[FBALL]

thats my point exactly, without the big play capability they have lost alot on offense...against good teams you have to have someone who can break open a game at certain times...and yes the offense is consistent with the previous two years but not as overpowering...

Actually statistically the offense this year has been better than 2006. Jones, Abrams, Bailey, Bates Cordle and Mitchell are all threats for a big play. Thus far they are averaging 40.5 points and 275.1 rushing yards per game. In 2006 they averaged 39.0 points and 270.7 yards rushing per game.

Passing yardage is down a little bit. 2007 85.4 yards per game. 2006 105.0 yards passing per game.

Total offense this year 360.5 yards per game. 2007 375.7 yards per game.

The big difference has been on defense. And IMO its not that this group isn't very talented as much as they are inexperienced. Last years defense was exceptional. Its kind of naive to think that there would not be a drop off. And that drop off has been against the pass. They have still been VERY good against the run.

2007 Russell is giving up 276.9 yards of total offense per game. 104.4 yards rushing per game and the big stat and one that has really ballooned the last two games is they are giving up 172.5 yards passing per game. That is the huge difference and where the loss of Clark, Sizemore Frazier and Lewis has been felt the most. 2006 only gave up. 189.8 yards per game. 115.6 yards rushing per game but only 74.2 yards passing per game.

Now stats don't tell the whole story but I in all honesty feel that the offense has been just as good as last year. The defense is still learning on the fly and the SK game was a good experience for them. They learned alot from that. Now if anyone told you they thought that with the loss of that many starters from the 2006 team this team would have done this well I think you could question there sanity. But the offense has exceeded all expectations while the defense has stubbed there toes a couple of times but they haven't exactly been horrible either.

I think this season has been very successful and the possibility of another long playoff run is there. That said that path through the playoffs is tougher this year than it has been the last two due to the addition of Mason County and the fact that Belfry returned most of what was an exceptional defense from last season as well as a Breathitt Co team that returned almost all of its starters from last year.

It should be very entertaining from here on out.