Week 8 - Waverly @ West

[BigBlueNation]

Last night before the game watching the Tigers warm up, if I didn't know that they were struggling I would of thought man they look like a good football team. They have good size and speed Bolin-Hitchens throws as nice a ball as anybody in the area they just look very good while they are warming up. With what I seen they should not be a 1-7 team they have a break down here and there and then they are trying to play catch up. The game was about what I thought it would be, was glad to see us alot more balanced on offense and spreading the field, Levi looks good out of the shotgun, paper said 6 of 9 passing but we threw the ball alot more than 9 times. Alex Meeker had a very good game at d-end had some nice tackles for a loss. We still need to cut down on the penalties.

[CoachC]

Last night before the game watching the Tigers warm up, if I didn't know that they were struggling I would of thought man they look like a good football team. They have good size and speed Bolin-Hitchens throws as nice a ball as anybody in the area they just look very good while they are warming up. With what I seen they should not be a 1-7 team they have a break down here and there and then they are trying to play catch up. The game was about what I thought it would be, was glad to see us alot more balanced on offense and spreading the field, Levi looks good out of the shotgun, paper said 6 of 9 passing but we threw the ball alot more than 9 times. Alex Meeker had a very good game at d-end had some nice tackles for a loss. We still need to cut down on the penalties.

Amen on the penalties, too many times West shot themselves in the foot. As siderman said about the boys wanting another shot at Valley, I seem to remember a team losing to P-town and Coshocton in the regular season, then getting a second chance with both. Can this team be that good? Time will tell.

[fan4sure]

If we win out we still have a chance at a home game in week 11 but 1st we need to take care of week 9 and then week 10. Good game last night for them SIDERS!!!!! Now lets get ready for NW

[Westfan]

From coach's comments in the paper and the looks on the field, West wasn't mentally into the game. I know it sounds stupid when you win by 40 points, but if they don't focus better going forward our season may not be as long as it could. The penalties are getting extreme.

I'm sure some of it can be the Homecoming stuff, which I don't understand at all. We saw the way Valley does it, get it overwith before the game. Ours is at halftime. The players don't even make it into the locker room for adjustments. This is fine every other year when you get Northwest for the homecoming game, but one day were gonna get a real good team on homecoming, and it's gonna bite us in the rear end.

Was nice to see them open the playbook up some. Shown that we do have the personel to play finesse. We are still and always will be a running team, but somehow we have to mesh the two. Would still like to see Auger as the pistole back and use Austin Bricker at receiver more. He is a fine athlete. Would create a whole lot of lanes for Auger to run. When you have Sommers, Adam Bricker, Austin Bricker, and Frey in a 4 wide set, with a good running qb and a quick as a cat skat back in Auger; that is hard for any team to defend.

[Westsider1993]

Yeah it's great to open up the playbook when you play teams that aren't near our caliber. If I hear you can do it when they give you the opportunity again I am gonna throw up in my mouth. Every team we have played gave us the opportunity to throw the ball. The exception to that would have been Chesapeake due to the rain and slop. There will be no deep run in the playoffs without balance. If we have balance, teams CAN NOT put 11 in the box or they will pay. As far as the comments earlier someone made about not being up for the game I see fire for about 20 seconds after they bust the hoop and then they are down. It is ok to be excited. There is a right way to show fire without drawing a flag. Football is a game of emotion. You need to use that and help you as a player to play through adversity and to beat the guy infront of you.

[Westfan]

Yes. Balance is the key. You must be diverse, and diverse doesn't have to be just throwing. It's by using your speed to spread the field with the run also. This team doesn't have 220 - 240 pound backs. The T is great to mix in and it makes you tough. It also gives the other team something to prepare for. But the T as a base formation doesn't fit this team against good defenses. Last night was a good start. But we need to do it against Wheelersburg and in the playoffs if we make it.

[Westsider1993]

We need to do it every week to include Northwest. Nobody wants us to throw the ball as much as we run, just throw the ball. An average of 5 passes a game is not going to cut it. I did not say last night we had 5, just an average. We are entirely to easy to prepare for. Any team we face that is compariable to us has the advantage.. I am not dogging the boys, they are doing exactly as they are told. I just want every West team to make a run and maximize their potential..

[BigBlueNation]

AMEN! That is some outstanding post from Siderman and Westsider 1993. I will agree 1,000,000% on the last few post from the both of you as I do on just about all of them.

[Westfan]

I will say it's probably hard as a play caller to make yourself pass the ball when you can average 5 -10 yards a carry against some of these teams. But we have to do it now and in the future. We may not score as many points in certain games, but against good teams we will move the ball more consistantly.

The only way your qb's and receivers will get comfortable together is by repetitions. Qb's have to learn to get comfortable in the pocket and go through their progressions. It takes practice to see the field.

[Black&Orange23]

Last night before the game watching the Tigers warm up, if I didn't know that they were struggling I would of thought man they look like a good football team. They have good size and speed Bolin-Hitchens throws as nice a ball as anybody in the area they just look very good while they are warming up. With what I seen they should not be a 1-7 team they have a break down here and there and then they are trying to play catch up. The game was about what I thought it would be, was glad to see us alot more balanced on offense and spreading the field, Levi looks good out of the shotgun, paper said 6 of 9 passing but we threw the ball alot more than 9 times. Alex Meeker had a very good game at d-end had some nice tackles for a loss. We still need to cut down on the penalties.

