Ironton out of OVC in 2024.

[Ed Turdwhittler]

Personally I think this is the time for Ironton to apply to join Kirtlands conference. People say you have to play better competition to get better. Seems to me that the only way Itown will win a title is to join that league and after finishing second for a decade or two, maybe they will figure out how to finish a season.

[Jeaux Burreaux]

Ironton can just take a page out of Steubenvilles book

Schedule all home games?

Yeah why not no rules against it, they’ve been doing it for years and you don’t get anything held against you for playoff points

[Pinwheel]

What's going to be bad is what happens if Pendleton leaves and no more players coming in? I still believe he is doing all of this to promote himself for a college position. Bring kids in, win some state title (which hasn't happened) and get his name out there and some college comes knocking.

Ironton would have a huge mess on their hands then trying to schedule teams they could compete with because everyone knows it, since he has been there, without all the players he has brought in they are mediocre at best. Lot of talk about Ironton being loaded with the upcoming players but would it be enough talent to compete with out of the area teams!!!!

Problem is, colleges also see what's going on,they don't like "bending rules" more so then high school

They’ve been coming around a lot and making offers, they must not see any rules being bent, only used lol.

Yes, Irontons upcoming classes will be able to compete

Just because he hasn't been punished yet doesn't mean he hasn't been doing it.

Innocent doesn't get investigated,just not enough evidence..

Give me a break on they been coming around what has he done, NOTHING outside lil bitty high school football

[Tjhtygeverve]

Rumors swirling around town that Ironton was voted about by original OVC schools this week. Beginning 2023 Ironton will be independent again and it will be announced soon.

The message sent by leadership of these other schools is loud and clear. Ironton is better than us and instead of working hard to improve let’s take our ball and go home. If I’m a parent at one of these schools and I’ve raised a son/daughter who’s a competitor I would be very upset. Kids in Lawrence County who go to other schools feel inferior as it is. This will make things much worse. I do believe this will just cause more kids in area to look to leave and transfer when parents think they are good enough.

Not a good look.

HYGT

Been here before & the Phoenix will rise again!!!!
-edited by self-
Seoal, OKAC, INDY, OVC,











#GoTgo

[ohbuckeye2]

Problem is, colleges also see what's going on,they don't like "bending rules" more so then high school

They’ve been coming around a lot and making offers, they must not see any rules being bent, only used lol.

Yes, Irontons upcoming classes will be able to compete

Just because he hasn't been punished yet doesn't mean he hasn't been doing it.

Innocent doesn't get investigated,just not enough evidence..

Give me a break on they been coming around what has he done, NOTHING outside lil bitty high school football

Oh, you’re talking about him leaving to Coach college. Sorry, he’s not going anywhere anytime soon. He loves what he’s doing in Ironton and Ironton loves him and his family.

Go Fighting Tigers…….

[Pinwheel]

They’ve been coming around a lot and making offers, they must not see any rules being bent, only used lol.

Yes, Irontons upcoming classes will be able to compete

Just because he hasn't been punished yet doesn't mean he hasn't been doing it.

Innocent doesn't get investigated,just not enough evidence..

Give me a break on they been coming around what has he done, NOTHING outside lil bitty high school football

Oh, you’re talking about him leaving to Coach college. Sorry, he’s not going anywhere anytime soon. He loves what he’s doing in Ironton and Ironton loves him and his family.

Go Fighting Tigers…….

Not if he wants to coach college he's not going anywhere.

Glad you love him, sounds like a match made in heaven

[SiderSam]

Bring Ironton to the SOC II
But playing in no conference and having all home games sounds really attractive.$$$$

[Beergogglebluez]

Personally I think this is the time for Ironton to apply to join Kirtlands conference. People say you have to play better competition to get better. Seems to me that the only way Itown will win a title is to join that league and after finishing second for a decade or two, maybe they will figure out how to finish a season.

Lol that’s not realistic. Drive to Cleveland. Better to be independent you will still be in a region and can get games close to home.

[farmer]

They’ve been coming around a lot and making offers, they must not see any rules being bent, only used lol.

Yes, Irontons upcoming classes will be able to compete

Just because he hasn't been punished yet doesn't mean he hasn't been doing it.

