Gallia Academy 2015

[gobigblue12]

hows the offseason for the blue devils coming along? good turnouts for the weight room sessions?

[gobigblue12]

hows the offseason for the blue devils coming along? good turnouts for the weight room sessions?

ttt

[kvnchambers]

Have not heard anything about off season numbers yet. But have heard there have been a few kids showing up that did not play last year. Have not heard they are returning this year. They may just be lifting and working out to stay in shape.

Biggest key to any success this team may have this year is if Wes Jarrell returns and if he is healthy. In all honesty kid should of probably not been on field at all after game 1 of season and was really ineffective when he was in. Probably should of not of been on basketball court this year either but decided to play. I hear he has had surgery and is recovering nicely. Will he be released to play football or not. will he really want to i do not know. I don't even have a great source that he has had surgery just what one of my kids had said.
i can tell you from seeing some of the kids. that they are back to lifting and it is very noticeable.

last year you could really tell the one year that coach Bart was here that he did not have a strong weight program and kids did not get into a good weight lifting program until to late last year to really prevent all the shoulder injuries this team went through last year.

This years offensive line should be able to open some holes for running game and protect the quarterback. At least they have the experience to be good. we will see if desire is there.
line should look something like this.
Sipple T
johnson G
Reynolds C
Hively G
Vannsickle T

then you would have Saylor,, Howell, Thomas, Rogers and Kuhn to slide in and out as depth. Hively may be able to return as a WR if some of younger players can step up.

skill players would be
carter, Jarrell, Bailey, Matthew, Ward, Campbell, Hively, Holley, Burns, and Vance.
no burners here but some solid talent.

Defensively. This Team will be very experienced do to all the injuries and lack of depth last year. I would expect this group to be very solid.

my early prediction for this team would be 3-6 to 4-5. if everything would go there way and they play well 6-3 not out of question. At this time 2 games seem out of reach to me no matter what and those 2 games are point pleasant and Jackson. things could change but i just don't see any way those 2 games are competitive. If this team cannot stay relatively healthy it could be a very long year.

will be interested to see what this coaching staff does with a season under its belt and a complete off season of work this year.

[kvnchambers]

Well 2 days before the 2015 season and not much talk about the Blue devils. Don't guess a lot of people expect much. I am no predictor and have been wrong several times and usually think this team is a little better then it turns out. But here is my wrap on last year and a look at 2015.

First last year was nothing short of a disaster... Coaching staff not hired until late... a lot of kids upset about a 3 coach and in 3 years and a lot of people uncomfortable with knowing there roles. the fact that the team only had about 35 players on entire roster was also a big set back. This was a team that was going to center its offense around wes Jarrell and his season was basically over after opening drive of first game.

There has been a lot of complaints about the blue devils schedule but there opponents records last year were a combined 58-42 which is very respectable record. The schedule contained 4 playoff teams and 2 teams that played in state title games.... the devils managed a 4-6 record but the 4 teams they bet had a combined record of 12 and 28.

I believe the blue devils have lost 9 players off last years roster. 8 seniors and Wes Jarrell if i have not missed anyone.
Dylan Saunders and the kicking game will be sorely missed. That is one area that 2015 team will definitely be worse.
They lost senior cole spurlin who was a one year player with a lot of heart but not much experience or playing time there. Team lost receiver and linebacker wes Jarrell... potentially a great payer but as far as 2014 production not a big number as he was off field a lot. Team also lost seniors logan few and eric sheets to very hard workers. Both spent a lot of time injured during there careers but last year played a lot of plays very solidly. Team also lost Peyton Halley, Seth Adkins, and Eli Miller... A lot of energy and attitude in this group. And big play making ability on defensive side of ball. Also a lot of unnecessary penalty yardage and lack of discipline in this group. halley and Miller also lots of injuries.Team Also lost Blake wilson a very productive player offensively and defensivley and will be hard to replace.. Now a look ahead to 2015.

First off the hangover from 2014. when you only have 35 players in your program and you have 4 or 5 out with injuries leaves you with like 28 kids. 17 or 18 of them playing in games on Friday night. leads to the cancellation to a lot of j.v. and freshmen games. This team will carry those missed games and experience into this season... That to me is the biggest mystery to this season. I Don't know how any coach, fan, or self proclaimed expert knows what this team is going to be. And if this team stays relatively healthy because of lack of experience should improve every week the first half the year...

2015 schedule. I think this schedule very much on par with last years schedule. Belfry ky. is gone Athens will not be the team it was last year. cheasapeake, fairland, and portsmouth also gone off schedule i think they are replaced by 3 teams that are better in river valley, meigs and washington. Point pleasant is still point pleasant and jackson will be very good again. minford and logan will be good teams and warren still warren. There may be no teams on this schedule in state title game but this is a real quality schedule.

