[hawg laig]

The offense they use to run was only the visible part of the problem from those teams. I watched those teams. Players would give up on plays. A whole lot of blaming those around them. Very little discipline or effort. Very little off season conditioning or expectation that players would lift during the off season. No effort to involve the feeder system or coaches in the high school program. Brewer is a great guy but still has a lot to learn about building a football program. When he arrived he was given a grace period by the fans because the cupboard was bare. Two entire classes of players had left for Paintsville to escape the Derosette regime. After that the teams didn’t perform.
It’s AA football. You operate within what your players can deliver. You don’t keep pounding the square peg into the round hole. The Blackcat staff acquitted themselves well. They ran an offense and defense that suited their team and not some personal football philosophy.

[Patriot1]

All you read on here is schedule and if you go back an look at the state champs most played a competitive schedule and I know Sayer didn’t and someone mentioned PT but I don’t know the teams out west to comment on them but personally I think if you don’t play competitive teams your team is going to stay at the same level now Prestonsburgy had a great year but to get better the schedule has to change some even you guys on here said after the loss to Breathitt County they played with more intensity and it makes a difference who you play

[Blue_Bird96]

All you read on here is schedule and if you go back an look at the state champs most played a competitive schedule and I know Sayer didn’t and someone mentioned PT but I don’t know the teams out west to comment on them but personally I think if you don’t play competitive teams your team is going to stay at the same level now Prestonsburgy had a great year but to get better the schedule has to change some even you guys on here said after the loss to Breathitt County they played with more intensity and it makes a difference who you play

It does. To an extent. Now unfortunately RPI is as equally important if not more. You do need tested to get stronger for playoffs but You also need to be healthy to be stronger for playoffs and playing at home has proven to be extremely valuable so SOS although it helps, isn’t quite as important as it once was 6-7 years ago.

[Blacksmith]

Prestonsburg got AJ Johnson from Paintsville per D&D sports

[TheTruth!]

Prestonsburg got AJ Johnson from Paintsville per D&D sports

Yeah. I said it 2 weeks ago when he moved over there.

[Sportscritic79]

Whose QB next year for the cats?

[Concerned_Blackcat]

Whose QB next year for the cats?

Has to be Johnson if they have any plans of throwing the football. He’s the significantly better quarterback. 

If they’re going to line up and run the football out of the I formation then it can be Holbrook. Johnson will be their best player so if that’s the plan he needs to be the feature back.

[TheTruth!]

Whose QB next year for the cats?

Has to be Johnson if they have any plans of throwing the football. He’s the significantly better quarterback. 

If they’re going to line up and run the football out of the I formation then it can be Holbrook. Johnson will be their best player so if that’s the plan he needs to be the feature back.

All depends on ur formation. If your going to be running the ball I’d rather have Johnson running it which is maybe your fastest player on the team or patton. If your going spread I’d take johnson as the QB. I’d like to see a split back formation with Johnson and Patton.

[HollyWood24]

Johnson could play any skill position on the field and be dangerous. Wes will make sure he succeeds and gets his touches

[BCF4L]

I think to give you the best chance to win, Holbrook plays QB and you use Johnson and Patton the same way you used Harris and Elliott. My opinion of course.

Also, I find it funny that Pikeville people still talk about their strength of schedule. Someone hang them a banner for it. All it got you was a loss in the same round as Prestonsburg that “played an embarrassing schedule”. At the end of the day, those seniors can say they had a more successful senior season than Pikeville. But keep thumping your chest because your coach is dumb and thinks he should play Trinity every week while allowing it to beat up your team physically and mentally.

[Jelly Roll]

Calling Coach Mac dumb is pretty funny. How many rings has your coach or school have???? One of the reasons for the tuff schedule is most of the local teams are afraid of playing them other than the good programs like JC, Belfry and Raceland. Keep beating your chest for making it as far as Pikeville in the playoffs lol.

[TE#82]

All last season I was pulling for pburg because they have been down and I they think Wesley will be a fine coach with some more experience. But dang some of u guys kill me. 1 winning season and damn u guys are the best team in eastern KY. Challenging pikeville thinking u guys can hang with them. U guys had 3 games decided by the refs last season. But that's how it goes sometimes. But don't set there on ur phones being delusional thinking ur ready for the likes of pikeville or any team close to that level. Let Wesley build this program and in maybe a few years ur ready

[BlackcatAlum]

The attention a Prestonsburg thread draws just goes to show you that this program has improved leaps and bounds from previous seasons. Prestonsburg folks are excited and while I don't agree with everything posted, I do understand that it comes from a place of pride and excitement.

