Minford 58 Piketon 0

[bengalfan76]

Most of the posters from last year were
kids that graduated

[vladimir]

With Minford moving up to D4, are they looking to get one or two non-conference games against some bigger teams?

First they have to prove they can win this game.

To answer your question, I think they have to or they could be in the same shape Valley was in a few years ago and go 10-0 or 9-1 and not make the playoffs. I'd like to see them pickup: Greenfield McClain, Washington CH, Gallipolis or Miami Trace. I believe these teams are in their division now. I'd like to also see Ironton, Chillicothe or Jackson on there as well. I do see where Hillsboro, a D-3 school an hour away, has an open week 4 and that would replace PHS. I still don't get PHS dropping Minford for Waverly next year, after they caused such a stink about Minford not scheduling them.

[4thgoal]

With Minford moving up to D4, are they looking to get one or two non-conference games against some bigger teams?

First they have to prove they can win this game.

To answer your question, I think they have to or they could be in the same shape Valley was in a few years ago and go 10-0 or 9-1 and not make the playoffs.

That's what I was thinking too. Obviously, they can't control the D5/6 schools in the SOC, but picking up 1-2 bigger non-conference games could help alot for playoff points. Of course, those bigger schools only help if Minford wins and the team they beat has a few wins themselves. Maybe someone who has taken time to learn the playoff points system could compute the difference of playing a D5 school with say a 5-5 record compared to a D3 school with the same record? Maybe the difference isn't enough to make it worthwhile to travel a longer distance to play.

[vladimir]

I know the Harbin point system pretty well, and a D-3 school will yield 5.5 first level point, and they'll usually play teams their same size. As opposed to a D-6 school yielding 4-points, and playing other D-6 schools yielding 4 points. So a D-3 school that can win 3 games for you, playing the same size schools, is almost worth a D-6 school that wins 5-games. Using Northwest as an example, they will go to the SOCI, playing D-7 schools yielding 3.5-points.

Next year and I feel they have to win at least 5-games on their schedule, or they'll do more harm than good to a schools that are D-4 and D-5. In my opinion, for Minford to keep them on the schedule they'll have to prove they can win 5-games each year. A team that cannot win at least 3 or 4 games will do more harm than good in the end no matter how bad you beat them.

[Crab's Brother]

With Minford moving up to D4, are they looking to get one or two non-conference games against some bigger teams?

First they have to prove they can win this game.

To answer your question, I think they have to or they could be in the same shape Valley was in a few years ago and go 10-0 or 9-1 and not make the playoffs. I'd like to see them pickup: Greenfield McClain, Washington CH, Gallipolis or Miami Trace. I believe these teams are in their division now. I'd like to also see Ironton, Chillicothe or Jackson on there as well. I do see where Hillsboro, a D-3 school an hour away, has an open week 4 and that would replace PHS. I still don't get PHS dropping Minford for Waverly next year, after they caused such a stink about Minford not scheduling them.

First off, Valley had one year where they were 10-0 and didn't make the playoffs and that was 21 years ago and they only took 4 teams. Valley has had four years where they won 8 games and not made the playoffs (2001, 2002, 2003, 2010) and only in 2010 were they playing in the SOC II (under the 8 team format).

Just scheduling bigger schools does not always help you get into the playoffs. You have to schedule teams that are going to win games. Using your example with McClain, CH, GA, or MT, you need to feel comfortable that those teams are going to win games for your. Last season a win over any of those teams would have been pretty good from a points perspective. Hillsboro on the other hand was 0-10.

Chillicothe is a great test from a challenge standpoint, but a win over them last season would have brought Minford 2.45 computer points. A win over Symmes Valley would have brought 3.25. You have to have a balance to ensure that you are prepped for the playoffs but also have the points to make it. It is just not as easy as going out and finding as many D3's as you can.

[vladimir]

I do agree with that; however, scheduling a D-6 team that goes 2-8 does more harm than good. If you do have a D-6 team, they'd better win 5 or more games, if they are playing D-5,6 and D7 schools. I said Hillsboro, b/c I personally know they had a very young team last year, and they will start winning some games as they've paid their dues. Greenfield, WCH, Miami Trace & Chillicothe are all schools that will usually win 5 or more games and they are relatively the same size Minford is now, and within a reasonable travel distance.

I feel if Minford can't beat those teams, they do not deserve to be in the playoffs in the first place. No sense making it into the playoffs just to be embarrassed by a team your same size you should have measured yourself against during the regular season.

