Long Arm Quarterback (7 page)

“Good job! You got us back in the game!” Jimmy smiled happily.

Hoot came over to Cap and spoke quietly. “You were a little nervous, that's all. You'll get 'em in the second half.”

Cap hoped that he would have the chance to show what he could do in the second half but wondered if he would.

“All right, attention over here,” Tully called out, and the Panthers settled down. “You did all right out there, and we can
beat these guys if we play our game and keep our heads.”

He tapped his clipboard. “Jimmy, good job mixing up the plays just then. You unsettled their defense. You'll start the second
half. The other starters will be Ben, Hoot, Mick, Fritz, and Sam.”

Cap hoped his disappointment didn't show, but he had to admit that he deserved to stay on the bench. He had done a pretty
bad job.

Tully and Sable each gave short pep talks, telling
the Panthers to stay alert on defense and to remember the trick play that had got the 'Cudas their touchdown.

“It's important to see everything,” Sable pointed out. “You see a running back trailing a receiver after a pass, think about
what he's doing there. Don't commit to a tackle too soon!”

“Okay, we receive to start the second half,” Tully said. “Let's get some more points on the board. Jimmy, the shovel pass
to Ben might work again, so look for a place to use it. The main thing is to give it your best shot. Okay, Panthers. Ready
to play ball?”

“Yeah!”
they shouted and ran out of the locker room, fired up.

Hoot took the opening kickoff, and with the help of a few good blocks and one fine cutback, got all the way to the Panther
thirty-eight before the 'Cudas stopped him. Jimmy gained six yards on a short pass to Mick and five more on a lateral to Fritz,
who cut upfield and plowed over two tacklers. With third and four from the 'Cuda thirty-one, he tried a pass to Sam going
deep, but his throw was high and short and a 'Cuda defender intercepted it.

Sandville struck quickly, gaining fifteen yards on a pass when Jimmy couldn't stay with his receiver. It was clear to Cap,
watching from the sidelines, that the 'Cuda quarterback figured that Jimmy was a weak defensive link. He threw another pass
good for twelve yards, once again taking advantage of Jimmy's not being able to cover his man tightly enough.

Sandville was now at midfield. Tully sent Vince in to replace Mick and to give Jimmy a message: Don't react too quickly when
a receiver seems to be making a move; watch out for fakes.

Sandville tried the flea-flicker, the trick play that had gotten them their touchdown, but this time Hoot saw the running
back trailing the receiver and hit him as soon as he caught the lateral, stopping the play for a gain of only five.

Jimmy got burned on another pass play, good for twenty yards, and Sandville was at the Cowpen fifteen.

On the sidelines, Cap tried to catch Tully's eye. He
knew
he'd do a better job than Jimmy on defense. But Tully didn't send him in. On the next play,
the Sandville quarterback pitched it to another back—who threw it into the end zone where a receiver was waiting, all alone.

Jimmy had charged in too quickly, expecting a running play.

On the extra-point try, the snap was off target. The holder, a running back, picked it up and, dodging two tacklers, took
it in. Sandville led, 15-8.

C
ap wanted desperately to get back into the game, but Tully stayed with Jimmy. Jimmy showed that he could move the team and
didn't attempt any more long passes. Mixing up short passes over the middle and sideline patterns, with a few runs, he marched
the Panthers down the field to the 'Cuda ten-yard line. But a pass on third and four was knocked down, incomplete. Tully signaled
for a time-out, and Cap listened as Jimmy talked to Tully and Sable.

“I'll get a first down,” Jimmy insisted.

“Let him give it a shot,” advised Sable.

But Tully shook his head. “We're within Hoot's field-goal range. Let's get four points.”

Despite Sable's objections, Tully ordered the field-goal attempt. Hoot's kick was straight and long enough, and the Panthers
trailed by only 15-12.

As Cowpen prepared to kick off, Cap tapped Tully's shoulder. “Uh … am I going to get another chance?”

Tully turned and said, “You'll get back in, don't worry.”

Hoot kicked it deep, but the 'Cuda blockers opened a hole in the middle, and the return man almost broke the runback for a
touchdown. Hoot, the kicker, was the last man with a chance to bring him down. He barely did it, making a shoetop tackle,
at the Panther twenty.