I do love the back and forth banter with the Pikeville folks. I do hope these two programs can get back to playing one another very soon. I know it won't be in 2025 unless Prestonsburg has someone pull out of their contract. I hope at least they can scrimmage one another. Do I think Prestonsburg can win? I doubt it, but I don't think it's impossible. I think Pikeville's off season strength program has been a well oiled machine for over a decade now and their nearly 365 day commitment to football under Mac is why they're the favorite in 1A every year and winning rings. Prestonsburg is building toward that same level of commitment and understanding from players and their families. I think it's getting there at a rapid rate, which is where a lot of excitement and confidence is coming from at Pburg.

Facts are, Prestonsburg is well ahead of schedule in the rebuilding process. NO ONE expected this past 2024 season to go as well as it did, but here we are and this team is returning 20/22 starters and just added Alex Johnson to the team. This team will be loaded in all 4 classes next season. Expectations are going to be high and I do think Prestonsburg is going to field a team capable of giving Breathitt County and Belfry fits if given the opportunity in the playoffs. Securing a RPI that helps Pburg host that potential game will be highly beneficial as well.

[HollyWood24]

The attention a Prestonsburg thread draws just goes to show you that this program has improved leaps and bounds from previous seasons. Prestonsburg folks are excited and while I don't agree with everything posted, I do understand that it comes from a place of pride and excitement.

I do love the back and forth banter with the Pikeville folks. I do hope these two programs can get back to playing one another very soon. I know it won't be in 2025 unless Prestonsburg has someone pull out of their contract. I hope at least they can scrimmage one another. Do I think Prestonsburg can win? I doubt it, but I don't think it's impossible. I think Pikeville's off season strength program has been a well oiled machine for over a decade now and their nearly 365 day commitment to football under Mac is why they're the favorite in 1A every year and winning rings. Prestonsburg is building toward that same level of commitment and understanding from players and their families. I think it's getting there at a rapid rate, which is where a lot of excitement and confidence is coming from at Pburg.

Facts are, Prestonsburg is well ahead of schedule in the rebuilding process. NO ONE expected this past 2024 season to go as well as it did, but here we are and this team is returning 20/22 starters and just added Alex Johnson to the team. This team will be loaded in all 4 classes next season. Expectations are going to be high and I do think Prestonsburg is going to field a team capable of giving Breathitt County and Belfry fits if given the opportunity in the playoffs. Securing a RPI that helps Pburg host that potential game will be highly beneficial as well.

The only reason pburg may not be able to compete against great teams despite having great skill position talent is their big guys. Most of them are way undersized. They have good lineman but the strength and size is not really all the way there yet. If they can add size up front i could look for pburg to shock even more people. If not most likely a season like last year which is nothing to hang your head about

[BlackcatAlum]

Whose QB next year for the cats?

I've said it before, but I think you'll see both play QB for Prestonsburg next season.

I do think Hager likes the idea of having Johnson at QB in the spread offense and that's based on him using Dalton Elliott there this past season. Johnson is as quick as a cat, he may not have the track speed of Elliott, but he's a homerun threat in the open field. He's also been a QB out of the spread since middle school and should be able to step in to that role and handle it really well. 

Holbrook has arguably the best hands and reflexes on the team. So I expect to see him play some receiver. I think Holbrook ran the belly offense to near perfection this past season for his first time doing it, he was very accurate throwing from under center on the roll out and he reads belly extremely well also. So I could see where Johnson lines up at RB with Patton and Hatfield in those formations. 

Either way, you're going to have talent at the skill positions and guys that can break big plays off at any time. That won't be a concern.

Biggest question going into the off season is the offensive line depth, IMO. I think there's going to be a really solid starting group, but after that, Pburg has some weaknesses, especially if some don't take off season strength and conditioning seriously. If Pburg was to add any more transfers, my ideal wishlist of positions would be linemen and a long athletic receiver that can go up and get jumps balls.

[BlackcatAlum]

The attention a Prestonsburg thread draws just goes to show you that this program has improved leaps and bounds from previous seasons. Prestonsburg folks are excited and while I don't agree with everything posted, I do understand that it comes from a place of pride and excitement.

I do love the back and forth banter with the Pikeville folks. I do hope these two programs can get back to playing one another very soon. I know it won't be in 2025 unless Prestonsburg has someone pull out of their contract. I hope at least they can scrimmage one another. Do I think Prestonsburg can win? I doubt it, but I don't think it's impossible. I think Pikeville's off season strength program has been a well oiled machine for over a decade now and their nearly 365 day commitment to football under Mac is why they're the favorite in 1A every year and winning rings. Prestonsburg is building toward that same level of commitment and understanding from players and their families. I think it's getting there at a rapid rate, which is where a lot of excitement and confidence is coming from at Pburg.