Innocent doesn't get investigated,just not enough evidence..

Give me a break on they been coming around what has he done, NOTHING outside lil bitty high school football

Oh, you’re talking about him leaving to Coach college. Sorry, he’s not going anywhere anytime soon. He loves what he’s doing in Ironton and Ironton loves him and his family.

Go Fighting Tigers…….

Well he may not be leaving but the big vote coming this weekend. The BIG TEN is voting out Northwestern and Ironton is the next team up. This maybe a rumor. Was just two guys talking around a manure spreader. Just do not be surprised what comes out this weekend.

[Pat]

Just because he hasn't been punished yet doesn't mean he hasn't been doing it.

Innocent doesn't get investigated,just not enough evidence..

Give me a break on they been coming around what has he done, NOTHING outside lil bitty high school football

Oh, you’re talking about him leaving to Coach college. Sorry, he’s not going anywhere anytime soon. He loves what he’s doing in Ironton and Ironton loves him and his family.

Go Fighting Tigers…….

Well he may not be leaving but the big vote coming this weekend. The BIG TEN is voting out Northwestern and Ironton is the next team up. This maybe a rumor. Was just two guys talking around a manure spreader. Just do not be surprised what comes out this weekend.

We’ll see how good of a coach he is in a few more games.

[NoseyRosey]

Kids in Lawrence County who go to other schools feel inferior as it is.

Are you talking about kids who go to other schools that are football players feel inferior? Because I don't know of any kids or parents who are concerned with academics that feel their child's education is inferior because they don't go to Ironton. Quite the contrary actually. Ironton is not exactly Harvard by the river. Honestly if they feel inferior because their football team isn't very good then they need to reassess their priorities in life

[bigblue4life]

Russell got replaced in the kiwanis bowl by Boyd County because They didn't have enough players to field a freshman team the previous 2 years KCol. This is the 1st year Russell has had a frosh team in 3 years. It is now Boyd vs. Ashland in the Kiwanis Bowl every year.

[bigblue4life]

I can tell you don't follow Russell very closely KCol or you would have knew Russell got replaced and that they had two small classes back to back. That caused them not to be able to have a team. It is kind of hard to play in the kiwanis bowl when you don't have a team.

[KCol]

Boyd combined their freshman and JV teams to play in the Kiwanis Bowl against Ashland this year for certain. That came from Boyd's freshman/JV coach first hand. So I don't understand why Russell couldn't do the same, if Boyd did that. Jaydon Dehart played in the game this year for Boyd, and he is a sophomore.

I know that Russell got replaced, but considering Boyd's circumstances still allowed them to play in the game itself, I don't understand how Russell couldn't have been able to do the same, either. Additionally, when I played in the Kiwanis Bowl, we brought eighth graders with the freshmen and some (if they had good size or could play or both) would get reps in the actual game. That may have changed too, but that would help the numbers.

[KCol]

Anyway, apologize for ruffling your feathers. I just want to see Russell be competitive. They were very competitive in some games this season, and just were on another planet in others.

I think that's a matter of top-to-bottom leadership as it is in most schools as far as not checking kids and keeping them humble. I understand that it's high school kids, you're going to have that at times.

Russell has plenty of talent, great numbers in the upper grades and very good coaches. I just would like to see more passion and humility out of how things are approached there across the board in boys sports.

If they had the passion and humility to match the talent and intelligent football IQs that they do have, Russell would win six or seven games a year every year if not more.

They are playing a tougher schedule in my opinion than what I played when I was there now, so I admire and respect them for that, but I see a lot of talent, both coaches and players, currently there, and for the record to only be 2-9 and to see an experienced group get beat 56-14 by a Belfry squad starting who Phillip Haywood said was his youngest team ever is a problem -- because at this point, the only way that score gets better from here, if Russell doesn't change philosophies, is if Belfry drops to 2A and Russell doesn't see them in the postseason.

Russell has the resources and the ability to be a top-10 team in 3A every year. Why isn't that happening? It should be. That is my point.

[bigblue4life]

Anyway, apologize for ruffling your feathers. I just want to see Russell be competitive. They were very competitive in some games this season, and just were on another planet in others.

I think that's a matter of top-to-bottom leadership as it is in most schools as far as not checking kids and keeping them humble. I understand that it's high school kids, you're going to have that at times.

