SWHITE2002 wrote: Wed Mar 29, 2023 3:42 pm
RBH23 wrote: Wed Mar 29, 2023 7:46 am
Tigernation2021 wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 10:37 pm
I was kind of thinking the same thing, I mean seriously what would any coach have to gain by not trying to help players get to the next level. Let's just look at Ironton and how they promote their kids, it's a snowball effect and it sheds a positive light on any program doing it and how it's viewed by athletes in the area.
Promotion is key, but have to have the kids with the size, speed, and talent to promote. Not to disparage the job Ironton does with promoting, but they also had the kids to back it up.
Go back and watch Ironton-Burg game this year. Ironton skill players looked gigantic compared to the Burg players. Keyes, Perkins, Carter… Burg had no players that came close to matching those kids in speed and size.
To be blunt, Burg has historically never had the same natural raw talent as Ironton. At best, Burg players are MAC talent level in football. Have had a few kids with the physical tools to play major college football, but most of them chose another sport to play at the next level.
But a D5 high school football team that finishes 7-3 (Burg’s recent regular season records) in southeastern Ohio simply will not have college level talent.
The complaints I’ve heard are kids will have big roles on the team their sophomore and junior years, then get their roles dramatically decreased their senior years, to the point that some aren’t used on the offensive end side of the ball. And if you look back several years it’s a valid argument. Or guys may go several games and rarely touch the football, then have a game where they run for 200. It doesn’t make sense.
Either way it’s hard for me to believe that you have an athletic program as successful as Wheelersburg that will rarely have a guy playing D2 or Higher. Something is going on and it’s more than not having players because they obviously do. If your coach doesn’t believe in a kid enough to push for him to play then do you really believe college coaches are? I don’t think so
A lot of kids during the state championship run played college football. Holden could have been a big time recruit but was focused on basketball instead.
The recent classes haven’t been that strong despite what some might think. Burg has finished the regular season 7-3 the last two years (bad numbers by Burg standards) with far less talent than what was seen around the state championship year.
Some of those kids who had their roles reduced should spend more time looking within themselves versus blaming the coaches; for example, remembering the plays would have helped some play more. Because I promise you that Burg coaches have all the incentives in the world to win football games. They are going to play the kids that give them the best chance of success.
Finally, your comment about “how can such a successful program like Burg rarely put kids in college above the D2 level”…. That’s a question that you could ask Coldwater, Kirtland, and Marion Local as well. Those programs rarely produce D1 talent. Wheelersburg is not unusual in that regard.
