1999 Ironton Championship Game

[FANOSPORTS]

I'm still trying to figure out (and I was sitting front row on the 30 yard line) why Coach Lutz would go on 4th down, with the lead, inside his own territory ? I understand he probably thought the line could make a hole for that small gain for a first down and then run the clock out and I also know they had a punt blocked previously but what are the chances of it happening twice in one quarter and even if it would have been blocked again the other team (Sandusky Perkins) would have at least earned it by having to do something to help themselves win the game. I don't like questioning Hall of Fame coaches but that call to me is one of the strangest I've seen in my 40+ years of watching football. Just a question that maybe some Ironton "insiders" on here can answer for me ?

[kantuckyII]

Pretty good when your tackle is now hurt and your stud fullback was taken out of the game. Even if you failed to make it (which, Ironton did) Perkins still had to move the ball 30 yards down the field in about a minute or so. If Ironton tried to punt? If it was blocked, the best thing that would happen is they'd probably have the ball on Ironton's five yard line..the worst, Perkins would block, scoop and take it in.

[earp]

I think there was 41 seconds left when Perkins got tha ball actually If I recall right!Nevertheless it was a shocking turn of events!

[FANOSPORTS]

I don't know but I'd rather have them drive 60 yards than 30 at the time. I forgot about the tackle being injured but do remember the fullback being taken out. Was he also hurt or was it just a ploy to make Perkins think they would then punt after you take your short yardage back out ? That Brandon Schnittker kid also probably sealed his scholarship with OSU at that time.

[kantuckyII]

His shoulder (?) was hurt from what I remember (I'm getting old though) and he couldn't lift his arm if I'm not mistaken?

The Sandusky Perkins kid you're talking about..I got the chance to meet him a few years back at Media Day at OS when Tyler Whaley was a freshman. I told him that he broke my heart that day...and he said he was sorry but....I don't think he meant it

[FANOSPORTS]

We're all getting old, kantuck. Fullback probably had a "stinger" so it wouldn't have done any good keeping him in there then. Yep, and I think you're probably right about the kid not being "sorry". Thanks for the insight.

[ItownBrowns]

I've heard numerous reasons for going for that first down, bottom line is its the coaches decision. While hindsight is 20/20 it was a bad decision no matter what way you slice it. Having seen Ironton play under coach Lutz for almost 30 years if that same situation happened 100 times he'd punt every time. We all know coach is basically conservative and typically would never take such a chance in that situation. One bad call cant tarnish the success he's had, we've all made bad decisions that we have to live with.
On a seperate note, I was sitting directly behind the Ironton offense in the endzone on that fatefull play. Also unfortunately for the td pass that followed. There was a hole wide open on that fb dive. I saw the hole open up like it had the previous 4 consecutive times they ran it. The fb saw the hole also and raised up out of his forward lean. A Perkins player stepped around the block and filled the hole just as the fb looked up. This enabled him to gain enough leverage to keep from being ran over which I'towns fb had done all game. I still believe to this day that had there not been a hole or if the fb would have kept his head down Ironton wins that game. Ofcourse the kid is not to blame for that, just one of those unfortunate things that happen in football sometimes.

[kantuckyII]

It's interesting this thread got started today as earlier this afternoon, I was looking at the photo I have of Ironton getting ready to snap the ball on this play

[grizzlynatural]

Ivan McGlone would have punted and won the game.

[RiverRatRay]

Ivan McGlone would have punted and won the game.

Is that why Coach McGlone has beat Ironton so many times(1).

[grizzlynatural]

.....?...... Yes. Ivan McGlone would have punted in that situation and won the game and thats why his record is what it is against Ironton.


Nice comeback

[RiverRatRay]

He'll get a chance to improve on that 1-12 record against Ironton this year in the 2nd game of the season. It's been 1977 since his last victory over his across the river rival.

I remember the play very well. It's a coaches decision and you go with what he decides. If we make it Perkins has no time outs left and its kneel on the ground time. KentuckyII I remember the encounter between you and Snittiker. You had that young man very confused. LOL

[Tigercannon71]

It was a good call to go for it. We had the meat on the line and the back to get the first, which he did, but unfortunatly we got a bad spot. They had blocked one punt and we had another one almost blocked. Those ends were coming off the ball pretty fast. Why risk getting the punt blocked or even a bad snap when you got the players to get you that 1 yard you need. If it worked Lutz would be a genius for making that call. It failed so he gets second guessed. Thats the way it is in sports you win your a hero it fails and your the zero no matter who many games and championships youve won.

[superblue]

I was at the game and still can't believe I-town lost...... I would have punted, but I am no coach..... Another option was available, but seldom mentioned.... One poster said perkins got the ball with 40 sec. left...... If this is true, why not take a safety???? The final score was 16-14 so a safety at this time might have been the way to go..... Just a thought.....

[Tigercannon71]

The thing about going for a safety is what happens if the ball is snaped over the punters head or he gets tackled before the endzone.

[kantuckyII]

Well again, people need to remember it wasn't like Ironton immediately lost the game after they failed to make it on the fourth and short. Perkins still had to go 30 yards down the field in 44 seconds. Ironton's defense was solid against them.

Personally, I still think it was a good call. It's not the NFL either, it's a bunch of high school kids. Could you imagine how Perkins would have come if Ironton had tried to punt it? .....then again, you could have hoped you got a roughing the kicker call then Where will speculation end? never... It was a Cinderella playoff season for a team that went 7 and 3 in the regular season...midnight just came a second too early. All Ironton fans were very proud of this team. I think they'll always hold a special place in their hearts for the '99 team


(Great reply RiverRatRay )

[kantuckyII]

Ok, it's been 10 years almost now and it's probably time..here it is! THE PLAY! Again, this was the first digital camera I owned..it was only 1.5 mp and you couldn't buy cards or anything for it locally. ONE EIGHT Mb card for this camera then was 100 dollars! can you imagine? too funny..anyway, the quality isn't very good as it didn't take very good photos period but it was a lot of fun though

[philthyphil]

Was this not a day game?

[kantuckyII]

It started out that way but..it gets' dark at 5:15 that time of the year. The game was scheduled to start at 3:30. The camera is metering on the light on the field and it doesn't have the latitude to see dark and light like our eyes do so it appears completely black out and..heck, it probably was. Remember, there was less than a minute left to go when this was shot

[SPANKY]

He'll get a chance to improve on that 1-12 record against Ironton this year in the 2nd game of the season. It's been 1977 since his last victory over his across the river rival.

I remember the play very well. It's a coaches decision and you go with what he decides. If we make it Perkins has no time outs left and its kneel on the ground time. KentuckyII I remember the encounter between you and Snittiker. You had that young man very confused. LOL

You the man Ray, tell it like it is.

NUFF SAID............

P.S. The Spank is back!!!!!!!!