What does Raceland need to do to improve in 2014? What do they need to keep doing to be successful? Remember, please be constructive.

Definitely a lot of positions need to be filled from last years senior class. The good thing is, they have a lot of talented kids that were in the rotation coming back. Biggest positions that need to be filled are in the offensive/defensive lines. Lucas Bradley will be the only starter back on the offensive line at center, and Isaac Wallace the only starter back on the defensive side. Wallace will be a starter on both sides and look for Greg Bowling to make an impact on both sides. Bowling was out most of last year due to injury but is 100% now. Caden Townsend should be a starter somewhere on the line. Townsend has made a weight room a home away from home and has gotten much stronger this off season.

 

At the skilled positions, they are losing Beach and Elkins. Beach was the leading rusher but the trio of Kane Snyder, Carson Christian, and Bailey Walker should make up most of the yards. Messer, I'm sure, will play a lot of snaps at QB along with Josh Young. Both have worked hard this off season and have become faster. Young has matured a lot in the weight room and during the course of track season. Also, both will be valuable assets in the secondary on defense along with Maverick Dixon. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe Dixon lead the team in interception last year as a Junior. Young and Dixon will fill the cornerback positions. Messer will be residing at the safety position. Seth Holbrook and Snyder will be the heart and soul of the defensive front seven. Both are back at their linebacker positions. Holbrook started off soft last season but grew up as the season progressed. He definitely needs to get a bit tougher and make more plays on defense this year.

 

Raceland lost a lot last year, but also has a lot returning from the Regional Championship team. There won't be so much size this year as there will be speed. IMO, Raceland will win a lot of games. But they must prepare hard and focus well on the bigger games such as Ashland, Colegrove, that one school, and Ironton. I think Raceland will have another good season and make another run for a regional title. May be a little tougher this year than last, but they should be competing for a regional championship this year. GO RAMS!!

Good preview Little Ram. You about covered everything.

 

Yes, Dixon led the team in interceptions last season. He had 7 for 153 yards and 2 touchdowns.

 

Much of the reason teams tried to pick on Dixon was Messer's performance the year before when he led the team in interceptions. Messer had 9 interceptions with 191 return yards and 3 touchdowns.

 

So, in two seasons Dixon and Messer have amassed 16 interceptions for over 300 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Good preview Little Ram. You about covered everything. Yes' date=' Dixon led the team in interceptions last season. He had 7 for 153 yards and 2 touchdowns. Much of the reason teams tried to pick on Dixon was Messer's performance the year before when he led the team in interceptions. Messer had 9 interceptions with 191 return yards and 3 touchdowns. So, in two seasons Dixon and Messer have amassed 16 interceptions for over 300 yards and 5 touchdowns.[/quote']

 

I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to pick on Young this season. Young is taller and stronger than Dixon right now. Not much of a choice in picking on someone in the secondary. Looks like we will have to see.

Ram and Little Ram, as far as personel I don't think that I could add a lot more. Both of you know the individual kids as well as anyone and certainly more that I.

As far as what kind of season, one thing that this team will have to understand is that in 2013 the bar was set on a new / higher level with one of if not The Best team ever at Raceland, was no doubt the best line on both sides of the ball that the Rams have ever had. Also, the school's first Regional Championship in the long and very sucsessful history of Raceland Ram Football.

One definite change is the Head Coach. After T.J. Maynard departed to coach his alma mater, Coach Michael Salmons takes over the reigns. Salmons is certainly no stranger having been a Ram asst. coach to Off. Coordinator for years here in "Ramblerville". Salmons was also an outstanding player at Raceland, one of the better running backs / fullbacks to play here. He knows the history, tradition, expectations, players, asst. coaches well as a lot of the former players, parents and fans. Other past coaches have come to the program blind, not being from here and that honestly affected them imo. Salmons, like former very good coach Randy Vanderhoof, knows, live, loves, eats breathes and sleeps Raceland Ram Football. Like a lot of people around here those two probably wore "Orange" diapers. They even had orange and black sippe cups :lol2: They drank "Orange Crush" , ate Ram burgers from the local dairy bar / drive in restaurant. - Tangerine twist ice cream. :popcorn:.

I hope that when available someone will post the 2014 schedule. As usual it will be loaded, one of the toughest schedules in NEKY, regardless of class but most definitely for any 1A, 2A school in the area.

As Little Ram said, with the likes of Ohio power Ironton as well as Coal Grove, OH., Ashland, Lawrence Co. and others in the out/district schedule the Rams will have to beat a VERY Good Paintsville team and once again an extremely strong West Ashland school. The head coach, asst. coach-principal are gone but I really don't look for much change there. At least from all indications it will be business as usual at that school in West Ashland, complete with the W.VA players amoung others (that from a man extremely close with very good knowledge of the day to day happenings) and the superintendent that resigned has been re hired although some have said that was illegal with the KY. Schools, Education by laws. Anyway, they will do what they do - everyone knows it and that's a reflection on them, No One else.

Should the Raceland kids (as sidelinedoc has made famous:D) TCB then all will take care of itself. Raceland will not be as strong but I can promise there are the underclassmen from the previous two seasons that have paid their dues, getting whipped every day in practice by the starters that are more than ready to make their mark, continue the Ram Pride tradition.

 

As Always........GO RAMS !!

