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Elliott's practice trick: See a flick

October 30, 2009 12:36 am

By ADAM HIMMELSBACH

During football season, Joel Elliott has a different kind of study hall.

Every other day during third period, the Chancellor linebacker gathers game tapes of the Chargers' opponent that week.

He watches and analyzes and searches for any little thing that might give his team any little edge.

Last year, Elliott even began breaking down the films with Chargers offensive coordinator Stan Clements.

At practices, Chancellor's scout team offense mimics the plays of the upcoming opponent, and the Chargers are always amazed that Elliott knows what's coming.

He puts his defensive teammates in exactly the right position to make exactly the right play.

"Guys on the scout team get mad when I call out the plays," Elliott said with a chuckle. "They say it's no fun."

Then just imagine how Chancellor's actual opponents feel.

This week, as Chancellor prepares for its Battlefield District clash with James Monroe, Elliott has already watched film of the Jackets' games against Eastern View and Caroline.

He plans to watch one more today, and then he plans to be ready tonight.

"Most kids watch game films, but they just watch," Chancellor coach Bob Oliver said. "But Joel looks for stuff. He's analyzing it and looking at it and figuring out what it means."

Elliott, an all-district pick as a junior last season, now has some followers.

Now some teammates join him in third-period study hall. And now he has them seeing what he sees.

For those unable to attend those special film sessions, Elliott gives them a rundown of how opposing quarterbacks can be run down.

"He's always pulling me aside and telling me about the tendencies that he's noticed," Chancellor linebacker Thomas Ruane said.

Elliott's attention to detail sprouted when he was a child.

His father, George, was a defensive lineman for Marshall and was later an assistant coach at Courtland and Gar-Field.

When Joel reached fifth grade, his father had stopped coaching high schools and started coaching his son's youth-league team.

At home, father and son would go into the yard and practice swim moves and rip moves and everything else George knew.

When they would watch football games together on television--usually Ohio State--George noticed that Joel was watching how and why plays had developed.

And when Joel began playing for Chancellor, he started watching films of opponents.

"He looks at little tendencies," George Elliott said. "He looks at formations on different downs and distances. You pick up things and take advantage of weaknesses of an opponent."

Over the past two seasons, Elliott had improved his strength and speed to complement his studying.

Midway through his sophomore year, he tore his anterior cruciate ligament during a game against Riverbend.

While the injury sidelined him for six months, the ensuing rehabilitation program eventually included rigorous weightlifting sessions.

"In a weird way [the injury] was kind of a blessing in disguise," said Elliott, who also starts at offensive guard.

Last winter, Elliott went to weekly speed-training sessions in Richmond, and he lowered his 40-yard dash time from 4.99 seconds to 4.79.

Colgate, Towson, Delaware and Columbia have shown interest in Elliott.

Wherever he ends up, it will probably not take him long to find the film room.

"I couldn't ask for anything more," Elliott said. "Playing college football is what I've always wanted to do."

Adam Himmelsbach: 540/374-5442
Email: ahimmelsbach@freelancestar.com