We finally made it to the start of the season as we were greeted by a Week 0 rivalry match between the Lincoln Standing Bear Grizzlies and the Lincoln Northwest Falcons.
Game Recap:
Our Week 0 game of the week was the cross-town rivalry matchup between the Standing Bear Grizzlies and Northwest Falcons. The game started with the Grizzlies offense driving down the field on their first drive and finishing with a goal-line touchdown by senior DeAndre Hill. The Grizzlies then kept their foot on the gas as they would go on to score 21 unanswered points to take a 28-0 lead at halftime. A late touchdown pass from Lincoln Northwest’s Sammy Jurgens to Jacob Young put the Falcons on the board in the third quarter. Once the opening night dust settled, the Grizzlies were victorious with a final score of 42-6.
Read up on my Lincoln Northwest standouts from Friday night’s game:
Team MVP:
Sammy Jurgens | 2027 | QB | 6’0″ 170 lbs | (@SammyJurgens)
Despite it being an up-and-down night for the Falcons’ offense, QB Sammy Jurgens still showed enough traits to earn team MVP for the game. Constant pressure kept us from seeing Sammy fully show off his arm talent, but what did stand out was how mobile he is. Jurgens did a great job warding off rushers as he maneuvered around the pocket and evaded pressure. He also did a great job of determining when to tuck the ball and run it, with the wheels and subtle twitch to make defenders miss in the open field. There were some really great passes from Sammy where he was able to place the ball in a good spot, especially while off balance, but just wasn’t able to connect on some of them. He is quick to find his open man and has the accuracy and timing to throw his receivers open. Looking forward to seeing more of Sammy this season!
Notable Standouts:
Zavier Wells | 2027 | WR/DB | 5’11” 165 lbs | (@zavierwells_)
Senior Zavier Wells is a player who has been rising on my board for a minute now, and he continues to do so. Although the Falcons’ passing attack remained grounded for most of the night, Zavier was able to stand out on defense. Starting at CB, Zavier did a great job following receivers and challenging passes at the catch point all night. One thing that really stood out in Zavier’s game was his physicality, which is always great to see from your cornerbacks. He had one of the bigger hits of the night when he stepped up to lay a hit on the opposing RB, keeping them out of the end zone. Wells is a very rangy player who made several tackles while coming from the opposite side of the field. Lots to like here and should continue to grow this season as the offense opens up!
Cooper Floyd | 2027 | LB | 5’11” 205 lbs | (@Cooper_Floyd44)
Northwest’s Cooper Floyd followed up a very productive junior year with a double-digit tackle showing on opening night. Cooper was all over the place for the defense as he accumulated 10 total tackles and 1.5 TFLs. Cooper operates best as a downhill thumper who can quickly read his keys and fill his gaps immediately. He does a great job tracking the ball and has the lateral quickness to move across the LOS while keeping up with the ball carrier. Cooper also brings the physicality to the field with great tackling technique and power to ensure the stop on contact. Floyd isn’t just a downhill LB, showing he can also flip his hips to drop into coverage and get out in space.
Jacob Young | 2027 | WR/DB | 6’2″ 165 lbs | (@jacob_byoung10)
Senior Jacob Young ended the night as the Falcons’ leading receiver and was on the receiving end of LNW’s only touchdown of the night. In total, Jacob hauled in four catches for 31 yards and a receiving touchdown. Jacob is a taller receiver at 6’2″ and 165 pounds whose lengthy frame gives him a QB-friendly catch radius. One thing that really stood out about Jacob’s game is that he is a great “hands” receiver, showing the willingness to work his way back to the ball and secure the catch with his strong hands instead of his body. He is a solid route runner who can attack all levels of the field and can use his size/athleticism to outwork his opponent at the catch point. Young seems to have a great connection with QB Jurgens, so watch out for the senior receiver to have a breakout campaign!
