The Machine
The Machine" tells the story of the 2017 Long Beach Poly Jackrabbits, and their journey to carry on the tradition of the Poly football legends who've come before them. Coached by Superbowl champion Antonio Pierce, the one-time powerhouse program is still one of the top producers of NFL talent but has become a perennial underdog. In a field dominated by million dollar private schools and sports academies, Poly must fight to stay relevant as an underfunded public school. "The Machine" emerged from 5 months of unprecedented intimate access to the players, coaches, and community surrounding the most storied high school football program in American History. Coach Pierce is joined by NFL legends Lavar Arrington, and TJ Houshmandzadeh, to lead roster of players which includes the most highly recruited quarterback/wide-receiver duo in the nation, alongside kids struggling to use the game as a way to escape legacies of crime and violence.
- 2017-2018
- 1 season
- Go90
- Documentary, Sports
The Machine" tells the story of the 2017 Long Beach Poly Jackrabbits, and their journey to carry on the tradition of the Poly football legends who've come before them. Coached by Superbowl champion Antonio Pierce, the one-time powerhouse program is still one of the top producers of NFL talent but has become a perennial underdog. In a field dominated by million dollar private schools and sports academies, Poly must fight to stay relevant as an underfunded public school. "The Machine" emerged from 5 months of unprecedented intimate access to the players, coaches, and community surrounding the most storied high school football program in American History. Coach Pierce is joined by NFL legends Lavar Arrington, and TJ Houshmandzadeh, to lead roster of players which includes the most highly recruited quarterback/wide-receiver duo in the nation, alongside kids struggling to use the game as a way to escape legacies of crime and violence.
Season 1 Episode Guide
7 Episodes 2017 - 2018
Episode 1
The Poly Tradition
Wed, Dec 20, 2017
Long Beach Poly has produced more NFL athletes than any other school in the world, but will 2017 be the year of the Jackrabbit?
Episode 2
Matt Corral: #2
Wed, Dec 20, 2017
Ranked No. 2 in the nation, recent transfer Matt Corral takes the helm as Poly's new quarterback with a lot to prove. No longer afforded the benefits of his former private school, Matt will be challenged to find a new way to lead. Over the first three games of the 2017 season, the All-American sets out on the journey that will define his legacy in Long Beach.
Episode 3
To Give and to Receive
Wed, Dec 20, 2017
Jalen Hall has been nationally ranked as the best receiver in his age group every year since the eighth grade. Described as a freakish talent who makes the game look very easy, Hall is a private kid whose path to success has not been as easy as his stellar play makes it seem. After three years as the star at Hawkins High in Los Angeles, Jalen and his best friend, Aashari Crosswell, arrive at Poly for their senior year in search of the championship and supportive community that has eluded them.
Episode 4
Dream Intercepted?
Wed, Dec 27, 2017
After 4 years at Poly, senior cornerback Desmond Talley is excited to kick off his final year in style. But the talented athlete is dogged by attitude issues that lead to conflicts with his position coach. Will Dez Talley tighten things up, and find a way to be the star that his family and teammates believe he can be?
Episode 5
Big Cam on Campus
Wed, Jan 3, 2018
Team Captain Camren McDonald has played for Coach Antonio Pierce all 4 years that the two of them have been at Long Beach Poly. Coming off of a week 3 loss in what will be the final year for both coach and captain, Camren will need to rise to the challenge and accept that Poly will fail or succeed based on his play, and his leadership.
Episode 6
Eyes On The Prize
Wed, Jan 10, 2018
After bouncing back from the loss in week three, the Jackrabbits find themselves in the midst of a dominant win streak. But as the old saying goes, calm seas don't make skilled sailors. Superstars Matt Corral, Jalen Hall, and Camren McDonald, already having guaranteed offers from a bevy of top colleges, will need a wake up call if they are to regain their championship focus.
Episode 7
So Long, Long Beach
Wed, Jan 24, 2018
Despite the week 10 loss, Long Beach Poly's 8-2 record has earned them a spot in the California state playoffs. Camren, Matt, Jalen, and Desmond will need to rally their teammates together to avoid a repeat of last year's disappointing first round playoff loss. With several of the top teams in the nation placed in their same playoff bracket, the Jackrabbits must suit up together as brothers and charge the field of battle together for the last time.