Russell has plenty of talent, great numbers in the upper grades and very good coaches. I just would like to see more passion and humility out of how things are approached there across the board in boys sports.

If they had the passion and humility to match the talent and intelligent football IQs that they do have, Russell would win six or seven games a year every year if not more.

They are playing a tougher schedule in my opinion than what I played when I was there now, so I admire and respect them for that, but I see a lot of talent, both coaches and players, currently there, and for the record to only be 2-9 and to see an experienced group get beat 56-14 by a Belfry squad starting who Phillip Haywood said was his youngest team ever is a problem -- because at this point, the only way that score gets better from here, if Russell doesn't change philosophies, is if Belfry drops to 2A and Russell doesn't see them in the postseason.

Russell has the resources and the ability to be a top-10 team in 3A every year. Why isn't that happening? It should be. That is my point.

Russell will be fine. Classes Run in Cycles 6th grade was River Cities football league champs and undefeated and 7th and 8th grade both had good years. Russell could potentially have another year or 2 where they are down due to the small classes but when these 6th 7th and 8th grade are sophomore juniors and seniors Russell will be a different team again. TJ already said Russell will be young next year at the skill positions. The future is Bright for Russell. Evidently you must be be really young because I remember some bad Russell teams in the early 90's where Russell didn't win many games. It happens from time to time. Not Every team is Belfry and can reload every year with players from Williamson,WV. If you look at Belfry Sports outside of football they are horrible.They put everything into football and neglect all other sports. I would take Russell's effort into all sports over Belfry's anyday. Russell continues to push all sports and not just football and for that I am thankful.

[kantucky]

I wonder, Ironton's eight grade was nothing but phenomenal this year: undefeated, never gave up a single point the whole season and only a handful of 1st downs. When this group are in their junior and senior year, will everyone claim.they're transfers then?

I feel.that I can say this and not worry that its not true...that is, Im.quite confident that no coach works harder than Pendleton. The man took the job at Ironton and went at it like he was fighting fire. Yeah we've picked up a transfer or.two but the effort that the coaching staff puts out ensures a quality product come Friday nights. Who could blame a kid who's stuck in a school\program where it's more of a hobby than a profession to be coaching. I love seeing the boys come rol!ing out from Beautiful Tank Stadium, in the tradition of Bob Lutz - the class is back!

BEEP BEEP BABY! HERE COMES THEM SIDERS!

[Pinwheel]

I wonder, Ironton's eight grade was nothing but phenomenal this year: undefeated, never gave up a single point the whole season and only a handful of 1st downs. When this group are in their junior and senior year, will everyone claim.they're transfers then?

I feel.that I can say this and not worry that its not true...that is, Im.quite confident that no coach works harder than Pendleton. The man took the job at Ironton and went at it like he was fighting fire. Yeah we've picked up a transfer or.two but the effort that the coaching staff puts out ensures a quality product come Friday nights. Who could blame a kid who's stuck in a school\program where it's more of a hobby than a profession to be coaching. I love seeing the boys come rol!ing out from Beautiful Tank Stadium, in the tradition of Bob Lutz - the class is back!

BEEP BEEP BABY! HERE COMES THEM SIDERS!

[Pinwheel]

A transfer here and there ? Mr shady is definitely working hard like fighting a fire ,like trying to keep all that paper work in line to keep from getting Ironton a big ole fine and more of a black eye on Ironton poor bob lutz must be really embarrassed he won't even talk to no one in I town.
The 8th grade team will be just fine as junior and senior as long as a better player don't come up on mr shadys radar to move in.

[XandOs]

A transfer here and there ? Mr shady is definitely working hard like fighting a fire ,like trying to keep all that paper work in line to keep from getting Ironton a big ole fine and more of a black eye on Ironton poor bob lutz must be really embarrassed he won't even talk to no one in I town.
The 8th grade team will be just fine as junior and senior as long as a better player don't come up on mr shadys radar to move in.

Coach Lutz and Burcham had as many of not more kids moving into the program during their hay day. One of our best teams in the 80s was an entire backfield not from Ironton originally. Once again. The tradition, culture and community recruits itself. In Ironton, football is king and everyone knows it.