Facts are, Prestonsburg is well ahead of schedule in the rebuilding process. NO ONE expected this past 2024 season to go as well as it did, but here we are and this team is returning 20/22 starters and just added Alex Johnson to the team. This team will be loaded in all 4 classes next season. Expectations are going to be high and I do think Prestonsburg is going to field a team capable of giving Breathitt County and Belfry fits if given the opportunity in the playoffs. Securing a RPI that helps Pburg host that potential game will be highly beneficial as well.

The only reason pburg may not be able to compete against great teams despite having great skill position talent is their big guys. Most of them are way undersized. They have good lineman but the strength and size is not really all the way there yet. If they can add size up front i could look for pburg to shock even more people. If not most likely a season like last year which is nothing to hang your head about

I agree 100%

Adding a healthy Daniel Adams (6'5 280lbs) helps, but still Prestonsburg is a bit undersized at 2 positions on the OL and they don't have for sure run stopper on the DL right now either that can take up a ton of space and disrupt the interior part of the opposing offensive line. I do think for the most part, the Blackcats have guys that make up for their lack of size with effort, technique, and speed. If most of those linemen didn't have to play both ways so much, it would help late in games when someone with size of say Somerset this past season, that just started leaning on Pburg late in the game and our guys were wore down at that point and just couldn't physically handle that size play after play.

Size and depth are the advantages Breathitt and Belfry have on Prestonsburg right now. I think with a solid off season and maturation of some younger guys, I think Prestonsburg can definitely close the gap some, but without adding a linemen or two via transfer that can come in and play, I think Prestonsburg will again have to figure out ways to make up for their overall lack of size and physicality with speed, preperation, and effort.

[TheBigDIll]

All last season I was pulling for pburg because they have been down and I they think Wesley will be a fine coach with some more experience. But dang some of u guys kill me. 1 winning season and damn u guys are the best team in eastern KY. Challenging pikeville thinking u guys can hang with them. U guys had 3 games decided by the refs last season. But that's how it goes sometimes. But don't set there on ur phones being delusional thinking ur ready for the likes of pikeville or any team close to that level. Let Wesley build this program and in maybe a few years ur ready

Are you a robot? This is all you have to say every time you get on here. Maybe you should say, Prestonsburg Doubled Martin County's Time of Possession and made adjustments at halftime to win the ball game. Prestonsburg also had more penalty yards than MC. People are quick to blame officials when they get beat. Pretty bold statement when MC won their first 3 home games by 1 possession ALL with calls that favored them!!! Don't throw rocks when you live in a glass house!!

[BCF4L]

All last season I was pulling for pburg because they have been down and I they think Wesley will be a fine coach with some more experience. But dang some of u guys kill me. 1 winning season and damn u guys are the best team in eastern KY. Challenging pikeville thinking u guys can hang with them. U guys had 3 games decided by the refs last season. But that's how it goes sometimes. But don't set there on ur phones being delusional thinking ur ready for the likes of pikeville or any team close to that level. Let Wesley build this program and in maybe a few years ur ready

Again, no one has said Prestonsburg is ready for Pikeville. No one, even Prestonsburg fans, anticipated having the season we had last season. We’re enjoying the ride we had but Pikeville fools keep popping up with their #1 Strength of Schedule in the World (apparently) and how Prestonsburg had a weak schedule. Who cares? What does Pikeville have to do with Prestonsburg? They don’t play each other so worry about Class A and getting IMG Academy of Florida on your schedule and we will keep trying to build a program that was depleted by poor prior administration and decision making.

[plantmanky]

...

[BCF4L]

...

I feel like he’s earned at least Juneteenth off.

[Jelly Roll]

IMG lol you can $hit talk it all you want but it worked the three previous years in a row as he has the rings. But I’m sure the blackcaps will be Floyd County champs again this year!!

[BCF4L]

IMG lol you can $hit talk it all you want but it worked the three previous years in a row as he has the rings. But I’m sure the blackcaps will be Floyd County champs again this year!!

I’m not the one talking $h*+. Prestonsburg played the schedule the previous staff left them. Did they need to play the top teams in the state? No. Did they need to have a good season to keep building and moving the program forward? Yes. Kids transfer to successful programs. Pikeville has racked up in recent years because of it just like Prestonsburg did in the early 2000’s. Pburg just needs to keep pushing forward and not listen to these chest thumpers talking about a hard schedule that resulted in an early playoff exit and near sub .500 record.

