Ironton vs South Range - D5 State Championship

[SEO95]

That's hard to do down 26-7, plus that's just not Ironton's MO they run about 3 different backs they don't have a great back on the roster who can take over a game.

If you believe Ironton doesnt have at least 2 great backs, I got some land to sell you down in Flordia man. But you gotta USE them all year alot. The game this year centered around the QB passing.

Seen them play and no I don't believe they have at least 2 great backs, and if you believe that after watching the state finals game of 21 carries 46 yards I've got the ocean front property in Arizona for ya. I honestly thought Felder was the best back they had but typically life is made a lot easier as a runner when you've got 3 WRs teams must worry about and that's what they got to take advantage of this year. Sorry man, not a knock on their backs but they're not great by any stretch of the imagination, great backs get the job done, average to above average backs get shutdown on the big stage. Look at Hoban's RB Sperling, Mr. Ohio, his team was down 21-7 and that dude willed his team back into it rushing for 356 yards and nearly pulling out the win that's a great back. Wyoming with Hester willed his team into the state championship game Wyoming 5,656 total yards on the year and Hester had 3,135 of those yards and scored 49 of the teams 71 Tds on the year, another great back.

Running teams are the basis for high school football

[SEO95]

That's hard to do down 26-7, plus that's just not Ironton's MO they run about 3 different backs they don't have a great back on the roster who can take over a game.

If you believe Ironton doesnt have at least 2 great backs, I got some land to sell you down in Flordia man. But you gotta USE them all year alot. The game this year centered around the QB passing.

Seen them play and no I don't believe they have at least 2 great backs, and if you believe that after watching the state finals game of 21 carries 46 yards I've got the ocean front property in Arizona for ya. I honestly thought Felder was the best back they had but typically life is made a lot easier as a runner when you've got 3 WRs teams must worry about and that's what they got to take advantage of this year. Sorry man, not a knock on their backs but they're not great by any stretch of the imagination, great backs get the job done, average to above average backs get shutdown on the big stage. Look at Hoban's RB Sperling, Mr. Ohio, his team was down 21-7 and that dude willed his team back into it rushing for 356 yards and nearly pulling out the win that's a great back. Wyoming with Hester willed his team into the state championship game Wyoming 5,656 total yards on the year and Hester had 3,135 of those yards and scored 49 of the teams 71 Tds on the year, another great back.

You are practically making my point for me. I stand by the FACT that Ironton had several potentially great backs but did not use them. If you dont get alot of reps in each game, you will only be a "potential" great back.

[RBH23]

If you believe Ironton doesnt have at least 2 great backs, I got some land to sell you down in Flordia man. But you gotta USE them all year alot. The game this year centered around the QB passing.

Seen them play and no I don't believe they have at least 2 great backs, and if you believe that after watching the state finals game of 21 carries 46 yards I've got the ocean front property in Arizona for ya. I honestly thought Felder was the best back they had but typically life is made a lot easier as a runner when you've got 3 WRs teams must worry about and that's what they got to take advantage of this year. Sorry man, not a knock on their backs but they're not great by any stretch of the imagination, great backs get the job done, average to above average backs get shutdown on the big stage. Look at Hoban's RB Sperling, Mr. Ohio, his team was down 21-7 and that dude willed his team back into it rushing for 356 yards and nearly pulling out the win that's a great back. Wyoming with Hester willed his team into the state championship game Wyoming 5,656 total yards on the year and Hester had 3,135 of those yards and scored 49 of the teams 71 Tds on the year, another great back.

No matter how great a football player CAN be, they WONT be if you dont use them and practice them. They have to have reps. So yes, they had at least 2 great backs and I never saw them get many carries against any team I watched them play. So I sincerely disagree with you. Practice makes perfect and all that.

Completely agree. Was surprised Ironton spent so much time working on the pass game versus the running game throughout the year.

