Let's be honest here. That's all DeSales gets out of a game v. Knox. Not like it really prepares them for CAL. DeSales would get much better preparation against their JV in practice.

 

Yup. And it IS possible to be objective while realizing teams are padding stats are running up the score.

 

If coaches are leaving starters in long enough to get the running clock started, then the JV/freshman are NOT going to get many useful reps.

 

I pointed this out earlier: Once E'town got the running clock going against Breck, it ran TWO offensive plays the entire second half (long run, TD run). That's because Breck's varsity offense put together a drive which lasted the entire third quarter against E'town's freshman/jv defense.

 

It's not just DeSales. ... It's a bunch of teams (E'town left its starters against Breck longer than it really needed to. So did Meade). I know coaches say "these kids need reps", but there's getting meaningful reps and then there's the ones you get against teams like Breck, Knox. Meaning you could run ANY play with ANY back and still score even if you decide not to block at all or run the wrong way.

 

Those are not meaningful. They're not helping you get better.

 

So why are the starters in ... at all?

 

To pad stats.

To keep up appearances (to beat a team by XX points as expected, to score at least XX points as expected and to hold a team to XX points as expected).

 

That's why.

 

Want to make yourself better in a game like this (that you're forced to play)? Bench the starters.

Let the backups go the whole way (as long as you're not in danger of losing). Let them face a bit of adversity without having a huge point cushion.

 

Leaving the starters in to score 21, 28, 35 points in a matter of just seven plays does NOTHING. If anything, it shows you do NOT HAVE FAITH in your JV/freshmen to get the job done (when they easily should when two teams like this are on the far opposite sides of the success/depth spectrum).

No dog in the fight.....but a question.......

 

Would the other team take it as an insult if you can out with JV only?

No dog in the fight.....but a question.......

 

Would the other team take it as an insult if you can out with JV only?

 

I've seen that happen. It's possible.

 

A few years ago, Washington County girls' soccer (a smaller county, first year program) wanted to schedule Central Hardin (the reigning region champ). CH benched its starters and still beat WC like 10-0. WC coach had words with CH coach after the game and was mad, saying the only reason WC wanted to play CH was to show WC what a real team was like.

 

So apparently CH needed to beat WC like 20-0 in one half to make the coach happy? Um, OK.

 

I don't think FK would feel insulted if DeSales, CAL and the like benched its starters. Because FK knows those teams. Forced to play them every year. They know how good they are, no matter who is at what position.

 

There's ways to do it without patronizing the losing team. Still blitz. Still try to score on returns (KO, punt, INT, fumble). Still throw it deep.

 

You don't have to kneel and punt and play a Hail-Mary defense.

 

You can still do it and be respectful.

 

But you can also do it without having to go up 28-0 in the first 8 minutes, too.

I have to wonder: if Fort Knox was, say a top 10 team in Class 2A, would this game have happened? Or, would time off with family still have been of utmost importance?

You think the coach who represents the school had no idea before today they weren't going to have enough kids to play? You don't think he knew at any point this week when having practice? You really believe that? It wouldn't have changed anything, but he should have had the courtesy to let us know earlier in the week.

 

Although Knox had 33 kids on the roster that was at the beginning of the season. They only had 15 kids available for the game against Desales. The coach got a call from a parent on Friday saying they were taking their 2 sons, along with another player and leaving for fall break. That put them at 12. There is no JV to pull from. Word in the area is that Ft. Knox will not field a team next year. Truly sad.

I have to wonder: if Fort Knox was, say a top 10 team in Class 2A, would this game have happened? Or, would time off with family still have been of utmost importance?

 

FK has gotten its brains beat it by several teams. Big. Small. Home. Road. Doesn't matter.

 

FK was fully planning to play. With 15 kids (and those are NOT 15 starters). As a winless team. On the road. Against a team which would beat 80 percent of teams in Kentucky (with those teams playing at home with full rosters).

 

FK has taken plenty of losses to DeSales and still played them.

 

You do NOT forfeit a district game unless circumstances make it too hard.

 

Playing with 12 kids (one of which would have a hard time making many JV teams and suffice it to say would NEVER see the field in a meaningful game, especially as a starter) against a top-10 team would not have ended well. And with a coach whose team doesn't have his full attention.

 

Aside: I don't care if Combs was at St. X, Trinity, Mayfield, BG, whoever. Based on what his kids are currently going through, football takes a BACK SEAT (and it's questionable football should even be in the back seat of the car at this point, although football does give him a chance to think about things other than if his kids will still need blood transfusions, feeding tubes and dialysis for the foreseeable future).

 

So would it REALLY have been better to play, get a couple of kids injured and then not had enough to even finish the game?

 

I don't think so, whether FK is 5-0 or 0-5 going into the game. DeSales' homecoming be darned (aside: NEVER schedule a creampuff for homecoming. Ever. Not in basketball. Not in football. It's lazy). And Friday's weather was horrible anyway.

 

I'm not sure FK thought "time off with family is most important", however, that's what parents CHOSE to do. Not the coaches, per se. Nor the players, per se. Obviously FK had a game scheduled during fall break (and does NOT have a habit of forfeiting) and has another game scheduled this week (against another quality program).

