CRUMBAUGH’S INTUITION PUTS HIM ONE STEP AHEAD

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

When Bear Woods took the Wetumpka Indians head coaching job in January, he had already heard about how good linebacker Justin Crumbaugh was.

Woods, being a professional linebacker for the last decade, was excited to see him play and gauge just how good Crumbaugh was.

So during the spring, he simplified the defensive playbook that he was installing, and he just wanted to see who could run and who understood the game. He wanted to see the angles each players took, and who understood the timing of the play.

Following the spring game, he knew Crumbaugh was every bit of a linebacker that he was told about and more.

“There was one play that Justin made in the spring scrimmage that when we were watching the film, I had to stop. I turned to coach (Tyler) Johnson and I just told him ‘That’s it. That’s exactly what I wanted to see. That boy can play some football.’”

Woods finally got to see what anyone who has followed Wetumpka football has seen the last few seasons. Crumbaugh is entering his third year starting for the Indians, and he’s impressed in each of the last two seasons.

Elmore

MONDAY, AUG. 29

High

TUESDAY, AUG. 30

High

Aug. 18 – at ACA/St. James

Aug. 23 – at Beauregard

Aug. 25 – MARBURY

Aug. 29 – at Stanhope Elmore

Sept. 1 – ELMORE COUNTY

Sept. 6 – at Benjamin Russell

Sept. 8 – at Holtville

Sept. 10 – at St. James Tournament

Sept. 13 – HOLTVILLE

Sept. 15 – WETUMPKA

Sept. 17 – at Elmore County Block Party

Sept. 19 – MARBURY

Sept. 20 – at Elmore County Sept. 22 – BEAUREGARD

Oct. 3 – STANHOPE ELMORE

Oct. 11 – BENJAMIN RUSSELL

Oct. 17-18 – Area Tournament

Oct. 20-22 – Super Regionals

Oct. 26-27 – State Tournament

HOME GAMES IN ALL CAPS

Aug.

Aug. 26-28 –

Aug. 29 – BENJAMIN

Sept. 1 – at Tallassee

Sept. 3 – at Mac Attack Tournament

Sept. 8 – at Marbury

Sept. 12 – BEAUREGARD/WETUMPKA

Sept. 13 – at Montgomery Academy

Sept. 15 – at Holtville

Sept. 17 – ECHS BLOCK PARTY IX TOURNAMENT

Sept. 19 – at Horseshoe Bend

Sept. 20 – TALLASSEE

Sept. 22 – HOLTVILLE

Sept. 26 – at Stanhope Elmore Sept. 27 – at Benjamin Russell

Sept. 29 – MARBURY

Oct. 1 – at Central Coosa Tournament

Oct. 3 – at ACA

Oct. 6 – at Beauregard/Opelika

Oct. 12-16 – Area Tournament

Oct. 21-23 – Super Regionals

Oct. 26-30 – State Tournament

Intuition

Continued from B1

As a junior last year, Crumbaugh tallied 94 tackles, five tackles-for-loss, one sack, two quarterback hurries, and one interception.

He’s a run-stuffing linebacker first, like any linebacker should be, but he excels in the passing game as well. Already being good at it, Woods said he’s seen tremendous improvement in Crumbaugh’s ability to defend the pass both in man coverage and zone coverage.

“I find myself in the right place a the right time and I just make sure I wrap the guys up when I see them with the ball,” Crumbaugh said. “I try to get to the ball and secure any tackle I can. I want to be a beast on the field.”

Crumbaugh proved that in the Indians’ first game of the season last week. Against Jeff Davis, Crumbaugh tallied 16 tackles, one fumble recovery, one interception, and one defensive touchdown.

His name was called all night, and he was always in the right place at the right time. For that reason, he was named Wetumpka’s Player of the Week as the Indians’ defense allowed zero points and forced five turnovers. He had two of the five turnovers.

Being in the right place at the right time is something a coach can’t teach a player, says Woods. And while Crumbaugh, at 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, has the perfect size, speed and strength to scare any opposing offensive coordinator, it’s his intuition that pushes him past other talented linebackers.

His effort already puts Crumbaugh a step ahead, while the intuition allows him to know exactly what is going on nearly every single play. That’s why he’s able to rack up the tackles he does as he finds himself in the right spots.

“Intuitive is the best word that describes him,” Woods said. “He knows how to play the game and to be successful at linebacker, you have to want to get to the football. He wants to get to the football and you see that when he plays. He leads by example and that’s what separates him.”

Crumbaugh is one of the team’s leaders this season, and he leads by example. He has a reserved personality, and that’s the biggest thing that Woods is trying to change with him.

In the first team meeting Woods had with the team, he pulled Crumbaugh to the front first, because he wanted him to become more vocal.

He doesn’t care if Crumbaugh wants to break down the team in the pre-game huddle or not, but he wants Crumbaugh to feel comfortable communicating the plays and what he sees on the field to the other 10 teammates.

He’s seen improvement in that facet of Crumbaugh’s personality, and he’s hoping it carries over to the field on August 19 when Wetumpka opens the season against Jeff Davis.

If he can do that, Woods has high exceptions for his Indians.

“If I can get him to communicate what he sees to the other 10 guys on the field, we’r going to be lights out,” Woods said. “You have to line people up and vocalize what you’re seeing in any given play or formation.”