So schedule wise i feel season a wash.

Now to personnel. on offensive. Team will be down blake wilson that i think probably accounted for like 600 yards offensive. Eli miller who had a few break out plays, eric ward and set wills a few catches. But nothing here beyond the norm. Matt bailey, eric ward cole carter, russell matthew return. brett hively, devin henry, colton campbell added to the mix. So to me on offense is can they replace blake wilson. If they can offense will be better. line gots lots of experience should do better overall offense will be better.

Defensivley. Blake wilson and Halley and seth wills will be missed most. hopefully carter and devin henry and colton camplbell can fill these holes. defensive line should be better overall defense will be better.

Kicking game will be worse.

I see no way total outcome for this team is worse then last year. I dont understand all the pestimistic views on this team. this team should be very competitive first 4 weeks. I don t understand why anyone would think it would be unrealistic for this team to start 4-0..... do i think it will happen no. But that is because this team needs more snaps i think this team will get better each quarter over the first 3 to 4 games. dont know what final record will be but i will be shocked if this team is not markedly more competitive then last year.

[noreply66]

Hope Gallipolis plays well this year and more boys become interested in football in the next few years to come.
Love to see this old SEOAL team do well in their new league.

[Blackjack]

Based on what I saw at the Wheelersburg scrimmage, Gallia could very well not win a game this year. How does a program like this get to this level?

[noreply66]

A lot of things can happen to a program

Talent could be down
Not as many kids going out or transferring
Too many changes

[kvnchambers]

I wouldn't take anything from wheelersburg scrimmage at all. From the very first drive there were kids given a chance in starting positions and with first team to prove they could play. What I would take from that is every possession offensive and defensively they were better. I would of felt totally different if they could not move ball on offense or they were blown off the ball on defense. But offense moved ball when not causing penalties. And defense had at least one player misaligned on almost every drive in 1st half. When a offensive team throws a wide receiver bubble screen and the defense only has one player within 19 yards of the receiver those are blown assignments. when you have kid who as only practiced at defensive tackle and you align him at defensive end and you put a game on and the kid does what he would do at tackle and so does the tackle you leave a half of side of field with only one gut to block leads to a twenty yard run play those are not indicative of what you should see. This team may win zero games. But i will be shocked if they aren't really competitive.

A year ago. starters played 3 quarters against wheelersburg before they ever had 2 positive yard plays together back to back and in almost 3 quarters never had 2 first downs back to back. Biggest problem i see with this team is you will be going into your first game and we will have 11 kids on field that have not played more then 20 snaps together of live football.

[kvnchambers]

i think they have 46 out this year. so that is a positive step. they gained kids in every grade seniors juniors and sophomores and about 17 freshmen this year

[GalliaGrad78]

I believe the future is bright (including this year) for the Blue Devils.

Now, how about everyone get out on Friday nights and support these boys!

I for one appreciate their hard work and dedication.

[Jason Vorhees]

I really believe Gallia's program is in the right hands. The community of Gallipolis will just have to give him some time to get everything in order. What's good about Riffe is not only will he put players in the best possible position to win, he will also put these young men in the best possible position to succeed in life, which is a rarity; a coach who desires success outside of the gridiron.

[maniac66]

To much change is hard on a program.
Sometimes change is hard period.
Ironton changed Coaches and hopefully this year is the year they get back to winning and advancing in the playoffs.
Gallia is on the right track but it will take support and patience of the community to see it not only become competitive but winning a winning program again.

[kvnchambers]

As far as this year goes it is going to be what it is going to be, i think we will have a team that improves every week and if it stays halfway healthy then maybe we can play the majority of freshmen and j.v. games we have scheduled. This will do a lot toward putting program in right direction. With this team going forward i think they need to come up with a way to make better use of there 10 summer days. i understand that taking the kids to camp at RIO for 3 days was probably not cheap when they done it in past but i think it served a purpose. Even if this team didn't go to camp anywhere think they could have 3 days of camp like early in summer that they had multiple practices in those 3 days and put in most of offense and defense there. then i think in today's football you have to do a minimum of three 7 on 7's or go to 2 that you get several hours worth of work in at each one. Then use those other 4 right before real practice starts however they see fit. with joining the OVC and having the preview this team really needs a third scrimmage to be up to speed by game 1 was as the preview only one half and the jamboree you are just trying to stay healthy.

i understand only through one week but with no injuries your starters should understand where to align in your base offensive and defensive sets.