Tully sent Cap in to play defense, bringing Jimmy to the sidelines. On first down, the 'Cudas tried a short-pass play to a
runner coming out of the back-field. Cap reacted quickly and lunged in front of the receiver, getting a hand on the ball and
deflecting it. Second down. The Sandville quarterback pitched out to a runner, who threw a short pass to the center. Hoot
read the play and slammed into the center just as the ball reached him, stopping him for a gain of just one yard and making
it third and fourteen.

In the Panther defensive huddle, Cap said, “They're going to have to throw for the first down. Let's try to pressure the quarterback.”

The Panthers lined up two rushers, one on either side of the center, and they charged into the backfield just as the ball
was snapped. The 'Cuda passer, seeing Ben and Fritz thundering down on him, threw a hasty pass that wasn't close to anybody.
They called time with a fourth down and long yardage to get.

In came their placekicker. “Think he can kick it that far?” Sam asked Cap.

“Maybe it's a fake,” Cap replied. “Watch out.”

It wasn't a fake, and the kick was good. Sandville had built its lead back up to 19-12.

Cap was disappointed when Tully sent Jimmy back out to run the offense. A voice from the bleachers yelled out, “Keep Cap in
there!” It sounded to Cap like his sister, but he wasn't sure.

Sable walked over to Tully and said, “You did the right thing, bringing Jimmy in. He'll get us the lead back, you watch.”

Tully didn't answer.

The 'Cuda kickoff was deep into the end zone for a touchback, and Cowpen took over at their twenty. Jimmy surprised the Sandville
defense with a reverse, on which he pitched to Fritz running toward
right end. Fritz handed off to Sam coming around to the left. The 'Cudas, caught by surprise, didn't recover and catch Sam
until he had gained twenty-five yards, getting into Sandville territory.

The Cowpen fans yelled encouragement. Sable flashed a grin at Tully. “What'd I tell you?”

Jimmy then fired a quick pass to Mick, who picked up ten yards before being brought down at the twenty-five. After an incomplete
pass, it was third and five. Jimmy dropped back to throw, but this time the 'Cudas had his receivers covered. There were no
defenders on the line, and Jimmy cradled the ball and began to run.

The ref tossed his yellow flag and blew his whistle, stopping play.

“Running play without a clear pass, that'll cost you five yards and the down.”

Jimmy's embarrassment could be seen from the sidelines. Cap felt bad for him. Tully beckoned Cap over.

“We're out of field-goal range, so go in and punt. Angle it for the sidelines. Let's try to pin 'em back against their goal
line.”

Cap ran in, and Jimmy, seeing him, started out. As
they met, Cap said, “It could've been me who forgot that rule, just as easy as you. We're still new at this game.”

Jimmy smiled at Cap. “Thanks.”

Cap took Ben's snap and aimed his kick at the sidelines. The ball sailed out of bounds, and the ref ruled that it had gone
out at the Sandville ten. Cap looked over to Tully, who nodded and gave him a thumbs-up sign. He also kept Cap in the game.
Before Sandville could run a play, the ref signaled the end of the third quarter.

The teams went to the sidelines to catch their breath and plan for the fourth period.

Sable nudged Tully. “You'll put Jimmy back in for offense, right?”

Tully looked around at the players, all of whom had heard what Sable said, and snapped. “This isn't the time for that. Let's
concentrate on getting the ball back in good field position.”

“But—” started Sable.

Tully cut him off fast. “
No buts!
I'll talk to you later.”

He turned to the players. “Listen up. They're deep in their territory and I'm guessing they won't
want to risk an interception. I figure they'll try to make some short gains with running plays. So watch out for them. Sam,
stay back deep and watch for receivers, in case I'm wrong. The rest of you, think
run.
Let's try to hold 'em where they are so they'll give us good field position when they punt. Ben, Mick, Fritz, stay close
to the line. Cap, Hoot, you're our roving linebackers.”

As the Panthers took the field, Cap saw Tully wheel around and say something angry to Sable, who snapped right back. Great,
he thought. Just what we need. Jimmy, he noted, had moved as far away from the quarreling grandfathers as he could get.

Sure enough, on first down, Sandville tried a pitchout and a sweep around right end. The 'Cuda blockers took out Mick and
Fritz, but Ben and Hoot got through the interference and nailed the runner at the line of scrimmage, setting up a second and
fifteen.

