[walterwhite]

Just looking at the roster posted on the KHSAA scoreboard, there are 5 kids listed that played football.

[DarthVader]

5 Baseball or Basketball?

[CCFOOTBALL1]

In my humble opinion, Coaches asking players not to play football isn’t the problem in Clay County. The bottom line, the young men on the football team need to step up and play.

I will say However, we threw it more in one Game than Belfry did all year. I feel like Clay County needs to run a simple offense that focus on the RUN, build up our Defense and play great special Teams.

[DarthVader]

In my humble opinion, Coaches asking players not to play football isn’t the problem in Clay County. The bottom line, the young men on the football team need to step up and play.

I will say However, we threw it more in one Game than Belfry did all year. I feel like Clay County needs to run a simple offense that focus on the RUN, build up our Defense and play great special Teams.

What Belfry does on offense is more complicated and requires more teaching than anything Clay County has done in the last 10 years. I do agree that a stronger run game is needed however, Sexton was left out to dry with the play calling this year.

[walterwhite]

It was the basketball roster I looked at. I am not as sure about it, but I just counted 5 kids on the baseball roster that played football. I am not nearly as certain on those.

[CCFOOTBALL1]

Any offense you run you can have scheme in it. I was just trying to prove a point that throwing the football 25 times a game isn't going to win football games.

[DarthVader]

You can win throwing 25 times a game. Just not throwing 25 of the routes combinations/concepts clay had this year. In my opinion clays offense wasn't playing with a full deck, if you are going to be a passing team you have to be more diverse than they were within the scheme. Taking vertical shots down field continuously will get you beat easily, especially with the lack of defense. Any offense can win as long as you have answers to solve the problems that arise with each particular offense. With clays young offensive line it just spelled trouble this season.

[bossman313]

I agree with Darth on the not so simple scheme of Belfry's Offense. They do run right at you but the linemen know who to block no matter how your defense is set up. They run the same scheme from middle school on too. By the time those guys are seniors they have been running this for 6 years. And they play defense as good as anybody. I'm not a big fan of throwing it alot, but several teams now do this in our area. But like I said once before each coach has a vision of what their offense is supposed to look like. This was year one. Let's give the man a little while to prove his offense will work. We played way too many young linemen for us to be productive. Hopefully a full year under their belts will pay off this season. Having said that keep in mind that well run schemes only look simple when they are winning and moving the chains at will. There is nothing simple about a great running game. Lots simpler when you got horses to run behind.

[Bird]

Running the ball isn't that hard either. Combs made it harder by trying to run misdirection when the line couldn't keep the defense out of the back field. Its not hard to figure out if the defense is in the backfield before you can hand it off that the play will not work. Why not just tell the line to block forward and let the RB try to get to the second level and maybe break one. Combs could make a simple math problem look like a algebra equation.
As far as the passing goes, if the line is that weak why did he try to run strung, out long developing plays down the field? Where was the slants? Where was the screens? Wouldn't you think that would keep the defense off them some if you completed some of those? Let them thru and drop it off. I know he is a "new coach" but any 4th grade kid who plays Madden could have had a better offensive scheme.
With the loss of Wolfe and Sizemore I sure hope that line develops, cause if it don't with no big time threats down field Sexton will take a beating next year.

[bossman313]

It don't matter what offense we run if we don't play defense. The six state champions all gave us less than 14 points a game. All of them. South Warren and Male gave up only 6 a game. Sounds to me like if you want to contend you better learn how to tackle and give up very few points.

[DarthVader]

Running the ball isn't that hard either. Combs made it harder by trying to run misdirection when the line couldn't keep the defense out of the back field. Its not hard to figure out if the defense is in the backfield before you can hand it off that the play will not work. Why not just tell the line to block forward and let the RB try to get to the second level and maybe break one. Combs could make a simple math problem look like a algebra equation.
As far as the passing goes, if the line is that weak why did he try to run strung, out long developing plays down the field? Where was the slants? Where was the screens? Wouldn't you think that would keep the defense off them some if you completed some of those? Let them thru and drop it off. I know he is a "new coach" but any 4th grade kid who plays Madden could have had a better offensive scheme.
With the loss of Wolfe and Sizemore I sure hope that line develops, cause if it don't with no big time threats down field Sexton will take a beating next year.

