Without Mike on the field, the defensive squad under Coach George's command actually held its own against the Aaron-led offense, trading blows back and forth.
About half an hour later, after constantly rotating players in and out, Coach George, scribbling furiously on the sidelines, finally solidified the roster for each position.
"Alright, take a break, everyone!"
Having achieved his goal for this phase, Coach George called a halt to the scrimmage. He then shouted, "Aaron, Mike, come here for a second."
The three of them walked over to a quiet spot away from the group.
Motioning for them to sit down, Coach George spoke in a collaborative tone. "Mike's physique and skills have reached the level of a star player. So, I'm thinking of building a 'Star Strategy' around him on the offensive end. I want to know what you two think."
The "Star Strategy" wasn't so much a specific tactic as it was a philosophy. Depending on the star player's individual strengths, this approach could take on many different styles.
In essence, one man becomes the team.
Because of this, the strategy placed an immense burden on the star player's capabilities.
"I'm fine with it. Whatever Mike needs, I'm ready to support him," Captain Aaron stated immediately.
As long as it helped the team win, Aaron didn't mind being a cog in the machine.
Traditionally, the quarterback should be the star of the team. But Mike's rapid growth had complicated the dynamics at Medford High.
To ensure team harmony, Coach George had to consider Aaron's feelings before proposing this strategy.
But judging by his reaction, Captain Aaron didn't seem to have any second thoughts.
Coach George nodded, relieved. He then turned to Mike. "And you, Mike?"
The Star Strategy was common in professional teams that possessed a superstar.
Although Coach George had never coached at the pro level, he had studied this system extensively.
The Star Strategy required the core player to have not only elite skills but also a "big heart"—the mental fortitude to carry the weight of winning and losing on their shoulders alone.
So, this was also a test for Mike: could he handle the pressure?
"I'm good with it," Mike replied calmly.
Actually, during last year's summer league game against Austin, after Captain Aaron got injured, the Mike-led single-core offense had essentially operated under a proto-Star Strategy.
Back then, the team lost because Mike simply wasn't strong enough yet.
But times had changed. With a much stronger physique, Mike feared no challenge.
Seeing Mike's confident answer and the drive in his eyes, Coach George nodded with satisfaction.
He then began explaining the specific details and nuances of the Star Strategy to the two of them.
Ten minutes later, having shared his insights, Coach George was filled with anticipation to see how this strategy—one he was personally orchestrating—would perform.
"Let's go. Time to test drive the new strategy."
Action followed thought. Coach George led Mike and Aaron back to the training field.
Next, the Mike-centric offensive squad, under George's supervision, began a new round of offensive and defensive drills against Coach Wayne's defensive squad.
"Mike, watch your route selection..."
Seeing Mike with the ball, once again heading straight for Sam on the defense, Coach George called out from the sidelines.
The ceiling of the Star Strategy depended entirely on the core player. Every choice mattered.
In an offense, choosing the path of least resistance was a required course for any star player.
CRACK!
On the field, a violent collision echoed. Sam hit the dirt, while Mike, ball in hand, charged straight into the end zone.
This sight made Coach George swallow the rest of his advice.
The purpose of strategy was to score points effectively.
So, even if Mike's route selection seemed irrational to Coach George, you couldn't argue with results.
The process serves the result. If the result is good... there was no need for George to force his guidance on Mike right now.
He could wait until Mike actually made a mistake to correct him.
However, as Mike repeatedly bowled over Sam to score, the furrow in Coach George's brow deepened.
Yet, as Mike continued to rack up points, the enthusiasm of his offensive teammates surged. The game flowed more smoothly.
The nature of the Star Strategy dictated that when the star shines, the rest of the team gets lifted up with him.
Simultaneously, when the teammates are fired up, that momentum feeds back into the star, making his offense even more dominant.
The Star Strategy was a high-freedom, high-ceiling tactic.
Just as the offensive squad's morale hit its peak, Coach George checked the time and blew the whistle to end practice.
Seeing the offensive players still raring to go, Coach George smiled and shouted, "Training continues tomorrow. Clean up the field and you're dismissed. Also, Mike, come here. I need to ask you something."
"What's up, Coach?" Mike left the group and walked over to the sideline.
"I'm curious. In the drill just now, you clearly had better route options. Why did you choose to run straight through Sam every single time?" Coach George voiced his confusion.
Mike's behavior could easily be misinterpreted as having a personal grudge against Sam.
"I felt that was the best route to break through," Mike replied.
He wasn't targeting Sam intentionally. It was just that Sam always happened to be standing in the shortest path to the end zone.
Yes, when Mike chose a route, his primary consideration was efficiency.
Given his physical dominance, whether he had to go through Sam or any other defender made little difference to him.
Coach George's confusion stemmed from the fact that he still didn't have a concrete grasp of just how strong Mike had become.
So, hearing that answer, Coach George's brain short-circuited for a second.
"Can I go now, Coach?" Mike asked when the coach remained silent.
"Go ahead," George waved his hand, lost in thought.
There wasn't much to clean up on the field, so when Mike rejoined the group, he and Georgie headed straight for the locker room.
"George, what are you spacing out for? Let's go. Perfect time for a drink..." Coach Wayne, having supervised the cleanup, called out enthusiastically to George.
"Oh, right. Coming." George walked over to Wayne and added, "When you have a moment, contact St. Mary's High School. We'll pick them as our opponent for the next invitational."
The head coach at St. Mary's had promised George during last summer's league that they could play a friendly match this year.
As a consistent top-10 gatekeeper in the state league, the St. Mary's football team was the perfect whetstone to sharpen Medford's new strategy.
Coach George had figured it out: rather than trying to talk Mike into changing his mindset, it was better to let him hit a wall against a tough opponent. Self-reflection born from failure was always more profound.