 

You CAN'T force your parents to keep kids on post during fall break.

You CAN'T force kids to be there for practice/games.

 

You're at the MERCY of the PARENTS, not the parents at the mercy of the all-mighty football program (which FK is certainly not).

 

You can't just kick the kids out, because well, they're already NOT there anyway. So it serves no purpose.

 

I'm not sure what options people think Fort Knox has/had that it hasn't tried exploring.

 

FK actually pays most of its coaches very well (not just football, but even minor sports). And their facilities are adequate. Not great, but I've seen worse.

 

But think about it: There's gotta be a reason big-name coaches and qualified coaches won't touch the jobs if payment is NOT a concern and facilities are NOT a concern. And I think the world of Coach Combs. He's a good, upstanding man. But it's an uphill battle (every year).

 

I've been around the FK program for parts of the last 14 years. Several other folks on here have ties to the program (or know how it works).

 

I do NOT know how to fix it. Not many other folks know how, either.

sad to hear! good luck to all at Ft. Knox families

please let this GO! am a DeSales fan and enough is enough!

I have to wonder: if Fort Knox was, say a top 10 team in Class 2A, would this game have happened? Or, would time off with family still have been of utmost importance?

 

If Fort Knox was a top 10 team, then that means numbers absolutely are not an issue. If Fort Knox had even the slightest bit of success this year or last, I'd be willing to bet more kids would be willing to give football a chance.

 

But the Eagles aren't, and the kids don't give a crap about football.

 

Here's what I don't really get, either: The numbers on both soccer teams are up this season. Not sure if that's in correlation with it being a World Cup year, but the boys' team had over 30 players at the start of the year -- after only having 15-20 last year -- and the girls' team had over 35 -- after only having 12-15 last year. But football took a hit. They had 40-some players at the beginning of last year, but injuries took their toll. They were expecting to have a good chunk of those kids back for this season, but wound up with only two kids -- Escoffery and Irving, who had a lot of playing experience coming back -- after the 3/1 deactivation.

 

It's a sad situation on post. And I'm not sure how it can be fixed, short of shutting it down.

I truly hope FK doesn't shut the program down and merely hope that this is just another bump in the road.

 

I, for one, think that the move to 1A will help them tremendously. Then again, it might not.

 

Most people just laugh at the thought of 6 classes actually hurting some programs, but it has and FK is one of them (by barely being in 2A).

I truly hope FK doesn't shut the program down and merely hope that this is just another bump in the road.

 

I, for one, think that the move to 1A will help them tremendously. Then again, it might not.

 

Most people just laugh at the thought of 6 classes actually hurting some programs, but it has and FK is one of them (by barely being in 2A).

 

They petitioned the KHSAA to move two years ago and again last year. Were denied both times, even though the school's enrollment had dipped pretty close to the cutoff in 2012 and below it the next year.

I've said to friends on many occasions that coaching on Ft. Knox has to be one of the hardest jobs out there. Coaches and kids never know from one year or sometimes even 1 month to the next if they are going to be there. With all the cut backs on post, schools closing etc.., it's getting even harder. Awfully hard to build for the future when you are starting over every year. As CK has said, this isn't the same Ft. Knox from the 80s and early 90s.

 

I feel bad for the kids and the coaches that want to be there. I just hope that if they do shut the program down, they give those kids, especially the seniors the option of attending school and playing somewhere off post.

might have already been answered, I didnt read every post, but if a team forfeits, they owe the other school the contracted amount that was agreed upon when the contract was signed unless they give proper notice & it is agreed upon by the administration of both schools. I see a lot of football contracts in this state that go for $5000 or more, so there isn't much cancelling when it requires that kind of payout. Things that cant be controlled, inclement weather for example, can cancel a contest & no payout has to be made "IF" the teams cant make it up (usually the following day) or if they have a common bye week later in the season. If those two options cant be met, then there is no $$$ that exchanges hands. (I will say that most schools will push off the contract & extend it a year if this happens though so there wont be tension between the schools.

I have to wonder: if Fort Knox was, say a top 10 team in Class 2A, would this game have happened? Or, would time off with family still have been of utmost importance?

If Fort Knox were a top 10 program, there would be 50 kids playing and the issue would be moot

Give me a break. I served in the Marine Corp, so i know all about military life. I know that if my child made a commitment to a team, he would honor it. Also... Their break includes all of next week. Nobody could have left tomorrow?

 

Well Coltpride, First of all the kids didn't make the commitment to play on fall break. Second, if you don't like it send a letter to the post commander. Since you know so much about the military. Sorry Desales could come to Fort Knox to pad their stats.

Well Coltpride, First of all the kids didn't make the commitment to play on fall break. Second, if you don't like it send a letter to the post commander. Since you know so much about the military. Sorry Desales could come to Fort Knox to pad their stats.

 

The kids didn't make the commitment to play on fall break? They absolutely made the commitment. I don't think anyone forced them to play football. You know your season goes through fall break.

It's a mute point at this time. The game wasn't played, we got the 2-0 win. Ft Knox needs to do what's in their best interest. Remember. We didn't schedule the game. It was a district game the KHSAA scheduled it. Sucks it was our homecoming game.