[DevilsWin]

Thanks to Travis Jones, Russell's running game is on par with what you would expect from them. However, their most successful teams were a little better at passing than this team has been.

During the state championship season of 2005, Russell went 47 for 99 for 1006 yards, 9 TD's, and only 5 interceptions.

In 2006, Russell went 80 for 137 for 1575 yards, 15 TD's, and only 7 interceptions.

2007 was a little worse, but was still respectable. 51 for 103 for 997 yards, 8 TD's, and 6 interceptions in 2007.

There was a dropoff in 2008 when Russell went only 37 for 102 for 947 yards, 10 TD's, and 9 interceptions.

This year, Russell is only 12 for 41 for 217 yards with 4 TD's and 8 interceptions, and most of those completions and TD's have come from Sparks at the end of games.

I think Coach McGlone is willing and even wants to pass enough to keep opposing defenses honest, but this year the stats clearly show the passing game is completely non-existent. Looking back, the stats also clearly show if Russell has a little bit of a decent passing game, then they have a much greater chance of doing well against good teams.

Apparently you've not been to a Russell practice.

As long as Ivan is here we will never be a passing team. If he has some extremely gifted atheletes you'll see those kinds of passing numbers. But that isn't the case.

If Russell has to go to 4-5 QBs deep to get it going 7 weeks into the season you can forget about timing and instinct which includes the passing game.

Travis was a Guard last year and this year he's carrying the team at tailback. If that is not indicative of a personnel problem I don't know what is.

Russell will always be fundamentally tough but there comes a time when you have to accept the reality that the offense isn't gonna change and I'm fine with that. Its good old fashioned smash mouth football incorporated with speed.

Travis isn't blessed with lots of speed like his dad but he can read a block and find the open field better than any back I've seen since Josh Gross.

Russell needs to focus on getting stronger and quicker at what they do. If they can do that a Regional Title may be in the cards.

It may sound cheap to some of you newly minted Red Devil football fans but before we all got spoiled with trips to Louisville, Regional Titles were few and far between.