The Russell County Mighty Lakers return 21 starters for the 2012 season! The lakers finished last season 9-1 losing only to Rockcastle in overtime. They were then stunned in the playoffs by Mercer County. I think many of the Lakers were looking ahead to round 2 and took a Mercer win for granted! Expectations around here are pretty high. I am curious as to what others around our district and the state are thinking.
Should be solid. They won't be great, but solid enough.
Who did they lose from last year? I know Nick is back. Who's gonna block for him?
Russell is really IMO the one team that could make a run at Boyle/Highlands/Lex Cath out of the east.
64black&gold Wrote:Who did they lose from last year? I know Nick is back. Who's gonna block for him?
The only player that graduated that saw time other than special teams was reciever Brandon Bunch. The guys have hit the weightroom hard. Developing depth on both sides of the line of scrimmage has been a priority. The defense should be outstanding this year. We return every starter from a squad who led the state in turnovers forced. The schedule is tough this year with only 4 home games and trips to Knox Central, Whitley, Letcher, N. Laurel and Clay. Home games are S. Laurel, Pulaski, Rockcastle and Adair. We start the season with Campbellsville in a bowl game....Kicking game should be in good hands with All-State Kicker Lucas Williams returning.
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Cant wait to welcome you and Laker20 to Whitley County.
Russell will most likely be our first game again with our bye season being in week 1.
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Looking forward to coming that way.....not sure how much my son is looking forward to taking on Bryant on all those fullback dives though!
Can Russell throw the ball at all?
64black&gold Wrote:Can Russell throw the ball at all?
Barton Mann threw for over 1200 yards and had 12 touchdown passes...he is actually being looked at by a few mid major programs.
Russell Co's QB is very underrated.
PreacherVol71 Wrote:Barton Mann threw for over 1200 yards and had 12 touchdown passes...he is actually being looked at by a few mid major programs.
Mid Major DI ??
64black&gold Wrote:Mid Major DI ??
Barton has gone to several camps the last couple years and performed well. I was told some of the MAC schools are interested as well as schools like Western....He is a great kid from a great family and will do well wherever he goes!
2012 Schedule
8/17 Campbellsville (Forcht Bank Bowl)
8/24 @Whitley County
8/31 South Laurel
9/7 Pulaski County
9/14 @North Laurel
9/21 @Lethcher Co. Central
9/28 Rockcastle
10/ 5 Open
10/12 @
clay County
10/19 @Knox Central
10/26 Adair County
Last year, I thought Knox Central was the team to beat in the district. This year, I think Russell County will be the big dog in the district with so many returning starters. I just hope my Rockets will be able to stay close. Good luck to you all down there in Russell County this fall.
I think the game of the district will be the Knox and Russell game should be one of the best this season. Just not sure how good KC is this year.have heard rumors they could be very good. and then Rock is always the X factor
64black&gold Wrote:Can Russell throw the ball at all?
Mann should have a super year, I saw this kid at WKU and EKU and he throws the ball well. Russell will be very good and can make a long run in Play-offs.
Cellking Wrote:Mann should have a super year, I saw this kid at WKU and EKU and he throws the ball well. Russell will be very good and can make a long run in Play-offs.
I agree Russell will be good, but they will have a second round playoff game against either Boyle or Lex Cath. It would be nice to see the Lakers get to the region final, but it will be a tall task.
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I am glad we are in an even numbered year so if things go well and we get to the playoffs with the one seed we would host the first three rounds..but we learned last year we better take it one game at a time! I don't think they will make the same mistake again!
With 21 starters returning I am going to go out on a Limb and say that Russell County gets your 1 seed in the district. The rest will be battling it out for 2 3 and 4. Hard to bet against a team that returns that many kids from a team that only lost 2 games last season.
Thunder Lips Wrote:I agree Russell will be good, but they will have a second round playoff game against either Boyle or Lex Cath. It would be nice to see the Lakers get to the region final, but it will be a tall task.
With a 2-21 all-time record in the playoffs just winning a first round game can match their best season ever.
^It is hard to rise above being a bad program. However, with clear paths ahead of them, this is the year they get it right.
I expect the Lakers to be a much more balanced team this year. Last season the offense relied largely on the legs of Britt, and they had difficulty against the teams with bigger/stronger linemen. This year there will be more emphasis on the passing game, and the O-line will be much stronger. There should be no line dominance like there was last season at Rock. I sense that most people around the program realize that this is perhaps a one-time chance to make a run in the post season, and the players have been committed since the end of last season.
The three games that give me concern are all away games: Whitley, LCC, and of course Knox Central.
Hope Russell Co. has a tough 2 Scrimmages to show what they need to work on for the season. Good Luck to the Lakers.
Cellking Wrote:Hope Russell Co. has a tough 2 Scrimmages to show what they need to work on for the season. Good Luck to the Lakers.
I hope they don't cause they play week 0 so they can only scrimmage 1 time.
footballfever Wrote:I hope they don't cause they play week 0 so they can only scrimmage 1 time.
YOU KNOW WHAT I WAS SAYING. Need to be tested by good scrimmage.
I think they scrim McCreary this week.
PreacherVol71 Wrote:^
We do.
I don't think that will be much of a test. Campbellsville in week 0, no problem. Week 2 will find out how good you are.
Cellking Wrote:I don't think that will be much of a test. Campbellsville in week 0, no problem. Week 2 will find out how good you are.
I totally agree. Whitley should be our first big test. Big (Bryant) being the key word.
PreacherVol71 Wrote:I totally agree. Whitley should be our first big test. Big (Bryant) being the key word.
Bryant is a load. Gota meet him in hole, not let him get to rumbling down field.