Offense grabs the headlines, but Skiatook coach Vance Miller believes in defense.
That’s a lesson he learned as a high school assistant coach in Hominy. He was on a team that won the state championship with a 3-0 victory.
“A long time ago I learned that if they can’t score, they can’t beat you,” Miller said. “That’s the message we’ve passed on to these kids.”
It is a message that has pushed Skiatook to once again be among the favorites in Class 5A high school football.
“I’ve always felt pretty strongly that defense is so very important,” Miller said. “So, from the very start, we’ve tried to sell to our kids and instill in them how important it is to play defense. I think we have kids that are hungry to play defense.
“There’s no doubt we put a big emphasis on defense. When we first started here at Skiatook, we felt like we needed to improve on defense. So, we made it a priority.”
Skiatook beat Memorial 21-7 on Thursday night behind a strong defensive effort.
Defense has remained a priority and Skiatook appears to be one of the teams to beat in Class 5A. The Bulldogs reached the state finals a year ago and appear to be exceeding expectations again this season. Skiatook is on a similar trajectory this season.
It isn’t a surprise. Winning with old-fashioned, hard-hitting and playing-on-the-edge defense is what Skiatook has become in recent years.
Through the first six games, opponents are averaging about 10 points per game. In a huge Class 5A game last week, the Bulldogs pulled off some late-game magic to beat McAlester, 17-13. They beat neighborhood rival Oologah 16-13 earlier this season.
In an era when everybody is coaching, running and talking about up-tempo, no-huddle, spread offenses, Miller clings to the notion that defense wins.
It certainly is for the Bulldogs.
Almost every high school in the state, following the lead of the three major college football teams in this state, have been consumed by the high-octane offenses that are all the rage in college football.
However, just like in college football with teams like Michigan and Alabama, there is still a place for teams to win with defense.
Skiatook has become a monster in Class 5A football by playing defense.
Sure, the Bulldogs can score, too.
But Skiatook is winning because of defense. That’s just how Miller drew it up in the playbook.
Teams have a hard time making just about any kind of offense work against the scrambling Bulldogs.
“I knew last summer we had a good core of kids coming back on this team,” Miller said. “We have a number of very good defenders and they showed that as early as last summer at the seven-on-seven leagues and camps.
“We have a bend-but-don’t-break mentality. Our theory is that you have to be in great shape to play defense against all of these spread offenses. And our big rule is don’t let anyone get behind you.”
There are some college coaches, and players, who might want to listen to that message, as well.
The Bulldogs run a 3-4 defense, an idea that Miller took from former Bixby coach Pat McGrew.
Miller said he looked around for defenses that he hated coaching against. Bixby topped the list.
So, Miller asked McGrew for some tips on how to run the defense.
“We adapted it to our style, our kids, and it has taken off,” Miller said. “You have to put your own spin on it, and we have over the last three years.
“We now take a lot of pride in our defense. It is what we do. And we’ve got some wrestlers on our defense and you know how those guys will get after you. Wrestlers are pretty aggressive.”
While there is a lot of complaining about a lack of defense at the college level, and in many areas of high school football, it remains a priority in Skiatook.
The Bulldogs devote a portion of every practice to defense. They practice tackling, something that has almost disappeared at the college level.
“It is an everyday thing for us,” Miller said. “We go out and tackle. We practice the proper technique.
“I think you have to do that. So, every day at practice we spend time working on our tackling. I think it has paid off.”