Its alec and yes he did have a fine game. Glad to see a junior step up and make some big plays and gain momentum

[Black&Orange23]

Yes. Balance is the key. You must be diverse, and diverse doesn't have to be just throwing. It's by using your speed to spread the field with the run also. This team doesn't have 220 - 240 pound backs. The T is great to mix in and it makes you tough. It also gives the other team something to prepare for. But the T as a base formation doesn't fit this team against good defenses. Last night was a good start. But we need to do it against Wheelersburg and in the playoffs if we make it.

I would like to point out that Alec Meeker at FB is a 210-215 pound back and i would personally like to see him run more. Every time i see this kid run, he runs straight doesn't try to stiff arm or juke he will straight run you over if you get in his way and will make you pay if you try to tackle him high

[Westfan]

Yes. Balance is the key. You must be diverse, and diverse doesn't have to be just throwing. It's by using your speed to spread the field with the run also. This team doesn't have 220 - 240 pound backs. The T is great to mix in and it makes you tough. It also gives the other team something to prepare for. But the T as a base formation doesn't fit this team against good defenses. Last night was a good start. But we need to do it against Wheelersburg and in the playoffs if we make it.

I would like to point out that Alec Meeker at FB is a 210-215 pound back and i would personally like to see him run more. Every time i see this kid run, he runs straight doesn't try to stiff arm or juke he will straight run you over if you get in his way and will make you pay if you try to tackle him high

Alec runs good and so does Crace. But they still run better when they have lanes to run through. They are both fullbacks. They don't have big backs like Pendelton, Murphy, Swords, etc leading them through the hole. They ran some I formation last week. Spreading it out and running the I would probably work well with these guys.

[sider]

I completely agree with the above statement. I mean against much weaker competition you can run whatever you want basically as long as it is fundamentally sound and flex your muscles and win. However, against equal to better opponents you need to utilize your athletes as much as possible. Our best thing in my opinion is get those smaller backs we have in space and let levi run...because he is a different player this year...Im sure the staff will figure it out though, we've had a great year and have an opportunity to control our own destiny hopefully we grow and learn.

[JohnKnight]

For those of you that say Waverly should not be1-7, I agree, we should be 2-6, should have beat Piketon. We do start 6 sophomores on defense and play a brutal schedule.

http://www.joeeitel.com/hsfoot/teams.js ... eamID=1636

[smurray]

I agree with coach Knight. The Tigers beat Vinton County 33-0 and quite frankly there's no excuses for losing to Piketon (6 turnovers speaks for itself). Who of the remaining losses should they have beaten?

Jackson D3 school undefeated at 8-0
Western Brown BIG D2 school at 5-3
Athens D3 school undefeated at 8-0
Valley undefeated at 8-0 (best Valley team in years)
Wheelersburg at 7-1
West at 7-1


8/26 H Piketon (4-4) [4:15] L 14-21
9/2 A Jackson (8-0) [3:12] L 0-49
9/9 A Western Brown (5-3) [2:8] L 6-36
9/16 H Vinton County (1-7) [3:12] W 33-0
9/23 H Athens (8-0) [3:12] L 21-42
9/30 H Valley (8-0) [5:19] L 14-54
10/7 A Wheelersburg (7-1) [5:19] L 14-34
10/14 A Portsmouth West (7-1) [5:19] L 7-48
10/21 H Minford (4-4) [4:15]
10/28 H Northwest (3-5) [4:15]

[crazymidgets]

Should have won? Hmm I'd like to hear this John! lets break this down, lost turnover margin, penalties, special team play, sacks, drops, had your best rb split out in the slot??.
I would take "we should have won" from a casual fan or a parent but not from a coach. I would say before the game was played if you said we have 6 turnovers we should lose, if we are in 3rd and long all night because we continue to false start, cant catch the football our best rb is split out in the slot so he isnt getting the football you would say we should lose. from what i watched and from what i understand about football To margin, penalties, special teams are pretty important to winning a football game Im not a coach but. throw in all the drops, sacks, hurries, hits on top of that NO you shouldnt have won, should have been blown out is what really should have happened and if Gullion doesnt throttle down to run the clock off in the fourth up 20-6 very well could have happened.
Lost 3 seniors off of last yrs team those sophs other than 1 started at some point last yr, piketon lost how many seniors and how many seniors started? so before the game was played should you have won yeah I will give you that shoulda but after the game was played NO you shouldnt have and those are the reason why you didnt. Love you to death but you know better than to ever say should have.

[BigBlueNation]

To the Waverly fans when I said that you are better than a 1-7 team that is a compliment, I think if you would of had the same schedule as us or some of the other SOC teams you would probably be 6-2 or 5-3. Your team is much improved from last season as they will be much improved next season from this season so just keep rooting them young-uns on.

[yabbadabbadoo]

That is a tough schedule. 48-16 between the teasm they have played. Waverly is not a bad team. I just think they ran out of gas against the Burg in the 2nd half. They are big up front on both sides of the ball and have some nice skill players.