Well said oldrambler. Paintsville will be a very good team and will be a new power in the district. That "one school" may be just as good as they usually are, but one things for sure, Raceland will bring their A game. Period. The Rams have a new head coach but they have the kids that noticed and witnessed what it takes to win a Regional Championship and they know how much work it will take. They aren't blessed with the size but they all have the work ethic. The Rams will be just fine. After all, we are the RAMS.

Well said oldrambler. Paintsville will be a very good team and will be a new power in the district. That "one school" may be just as good as they usually are, but one things for sure, Raceland will bring their A game. Period. The Rams have a new head coach but they have the kids that noticed and witnessed what it takes to win a Regional Championship and they know how much work it will take. They aren't blessed with the size but they all have the work ethic. The Rams will be just fine. After all, we are the RAMS.

 

:thumb: Those guys, as every team that has ever came through the halls of this school system started , grew up with the Ram football tradition from elementary school........"Readin', Writin', Rithmatic and "hit somebody, you're not out there to dance with them" !! :lol2:

I cant wait to see how Raceland is going to look next year. In 2008 I was looking forward to seeing a Raceland vs Hazard match up but didn't get to see it.. I would like to see it this year as well.

I cant wait to see how Raceland is going to look next year. In 2008 I was looking forward to seeing a Raceland vs Hazard match up but didn't get to see it.. I would like to see it this year as well.

To be honest, I was really looking forward to a Raceland/Hazard game last year. When I played Hazard was in our district. That is probably the reason I was anticipating it so much. Maybe this year.

To be honest' date=' I was really looking forward to a Raceland/Hazard game last year. When I played Hazard was in our district. That is probably the reason I was anticipating it so much. Maybe this year.[/quote'] Before any match-ups in the playoffs, Raceland needs to find some players to play. They have the talent, but I'm not sure about the mentality. They have all witnessed what it takes but I'm not 100% sure they want to do it. I have had the pleasure to play with them and most of them need to mature before they get any playing time. The underclassmen goof off too much in the locker room, weight room, and film room. That's not their fault. It's the senior's fault. There is a time and place to be goofy and those three are none of them. Sure, this past year we goofed off a lot before practices. Some of the coaches would walk in on everyone dancing and having a good time, and in some instances the coaches would laugh and dance with us. But once the coach comes in and says "let's go," you must get in another mindset. And that is one of the main concerns I have with the 2014 Rams. The maturity level isn't the same as last year. And they all know that. And maturity goes a long way in the weight room, film room, and on the field. Talent doesn't beat hard work.

They have the talent, but I'm not sure about the mentality.

 

The maturity level isn't the same as last year. And they all know that. And maturity goes a long way in the weight room, film room, and on the field. Talent doesn't beat hard work.

 

Both of these points you made are my concern. Having played, practiced day in/day out with them you would have a very good idea of what their mindset is. As you said, the talent is plentiful, maybe not as physically strong, smaller in size. Hopefully players coming back will mature in the way they most need to....mentally. Attitude, work eithic, desire are all a mindset. They have nothing to do with size or strength but a lot to do, THE Critical Factor to success and winning. This season's team needs to have Leaders, the type that will get into a teammates grill if an "attitude adjustment" is needed to get them to take things seriously, work hard every day. I hope that this season's Rams will have some "Leaders".

Both of these points you made are my concern. Having played' date=' practiced day in/day out with them you would have a very good idea of what their mindset is. As you said, the talent is plentiful, maybe not as physically strong, smaller in size. Hopefully players coming back will mature in the way they most need to....mentally. Attitude, work eithic, desire are all a mindset. They have nothing to do with size or strength but a lot to do, THE Critical Factor to success and winning. This season's team needs to have Leaders, the type that will get into a teammates grill if an "attitude adjustment" is needed to get them to take things seriously, work hard every day. I hope that this season's Rams will have some "Leaders".[/quote']

 

That was what was so good about the 2013 Rams. If you messed up, expect to get yelled at. Not so much by Coach Maynard, but by another senior. Granted, there were a couple bad practices in which no one practiced well. But those days Coach Maynard let us all know we weren't doing well. This years seniors need to do the same thing as we did last year. If someone screws up, let them know what they did wrong. Get in their face and say 'if you don't do it right now, you won't do it right in the game.' Don't just tell at them either. Give them a slap on the chest and tell them do it right the next time. You have to be positive in a sense. But the Rams really need to get to work fast and work on their attitude and mindset. Don't settle for anything less than a trip the the finals. We got over the hump of the regional championship, now get over the hump of the semis. It's not impossible by any means. With the support that the community gives Raceland, there shouldn't be any reason to win another Region Title this year. Talent is there and the coaching staff is there. Like what we preached last year, NO EXCUSES.

I think skill wise we are going to be just fine. Our line players have to work hard and grow up fast. As Coach Lewis informed our team last year prior to playing Ironton. We will find out how much man hair our boys have come August.

I was listening to the 16th region baseball tournament and they said koolhits1057 wlgc will be covering Raceland this year in football along with Russell,Fairview,Greenup County, and Boyd County. That should make the Raceland fans who can't get out the games happy. Since they can only have one team on 105.7 on the radio I'd say Most of them will be on koolhits1057.com

I was listening to the 16th region baseball tournament and they said koolhits1057 wlgc will be covering Raceland this year in football along with Russell,Fairview,Greenup County, and Boyd County. That should make the Raceland fans who can't get out the games happy. Since they can only have one team on 105.7 on the radio I'd say Most of them will be on koolhits1057.com

That is good news, glad they are going to cover the games so those that can't attend will be able to listen.