[Hoot Gibson]

Hoot I know Cov Cath has trouble with JC but I'm sure the highlands folks are laughing at not being able to contain the running game. They have every other Time the the two have played why not this time?

Johnson Central has moved the ball effectively on the ground every time they have played Highlands. The same is true for the games with Covington Catholic, including the game in which JC led the eventual state champion in 2006 in the third quarter. Highlands had less trouble last season with JC's running attack than in the previous seasons because it consisted mostly of J.J. Jude and the team was less experienced. Still, the Golden Eagles rushed for 203 yds on 40 attempts last season, so they were not totally throttled.

JC's biggest problem with Highlands, IMO, has been its inability to defend the Birds' passing attack. I don't think that the NKY teams see offenses like JC as often as the mountain teams (and Ashland). Belfry and Ashland, in particular, have much more experience defending Johnson Central's style of offense. Johnson Central has generally moved the ball very well on the ground against teams from NKY.

I have always believed that Johnson Central's best chance to advance past Highlands and win a state title is to dominate time of possession and avoid turnovers by relying primarily on its rushing attack. Mountain teams that try to run a mirror image of Highlands' offense are going to be beaten by the real McCoy almost every time. In 2010, JC came within a last second dropped pass of getting that chance.