[Bull got out!]

Wheelersburg (OH) will travel to Russell this Friday. 

Wheelersburg (1-1)
Aug19, 22  Ironton (L) 12-3
Aug 26, 22  Archbishop McNicholas 42-35 (W)

Russell (0-2)
Aug 19, 22 Boone County home (L) 18 - 20
Aug 27, 22 Raceland away (L) 14 - 53 

Thoughts?

[Slic Ric]

Pirates by 3+ scores.

[Hoot Gibson]

Wheelersburg by 30+

[Orange Blaze]

I think Russell will struggle and this could be another bad loss. One thing I noticed last night was how out of shape the Red Devils looked. When they walked off the field going into halftime they looked very winded and after they came back out to start the half you could see the exhaustion on their faces and they did not look like they wanted to come back out to finish the game. As for this game, the speed and physicality of Burg will be too much and it could be a very long night for the Devils.

Wheelersburg 42
Russell 7

[16thregioner]

Russell has too many players going both ways. There's no depth in the program. Boyd County has replaced them in the Kiwanis Bowl because Russell cannot field competitive young teams with enough numbers. Hopefully their middle school or JFL is thriving. I don't know. I knew Russell football would see a demise after this season because they're faced with a few classes in a row where there isn't any football numbers or great talent. I thought they would be able to endure this season with what is still a decently strong senior class and a strong line. After suffering losses in the first two, though, and after watching their team immediately melt like ice placed in an oven against the Rams, it's clear to me that their real season begins October 7th when they play Greenup, Ashland, and East Carter on 3 consecutive weeks. Everything before then should be purely to try to build depth as it's obvious they don't have it. They could beat Lawrence and/or Montgomery. They'll beat West Carter at the season's end if the team morale holds up and if injuries don't bite them. Wheelersburg and Dunbar will be similar to the Raceland game if not worse. I don't know that I've seen a team turn so sharply in a game as I saw Russell turn last night after they threw the interception in the end zone. They were on the verge of going up 14-0 and the game turned in an instant. The last time they were thrashed like last night was 2018 at Ashland. I thought the coaching staff did a great job that season by getting the team back together and having a respectable season. It will be a challenge this season to turn the team without quality depth pushing the starters for reps. It will also be a challenge on the "recruiting" and "retention" front keeping talent when parents and players see 2 teams dressed in orange both less than 4 miles from the school promising football glory. Two of the guys dressed in orange last night were former Russell players who most definitely would have made a difference in last night's game were they still dressed in maroon. Interesting times for the Russell football program. Of course, a win October 14th over Ashland helps conceal a lot of the flaws.

This Wheelersburg game will be ugly, though. The Pirates take their football seriously.

[GOREDDEVILS]

Wheelersburg wins by a lot.

[Runrunrun]

Raceland skill kids are very good and the defense is as fast as I’ve seen in a long time. The not participating in the hold back year and the transfers hurt Russell but that’s another thread for some other time. If Russell punches the end zone interception in they are up 14 in the first. I think that changes the narrative a little bit, not the outcome but the narrative. Still They was just down 21-7 at the half which is respectable against an Uber talented Raceland team, then the wheels just fell of the 2nd half. Their schedule is unbelievably hard, same as last year just home/away flopped. The Burg game next week could get ugly next week also with Dunbar and Lawrence county left before districts start. My guess before the season was 2-4 before district started and they let the Boone county game slip by as that should of been a W. I think the demise of Russell football is a little overblown if they had played greenup’s first 2 games Fleming/Martin county or East’s first 2 games Montgomery/Rowan Russell would probably be 2-0 and I wouldn’t be posting this. Next season is realignment and with Ashland and greenup probably moving to 4a their district will look a lot different.

[Scotty_Bronson]

Burg 38
Devils 7

Burg doesnt look much different than raceland defensively.

[RAMDAD50]

Raceland skill kids are very good and the defense is as fast as I’ve seen in a long time. The not participating in the hold back year and the transfers hurt Russell but that’s another thread for some other time. If Russell punches the end zone interception in they are up 14 in the first. I think that changes the narrative a little bit, not the outcome but the narrative. Still They was just down 21-7 at the half which is respectable against an Uber talented Raceland team, then the  wheels  just fell of the 2nd half. Their  schedule is  unbelievably hard, same as last year just home/away flopped. The Burg game next week could get ugly next week also with Dunbar and Lawrence county left before districts start. My guess before the season was 2-4 before district started and they let the Boone county game slip by as that should of been a W. I think the demise of Russell football is a little overblown if they had played greenup’s first 2 games Fleming/Martin county or East’s first 2 games Montgomery/Rowan Russell would probably be 2-0 and I wouldn’t be posting this. Next season is realignment and with Ashland and greenup probably moving to 4a their district will look a lot different.

If anyone is really questioning where Russell is overmatched it’s on the line. I don’t care if you have a Allstate running back ….if you can’t block anyone you’re never gonna move the ball. Yes Raceland is fast but go rewatched this game on YouTube and watch the o line of Russell. They looked out of shape from the start. They are slow and not very mobile.They will have issues with any team they play the rest of the season if said team has a decent defense.

[Orange Blaze]

Raceland skill kids are very good and the defense is as fast as I’ve seen in a long time. The not participating in the hold back year and the transfers hurt Russell but that’s another thread for some other time. If Russell punches the end zone interception in they are up 14 in the first. I think that changes the narrative a little bit, not the outcome but the narrative. Still They was just down 21-7 at the half which is respectable against an Uber talented Raceland team, then the  wheels  just fell of the 2nd half. Their  schedule is  unbelievably hard, same as last year just home/away flopped. The Burg game next week could get ugly next week also with Dunbar and Lawrence county left before districts start. My guess before the season was 2-4 before district started and they let the Boone county game slip by as that should of been a W. I think the demise of Russell football is a little overblown if they had played greenup’s first 2 games Fleming/Martin county or East’s first 2 games Montgomery/Rowan Russell would probably be 2-0 and I wouldn’t be posting this. Next season is realignment and with Ashland and greenup probably moving to 4a their district will look a lot different.

If anyone is really questioning where Russell is overmatched it’s on the line. I don’t care if you have a Allstate running back ….if you can’t block anyone you’re never gonna move the ball. Yes Raceland is fast but go rewatched this game on YouTube and watch the o line of Russell. They looked out of shape from the start. They are slow and not very mobile.They will have issues with any team they play the rest of the season if said team has a decent defense.

I was standing in the end zone by the concession stand and watched their players walk off the field for halftime.  Their linemen we all huffing and puffing and looked totally gassed after the first half.  Maybe it was just a lack of depth and a lot of guys played both ways but it really surprised me because TJ usually has really fit teams.

[GOREDDEVILS]

7-0 WB 4:05 1st

[GOREDDEVILS]

7-0 WB after 1

[GOREDDEVILS]

7-7 6:19 2nd

[GOREDDEVILS]

7-7 halftime

[RAMDAD50]

Dang …..go Red Devils

[GOREDDEVILS]

14-7 WB 3:00 3rd

[GOREDDEVILS]

14-7 after 3

[GOREDDEVILS]

21-7 11:32 4th

[GOREDDEVILS]

21-14 11:22 4th

[GOREDDEVILS]

21-21 5:32 4th

[GOREDDEVILS]

28-21 WB :55 4th