Then, when the player encountered obstruction, the ball was returned to the quarterback.

This four-three-four tactic emphasizes stability, with teammates always ready to provide support. However, its drawbacks are extremely slow advancement speed and poor visual appeal.

Before long, the audience, fed up with St. Mary's Academy's weak and feeble attacks, began to hurl insults, transforming themselves into refined and easygoing Zuan people.

What you're watching for in rugby is the passionate competition between the two teams. St. Mary's Academy's steady, methodical style of play is certainly not satisfying.

beep—

Just as the tedious back-and-forth on the court was drawing to a close and the audience was about to lose patience, the referee blew the whistle for a foul and indicated that St. Mary's College's number 74 had committed an offensive foul.

Michael Oher, number seventy-four at St. Mary's College, is tall and strong, but his IQ is only eighty.

Having only recently joined the rugby team, he was completely unable to adapt to the positioning needs of his teammates.

In the recent tactical execution at St. Mary's Academy, Michael Oher was marginalized by Melford's players and rendered completely useless.

In his impatience, the single-minded Oher, eager not to disappoint his coach and family, grabbed an opponent by the shoulder and threw him to the ground.

This was a standard offensive foul.

"Calm down, Michael. Just do your job and cover for the quarterback..." Coach Cotton from St. Mary's College anxiously reminded Oher when he saw him commit a foul.

Clearly, while Oher possesses exceptional physical attributes, Coach Cotton has not found a way to utilize his abilities.

beep—

As the whistle blew for St. Mary's Academy's second-down attack, the game once again entered a boring period of back-and-forth.

Seeing that St. Mary's College was still using the same tactics, the spectators outside the stadium cursed them with words like "coward" and "weakling".

beep—

Number 74 committed another offensive foul.

This time, Oher truly stood in front of his own quarterback. Seeing someone pressing him, he simply hoisted a Melford player onto his shoulder.

This is a mistake that even a novice wouldn't make, and the scene is quite comical.

"Michael, push, push the opponent away..." Coach Cotton was really anxious this time. He shouted and demonstrated to Oher how to push the opponent away.

On the sidelines, Sean, who was preparing to capture some highlights of Michael Oher's performance, covered his eyes in exasperation.

Oher had been taught all of his rugby knowledge by him, and now the opponent's performance on the field was making him a little embarrassed to watch.

Especially considering that he had previously issued a challenge to another Mike.

His parents, standing behind him, were also worried about Oher's performance.

Among them, blonde mother Leanne Tuohy excitedly shouted at Coach Cotton: "You've wasted Michael's talent. You should let the quarterback score touchdowns. Michael will protect his teammates like he would protect his family."

He just needs one chance…

Coach Cotton still didn't quite believe in Oher's abilities, and he tilted his head as if he hadn't heard what Leanne said.

Then, he gestured to his players, signaling them to continue using the original tactics.

beep—

St. Mary's College's third-string attack.

This time, Oher, wearing the number 74 jersey, dared not make any other moves.

He wandered aimlessly around the field like a lost child. Then, he was knocked to the ground by a Melford player.

beep—

Oher lay on the ground, staring blankly at the sky.

"Michael!" Seeing her child being bullied, Leanne ignored her husband's pleas and rushed to the sidelines, shouting, "Get up, Michael!"

After Oher got up as if nothing had happened, Leanne continued excitedly to the St. Mary's quarterback, shouting, "You should go for a touchdown! Michael will protect you. He has the ability to help the team win..."

"Madam, please leave!"

Seeing that Leanne was trying to interfere with the game, the referee immediately came over and persuaded her to leave.

"Cotton, say something!" Leanne was still shouting loudly as she was being returned to her husband.

St. Mary's Academy had already used three offensive opportunities, but due to their overly conservative tactics, the football had only advanced a little over four yards.

Now a dilemma faces Coach Cotton: whether to concede or continue with the existing tactics.

Clearly, the original tactics have proven to be ineffective.

Hearing Leanne's shouts, Coach Cotton decided to go all out.

He used a timeout to call Oher over, stared into his eyes, and asked, "Michael, can I trust you?"

“Yes, Coach. You can trust me.” Encouraged by his family, a hint of determination appeared on Oher’s honest face.

“Very good, Michael. From now on, no matter what happens on the field, all I need is for you to protect the quarterback,” Coach Cotton said, stating his requirements.

Then he called the quarterback over and gave him the order to score a touchdown.

beep—

The game resumed, and this time the St. Mary's quarterback charged forward with the football in his arms.

Beside him, a tall figure followed him as he moved forward.

As a left winger, Oher's job is to protect the quarterback and help him clear any obstacles.

Although Oher couldn't understand the complex tactics, he remembered that Lianne had told him to protect his teammates as if they were his family.

With this concept in mind, Oher charged recklessly through the offensive ranks, knocking over several Melford players who tried to stop him. He then led his quarterback into Melford's end zone.

Finally, St. Mary's Academy's strong offensive earned some approval from the spectators.

Many people have changed their opinion of Oher, this big guy, and have given him a few scattered rounds of applause.

Compared to the excitement on the St. Mary's side, Coach George on the sidelines frowned as he stared at the opponent's strong number 74.

Sure enough, this number 74 is no ordinary person.

When Oher led his quarterback to another touchdown from five yards out in the end zone, tying the game, Coach George finally couldn't sit still any longer.

