Russell 2018

What does Russell need to do to improve in 2018? What do they need to keep doing to be successful? Remember, please be constructive.

Russell football can't turn the page on the 2017 season fast enough. An unfortunate string of significant injuries resulted in the program's first losing season in over twenty years. On the bright side, those injuries allowed a lot of younger players to fill important roles and get valuable playing time and reps.

Question Marks :

Quarterback - Will it be strong armed senior Grant Wilburn or the very promising potential of dual threat sophomore-to-be Charlie Jachimczuk?

Offensive line - Gone are three multi-year starters, so there will be openings for some new blood to step in and fill those voids. The zone blocking scheme has been problematic ever since it was implemented upon TJ’s arrival. He hinted that aspects of the offense could be tweaked this off-season. Hopefully, the blocking scheme is one of them. The offense only ever seems to click against physically overmatched opponents, never against the top teams on the schedule, and it all seems to start in the trenches. Something's got to change.

Linebacker - Incoming sophomore Nathan Conley is the lone returning starter. Juniors-to-be Ethan Sanders and Malakai Anderson are likely candidates to fill the other two spots. If Wilburn’s not starting at QB, he could see some time there as well.

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The backfield should be a strong point of this year's team with the return of 1,000 rusher and speed merchant Landen Duvall, Nathan Conley, Ethan Sharp, and the aforementioned Malakai Anderson, whose size and versatility could make him a serious difference maker on both sides of the ball, if he can stay healthy. Leading receiver Reed Galloway returns with his reliable hands and rout running.

There's a lot of good, young talent in the current freshman class. Aside from Jachimczuk, Conley, and Sharp, I wouldn't be surprised to see some of the other kids in that class get a lot of reps, if not earn starting jobs, depending on their growth and development this off-season. Overall, the passing game needs improving, the blocking scheme needs work, and Russell needs to regain its mojo on defense, i.e. play with fire/attitude, fly to the football, and be physical.

Bath County returns almost everyone and West Carter should be improved, but winning the district is a very reachable goal for the Red Devils. Cross bracketing will place Russell's district in a region with Central's this coming season, so a deep playoff run seems unlikely. With each new season comes renewed optimism. Russell might be another year away from being really good, but 2018 could be fruitful in its own right.

What kind of offense will Russell be in this year? I had heard TJ Maynard talk about revamping the offense this year on one of his post game interviews on the radio last year.

DevilMayCare, Do you know who the other scrimmage is against this year besides the ekc grid against Rowan County on August 11th?

What kind of offense will Russell be in this year? I had heard TJ Maynard talk about revamping the offense this year on one of his post game interviews on the radio last year.

I honestly have no idea. But after four years, it's safe to say that the current system has failed to launch. The offense could certainly use an injection of creativity.

DevilMayCare, Do you know who the other scrimmage is against this year besides the ekc grid against Rowan County on August 11th?

Not 100% sure, but I'd guess Wheelersburg again about a week later. I talked to some of their fans at a freshman game last year and they seemed to think the two schools were on again for 2018.

Wheelersburg will be a great game to get ready for the season if that's the case, they went 15-0 and won the state title last season in division 5. It will show any weakness we may have and show what we need to work on.

Offensive line - Gone are three multi-year starters, so there will be openings for some new blood to step in and fill those voids. The zone blocking scheme has been problematic ever since it was implemented upon TJ’s arrival. He hinted that aspects of the offense could be tweaked this off-season. Hopefully, the blocking scheme is one of them.

Zone blocking is one of the simplest blocking schemes for the Oline. Russell has been so used to the pulling guard, Wing-T.... I too, think changes are coming to the offense but I think it is due to personnel. Coach Maynard is a smart coach and he will adapt his coaching to the players he has. JMO

Russell will be a good team this year but should be a lot better in 2019. I am intrigued to the new District they'll play in 2019.

Yall think Coach Maynard has under achieved? I thought he would get Russell rolling...

Yall think Coach Maynard has under achieved? I thought he would get Russell rolling...

I can see taking a shot at him for losing to Western Hills last year, but the three years prior his season ended at Belfry. Two of those three years no 3A team in KY was able to play with Belfry on their home field, let alone at Belfry.

Yall think Coach Maynard has under achieved? I thought he would get Russell rolling...

Entering year five under TJ, it's hard to get a read on where Russell's program stands right now. He almost over-delivered in year one with 11 wins and a regional championship, but Russell underachieved in year two. Year three, overall, was a pretty solid season with yet another crushing playoff setback to the Pirates, and last year was an injury plagued disaster. It's important for Russell fans to keep 2017 in perspective. If last year's team hadn't lost so many key pieces to either season ending or season long nagging injuries, they could've been pretty good. Nine or ten wins, a district title, a couple of playoff wins, including one over LexCath… all within reach had the team been healthy. Things just didn't work out that way.

Overall, Russell football isn't where most thought it would be after the change in direction four years ago. The offense has failed to take flight and Russell really only has one win over what I would consider a very good team, the 2016 Raceland Rams. They're a combined 2-5 against Raceland and Ashland since 2014, are coming off a rare loss to Greenup County, and have lost the district to Fleming County two of the last three years. The sky isn't falling in Flatwoods, but if TJ is the coach that everyone at Russell thinks/hopes he is, it's time to start making at least some degree of progress year after year, instead of one step forward and two steps back.

TJ Maynard has a ton of experience, is a great person, and one of the best coaches in the state. I've known him for 20+ years and have a bunch of respect for him.

TJ replaced a great coach, legend and person.... in his hometown. It takes guts to take on a job like that, but he did it.

Russell HS is fortunate to have TJ. It is in the best interest of the kids and program to support the head coach. If you can't or won't support him, get out of the way.

Go Red Devils!

#Flatwoods

TJ Maynard has a ton of experience, is a great person, and one of the best coaches in the state. I've known him for 20+ years and have a bunch of respect for him.

 

TJ replaced a great coach, legend and person.... in his hometown. It takes guts to take on a job like that, but he did it.

 

Russell HS is fortunate to have TJ. It is in the best interest of the kids and program to support the head coach. If you can't or won't support him, get out of the way.

 

Go Red Devils!

 

#Flatwoods

It's hard sometimes to strike a balance between having high expectations for your team and cutting a coach some slack for the demands of all that comes with coaching high school football. Admittedly, my expectations might be a little too high sometimes, but I'm not really interested in lowering them. I'd much rather be the type of fan that has high expectations and feels strongly one way or the other as opposed to the type of fan that simply shrugs with indifference when the team loses. I hope I never become the latter.

I still have faith that TJ’s the guy that can get Russell back on track. He's just had a very uneven tenure in Flatwoods so far.