaching staff, I’ve never come into the office on Sunday and thought, ‘gee, two weeks from now we play such-and-such.’ We’re so focused on preparing our football team to play against that opponent on Saturday.”

Frye’s sincerity is obvious. He’s not just reading from the coaches’ handbook of media answers. What proves his allegiance to the process is his understanding of the other ingredient to preserving success — fun.

“One thing that I hope our players experience at Centre is that I hope they have a lot of fun playing. We take [football] very seriously here, of course, and we want to win. But I hope that, maybe, we’re trying to see the big picture.”

The big picture consists of enjoyment — teammates enjoying being together — and playing a game that is ultimately fun. Frye also means that football is not a career path for most of his players, with the exception of a player like Jordan Gay, the Centre graduate who is now a kicker for the Buffalo Bills.

Frye has good answers, such as retention, leadership, and talent, to the questions of why this team, this year; but, one could venture to guess that the looseness with which the Colonels play is a significant reason for this team’s success. They know why they’re playing, and they like playing.

As Frye mentioned, they are still serious about winning and, specifically, winning in the playoffs. Yet, for many teams, across many college sports, just getting into the playoffs can be quite a feat. The number of teams vying for spots is so large and the difference in quality so small, that uncontrollable factors, like bylaws and championship committee evaluations, can determine whether or not the opportunities deserved are goals reached.

Take, for instance, the announcement by the NCAA Division III football championships committee Oct. 31 that the SAA and Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) would not be receiving automatic qualifications (bids) for the 2014 playoffs. The announcement came a couple weeks after the committee had printed in its pre-championship handbook that the SAA and MASCAC would have AQs. In practical terms, the change means that Centre, which will be in a position of consideration no matter what, will compete for one of two spots set aside for teams not in automatic bid conferences, then potentially for one of the six at-large bids, if necessary.

If the Colonels were to go 10-0 and win their conference title, they’d have a good shot of getting in. No unbeaten team has been left home under this system.

Frye had a reaction consistent with the realism that pervades his team.

“I didn’t have any reaction because I didn’t expect us to have [a bid],” he said, laughing. “And it tells you, as my wife says, I need to get out more. … I wasn’t disappointed because we didn’t expect it.

“We’ve always felt like … we can’t control those things anyways, you have got to play one game at a time. The ball’s in our court. And I’d rather have the ball in our court than somebody else’s court.”

The ball is in the Colonels’ court on Saturday when they play Birmingham-Southern at Birmingham, Ala. Since there is pressure to not only win and complete an undefeated season but also to make sure they retain their playoff hopes, the Colonels are no doubt taking their last game against the 3-6 Panthers, an in-conference opponent, very seriously. The Colonels are 1-1 against the Panthers during B-SC’s SAA membership.

Haden was very aware of the challenge that B-SC presents, especially now with the extra incentive the Panthers have of beating a conference foe with an unblemished record.

“They have a lot of seniors back, they have a lot of experience,” he said. “They’ve always given us a tough game. … It’s going to be a good test for us and a good challenge for us. They’re definitely not going to just give us a perfect season. They would love to derail [us], knock us off.”

Haden is certainly an extension of his coach, as Frye reiterated the importance of focusing on the present and the basics, such as the execution of details like eye-discipline and hip position on the defensive side of the ball.

“You can talk details, but you’ve got to coach details. The other adage is if these things are happening, if you’re allowing it to happen, then you’re coaching it,” Frye said.

At Centre, the details, as evidenced by a nice body of work so far this year, are sinking in as is the general message of enjoying the game while the game is available.

Haden, when asked what his proudest moments were on and off the field, mentioned the homecoming win against Rhodes this year, but also said, “Every Saturday, anytime you win it feels good, and you’re fortunate.”

Off the field, he said, “We went to Ireland in June and played a game there, but also the experience of getting to do something like that with your teammates, … getting to spend the time just being with each other, hanging out, exploring the city and different cultures. I think that’s something that kind of just highlights what’s different about this program and what’s really cool about this program.”

The famous motto in Ireland, at least in the places that a writer would hang out in, is “Guinness is good for you.” What it essentially means is that social living, interaction, fun and community are all beneficial for daily human life.

There’s no doubt the Colonels would agree. They’d just add, “so is winning.”

One year anniversary

It has been one year since in the early hours on Nov. 10, 2013, Taylor Huff, a senior wide receiver for the Hardin-Simmons football team, was struck by a vehicle and died at the scene. 

The accident happened in Abilene after the Cowboys defeated Texas Lutheran, 73-44. The team, as reported in the Around the South column on Nov. 13, was very distraught by the incident and the passing of a teammate, as was coach Jesse Burleson.

“…this is a very difficult situation for anybody and there’s going to be different stages that you go through with shock and then searching for answers and … then go through all those things hopefully into a place of recovery,” Burleson said at the time.

The Cowboys, at least on the football field, seem to have eased their distress this year. They are 6-2 overall and 3-1 in the American Southwest Conference.

What matters is that Taylor Huff is remembered and, before his death, in the echoing green stretch of a football game, he was doing what made him happy.

“He was happy as could be,” Burleson said.

Looking ahead

Spoiler is the name of the game this last week of the regular season. There are two legitimate spoiler games and one that would classify as such but might more aptly be termed a slight miracle. 

First, there is Centre at Birmingham-Southern on Saturday. The Panthers have played the Colonels toughly, and a loss would most certainly jeopardize the playoff hopes of Centre, which is currently 9-0. The statistic that the Panthers have going in their favor is rushing yards per game. The Panthers are allowing 163 yards rushing per contest, and the Colonels are definitely a run-first team.

That being said, Centre is also an effective passing team, averaging nearly 200 yards per game through the air. It will take a lot more than keeping the Colonels to around 150 yards rushing for the Panthers to pull off the spoiler.

Second, if Texas Lutheran goes 9-1, the Bulldogs will have a good shot at making the playoffs — their only loss, so far, being to the juggernaut that is Mary Hardin-Baylor. For its final game, Texas Lutheran will play Southwestern at Bulldog Stadium. The threat is obviously that the Bulldogs (8-1) will take a 1-7 Southwestern team too lightly and that the Pirates’ defense, which is quite talented, will cause havoc.

The Bulldogs should be able to pull this one out and do so in a fashion that impresses the selection committee. Then again, it’s always nice to see a fight at the end of the year. 

Third, Mary Hardin-Baylor plays East Texas Baptist at Marshall, Texas. Given that the Crusaders have been annihilating their opponents lately, it will be an extremely tough task (or a slight miracle) for the Tigers to spoil the Cru’s perfect season, although UMHB is in (like Flynn) when it comes to the playoffs, so don’t distress Crunatics. 

The Cru beat TLU, which ETBU gave quite a game, 72-16. If how teams have fared against the same opponents means anything, then UMHB should not lose this one and the miracle classification starts to hold more true.