ML and Kirtland have shown how to win consistently at this level: good running game, strong defense (that is especially strong against the run), and the ability to complete a pass when needed.
I really thought going into this year that would be Ironton’s MO.

[greygoose]

If you believe Ironton doesnt have at least 2 great backs, I got some land to sell you down in Flordia man. But you gotta USE them all year alot. The game this year centered around the QB passing.

Seen them play and no I don't believe they have at least 2 great backs, and if you believe that after watching the state finals game of 21 carries 46 yards I've got the ocean front property in Arizona for ya. I honestly thought Felder was the best back they had but typically life is made a lot easier as a runner when you've got 3 WRs teams must worry about and that's what they got to take advantage of this year. Sorry man, not a knock on their backs but they're not great by any stretch of the imagination, great backs get the job done, average to above average backs get shutdown on the big stage. Look at Hoban's RB Sperling, Mr. Ohio, his team was down 21-7 and that dude willed his team back into it rushing for 356 yards and nearly pulling out the win that's a great back. Wyoming with Hester willed his team into the state championship game Wyoming 5,656 total yards on the year and Hester had 3,135 of those yards and scored 49 of the teams 71 Tds on the year, another great back.

You are practically making my point for me. I stand by the FACT that Ironton had several potentially great backs but did not use them the way alot of coaching staffs would of used them. If you dont get alot of reps in practice, then you dont get alot of reps in a game, you will only be a "potential" great back. That is a fact. Run the ball.

Making your point for you? You said Ironton has at least, at least, 2 great backs and now you're saying they had the potential. Facts are Ironton couldn't run the ball 21 carries 46 yards, not exactly sure what you thought was going to happen. Ironton got down double digits, I love the idea of what you're saying but idea vs reality when someone smacks you in the mouth is what played out here. Just like the other 2 state championship games, ironton ran the ball just like you're saying and they couldn't move it and had a running clock in game 2. SR basically said if you can throw it have at it, but we're not letting you do both, 21 carries for 46 yards vs 36 pass attempts for 325 yards (or whatever it was), down 26-7. SR would've been jumping for joy if Ironton would've simply stuck to the run like you're saying. Again I 100% agree with your theory of run it keep that offense off the field, but you have to be able to move the ball to do that and they couldn't. Kirtland is run run they couldn't run it against ML and they lost, they kept it close with great defense, Ironton gave up over 530 yards of offense. Just wasn't meant to be man.

[greygoose]

Seen them play and no I don't believe they have at least 2 great backs, and if you believe that after watching the state finals game of 21 carries 46 yards I've got the ocean front property in Arizona for ya. I honestly thought Felder was the best back they had but typically life is made a lot easier as a runner when you've got 3 WRs teams must worry about and that's what they got to take advantage of this year. Sorry man, not a knock on their backs but they're not great by any stretch of the imagination, great backs get the job done, average to above average backs get shutdown on the big stage. Look at Hoban's RB Sperling, Mr. Ohio, his team was down 21-7 and that dude willed his team back into it rushing for 356 yards and nearly pulling out the win that's a great back. Wyoming with Hester willed his team into the state championship game Wyoming 5,656 total yards on the year and Hester had 3,135 of those yards and scored 49 of the teams 71 Tds on the year, another great back.

No matter how great a football player CAN be, they WONT be if you dont use them and practice them. They have to have reps. So yes, they had at least 2 great backs and I never saw them get many carries against any team I watched them play. So I sincerely disagree with you. Practice makes perfect and all that.

Completely agree. Was surprised Ironton spent so much time working on the pass game versus the running game throughout the year.

ML and Kirtland have shown how to win consistently at this level: good running game, strong defense (that is especially strong against the run), and the ability to complete a pass when needed.
I really thought going into this year that would be Ironton’s MO.

