Naperville North's offensive linemen don't generate many headlines, and they could go an entire game without hearing their names over the speakers. Instead, they're graded on their own scale, with bonuses paid out each week.
"It's basically based on rewards fat kids would like," senior left tackle Jake Baratz said.
That's an oversimplification from the chatty 6-foot-5-inch, 270-pound Arizona recruit, but his overlooked teammates keep a sense of humor about it. There are broad statistics that begin to explain how this offensive line is performing.
The Huskies (5-0) have rushed for 24 touchdowns and 1,524 yards - 304.8 per game, 7.5 per carry. They're converting nearly half of all third-down situations (20-of-41) and 71 of their 98 first downs have come via the run. It's all been done while protecting two quarterbacks - Matt Manade and Matt LaCosse - making their first varsity starts.
But the Huskies are truly judged each week on film, as they will be again Saturday morning after tonight's crosstown rivalry game against Naperville Central (4-1) at North Central College.
Each offensive lineman is charted on every play. It's a plus when you complete your assignment and the defender isn't in on the tackle. If you miss your assignment, block the wrong defender or allow him to make a tackle, you get a zero and you have to explain what went wrong. Add up all the plus marks, divide that by the number of plays and the lineman with the highest percentage is named the "Hog of the Week" and receives a ham sandwich.
There are other metrics. The Huskies count knockdowns - for every two it's a dog bone helmet sticker. They track "TDBs" - touchdown-enabling blocks that clear the way for someone to run into the end zone. That warrants another bone. And whoever registers the hardest hit is named "Captain Crunch" and earns a Ziploc bag full of the cereal.
"It's just a little side motivation," senior left guard Alex Helms said. "If you make a big hit, you come running off like: 'That's 'Captain Crunch!'"
Former assistant Stan Gruszka drew up the incentives in the mid-1980s and Tom Vargos continues the tradition. Because, as coach Larry McKeon said, "They don't get any recognition outside our team."
Until last week most film sessions were feel-good movies. Then North failed to gain a first down in the second half against Glenbard North, hanging on for a 27-20 victory.
"The first four games were fun - last Saturday was not," Baratz said. "We just played down. (We) knew - or we thought we knew - we had the game in hand.
"We just didn't play like we should've. It's just purely on us."
The group includes center Ben Green, right tackle Dan Easley, and guards Andrew Guajardo and James Fissinger. As a unit they will have to pick up Central's zone blitzes, when the defensive end will drop back into coverage and a linebacker or cornerback will come rushing in.
Helms pulls so often that he almost considers himself a fullback clearing the way for Nick Mlady, who's already being mentioned as a potential Chicago Sun-Times player of the year candidate. Stanford - in the area to play Notre Dame on Saturday - is expected to send a representative tonight to Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium to scout Mlady, who has an offer from Navy.
In an interview after practice this week, Helms flipped the credit back and highlighted running backs Mlady (615 rushing yards, 8.8 per carry, nine touchdowns) and Pat Waite (461, 10.7, 8). Linemen, after all, are used to deflecting credit.
"It's easy when Nick and Pat are behind you," Helms said. "You make a wrong block and they're still cutting off you."
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