Marietta Football - My thoughts form the cheap seats

[black_and_orange]

I am a former Marietta Tiger Football player and Tiger parent who has attended all home games for the last 23 years. I am a die hard supporter, always wear my Tiger gear! Just like the Tigers’ players, Coach Schob, and the assistant coaches, I want to see Marietta Football be successful week in and week out.

With a legitimate shot at ending the season with a .500 record for the first time in 6 years, I think Marietta Football is a cross roads right now. That is a testament to the job the team has done this year. They are the edge right now. This is not a bash on anybody currently in the program, Coach Schob and his staff has made drastic improvements from last season and the kids are showing improvement on the field. It is time to look at what needs to be changed to take the step to upper echelon of the SEOAL and Region 7 (Probably the toughest in the state BTW).

Here are some observations I have made the last five weeks attending the home games.

• Marietta has many good athletes on the field who are capable of making plays. But Marietta is lacking football players. There is a difference; Marietta has some, but not enough.
• Marietta lacks the killer instinct. They could not put Warren away, did enough to win, but scored all 26 points in the first half. Come and post 20 or 30 more and blow them out. This happened the year before also. They also couldn’t put South away. Marietta is to the point that if they are scoring 26 or 30 in the first half, they to come out with the same intensity in the second half and begin showing the superiority and blow people out. Don’t leave any doubt you are the better team.
• Marietta plays as individuals right now (I will say it is much better this year than last!!). Linemen stand and relax on certain plays, and then go 100% on others. Receivers quit routes, especially if they haven’t had a ball thrown to them lately. Running backs don’t block all out in the passing game or for other running backs. Receivers and Back do go 100 miles an hour once they have the ball though. The better teams don’t rest on plays and play hard on other.
• Marietta has been playing football for over 100 years, many people have worn the uniform before you and many will wear it after. You owe it to them to be the best you can be.
• The players are not strong enough. After talking to people who have kids in the program, that was abandoned and not pushed for the last 5 years and it shows. We couldn’t physically match Logan. They pushed us around. The players need to get in the weight room, work hard, get stronger and that will allow you to be more physical with the Logan’s of the world.
• You have a good coaching staff in place. They are knowledgeable, dedicated, and put in more time than you know. I have played with a few of them; a couple have had my kids in school. They will make the program what it should be if they are given the time and are allowed to coach the kids.
Tonight you play a Zanesville team that is in the same place you are right now, looking to earn the respect of some of the other teams. Respect is earned; go out tonight and take the respect you deserve. Marietta is a good football team that has played well against some very good teams (Darby, Cambridge, New Philly, Jackson, Logan), although I can’t make it tonight, I will be listening on the radio at home. Give it your all, be ready both halves, and don’t leave anything on the field!!!!

You deserve the win tonight and the next three weeks to reach that .500 mark and take the next step to being one of the best programs in the SEOAL. Even though this may seem like a harsh post constructive criticism sometimes seems that way), I will always be behind you and support you 100%.

BEST OF LUCK TONIGHT AND BEAT THOSE BLUE DEVILS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GO TIGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[schenk11]

You missed a heck of a game black_and_orange.

[black_and_orange]

Sounded like a good one on the radio. Sorry I wasn't there.

[MttaFan]

A very passionate and accurate post. We have good coaches, the local media covers MHS football very well, and we seem to have skill players every year. On a purely football standpoint I think our biggest on field problem is, as you mentioned, we get pushed around. We are not a physically dominant team.

I think it goes deeper though, in that frankly, Marietta is not a football town anymore. Even just across the river little Williamstown probably outdraws Marietta most Friday nights. In Logan, Ironton, and Parkersburg the fans and athletes live for high school football. The kids work in the weight room year round to get ready for Friday nights. Football is not all that important in Marietta, I'm afraid, to kids or in the community. It's a seasonal sport like basketball or track, not the big deal like it was in our youth.

Soccer is a fine sport, but on a personal level it's hard to see the youth leagues in Devola with hundreds and hundreds of kids involved, while the youth football program struggles to field enough players for the teams.

Maybe Andy can bring back the enthusiasm and community support....let's just hope he gets the time to do it.

[marietta tiger]

Football has to be important to the school and the administration. I wish Coach Shob a lot of luck. The biggest problem at MHS is that football is not that important at the school. There is no buzz inside the school building on gamedays or during the fall like there is at Logan, Gallia, Jackson, etc. I hope Coach Shob can bring the excitement back!

The way to bring it back on the field is to get those kids in the weight room as soon as possible! I thought Coach Hale did the best with the weight room when he was there, and the program saw the benefits.

GO TIGERS!

[schenk11]

The weight program is on the up and up. We have a good group of guys running the lifting program and the kids are starting to buy into it.

[meyetigers]

black_and_orange,

hope you got to listen to the portsmouth game..........

fun to watch and made the trip home alot shorter

[biggdowgg]

the Tigers looked very good last night.


My gang and I gave up about 5 reserved parking spots to some tiger fans,,hope at least one, was one of our members here