From watching the Ironton game and watching ML and Kirtland it's been made a lot more clear to me the difference in the teams from SEO to NEO and that's in the trenches. SR, Kirtland and ML all got off the blocks those guys shed quickly and made moves to engage and remove the lineman, they kept contain they kept outside arm leverage when they engaged a lead blocker and they flat took them on. You can have a good running back but if he doesn't have anywhere to go guess what he's not going anywhere. Ironton's 3 losses the running game has been non-existent because the LOS has been lost both offensively and defensively. There's just more aggression within that front 7 on those teams, at times SR was getting pressure with 3 guys, Ironton couldn't get outside any, yet SR ran the same play over and over and couldn't be stopped off tackle. Teams in this area have to spend much much more time on the LOS play and not just lining up and pushing a sled from one side of the field to the next.

[RBH23]

No matter how great a football player CAN be, they WONT be if you dont use them and practice them. They have to have reps. So yes, they had at least 2 great backs and I never saw them get many carries against any team I watched them play. So I sincerely disagree with you. Practice makes perfect and all that.

Completely agree. Was surprised Ironton spent so much time working on the pass game versus the running game throughout the year.

ML and Kirtland have shown how to win consistently at this level: good running game, strong defense (that is especially strong against the run), and the ability to complete a pass when needed.
I really thought going into this year that would be Ironton’s MO.

From watching the Ironton game and watching ML and Kirtland it's been made a lot more clear to me the difference in the teams from SEO to NEO and that's in the trenches. SR, Kirtland and ML all got off the blocks those guys shed quickly and made moves to engage and remove the lineman, they kept contain they kept outside arm leverage when they engaged a lead blocker and they flat took them on. You can have a good running back but if he doesn't have anywhere to go guess what he's not going anywhere. Ironton's 3 losses the running game has been non-existent because the LOS has been lost both offensively and defensively. There's just more aggression within that front 7 on those teams, at times SR was getting pressure with 3 guys, Ironton couldn't get outside any, yet SR ran the same play over and over and couldn't be stopped off tackle. Teams in this area have to spend much much more time on the LOS play and not just lining up and pushing a sled from one side of the field to the next.

100% agree, but this is not new info. Coldwater decimated Burg in the state semis by beating them on the lines, and this was 2015. Two years later, Burg won the state thanks to their incredible DL play; their front seven looked like what you would see in NEO/MAC.

So knowing this, why has Ironton and Burg not improved in this area? I argue that wrestling plays a role into why NEO schools are better on the lines, but to your point, it’s not the only thing.

[greygoose]

Completely agree. Was surprised Ironton spent so much time working on the pass game versus the running game throughout the year.

ML and Kirtland have shown how to win consistently at this level: good running game, strong defense (that is especially strong against the run), and the ability to complete a pass when needed.
I really thought going into this year that would be Ironton’s MO.

From watching the Ironton game and watching ML and Kirtland it's been made a lot more clear to me the difference in the teams from SEO to NEO and that's in the trenches. SR, Kirtland and ML all got off the blocks those guys shed quickly and made moves to engage and remove the lineman, they kept contain they kept outside arm leverage when they engaged a lead blocker and they flat took them on. You can have a good running back but if he doesn't have anywhere to go guess what he's not going anywhere. Ironton's 3 losses the running game has been non-existent because the LOS has been lost both offensively and defensively. There's just more aggression within that front 7 on those teams, at times SR was getting pressure with 3 guys, Ironton couldn't get outside any, yet SR ran the same play over and over and couldn't be stopped off tackle. Teams in this area have to spend much much more time on the LOS play and not just lining up and pushing a sled from one side of the field to the next.

100% agree, but this is not new info. Coldwater decimated Burg in the state semis by beating them on the lines, and this was 2015. Two years later, Burg won the state thanks to their incredible DL play; their front seven looked like what you would see in NEO/MAC.

So knowing this, why has Ironton and Burg not improved in this area? I argue that wrestling plays a role into why NEO schools are better on the lines, but to your point, it’s not the only thing.