On second down, the Sandville quarterback dropped back as if to pass. The fastest 'Cuda took off on a deep-pass pattern, with
Sam staying with
him. But instead of passing, the quarterback flipped the ball to a running back behind him. The back plunged straight ahead
and was tackled by Ben and Cap for a one-yard loss.

On third and sixteen, Tully sent in Steve for Mick, and Steve told the other Panthers to watch for a possible pass play.

But this time, the 'Cudas caught Cowpen by surprise. The quarterback retreated a few steps and punted. With no one back deep
to receive the quick kick, the ball bounced and rolled all the way to the Cowpen eighteen, where Sam fell on the ball. Cap
admitted that the quick kick had been a smart play. After all, Sandville had the lead, and the clock was running.

Jimmy ran onto the field, and Cap, wishing he could have another shot on offense, ran off. But Jimmy managed to get only one
first down, and the Panthers were forced to punt again.

Cap came back in on defense, wondering if he was doomed to play only defense for the rest of the season. The 'Cudas were on
their twenty and picked up fifteen yards on a deep sideline pass. Cap looked
at the clock at the end of the field. If Sandville scored again, he realized, it'd be hard for Cowpen to get the lead back
in the little time remaining.

The next play, however, was a pass over the middle that Hoot intercepted and ran back to the Panther thirty. Jimmy came back
in and threw a short pass to Vince for four yards. Cap felt a tap on the shoulder, and Tully spoke into his ear.

“Cap, go in for Jimmy. We need to score, and time's running out. Go in and air it out, son.”

Heart pounding, Cap raced out and took over for Jimmy. He called for Sam to go deep. “Guys, you gotta give me time to get
this one off,” he urged.

“Don't worry,” Ben said, and Fritz nodded his agreement.

Taking the snap, Cap dropped back five quick steps. He saw Ben slam into one 'Cuda, while Fritz cut another defender down
with a beautiful block. Meanwhile, Sam was sprinting downfield, a Sandville player trying desperately to keep up.

Don't overthrow this one, he told himself as he cocked his arm and let the ball fly.

Sam caught it over his shoulder and raced into the end zone. The Panthers were within a single point!

Tully signaled for a time-out and waved Cap and Hoot over. “If we run or pass it in, we tie the game. If Hoot kicks it, we're
ahead by a point, with less than two minutes left.”

“Let's go for the win,” said Hoot.

“Right,” Cap said. He noticed that Sable wasn't taking part in the conversation. He was standing by himself, scowling.

Tully grinned. “All right, let's go for it.”

Cap and Hoot ran back out. “This should be easy,” Cap said.

“I'll give it my best shot,” replied Hoot.

The Panthers lined up and Ben snapped the ball to Cap, who was the holder. Cap fumbled the ball slightly, but managed to get
it down just as Hoot swung his foot into the ball.

The ball sailed to the right of the goalposts. Cow-pen still trailed by one point, with very little time left.

Hoot dropped to his knees, the picture of misery. Cap knelt next to him.

“C'mon, Hoot, it's all right. Hey, if you hadn't intercepted that pass, we wouldn't have even gotten back into this game.
Look, I've messed up a lot more
than you today. And it's not over yet. There's still time left.”

But there wasn't enough time. The 'Cudas knew that Cowpen had only one time-out remaining and managed to get a first down
and run out the clock. The final score was Sandville 19, Cowpen 18.

The unhappy Panthers trudged off the field just in time to see Sable run up to Tully.

“If you'd put Jimmy in sooner and kept him in we could have won this game!”

Tully just kept walking, not saying a word.

But Sable wouldn't let up. “A fine coach you are! We should've won that game!”

Finally, Tully spun around and glared at Sable. “That's enough! I'm sick and tired of you getting on me all the time, and
in front of the kids, too! You're embarrassing Jimmy, as well as everybody else.
I'm
still coaching this team, and if you don't like it, then stay away!”

Sable was about to yell back, but Jimmy grabbed his arm.
“Gramps!
Please stop!”

Sable looked at Jimmy in surprise. The boy's face was red, and he looked as if he might start to cry any second.

“Jimmy … I … I was standing up for you, boy. I was speaking out for you!”

“Well, I don't
want
you to!” Jimmy stared hard at Sable. “So stop, Gramps.
Please!”

Sable opened his mouth and closed it again. He looked around at the other Panthers, but none of them would meet his eyes.