He looked at Sam, who hadn't played in the last two rounds of the competition, and asked, "Sam, if I put you on the field now, can you hold off the opponent's number 74?"

Sam used to be the team's running back, but ever since Mike came on and took his place, he's been sitting on the bench.

That's how it is in high school football teams: the capable rise and the weak step down.

Chapter 66 Head-on confrontation

Because his position overlapped with Mike's, Sam knew it would be difficult for him to outperform Mike at the running back position.

Now, he desperately needs a brilliant performance to regain the coach's attention.

Having understood Coach George's intentions, he stared at the opposing team's number 74 on the court and earnestly assured him, "Trust me, Coach. As long as I'm on the court, I will definitely shut down that big guy."

Seeing the opponent's determined eyes, Coach George nodded and instructed, "I don't need you to shut down the opponent completely. You just need to keep that big guy occupied. Understand? Keep him occupied!"

In Coach George's view, the opposing player, number 74, possessed a strong physique and explosive power. Completely containing him was simply unrealistic.

If Sam can simply keep the opponent occupied and prevent number 74 from playing effectively, that would be considered a success.

Sam, who had watched the game from the sidelines, hadn't yet realized how formidable Oher was. All he saw was the performance of that big guy, who seemed like a complete football novice.

Sam is best at bullying newbies.

With the opportunity to change possession again, Coach George, having received Sam's repeated assurances, substituted him onto the field.

On the court, Sam's position changed to (offensive) tackle, which put him right up against the opponent's big man.

Sam, who had been given another chance to play, seemed a bit excited. He stared directly at Oher, who had a goofy expression, and taunted, "Hey, big guy, do you know what you're going to do in a minute?"

Receiving no response, Sam tapped his helmet, pointed two fingers to his eyes, and continued arrogantly, "I'll be watching you, watching you the whole time. I'll be your nightmare!"

beep—

The whistle blew for Melford High School's attack.

After receiving the ball from the center, Captain Aaron didn't hesitate and threw the football to Mike on the wing again.

If there's one person on the Melford rugby team you can trust the most, it's Mike.

The infiltration tactic is also perfect, allowing his strong individual skills to play their due role.

"Back up! Back up!!"

Seeing Melford's number 21, Mike, he was tempted to charge forward again. Coach Cotton, on the sidelines, loudly reminded his players.

He could tell from the very first round of attacks that Melford's number 21 was definitely another core player for the team.

Mike's possession of the ball again confirmed Coach Cotton's speculation.

The situation on the field changed in an instant...

The St. Mary's Academy team adjusted their defensive focus and surrounded Mike.

Faced with layers of obstacles in front of him, Mike did not choose to force his way through this time.

Rugby is a team sport.

Mike adjusted his stance and passed the ball back to Aaron in midfield. He then charged into a St. Mary's defender, engaging in a fierce close battle.

After Mike drew most of the defensive attention, Captain Aaron was left with almost no obstacles in front of him.

As the team's quarterback and absolute core player, Aaron did not miss this excellent offensive opportunity, and he charged forward with the football in his arms.

Amid cheers and shouts from the audience, Aaron also achieved a touchdown.

After scoring the touchdown, Aaron excitedly tossed the ball into the air. Then he ran to Mike and gave him a big hug.

This is the feeling Aaron, who plans to pursue rugby as his future career, thoroughly enjoys this moment.

On the other side, Sam, who had provoked his opponent before the kickoff, was now lying sprawled on the ground.

Feeling the pain in his chest, he began to question the meaning of life.

"Sam, are you alright?" Coach George, who had been watching the situation closely from the sidelines, asked loudly.

Hearing the coach's concern, Sam slapped away Oher's outstretched hand that was about to help him up, scrambled to his feet, and jumped up and down a couple of times with ease: "I'm fine, Coach."

In the previous round of the game, although Sam was knocked to the ground by Oher at the beginning, he did attract the attention of the opposing big man with his trash talk.

In some respects, Sam has successfully completed his mission.

Shortly after, Melford had a second scoring opportunity, and Mike and Aaron executed another tactical play.

Mike drew the opponent's defense, allowing Aaron to score another solo touchdown.

Aaron, known for his mild temperament, rarely scores two touchdowns like this. Overjoyed at achieving his second touchdown, he excitedly hugged each of his teammates.

This moment became the most glorious moment of his entire high school career.

beep—

As the whistle blew, the first period of the game ended, and both sides entered a break.

During the two-minute break, Coach George first affirmed the players' performance, and then gave special praise to Aaron and Mike.

Coach George then expressed his approval of Sam's performance in holding off the opposing number 74.

Having earned Coach George's approval, Sam experienced a sense of team honor for the first time.

Two minutes later, both teams returned to midfield to kick off again.

Sam continued his trash talk: "Big guy, I was careless just now. This time, you're not getting past me..."

beep—

As the whistle blew, it was time for St. Mary's Academy to attack.

In this round, Coach Cotton learned from his previous mistakes and changed the pace of the attack.

After receiving the inbound pass, St. Mary's quarterback immediately launched a charge. The other players quickly moved towards the center to clear any interference for the quarterback.

Sam, seeing the big guy trying to bypass him to clear a path for his teammates, sarcastically remarked, "What's wrong, big guy? Scared of me?"

Peng~

Sam was met with a violent impact, and he fell to the ground meaninglessly once again.

This time, Oher didn't stop. Having shaken off Sam, he quickly caught up with his own quarterback.

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