Honestly I think that's where simply playing in the SEO hurts them in that area, 1 I do believe each of them need to find that get down and nasty LOS coach to teach them all the moves. All in all though I think it is simply playing schools in this area, NEO schools spend 10 weeks a year and the ones going deep into the playoffs are doing it in practice also, going against guys that if they don't do these things they'll get their butt kicked. Down here it's taught get hands on drive block till the whistle and typically the bigger, stronger guy wins and that's enough for this area, see Ironton and West. Then as they take on a Kirtland or SR those guys are quick and strong and the lineman simply can't put hands on them. Just think back to the Ironton game and how many times did you think there might be a hole there only to see a DL shed off at the last second and make the tackle for minimal gain or loss?? That's just how they're taught gap responsibility, playing 11 man football not hero ball, each man knows his responsibility and he runs through a wall to get it done.

[SEO95]

From watching the Ironton game and watching ML and Kirtland it's been made a lot more clear to me the difference in the teams from SEO to NEO and that's in the trenches. SR, Kirtland and ML all got off the blocks those guys shed quickly and made moves to engage and remove the lineman, they kept contain they kept outside arm leverage when they engaged a lead blocker and they flat took them on. You can have a good running back but if he doesn't have anywhere to go guess what he's not going anywhere. Ironton's 3 losses the running game has been non-existent because the LOS has been lost both offensively and defensively. There's just more aggression within that front 7 on those teams, at times SR was getting pressure with 3 guys, Ironton couldn't get outside any, yet SR ran the same play over and over and couldn't be stopped off tackle. Teams in this area have to spend much much more time on the LOS play and not just lining up and pushing a sled from one side of the field to the next.

100% agree, but this is not new info. Coldwater decimated Burg in the state semis by beating them on the lines, and this was 2015. Two years later, Burg won the state thanks to their incredible DL play; their front seven looked like what you would see in NEO/MAC.

So knowing this, why has Ironton and Burg not improved in this area? I argue that wrestling plays a role into why NEO schools are better on the lines, but to your point, it’s not the only thing.

Honestly I think that's where simply playing in the SEO hurts them in that area, 1 I do believe each of them need to find that get down and nasty LOS coach to teach them all the moves. All in all though I think it is simply playing schools in this area, NEO schools spend 10 weeks a year and the ones going deep into the playoffs are doing it in practice also, going against guys that if they don't do these things they'll get their butt kicked. Down here it's taught get hands on drive block till the whistle and typically the bigger, stronger guy wins and that's enough for this area, see Ironton and West. Then as they take on a Kirtland or SR those guys are quick and strong and the lineman simply can't put hands on them. Just think back to the Ironton game and how many times did you think there might be a hole there only to see a DL shed off at the last second and make the tackle for minimal gain or loss?? That's just how they're taught gap responsibility, playing 11 man football not hero ball, each man knows his responsibility and he runs through a wall to get it done.

Hard to disagree with someone that twists and doesnt understand the point. Agree with the wresling point.

[Ovenmit]

100% agree, but this is not new info. Coldwater decimated Burg in the state semis by beating them on the lines, and this was 2015. Two years later, Burg won the state thanks to their incredible DL play; their front seven looked like what you would see in NEO/MAC.

So knowing this, why has Ironton and Burg not improved in this area? I argue that wrestling plays a role into why NEO schools are better on the lines, but to your point, it’s not the only thing.

Honestly I think that's where simply playing in the SEO hurts them in that area, 1 I do believe each of them need to find that get down and nasty LOS coach to teach them all the moves. All in all though I think it is simply playing schools in this area, NEO schools spend 10 weeks a year and the ones going deep into the playoffs are doing it in practice also, going against guys that if they don't do these things they'll get their butt kicked. Down here it's taught get hands on drive block till the whistle and typically the bigger, stronger guy wins and that's enough for this area, see Ironton and West. Then as they take on a Kirtland or SR those guys are quick and strong and the lineman simply can't put hands on them. Just think back to the Ironton game and how many times did you think there might be a hole there only to see a DL shed off at the last second and make the tackle for minimal gain or loss?? That's just how they're taught gap responsibility, playing 11 man football not hero ball, each man knows his responsibility and he runs through a wall to get it done.