I don't preted to know as much as some of you guys on here and correct me if I am wrong, but do misdirection plays keep defensive lineman from penetrating into the backfield? I thought clay ran alot of counter gt from 10 personnel and packaged it with a jet sweep look to get a scissors action in the backfield. I may be wrong on that though.

[walterwhite]

It doesn't matter what we try to run if we don't get bigger, faster and stronger.

[DarthVader]

It doesn't matter what we try to run if we don't get bigger, faster and stronger.

AMEN BROTHER!, how is the weightroom going so far? When you're consistently changing coaches, you are killing your students by not having a consistent weightroom plan.

[bossman313]

I wonder if our middle school lifts weights. I know they used to. Just wondering. Seems like that would help even if they just learned proper techniques.

[Bird]

No misdirection don't keep defenders out of the backfield, but when you shotgun it and fake to the guy in motion then hand it off it's pretty clear you are giving them more of a chance to hit you for a big loss. And I can't remember he scissor action you speak off, it was mainly pancake action on our ball carriers.

[CCFOOTBALL1]

I would pass the ball Maybe ten times a game. Other than that I would run the ball, play solid defense and focus on Special Teams.

Also, ANY Weight Room program will work but the guys have to show up.

Our Grade school program is Horrible! Instead of developing players they are more concerned with the winning. Don't get me wrong I want to win but that league shouldn't be worried about that all that much. Also, why not have two 8th grade teams and two 7th grade teams. The more players are on the field. The more its going to help us in High School.

[SKINNYPIG]

Every good coach develops his niche offensively & defensively, then sticks with it till the cows come home. Hopefully Clay County and it's know it all, clown fans will keep a coach long enough to allow him to develop one. :biggrin:

[DarthVader]

No misdirection don't keep defenders out of the backfield, but when you shotgun it and fake to the guy in motion then hand it off it's pretty clear you are giving them more of a chance to hit you for a big loss. And I can't remember he scissor action you speak off, it was mainly pancake action on our ball carriers.

You are joking, correct? if defenses weren't being aggressive and getting up field there would be no such thing as a misdirection play good sir...

[Bird]

So, what your saying is, if a team isn't blitzing a offensive play can't be considered a misdirection play? Looks like the Napiers and Combs are back firing away on rivals. If every coach "develops his niche" what did the Napier's develop in Wayne's 20 plus year stint on the staff? And, how can a defensive coach like combs develop his "niche" if he hires another defensive coach? Who by the way was just fired after 2 games for his teams performance?
You maybe be right skinny, every good coach might develop his "niche". But, I might be right in saying the Napiers didn't develop theirs and combs won't develop his cause neither of them are or were good coaches.

[Cat Daddy]

The biggest challenge for Combs and any other coach attempting to build a football program at a basketball school, is being able to get the best athletes who are walking the halls, to play football. Kids growing up in Clay County dream about playing in sweet sixteen's, not playing in Bowling Green. As someone mentioned earlier, Combs needs to soften up the schedule and play teams who they can beat. By doing this, regardless of your strength of schedule, you create a winning atmosphere and the program will begin to gain momentum. At this point, the players will start believing they can win, and the excitement created around the program, will lead to more kids wanting to play. I think Combs has a bright future, but how bright, depends on how well he can recruit the halls of Clay County High School.

