2018 Ironton Head football coach

[TOUGH]

Simple. Biggest problem with Ironton is they are split. Half the people want 1950s Lutz ball and the other half wants new age ball. Those guys aren't gonna agree with what Pendleton would want to do because they too are old school. The game has changed, change with it or be left behind.

This is why Ironton needs to hire an established coach whose schemes are proven with a track record.

How do you know what Pendletons philosophy is. He may be a down hill physical brand type coach. He did play for Dantonio and Triplett. Urban just sounds like your still butt hurt over him beating your Buckeyes.

What schemes do the other coaches run that we’re interviewed?

I don’t know Salmons or Ray’s scheme. Haven’t had the pleasure of watching those guys Coach.

I do know Scott Grizzle is a spread throw it all over the yard guy. Don’t know if that will fit what Irontons looking for. Would be like Mike Leach coaching Navy or Army. I do know he has had a couple decent seasons at Greenup Co. though and he was an assistant at Raceland for a couple years.

It will be interesting to see how this all turns out.


I have a feeling there is quite a few people voicing who they want to the board.

[Getting Older]

With no teaching positions you won't get anyone but a retired coach. Pendleton doesn't need a teaching position..its a no brainer to hire him.i would think the kids and assistant coaches would respect him..no successful coach was a head coach until someone gave them their first job..

[4th and iches]

Big problem with hiring a new coach is there isn’t any teaching jobs , so they are either going to have to hire a non teacher or keep Vass , something I do know for sure is IF Vass does not return as head coach Ironton will lose half their current roster . Some assistant coaches ( two so far ) are already headed to Rock Hill to coach , so some players will follow them along with one headed to wheelersburg and a couple others are headed across the river. With that being said . Vass will be back as head coach with Dr. smith and his brother as assistant coaches along with some assistants from last year . Just my guess

[Game day]

Big problem with hiring a new coach is there isn’t any teaching jobs , so they are either going to have to hire a non teacher or keep Vass , something I do know for sure is IF Vass does not return as head coach Ironton will lose half their current roster . Some assistant coaches ( two so far ) are already headed to Rock Hill to coach , so some players will follow them along with one headed to wheelersburg and a couple others are headed across the river. With that being said . Vass will be back as head coach with Dr. smith and his brother as assistant coaches along with some assistants from last year . Just my guess

I believe the coaches leaving is a plus also if Vass stays the money coming in at the gate will continue to fall off. Kids are not going to leave because he is not the coach and the ones that do will leave are because someone will come in and clean up all the discipline problems and the kids doing what they want.

[Game day]

Big problem with hiring a new coach is there isn’t any teaching jobs , so they are either going to have to hire a non teacher or keep Vass , something I do know for sure is IF Vass does not return as head coach Ironton will lose half their current roster . Some assistant coaches ( two so far ) are already headed to Rock Hill to coach , so some players will follow them along with one headed to wheelersburg and a couple others are headed across the river. With that being said . Vass will be back as head coach with Dr. smith and his brother as assistant coaches along with some assistants from last year . Just my guess

I believe the coaches leaving is a plus! If Vass stays the money coming in at the gate will continue to fall off. Kids are not going to leave because he is not the coach. The ones that do leave are because someone will come in and clean up all the discipline problems and the kids doing what they want when they want. The best players should play and that is not happening at Ironton anymore.

[Urban]

How do you know what Pendletons philosophy is. He may be a down hill physical brand type coach. He did play for Dantonio and Triplett. Urban just sounds like your still butt hurt over him beating your Buckeyes.

Actually quite the contrary. All of Southern Ohio is or should be proud of a guy getting the most out of his ability and playing at a high level. And being a fullback I'm sure he likes physical football. But I'm sure he understands you better have diversity in your defense and offense to win against teams as good as you.

As I said Ironton still wants Lutz ball. Running the ball 98 out of a 100 plays won't work now. The game has changed. The Ironton fan base that was raised and played for Lutz will not accept that and that will especially be hindered by having a bunch of assistants with that phylosophy that aren't truly gonna buy into the head coach.

Justifying hiring a coach with no experience into the fire at a place like Ironton based on retread assistant coaches doesn't make sense.

[Urban]

To further my thought Lutz had the total respect of everyone involved. Everyone bought in. That hasn't happened since. Even the year Triplett was there they turned on him immediately because he wasn’t Bob Lutz. Vass never had a chance because of the same. If Ironton doesn't hire a coach with previous success to fall back on, they'll turn on them too.

To win everyone has to buy in. The community, the coaches, the players. When the kids go home and the parents say the coach sucks who do they believe?

