[Blackcat 4 Life]

I agree with Blackcat Alum regarding the physicality of the Blackcats. I felt like we got exposed against Breathitt and Somerset. We held our own against Somerset for the majority of the game, but by the fourth quarter their size and strength wore us down. The Breathitt game was domination from start to finish. Heck, I saw one of our middle linebackers holding on to the jersey of one of Breathitt's running backs and he literally drug him ten yards down the field. It 's a must that we get bigger and stronger if we want to take the next step.

Offensively, it will hurt losing Elliott and Harris, but I'm telling you Patton could very well end up being better than both of them. If Patton can gain some weight and get stronger, he could be special. Along side of Patton you will have a solid running back core with Hicks, and the Hatfield boys. Our offensive line will be a year older and a year of experience will mean a lot heading into next year. I look for those boys to get bigger and stronger as well. This will be Holbrook's third year as a starter and I expect him to take a big jump from last year to this year. He looked more confident as the year went on and he will have a season under his belt with Hager's offense.

Defensively, there isn't any excuse for this to be one of the better units in 2A next year. With Stumbo as the anchor, I expect big things from this group. This group has the talent and heart, but they must get bigger and stronger. I know I mentioned it earlier but this was our Achilles heal last year was our size and strength. I was really impressed with Price last year on the defensive line, and Patton is a playmaker on the defensive side of the ball as well. One of the biggest things we must improve on is our ability to cover the pass. We were fortunate last year to play teams who didn't emphasize on throwing the ball, but when teams did, they seemed to have success.

I don't know how the addition of Shawn Hager will impact the staff. I hope he allows Wes to run the program without trying to step on his toes. I don't think he will, but you can never be for sure. If he understands his role, he will be a great addition. Prestonsburg's staff exceeded my expectations last year, and hopefully they can continue to develop. Wes has brought a lot of excitement back to this town and program and we are forever appreciative of what he and the boys accomplished last year. If we add a couple of transfers which have been mentioned, Prestonsburg could be a top five team in 2A next year. Only time will tell, but for now, Hail Blackcats!