The sack masters: Trio helping Cubs to lead state in bringing down opposing quarterbacks

Thursday, October 26, 2017
Greencastle's Gavin Bollman makes a rush toward the backfield.
Banner Graphic/JOEY BENNETT

One of the key components in Greencastle’s highly-ranked football defense this season is its three-man defensive line, whose members have combined to record 45 quarterback sacks between them.

That number itself would lead the state for most sacks by a team by seven over Andrean and Hagerstown, but the fact that other Cub defenders have contributed 17 more sacks between them make that statistical category a runaway.

Junior Gavin Bollman — a 6-foot-6, 210-pound speedster — plays the strong-side defensive end, lining up on the same side as the tight end, and leads the team with 16 sacks. He is three behind the state leader, Danville’s Dylan Plant.

Jacob Meyer of Greencastle (87) tries to get around a lineman at Crawfordsville earlier this year.
Banner Graphic/JOEY BENNETT

Senior Cade Winslow, a 6-foot, 215-pounder holds down the nose tackle position, and is second on the team and third in the state with 15 sacks.

The weakside defensive end is senior Jacob Meyer, the coach’s son who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 180 pounds. Meyer is also a standout runner on the Tiger Cub track team, and has used his combination of size and quickness to record 14 sacks — tied for fifth in the state.

Why so many sacks?

Their answers differ.

“[Assistant] coach [Nate] Bryan has taught us how to play defense well, and he has brought our defensive line up to a high standard,” Winslow said.

Bollman admits being surprised at his team’s high number of sacks, which hit a season high of 12 on Friday night in a 34-7 win over Brown County.

“It’s not just us,” he said. “Our coverages allow us to get sacks. The quarterback has to stay in the pocket as long as our corners are covering the guys.”

Meyer doesn’t point to one particular reason for the high number of sacks, but thinks the high level of desire to win just inspires him and his linemates to do their best.

“We just want to win,” he said. “Getting a sack changes the momentum in our favor, and we just do everything we can to get them.”

How do they do it?

Sacking the quarterback can be as simple as just being faster than your blocker, getting around the edge and making the big play.

Cade Winslow of Greencastle (53) makes a tackle during action earlier this season.
Banner Graphic/JOEY BENNETT

Or it can be more complicated.

“We have been doing a lot of stunts here lately,” Winslow said, noting that he may run around the outside of one of his ends or one of them may take a different path to the backfield than normal. “At the beginning of the year, we were just beating the blockers and getting around them.”

Bollman also credits the coaching staff and its defensive scheme for the big sack total.

“Unless I am on the blitz, I am the outside guy,” he said. “It gets complicated with the stunts sometimes, but we all know our job. The blitzes are all set up very well.”

Meyer doesn’t claim a lot of highly technical methods to his success.

“Teams usually double-team either Gavin or me, and Cade gets double-teamed a lot, but we are all pretty good at getting through them,” Meyer said. “I just like to ‘bull rush’ them and use my speed.”

Winslow admits being most surprised at his own sack total, because of the position he plays.

“As a nose tackle, I didn’t think I would get that many sacks,” he said. “Stunting helps a lot, and I’m beating one-on-one blocks easier than I have been in the past. It’s been pretty good for all of us.”

Bollman makes no secret of whose job is the toughest.

“Cade has the toughest job, because he always is double teamed and has more people to get through,” he said. “My job is a lot easier.”

What does it feel like to sack the quarterback?

“All eyes are on you, and you made the play,” Bollman said. “It gets your teammates pumped up, and the whole defense is ready to go.”

Meyer considers getting a sack as “the greatest thing in the world” to him.

“It’s awesome,” he said. ”I get my emotions out. We had 12 last week, and it was great watching everybody just keep sacking the quarterback. It was fun to watch.

“It’s just insane to be leading the state in sacks by 30 or so.”

How can offenses exploit you?

Winslow and Bollman answered almost in unison.

“Quick release,” they said, noting they don’t have a lot of time if the quarterback is able to get rid of the ball.

“We don’t want the quarterback standing straight up for a while,” Winslow added. “We want him to be running around, and if he goes outside then Gavin or Jake will get him.”

The team that Greencastle has played this year with the fastest quarterback release is Sullivan, with Jake Conner having thrown for nearly 3,000 yards.

Conner lines up in the shotgun in a “no huddle” offense, and has five receivers spread out all over the field.

The Tiger Cubs sacked Conner “four or five times” in their regular-season meeting, which Sullivan won 41-10.

Greencastle will look to put even more pressure on Conner tonight, as the Arrows return to Greencastle for a sectional semifinal rematch.

“We have to get more pressure, and our defensive backs have to cover,” Winslow said. “We need to get him to stay in the pocket longer.”

Winslow thinks this meeting will be different.

“It’s always hard to beat the same team twice, especially at home,” he said. “The last time, we didn’t really have the mindset to beat them. Now we know what we have to do, and this possibly could be my last game of the season.

“We don’t want the season to be over.”

Bollman calls tonight’s game “very winnable” for his team.

“We looked at the film from the first game and saw there were several times we were just one block away from scoring a touchdown,” he said.

Meyer said he and his mates need to get off the line even faster tonight, since Conner and his offensive scheme make their job much tougher.

“We have to get to the passer faster and disrupt him,” he said. “They don’t have any running backs back there to block, so if we get by the linemen it’s a free shot.”

He is also confident going into tonight’s game.

“I think we can win,” he said. “Not many teams can guard us up front.”

Bollman, the consummate team player, couldn’t point to any one sack this year as being more outstanding than others.

“I like when our DBs get interceptions, really,” he said. “They don’t get as much glory.”

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