[Getting Older]

Here's one big problem. The people on here saying they need to do this do that hire this one hire that one..they have no idea how to run a program and couldn't do it if they had the chance

[Game day]

Vass had all the chances in the world. He was recommended by coach Lutz and Burcham he has just failed in all areas. Off season, during games and to see kids quitting during the games is hard to believe. The team has taken on the head coaches personality lazy!!!

[Gone Country]

To further my thought Lutz had the total respect of everyone involved. Everyone bought in. That hasn't happened since. Even the year Triplett was there they turned on him immediately because he wasn’t Bob Lutz. Vass never had a chance because of the same. If Ironton doesn't hire a coach with previous success to fall back on, they'll turn on them too.

To win everyone has to buy in. The community, the coaches, the players. When the kids go home and the parents say the coach sucks who do they believe?

The situation would be totally different for Pendleton or Triplett or anyone else in that they will not be following the most successful coach in Ohio history much less Ironton. Whomever is hired will follow a regime that has lost the respect of the players, the community and even his own coaches and support staff. With the right decision made for a replacement, with the correct mind set and confidence reinstilled in the players, the Ironton program is a short jump to success. The players and parents telling the coaches what position or which side of the ball they're going to play on is unheard of but a reality in the last few years of Ironton football. The Burgites don't have all the answers for Ironton or anyone else nor do they have a magical well they dip into for players that is available only to them. What they do have is a coach that demands the respect and discipline necessary to make kids willing to change positions and even change schools to get in on their current success.

[laser breath]

Big problem with hiring a new coach is there isn’t any teaching jobs , so they are either going to have to hire a non teacher or keep Vass , something I do know for sure is IF Vass does not return as head coach Ironton will lose half their current roster . Some assistant coaches ( two so far ) are already headed to Rock Hill to coach , so some players will follow them along with one headed to wheelersburg and a couple others are headed across the river. With that being said . Vass will be back as head coach with Dr. smith and his brother as assistant coaches along with some assistants from last year . Just my guess

What a joke if that happens. So what you're saying is that they don't care about the school's success only the coach? Sounds like that is the problem to me. Parents and kids trying to manipulate the situation.

[osu 77]

Big problem with hiring a new coach is there isn’t any teaching jobs , so they are either going to have to hire a non teacher or keep Vass , something I do know for sure is IF Vass does not return as head coach Ironton will lose half their current roster . Some assistant coaches ( two so far ) are already headed to Rock Hill to coach , so some players will follow them along with one headed to wheelersburg and a couple others are headed across the river. With that being said . Vass will be back as head coach with Dr. smith and his brother as assistant coaches along with some assistants from last year . Just my guess

If you know the coaches going to the school mentioned above could you have them stop txt kids and asking them to leave Ironton! I am sure this would not be looked on favorably by the state.

Just my guess

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

wow.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

getting ugly.

[JTEK]

Probably being generous to say maybe half this stuff has any truth to it. Makes for a good conversation though

[Osu fan]

I think I’m in the minority here, but I think the Tigers need to hold onto Coach Vass. It’s pretty late in the ballgame to be making a switch in coaching staffs. How serious are we with the Pendleton or any of the other candidates mentioned on here?

[Frogtownbuckeye]

Any of the 4 outside coaches whio interviewed would be great choices, although I’m not a fan of Greenup’s “throw it 50 times a game” mentality. The claim that half of Ironton’s roster will leave if Vass is not rehired is a joke. I believe several more players will leave if he is rehired. Last year’s coaching staff attempted to implement a spread offense with 1 or 2 decent receivers at best and went away from a running game that had 3 running backs between 205 and 225 pounds and a QB who can run as well as throw. Small high school ball is not D1 high school or college ball where you can recruit kids to fill your offensive scheme. You must play to your roster strengths and that wasn’t done last year. It’s tine for a change and it needs done rather quickly so the new staff can get to know the kids and get the weight room fired up.

[rxburgfan]

Tic toc goes the clock on off season conditioning. How much commitment is there with coach up on the air?

[Tartanblue]

Longer it takes more chance of kids leaving to other schools because of stability.

On a side note Ironton folks should be happy this is the longest thread they have had not including playing or getting beat by the Burg.

[Game day]

I think I’m in the minority here, but I think the Tigers need to hold onto Coach Vass. It’s pretty late in the ballgame to be making a switch in coaching staffs. How serious are we with the Pendleton or any of the other candidates mentioned on here?

Most of us are hoping real seriously! Switching staff what kind of staff will be there if he stays worse than what he had. This team needs a new start it has been going down hill for the last 3 years.