Running clock in all games except Christian Co./Murray I believe.

 

As would every other team in the top 10 versus that schedule.

I would say there is not a whole lot of difference between the top 5 teams. CAL does play the toughest schedule of the 5, I keep seeing that Caldwell's schedule is weak and I have looked at the other top 5 teams and see 5 or more weak teams on their schedule that nobody is talking about.We will see how it plays out, Murray had a great defense and Caldwell won at Murray and scored more than Mayfield did on them and Murray has gotten better each week with their new system. As for the the weak defense comments, most of the games were out of hand at halftime and the starters were out, not sure where that's coming from if you have seen any of the games.

 

Since this beef really only seems to be about CAL and DeSales in comparison to Caldwell Co., I'm going to cry shenanigans on this one. If there are "five weak teams" on either CAL's or DeSales' schedule — a highly fanciful notion — let's hear who they are. Based on my examination, the only really weak teams are ones they have to play in district.

Agree. The only true gauge on how rankings should really work.....how did the team perform against other top ranked teams and/or how did they perform against larger schools, etc. The other quality that is being lost in comparisons - and there is not an easy way to measure - were top players out for injury or some other reason. There are too many intangibles in HS football to worry about anything except who comes out of top on Dec. 5th. Anything other is semantics. That said, it's always fun for us has-beens to talk it up on BlueGrassPreps!

Since this beef really only seems to be about CAL and DeSales in comparison to Caldwell Co., I'm going to cry shenanigans on this one. If there are "five weak teams" on either CAL's or DeSales' schedule — a highly fanciful notion — let's hear who they are. Based on my examination, the only really weak teams are ones they have to play in district.

If you have looked at the schedule, you know who they are, I'm not saying Caldwell doesn't have some weak teams on their schedule. Cal and DeSales schedules may be slightly tougher but that's about it, there has always been a mindset that if you don't play schools from the Louisville or Northern KY area, then you are not as good as they are, which needs to be changed

I do not disagree. I played HS ball years ago in Eastern Ky and I totally understand the mindset.

OK folks, let's compare it all side-by-side

 

CAL

@LCA — W27-3 — 2A team that’s nothing special this year at 5-3, but usually solid — crushed Mayfield in 2009 state championship

@Eastern — W45-10 — way down this year, but two years removed from 6A state semifinals and region finals the year before that

North Oldham — W24-21 — 5-2 this year, usually a top-10 4A team

Thomas Nelson — W42-0 — district game, middle-of-the-road in 2A

@Washington Co. — W56-7 — district game, middle-of-the-road in 2A

Shawnee — W43-0 — district game, middle-of-the-road in 2A

Bardstown — W21-7 — district game, top 5 in 2A

@Ft. Knox — W43-0 — district game, one of the weakest teams in the state

@DeSales — W17-0 — district game, then-No. 1 in 2A and defending state champ

Male — No. 1 overall in the state, 6A runner-up last year

 

DeSales

@Holy Cross — W31-0 — No. 9 in 1A, beating opponents by average margin of 24.7ppg in their 7 wins

Grayson Co. — W30-6 — 5A school many have suggested should be in top 10 in their class, but admittedly with no real tradition

Warren Central — W37-12 — No. 3 in 5A, traditional powerhouse on the upswing again

Washington Co. — W47-10 — district game, middle-of-the-road in 2A

@Shawnee — W65-16 — district game, middle-of-the-road in 2A

@Bardstown — W 39-14 — district game, No. 5 in 2A

Ft. Knox — 2-0 forfeit win — district game, one of the weakest teams in the state

CAL — L17-0 — Now No. 1 in 2A

@Thomas Nelson — district game, middle-of-the-road in 2A

@Southern — 6A bottom-feeder

 

Caldwell Co.

@Christian Co. — W78-57 — perennial WKY 5A power that appears down this year

Union Co. — W62-27 — 2A school that’s back to reality after a great year last year

Ohio Co. — W72-27 — 5A bottom-feeder

Trigg Co. — W50-20 — middle-of-the-road 3A, hasn’t won a playoff game since ‘09

@Ft. Campbell — W55-7 — 3A squad that’s been down the past few years after a great run of state titles in 2A last decade

@Ballard Mem. — W55-18 — district game — having a solid season, but they’re 3rd banana in their district the way Bardstown is in 2AD4

@Murray — W31-24 — district game, No. 7 in 2A

Crittenden Co. — district game, Rockets have struggled since moving up to 2A

@Mayfield — No. 1 in 1A

Pretty solid analysis of each opponent!

 

The only part I would somewhat disagree on is the status of Thomas Nelson, Washington Co., and Shawnee. I think they are very weak along with Crittenden and Ballard.

 

I have said this before, I also think Murray is better than Bardstown.

 

We are over analyzing in this debate though. These 3 teams will get a chance to slug it out!

Pretty solid analysis of each opponent!

 

The only part I would somewhat disagree on is the status of Thomas Nelson, Washington Co., and Shawnee. I think they are very weak along with Crittenden and Ballard.

 

I have said this before, I also think Murray is better than Bardstown.

 

We are over analyzing in this debate though. These 3 teams will get a chance to slug it out!

 

Thanks! I figured this debate on schedule strength would be a bit easier with it all laid out in front of us.

 

W/re to TNHS, WC and Shawnee, your comments are probably fair. Tough to tell for sure when all we really have to work with is Cantrall and Litratings for those outside of the top 10. They're definitely closer to the bottom than the top, but that may speak more to the general strength of 2A.

 

That TNHS and Shawnee both pounded Knox — and I expect WC to do the same — was my basis for calling them middle-of-the-road squads in 2A. Regardless, those weren't games DeSales and CAL could avoid, same way Caldwell can't avoid Ballard and Crittenden.

 

Who you choose to schedule speaks more in this debate than who you have to schedule.

Sooooo … I guess it's fair to say post #36 settled the debate about whose schedule is stronger?

Looks to me like they are just about even, they all play some strong teams and some weak teams and some rivals that may be a bit down, but rivals nonetheless, there will always be disagreements about strength of schedule. CAL playing Male might give them the edge.

I really don't think it's that big a deal who is ranked No. 1 right now. Ranking CAL No. 1 just means it may be more deserving today, it doesn't mean CAL could/should/would beat Caldwell County if the two should meet.

 

I just wonder if CAL and/or DeSales has faced anyone with a quarterback/passing game similar to Caldwell's. Games always come down to matchups. I don't know enough about CAL or DeSales to know if they can defend Caldwell's passing game AND keep running back Jaylen Boyd in check. Similarly, I don't know enough about CAL or DeSales to know what they do offensively. Caldwell's defense, despite its continued perceived weakness, is good enough to stop a one-dimensional offense, but will probably struggle against a more balanced offense.

 

I think the state semifinal will come down to CAL or DeSales vs. Caldwell or OCath. Should be an interesting matchup either way. (And, no, I don't think Murray gets past OCath this time around.)

 

Whichever one of those four teams gets to Bowling Green will have earned it.