[DarthVader]

So, what your saying is, if a team isn't blitzing a offensive play can't be considered a misdirection play? Looks like the Napiers and Combs are back firing away on rivals. If every coach "develops his niche" what did the Napier's develop in Wayne's 20 plus year stint on the staff? And, how can a defensive coach like combs develop his "niche" if he hires another defensive coach? Who by the way was just fired after 2 games for his teams performance?
You maybe be right skinny, every good coach might develop his "niche". But, I might be right in saying the Napiers didn't develop theirs and combs won't develop his cause neither of them are or were good coaches.

No, not what I am saying at all. I am not trying to come off as being condescending or anything of the such but you can fly up field on the D-line and be aggressive without ever calling a blitz, however, misdirection plays (ie. Counter, Trap, etc.) takes this aggressiveness and uses it against the defense by washing them down and walling them off. If these kids can't block someone down to cut off the penetration then chances are they won't be able to block them head up which is a much tougher block for them to make from a talent perspective.

[SKINNYPIG]

So, what your saying is, if a team isn't blitzing a offensive play can't be considered a misdirection play? Looks like the Napiers and Combs are back firing away on rivals. If every coach "develops his niche" what did the Napier's develop in Wayne's 20 plus year stint on the staff? And, how can a defensive coach like combs develop his "niche" if he hires another defensive coach? Who by the way was just fired after 2 games for his teams performance?
You maybe be right skinny, every good coach might develop his "niche". But, I might be right in saying the Napiers didn't develop theirs and combs won't develop his cause neither of them are or were good coaches.

It's quite obvious that you will never "might" be right. You're one of those guys that's always right, right?

[bossman313]

Keep that offense up boys and you might score a touch down. I'm going to stick with my defense. Until our guys start tackling in the grade school, middle school and then high school level, we will beat no one who has a good offense. We grab. Grabbing is last resort not first option. This is a bad habit learned in the elementary and carried on without there being any correction made. If I was combs I wouldn't take an offensive snap this spring. It would be hit, get off blocks, and tackle. I also would have to play my best 11 on defense and let the offense have the rest of the players. Yes sexton would have to start at OLB. Of course I'd be fired the first time he got hurt but oh well.

[DarthVader]

I agree with you boss, the defense isn't very disciplined on their keys either. Rowan absolutely killed us with 5 plays. Our kids consistently flew up field and Rowan put on a bucksweep clinic. Run the ball, play good defense, and don't beat yourself with special teams still works. I just don't think kids are being taught fundamentals as they come up in clays system especially on the defensive side of the ball.

[Bird]

I will put it like this skinny. If I did my best and it lead to my players taking 9 losses the closest one being by 29 points, or going 7 and 26 over 3 years. I would swallow my pride and say boys you deserve a better coach than me.
But to answer your question, yes skinny most of the time I try to be right. No matter who's toes gets stepped on in the process.

[bossman313]

Amen to the run right by a play. When we got in a position to get off the field on 3rd down we gave it up. The thing is I know they practice team pursuit and getting off blocks daily but for whatever reason we didn't really improve much. We tried moving guys around but we didn't create but a few punts all year long. I just want us to get better and I honestly think we will. Got some good young talent coming up. Many got to play extended minutes last year and a great many of them played freshman and jv schedule as well.

[SKINNYPIG]

Amen to the run right by a play. When we got in a position to get off the field on 3rd down we gave it up. The thing is I know they practice team pursuit and getting off blocks daily but for whatever reason we didn't really improve much. We tried moving guys around but we didn't create but a few punts all year long. I just want us to get better and I honestly think we will. Got some good young talent coming up. Many got to play extended minutes last year and a great many of them played freshman and jv schedule as well.

The addition of several freshman & JV games this season will most definitely pay off.

[Oldschoolplayer]

how are the Tigers looking in the weight room?

[TheTigersEye]

I haven't heard anything about being in the weightroom.i am not sure we've even started back yet.

[bcpc]

Give Combs some time..... He knows the game and will turn it Around in Manchester... Don't forget you are still a roundball school.... He needs all the positive support he can get to reach team and community goals......