[Crab's Brother]

I do agree with that; however, scheduling a D-6 team that goes 2-8 does more harm than good. If you do have a D-6 team, they'd better win 5 or more games, if they are playing D-5,6 and D7 schools. I said Hillsboro, b/c I personally know they had a very young team last year, and they will start winning some games as they've paid their dues. Greenfield, WCH, Miami Trace & Chillicothe are all schools that will usually win 5 or more games and they are relatively the same size Minford is now. I feel if Minford can't beat those teams, they do not deserve to be in the playoffs in the first place.

Very true. My only point was that you can't just blindly schedule bigger schools and always expect to make the playoffs. The Falcons went 8-2 last year and lost to Wheelersburg and Valley. Their two losses were also the 2 biggest point games on their schedule. That said, even with those 2 losses Minford hosted a D4 playoff game. Even last season with the 6 Division system, Minford would have made the playoffs in 3 of the 4 regions in D3 (they would have been 14th in Region 11). So, even last year's schedule with 1-9 Rock Hill, 1-9 Portsmouth, 0-10 Northwest, and 2-8 Waverly was enough for the Falcons.

As you say, if Minford cannot beat the D3 teams you list, they shouldn't be in the playoffs anyway. So, going forward, if the Falcons don't finish in the top 2-3 of the revamped SOC II (minus NW) then they probably want no part of the studs of Region 14 (Alter, Massie, Valley View, McNick, and Alder).

[vladimir]

They could get away with that last year, but now they're D-4. As if the divisions stayed the same Minford would be D-3, so they've moved up two divisions and time will tell if this comes back to haunt them. First, they have to prove what they can do with the schedule they have and win those games before any of this matters.

[Crab's Brother]

They could get away with that last year, but now they're D-4. As if the divisions stayed the same Minford would be D-3, so they've moved up two divisions and time will tell if this comes back to haunt them. First, they have to prove what they can do with the schedule they have and win those games before any of this matters.

No doubt about that.

But even if they were D3 last year, they probably would have still made it.

[vladimir]

My whole thing is, making it into the playoffs only to get beat in the first round. We've already established it doesn't matter from a point perspective that having one maybe two cupcakes on the schedule is acceptable.

So my question to you is, would you rather have one playoff caliber team that the same size or larger that could beat you, or to have 3 or more teams that go 2-8 or worse that you'll beat by 40-points?

[jagered]

Talked to a coach about this very thing and we both agreed that 8-2 probably still won't get them a home game this year. If Ironton was better and Minford could beat the Burg then it is a done deal for a home game but I know we r along way aways from that but it was brought up so I wanted to say my 2 cents worth. What sucks is Valley and burg our only D-5 schools who r going to the playoffs will end up playing each other costing us a team to rot for but what r ya gonna do.

[mglight88]

Minford took care of business at home vs. Piketon with a 58-0 win

[vladimir]

Great job Falcons!!

About the point ranking, don't forget about Oak Hill. I think they can beat Ironton this year, and they will make the playoffs in D6. There's our 9-1 team we have to beat. Next up is PHS, so one game at a time and we'll get there.

[noles_fan]

I seen in the paper It looked like Piketon was wearing purple uniforms. Was it just a bad picture.

[bengalfan76]

I seen in the paper It looked like Piketon was wearing purple uniforms. Was it just a bad picture.

Bad picture. Piketon also had a lighter shade of charcoal grey on their jersey.

[black76]

You cant take for granted any wins ahead but a couple with such a weak schedule leading into. That said, Minford will be tough to beat with line they have.

[here4fun]

Talked to a coach about this very thing and we both agreed that 8-2 probably still won't get them a home game this year. If Ironton was better and Minford could beat the Burg then it is a done deal for a home game but I know we r along way aways from that but it was brought up so I wanted to say my 2 cents worth. What sucks is Valley and burg our only D-5 schools who r going to the playoffs will end up playing each other costing us a team to rot for but what r ya gonna do.

Valley is in D-6 region 21 they won't play burg in playoffs

[vladimir]

MInford's uniforms are mirrored after the vintage Ohio State of the 1961 National Championship team. OSU wore these in the 2011 game against Wisconsin.

[LetsGoPSU]

Things don't get any easier for my Trojans

[bengalfan76]

Minford has a very nice football team. Games vs burg and valley will be interesting. If Minfors has a weak link it is their pass defense.