El Dorado’s 27-23 loss at Marion last week saw the game end with the Wildcats at the Patriots’ 6-yard line after an incomplete pass into the end zone.
That possession was one of three trips inside the opponent’s 10-yard line that resulted in zero points. El Dorado also failed to score after advancing to Marion’s 12.
The Wildcats did not attempt a field goal. Coach Steven Jones was asked how much confidence does he have in kicking a short field goal.
“I think our field goal unit is getting better each week in practice,” he said. “Red zone offense comes down to a lot of things. You get into a condensed area like that, play calling kind of changes a little bit. It gets tough. It’s on me to figure out a way to get into the end zone. We’ll continue to do that.
“I think we’ve got some good things we’ve practiced and added for those situations. I would say it’s an execution deal offensively and also making sure we’re prepared and understand what look we’re going to get to carry that out.”
Was kicking a field an option at Marion on the earlier possessions?
“I think, I mean, obviously looking back, I wish we would’ve kicked a field goal,” Jones said. “But, we’ve been a little bit shaky on PATs as far as just the efficiency. It’s not just one guy. It may be the snap. It may be the hold. It may be the kick. But I want to see us continue to clean that up before I feel a hundred percent confident about kicking one in that area.”
Inside the 10, Jones said the Wildcats will continue to be aggressive as far as going for touchdowns. El Dorado scored on Kolin Parker’s 3-yard touchdown pass to TJ Dunn on third down in the third quarter.
“It’s just a game-time decision. It comes down to feel. I mean my philosophy in the goal line area is to be aggressive and try to score a touchdown,” said Jones. “Last week that hurt us a little bit but I think what we’re doing on the goal line offensively, we’ll continue to improve and next time we get inside the 10, we’ll get down there and punch one in.”
El Dorado hosts Greene County Tech on Friday.