We had a 5 hour bus trip north to Seinjäjoki (SAN-A-O-KEY). We went up on a bus similar to that we would travel with at Hanover, just a charter bus. We knew two things going into this game... 1. This would be the worst field that we would play on all season and it was old old astroturf with sand on top. It was a thin layer of carpet and sand overtop of concrete, it was nasty. 2. The Seinäjoki Crocodiles were probably going to be the second best team we would play all year.
I couldn't tell if our team was ready to play or not because I've only spent one day with the team. We did some light warmups and it was time to play. It really didn't feel like a real game and there didn't seem like there was emotion on the field and sidelines like there is in a college game. I really wasn't nervous before the game and neither was Scott. Thomas told us that we never ever practice special teams so Scott found out that he was on every special team right before the game. The head coach, Tomi, told me I was the punter previous to the game so at least I knew that.
We got the ball first and ran a play action pass for my first ever play in Finland and it was complete for about 20 yards. I thought we were going to drive right down and score, but early we couldn't get our running gamg going at all. The passing game was also a little down in the first quarter because I wasn't use to the receivers and some of the receivers weren't at practice on Thrusday. For example, when I would throw an 'out' route to Steve or Terrell at Hanover, I would throw it before their break to the outside. On Saturday when I did that in the game the receivers wouldn't accelerate out of their breaks as much and instead just turned to the outside so the ball would go sailing out of bounds. Similar situations happened quite a few times throughout the game but that is from not practicing enough with the receivers. We ended up punting on our first possession. On the first defensive play of the game, Scott made the tackle about a yard deep in the backfield on a running play. It seemed like he knew where it was going even before the play started. It was pretty sweet, but he ended up pulling his groin a little bit on the play.
Later in the first quarter the Crocodiles lined up for their second punt and their punter was this fat lineman. Scott asked our other middle linebacker if he wanted Scott to block the punt and he replied with "of course." So on the snap Scott ran right past the center, ran over the upback, and blocked the punt. Then on the following drive at the start of the second quarter I threw my first TD pass of the season on a post-corner. While I was running off the field after the TD pass, our coach yelled out to me, "Can you hold for extra points?" So I ran back out there and held for the PAT, it was pretty funny the way it happened... (you would've thought they would tell me that before the game). Then the defense held on the next possession and I threw another TD pass on a play action rollout to my left from about 20 yards out.
So we were up 14-0 in the second quarter (second PAT was blocked) and they started to come back. They got their first TD on a pass play in the corner of the endzone and then penalites killed us on offense so we had to punt. The defense held and at halftime we were up 13-7.
We couldn't get the offense going because of miscues on offense and the Crocs scored again. We were down 14-13 going into the fourth quarter. On offense we were running so much drop back pass and play action pass that they weren't even looking at the running back anymore. So we ran a counter (running play) and I got nailed while faking the play action and Thomas ran for a TD from about 40 yards out. We converted on the two-point conversion with a nice pass and catch on a quick slant. We went back up 21-14. The Crocs were still rolling and scored again to make it 21-21. We started off the next drive by hitting Pekka on a whip going for about 20 yards. Shortly thereafter Thomas took a run up the middle, brock a tackle, and rolled into the endzone from 48 yards out with only 1:23 remaining. The Crocs ran the 2 minute drill to perfection and had it on the 10 yardline with 6 seconds left. They ran a pass over the middle and two of our defensive backs sandwiched the wide receiver but he still caught the ball for a TD with 3 seconds remaining. Which made it 28-27 good guys with the extra point still to come. The kicker booted it and it hit the right goalpost and bounced out!!! Everyone on our sidelines was jumping up and down. Final score: Trojans 28 Crocs 27. We didn't play that great but we got the win and sometimes that's all that matters.
Everyone was saying that we will be better once we get me and Scott some practice time with the rest of the team and we get some of our defensive lineman back from last season. Six defensive linemen quit after they won the championship last season. The coaches and players are working on getting some of those players back. We are also getting a good tight end back because he is playing in NFL Europe right now.
Anyway on the way home there is a tradition that is a little different than what we have in the US. On the way home the bus driver stops at a gas station and all the players get out and buy beer for the bus ride home. Some of the players got pretty wasted on the way home some didn't drink at all. Another difference from college football and over here, all the players pay for their own post-game and pre-game meals. Kinda interesting.