[charlie22]

I don't think this topic has been started yet, but if so, just shut this one down.

Sounds like JC has a lot of folks returning next year. As I understand it, the only loss in the O back field is Dillon (although that is a huge loss. I thought he was JC's best all around player). Who else comes back on the O? Any O linemen?

Their D should again be solid with Jude, Hall and Bratton returning. Who else returns?

Realistically, is there any chance that Matney will develop a more dimensional O? Hopefully we can have a constructive conversation about his O. The running attack JC runs is very good. My "problem" if you will with it, is that it just is a liability when JC is down by a couple of scores late in the game. I know some JC folks will say that JC shouldn't put itself in a position that it is down a couple of scores late in the game, but that's not realistic when you are talking about winning state championships.

There will be times that JC will have to play teams equal to or better than it. As good as their running game is, they will find themselves in that position. If they hope to have a realistic chance of getting back in the game, then they have to be able to pass the ball effectively against good passing defenses.

Matney was forced to do so this year against Highlands and last year too. Both times the passing game simply was not there. If Matney sticks with his offensive philosophy, they will in my opinion only beat the teams they are better than, may lose to teams their equal if they make some mistakes, and won't beat teams better than them. If he and the JC fans are content with that, then so be it.

While I'm second guessing Matney (and forgive me for doing so, there just is a part of me that has so much respect for how hard the JC kids play the game and it pains me a bit to see coaching decisions that impair the kids' chances for greater success), does any one else besides me think that Matney wasted an opportunity to improve next year's team in the 4th quarter against Highlands? I think after Highlands scored their last touchdown early in the fourth quarter and started wholesale substitutions, the game was over. All that was undecided was the margin of victory or loss.

Would it have made sense to pull all the JC seniors off the field after Highlands scored to ice the game (call a time out and allow them to leave the field to a standing ovation from the JC fans, and my guess, many Highlands fans too) and put what Matney thinks at this point will be JC's starting O and D on the field to get them some experience for next year? With JC playing so many kids both ways, it's obvious (at least to me) that he needs to develop more depth if they are ever going to win a state championship. Playing back ups in the fourth quarter would have help do so I'd think.

Heck, I'd have used the opportunity to work on the passing game some. Sure there might have been some interceptions, but who cares at that point. A loss is a loss at this stage of the year and the margin of loss is irrelevant. Is the back up qb (number 15) a senior? If not, why not put him in the game at qb and have his pass the ball. He's considered to be the better passer as I understand. Move Hall to a running back spot (Dillon's) and see if that combo works for next year. Put the back up D players on the field and see how they perform against Highlands O. Perhaps with some experience, they can start next year and cut down some of the both way starters. I know Matney is a good coach and turned JC's football program around (thus deserving many accolades and compliments) but I wonder if he is one of those coaches that can only take a program so far.

I know JC has been eliminated from the playoffs 3 of the last 4 years now by two teams that went on to win state and one team that is a heavy favorite to do so this year. I get that. But what I wonder is if Matney developed better depth and if he ran a more diverse O, whether it could have been JC winning state some of those years. And when I say more diverse O, I'm not talking about passing the ball 70% of the time. Highlands only threw the ball 6 times on Friday, but did so much more effectively because they work on it a whole, whole lot. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I think they could spend time working on passing in practices and in games without hurting their running game execution.

Please don't take this post as some one dogging Matney or JC. Not my intent. Just asking honest questions about things that I think could be done to make JC even better in 2010.

If JC fans don't want to get into my suggestions, at least go ahead and tell us what players are coming back and how you think they'll do next year.