[BlackcatAlum]

IMG lol you can $hit talk it all you want but it worked the three previous years in a row as he has the rings. But I’m sure the blackcaps will be Floyd County champs again this year!!

Do you really think a difficult schedule is why Pikeville won 3 straight state championships or was it really because they had the most talented team all 3 years? I mean Pikeville outscored their opponents from the regional championship round to the state championship over that span by a average of 24 points a game.

Heck, the 2019 and 2022 teams probably didn't even need a coaching staff to win state those years because they were that loaded.

[Patriot1]

I think to give you the best chance to win, Holbrook plays QB and you use Johnson and Patton the same way you used Harris and Elliott. My opinion of course.

Also, I find it funny that Pikeville people still talk about their strength of schedule. Someone hang them a banner for it. All it got you was a loss in the same round as Prestonsburg that “played an embarrassing schedule”. At the end of the day, those seniors can say they had a more successful senior season than Pikeville. But keep thumping your chest because your coach is dumb and thinks he should play Trinity every week while allowing it to beat up your team physically and mentally.

Must be the dumbest post I have read and coming from administrator makes it even worse and I am not even going to give any dignity in response to how dumb it is

[Jelly Roll]

BlackcatAlum do you think maybe playing the tougher teams and taking a loss or two might have had something to do with rolling the teams at the end of season i sure do and pretty sure Mac does to. Those kids on the earlier teams played the tougher teams every year from when they were freshman and it made a difference. I agree the schedule was left for this years coach but the next two are his. I hope the blackcats improve and someday will play Pikeville again and not just wanting to play JV.

[Red and Black]

BlackcatAlum do you think maybe playing the tougher teams and taking a loss or two might have had something to do with rolling the teams at the end of season i sure do and pretty sure Mac does to. Those kids on the earlier teams played the tougher teams every year from when they were freshman and it made a difference. I agree the schedule was left for this years coach but the next two are his. I hope the blackcats improve and someday will play Pikeville again and not just wanting to play JV.

I think the argument should be- is it worth the risk of exposing your team to tough competition and possibly lose 2 games to quality opponents and then have to play on the road in rounds 3 and 4 or do you go play mediocre opponents that you’re likely to beat and gain the reward of playing at home in those later playoff rounds. I think that very debate likely cost both Pikeville and Belfry a state final appearance last year. If their schedules aren’t so hard then maybe they’re good enough to win the games they lost on the road in rounds 3 and 4 if those games were played in Pike county instead of 2 hours away and 6 hours away? I understand the arguments from both sides and I’m not sure which side I land on, but as of right now I probably fall on the side of scheduling for RPI instead of SOS exposure. The multiple benefits of home playoff games are so huge that I don’t think they are less valuable than playing teams that are possibly better than you. Home playoff games are more valuable than anything else.

As for restarting the Pburg/Pikeville game I’m all for it, and I’d imagine Mac and Hager would love to get it started back too. It’s an old rivalry that excites both fan bases and both teams are trending toward the top of their respective classes again. But, I think the RPI system messes it up. A Pburg loss hurts their RPI more than a pikeville loss hurts theirs due to the class difference. If Hager thinks pikeville will win by 30 then it probably isn’t worth the RPI hit to play pikeville and lose. Idk if pikeville is a 30 point favorite or not the next couple of seasons, but they might be. I haven’t watched pikeville play much the last few seasons outside of their JV last year so I can’t match them up. I think it would be a fun game to schedule, but it needs to be worth the risk involved in scheduling it. If they would do away with the RPI system and go back to true regional championship games in the 3rd round then it would be a no brainer to schedule every year.

[BCF4L]

I think to give you the best chance to win, Holbrook plays QB and you use Johnson and Patton the same way you used Harris and Elliott. My opinion of course.

Also, I find it funny that Pikeville people still talk about their strength of schedule. Someone hang them a banner for it. All it got you was a loss in the same round as Prestonsburg that “played an embarrassing schedule”. At the end of the day, those seniors can say they had a more successful senior season than Pikeville. But keep thumping your chest because your coach is dumb and thinks he should play Trinity every week while allowing it to beat up your team physically and mentally.

Must be the dumbest post I have read and coming from administrator makes it even worse and I am not even going to give any dignity in response to how dumb it is

“I’m not even going to give a response” yet here we are. And I’m the dumb one. Pikeville had a failure of a season. Call it what it is. Nonetheless this is about Prestonsburg and not Pikeville so go to the Pikeville 2025 thread and talk about trying to play the Seattle Seahawks next season.