I certainly have some opinions on this issue. Without a doubt the offense is extremely vanilla and predictable. For the last 2 years Ashland has always had the most production out of a 2 back set, which it seems like they rarely use. With just Long or Baker in the backfield it is obviously easier for a defense to focus on one RB. It also seems that Prince makes the wrong reads on his read option plays, with Baker getting hit for loses when it seems Prince could have pulled the ball for a decent gain. I also noticed that they don't put Prince in many situations where he can be a successful passer. For example - the long "wounded duck" pass he completed to Baker. I noticed that Baker was near the sideline and the ball was spotted on the far hash...Prince doesn't have an arm strong enough to make that throw...why on Earth do you put your best athletes in a position where they cant get the ball to one another??? There is NO creativity, no reverses, half-back passes, etc. Those types of plays with Long, Baker, and Prince could be homeruns if used once or twice a game.

 

The defense seems to lack big hitters with the exception of O'Bryan. It was very simple to tell when Conley would be taking the handoff around the right side. Don't get me started on letting them convert 3rd and 24 ON A RUNNING PLAY. With all that said Ashland is 2 plays away from being undefeated, and 3 plays away from being 0-3....but that can be said about many teams at many levels of football. What bothers me is the lack of attention to detail. The clock mis-management at the end of the half is inexcusable. Anyone knows that you simply cannot get off 3 running plays in 30 seconds. As a coach you have to assume that you will need all 3 plays to score, that is why your first or second play MUST be a pass to stop the clock and preserve that final play before the clock expires.

:laugh:

Unless things change Love will have Ashland at Greenup Co.'s level in 2 years. It all started before he even coached one game when they canceled the contract with Belfry, and scheduled Sheldon Clark instead. How do you expect to build a program by scheduling weaker teams. Then they run off their long time middle school coach who had been very successful, and had done a great job of preparing the kids for the next level. In my opinion things just keep getting worse for Tomcat football.

 

This one did not sit well on Pond Creek as well.

 

Belfry had to scramble to fill their schedule and had to commit to going to Southwestern in back to back seasons to get 10 games.

 

Top competition is at a premium in EKY as it is...the last thing you want to do is alienate one of about 5 teams who can legitimately push you because they play at such a high level and bring a huge gate that isn't a massive drive. Let alone the fact probably no team in he region is a more perfect prep game for Johnson Central.

 

I said this to Watusi at the beginning of the year by PM..and later posted it in another thread... but Ashland this season is a pig with makeup. Two or three very nice players masking a very down team.

 

The part that is even scarier is the Ashland Feeder teams and their JV teams aren't looking very stout as well. When you have as many schools clustered together as that Tri-State area has Ashland better start righting the ship and finding momentum or suddenly all the talent pool will start flowing to Raceland, Russell, etc.

 

The thing is...all it takes is winning though to cure everything. As long as Ashland is winning they are THE bell cow program and the one people want to be a part of. if Ashland can set politics aside and the Coach can take control and have his team buy in enough to get in the right direction all could be corrected in a hurry.

If by "YOU" you are referring to me, please note I have not turned on anyone. It the truth be known I may be the one guy that has more reason than anyone to not be a fan. Nevertheless, I am. I am also a realist and am not blinded by the tint of my glasses. This team has weaknesses and they are many, but as I said they are also opportunities to to overcome. I will leave you with a quote from a football movie, Julius Campbell looked at Gary Bertere and said "attitude reflect leadership, captian" If the attitude of the players gets bad who are they reflecting? I hope those kids join arms and take an us against the world attitude. Ultimately this is their team and we are priviliged to be on the sidelines.

Like I said, "the 'for' is quiet.

 

I thought LRCW might have something to say.............

 

Ram, I don't claim to know the situation in Ashland but with the title of this thread I have to ask ....have you taken a job writing for a soap opera ? Sounds like an episode of Days of Our Lives.

When you parents publicly turn on the coach on message boards' date=' in the stands, in the community during the week and especially at home in front of your kids YOU are contributing to the problem and beginning a self fulfilling prophecy.[/quote']

 

Hogwash. Excuses, excuses, excuses. I dare say there's not a coach, or program in the state that that doesn't have parents or fans complain about the coach in the community, or front of their kids. Absolutely none of that has anything to do with the terrible clock management that was shown at the end of the 1st half against Russell that resulted in time expiring as Ashland had the ball on the 1 yard line. None of that had anything to do with the horrible decisions made in the kicking game the week before against George Washington that cost them the game. None of that has anything to do with canceling the contract with Belfry. You keep right on trying to blame everyone else though.

Hogwash. Excuses, excuses, excuses. I dare say there's not a coach, or program in the state that that doesn't have parents or fans complain about the coach in the community, or front of their kids. Absolutely none of that has anything to do with the terrible clock management that was shown at the end of the 1st half against Russell that resulted in time expiring as Ashland had the ball on the 1 yard line. None of that had anything to do with the horrible decisions made in the kicking game the week before against George Washington that cost them the game. None of that has anything to do with canceling the contract with Belfry. You keep right on trying to blame everyone else though.

 

Opportunities to get better?

Opportunities to get better?

 

 

Sure there are plenty of opportunities to get better, but all I've seen is a regression so far.

I basically agree with LRCW. I also have to wonder about player development from 6th grade on up.

As long as Ashland is winning they are THE bell cow program and the one people want to be a part of.

 

No disrespect, but If that were the case then everyone would be busting down the doors to go there and they're not. Ashland still has a good program but they're far from being the "bell cow" program in this area now.

No disrespect, but If that were the case then everyone would be busting down the doors to go there and they're not. Ashland still has a good program but they're far from being the "bell cow" program in this area now.

Agreed

Does everyone realize Russell has hired a football coach, a baseball coach, and a softball coach? They are a quality academic school already and with the new hires it would be hard to argue that they dont want to be King of the Hill.

I'm sorry have no dog is that fight but had to read the thread base on it's title. So far I've read where the coach is not giving the ball to his stud, poor clock management, 2nd gussing going for 2 and not responding to social media. How about giving the coach a realistic chance? I mean seriously he got the ball 29 times to his stud and your asking to feed him more without being predictable? If they would have won the game going for 2 would you say they still should have kicked the extra point? Something else I read where they kicked to a good returner who end up scoring. I don't know how many times I've heard don't kick the ball to their best player but kickers are unpredictable it happens. If a coach ever responds to social media such as topix I would lose respect for that coach. Trash sites deserve no response.

 

I've had been on staffs that we had D1 backs and there's no way we would run him as much as some of you guys are wishing for. Save his legs for the more meaning full games in district play and the playoff's. If parents or boosters are talking negative about your coach this early I'm sure it's carring over to the kids and this creates excuses for poor performances and poor effort.

You keep right on trying to blame everyone else though.

 

I'll keep right on with my statement. I don't know who you think I am but I live in the central time zone, not Ashland, and I call it like I see it. You fans are making it worse.

I'll keep right on with my statement. I don't know who you think I am but I live in the central time zone' date=' not Ashland, and I call it like I see it. You fans are making it worse.[/quote']

 

Have no idea who you are, and don't care. And if you live in the central time zone you're too far away to see the problem.