I'm not sure my concern is regarding any roster issues as much as I am just real leary of how this team is gonna react to some real in game adversity. Lets face it, right now they are the bully, and although I do not fault them, the last couple the vibe/body language has been of a bully thats bored. Somewhere down the line someone is gonna smack the bully back, if it happens in an early round it's gonna be interesting to see how this group responds to that. If we see a scenario where the game is close, and it is decided by minimizing mistakes, like I have said, I think it's a really legit concern. RN its load management. Cruise control. Experimentation. In game development. Can they flip the switch and find the right combos in real time and execute? This team is loaded in talent. Well coached. Disciplined in their preperation but somewhat undisciplined on the field. They made some great changes and I have talked about the decision to bring Crawford up to DE w Duncan holdin it down on the other edge. Sidenote: (Angelo Washington is gonna be a star on defense kids.) Crawford has spent a lotta time in the other guys backfield off his edge. I think the staff learned against Kirtland last season, they had to get faster. They did that. This team has a lot of speed. If the execution matches up w the talent for names like Masters, McCall, Carter, Carpenter, West, Keyes, Washington, and they grow up from a focus standpoint and along w the experienced core and the All American, they can beat anybody. Any team in D5.MrFirstTake wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 9:49 amCouldnt agree more. Hopefully they get a tough 1st and 2nd round playoff opponent that can hopefully push them to the wire or something. The past 2 or 3 weeks they have had kids injured so other kids have had to step in and start which could be a small piece for some of the penalties happening but it definitely needs to be cleaned up. Watching a gallipolis and ironton game back to back will make your head explode seriously so many penaltiesSpeedKillz wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 2:44 amFrom the perspective of an Ironton fan, I think there is legit foundation for some concern. Consistently overwhelming considerably underwhelming opposition is well and good. They are doing what they are supposed to do for better or worse, & they have had a chance to test a lot of recipes before drawing up a final playoff menu, BUT...there are also some things NOT happening consistently.Tjhtygeverve wrote: ↑Sat Sep 26, 2020 10:11 pm
Saying Solon is a below avg. D1 school is NOT factual.
I follow all divisions’ regions and how each playoff team progresses each year via joeeitel.com.
Solon has easily made the playoffs at minimum 4x’s lately.
They are probably having a down year or affected By C-19 precautions.
Kirtland is well known to flex within their area for scrimmaging up (Kirtland Varsity —V— St. Iggy JV in the past) & scheduling other schools in the area during regular season to strengthen their team not to inflate computer points!
They do it to improve & there’s nothing wrong with that & it shows!
Yes, IHS would’ve beaten Solon, & they would’ve improved because of doing so.
Still missing a puzzle piece, @ IHS for me to feel like they’re ready for a title run.
They’ve got all they need.
They just gotta execute it all in a competitive game.
Do Tiger fans think the BYE week serves its purpose?
OR, if allowed, should IHS Schedule up and play during BYE WEEK against a bigger school to bring out the “Tiger Nasty” we’ve only seen glimpses of in games 1-2?
OR...
Will elongated playoffs prep IHS?!?!
WLR looks tough & so does CR/BACON.
It’s time to get ready TO GET TIGER NASTY!!!
BYE week or schedule an up game if allowed?
Speak UP Tiger fans!!
#GoTgo
1. In game adversity
2. Esp last 3 weeks - a tone of no enthusiasm. Unfortunately just doing what they are supposed to do v this schedule seems to have created a almost ho hum vibe. Ya not seeing a lot of heads wagging and enthusiasm. There is almost an air of expectation - at least for now - for ovc teams to lay down and honestly, why would Ironton feel any differently? It's time to be honest, the OVC is TERRIBLE. I found myself worrying if any traces of complacency would set in in the first 6 to 7 weeks. I think you walk a fine line at the prep level when ya dealing w preparing 16/17 yr olds emotionally. In contrast per above you watch game film and there are really worrisome nuances. For example, in peake/Ironton game - 1st offensive play from scrimmage for Peake was a keeper that moved and developed so slowly, it honestly looked like a middle school team ran it. And Peake got 4 yards out of it. Not a big deal right? One outlier ( play) you say? Maybe. However when I watch teams like Kirtland these past few weeks, not only is their execution faster and more deliberate, but so is their opponents. Consistently.
Irontons execution and focus HAVE to improve. How do they do that down the stretch w a final 3 of Rock Hill, Chesapeake, South Point? Can they just flip a switch and acclimate to the potential adversity and almost CERTAIN emotion per a week 8/9 game after that final 3 and a buy? Those are gonna be HUGE questions going into the post season.
As far as using the buy week to schedule up - working from an assumption that is a logistical possibility, I would be all for it. I think Ironton is working under a precarious dynamic. It really lines them up to get caught imo. Dangerous.
I think any similarly related concern is legitimate.
They gotta lock in & find a chip on their shoulder and fast.