Hard to disagree with someone that twists and doesnt understand the point. Agree with the wresling point.

If you keep looking in the rear blew mirror at what passed you by when you do finally look forward as you should be doing ull be in a train wreck. Seasons over. Get back to work study what you did and didn't do or should have done and improve and move on. If your a coach I would think you could c are less what others think. They have no idea about coaching playing or anything else involved in putting a program together

[SEO95]

Honestly I think that's where simply playing in the SEO hurts them in that area, 1 I do believe each of them need to find that get down and nasty LOS coach to teach them all the moves. All in all though I think it is simply playing schools in this area, NEO schools spend 10 weeks a year and the ones going deep into the playoffs are doing it in practice also, going against guys that if they don't do these things they'll get their butt kicked. Down here it's taught get hands on drive block till the whistle and typically the bigger, stronger guy wins and that's enough for this area, see Ironton and West. Then as they take on a Kirtland or SR those guys are quick and strong and the lineman simply can't put hands on them. Just think back to the Ironton game and how many times did you think there might be a hole there only to see a DL shed off at the last second and make the tackle for minimal gain or loss?? That's just how they're taught gap responsibility, playing 11 man football not hero ball, each man knows his responsibility and he runs through a wall to get it done.

Hard to disagree with someone that twists and doesnt understand the point. Agree with the wresling point.

If you keep looking in the rear blew mirror at what passed you by when you do finally look forward as you should be doing ull be in a train wreck. Seasons over. Get back to work study what you did and didn't do or should have done and improve and move on. If your a coach I would think you could c are less what others think. They have no idea about coaching playing or anything else involved in putting a program together

Seems no one can have an opinion on here without nasty comebacks. I am flattered you think I am a coach. Sorry but I have watched Ironton over the years and they have always been a running team. I hear these things from friends and people at the games and think about them. I have to agree on some of it. Not to say this staff has not done a great job for Ironton. They have. Just an opinion. Simple.

[Almost Champions]

There aint no shame in being number 2. We did it a couple times.

[callie15]

We almost did it. You we're even close.

[Izladoom]

No matter how great a football player CAN be, they WONT be if you dont use them and practice them. They have to have reps. So yes, they had at least 2 great backs and I never saw them get many carries against any team I watched them play. So I sincerely disagree with you. Practice makes perfect and all that.

Completely agree. Was surprised Ironton spent so much time working on the pass game versus the running game throughout the year.

ML and Kirtland have shown how to win consistently at this level: good running game, strong defense (that is especially strong against the run), and the ability to complete a pass when needed.
I really thought going into this year that would be Ironton’s MO.

From watching the Ironton game and watching ML and Kirtland it's been made a lot more clear to me the difference in the teams from SEO to NEO and that's in the trenches. SR, Kirtland and ML all got off the blocks those guys shed quickly and made moves to engage and remove the lineman, they kept contain they kept outside arm leverage when they engaged a lead blocker and they flat took them on. You can have a good running back but if he doesn't have anywhere to go guess what he's not going anywhere. Ironton's 3 losses the running game has been non-existent because the LOS has been lost both offensively and defensively. There's just more aggression within that front 7 on those teams, at times SR was getting pressure with 3 guys, Ironton couldn't get outside any, yet SR ran the same play over and over and couldn't be stopped off tackle. Teams in this area have to spend much much more time on the LOS play and not just lining up and pushing a sled from one side of the field to the next.

You are 100% right on that the difference I see in teams up north and teams in seo is the lines their fundamentals are outstanding and they know how to use their hands better where most in seo just try to overpower you