What does Bell County need to do to improve in 2015? What do they need to keep doing to be successful? Remember, please be constructive.

I am looking forward to the Bell County input and defer to their fans with more intimate knowledge.

 

What I do know about 2015 Bell is the biggest questions in my mind will be:

- Can Bell manufacture more team speed and play making ability on offense?

- What significance does an easier path to the Semi's potentially have? Will it hurt or help them?

 

The painful truth about 2014 Bell to me was they were a big, strong team who simply lacked explosion. They were physical enough and fundamentally sound enough to allow them to keep it close against anyone they faced, but they simply lacked the big play ability to punish team's when they made a mistake. They also were adept at playing sound defense for 9 out of 10 plays..but that one time someone missed a tackle or assignment against a team with speed it was a fatal error. The team speed difference between the Top 5 teams in 3A in 2014 (Belfry, Central, South Warren, Tilghman, and Corbin) was noticeable and vast for the most part.

 

The blessing now is Central is far, far away. Wayne County also is gone. In exchange Bell gets a very weak opposing District with a very down Breathitt County. I will be shocked if it is not Bell vs. Corbin in the Regional Finals. The conundrum becomes whether Bell will flourish needing only to win two tough games.. or will it hinder them? Even with Corbin I am not sure they are going to see a buzzsaw on Belfry's level and a Semi-Finals birth will be new ground for this current Bobcat roster. Central used their tough Region as a springboard in the playoffs.

Bell County returns all of the O-line except for one. They should be fighting for the Regional Title with Corbin since their district is finally where it should be in the Mtns. Bell schedule early will let them see where they are and need to be at the end of the season playing Boyle Co the second game of the season.

Bell lost a lot on defense but returns their playmakers on offense. They did lose their two monster TE's that were difference makers at the end of the year. Better do it this year otherwise its all down hill from here.

Bell lost a lot on defense but returns their playmakers on offense. They did lose their two monster TE's that were difference makers at the end of the year. Better do it this year otherwise its all down hill from here.

 

I don't think it is all down hill have a great number of freshmen, sophmores adn juniors on the team. They have some work to do but I think they will be fine.

I don't think it is all down hill have a great number of freshmen, sophmores adn juniors on the team. They have some work to do but I think they will be fine.

 

Didn't they go two years in middle school with 0 wins. That never is a good thing.

Didn't they go two years in middle school with 0 wins. That never is a good thing.

 

No it is not but I don't think that has everything to do with it. Our Middle school coach left us for a year and he is back now that really hurt I think that will improve over the next few years.

How will the loss of Swanner alter the team?

^^^

 

Would have to think it will be significant on both sides of the ball.

 

Was probably going to be a two way starter it appeared.

How will the loss of Swanner alter the team?

 

Just depth IMO.

Didn't they go two years in middle school with 0 wins. That never is a good thing.

 

To be fair, middle school results mean nothing towards the future. I mean, I can think of a team where their graduating seniors didn't win a game their entire middle school careers and only 1 or 2 JV games. And they ended up being one of the most successful groups to go through the school.

 

Middle school is an entirely different animal.

New turf field for Bell Co this year and upgrades to facilities.

To be fair, middle school results mean nothing towards the future. I mean, I can think of a team where their graduating seniors didn't win a game their entire middle school careers and only 1 or 2 JV games. And they ended up being one of the most successful groups to go through the school.

 

Middle school is an entirely different animal.

 

Not sure I subscribe to the theory it means "nothing". Don't think it means everything...but more often than not success does translate.

 

The best Middle School team Belfry ever fielded immediately translated to Freshman starters and back to back State Titles. In fact, Belfry's current dominant run coincides directly with the consolidation of their feeder system (4 State Titles and 4 Runner-Ups since 2003).

 

I do agree it is not the be all/end all of determining success... but at the same time I would say the vast majority of State Champion programs were led by a successful run of Feeder School Success..and the vast majority of "bad" teams in the run of great programs probably weren't the best crops during their Middle School days.

Not sure I subscribe to the theory it means "nothing". Don't think it means everything...but more often than not success does translate.

 

The best Middle School team Belfry ever fielded immediately translated to Freshman starters and back to back State Titles. In fact, Belfry's current dominant run coincides directly with the consolidation of their feeder system (4 State Titles and 4 Runner-Ups since 2003).

 

I do agree it is not the be all/end all of determining success... but at the same time I would say the vast majority of State Champion programs were led by a successful run of Feeder School Success..and the vast majority of "bad" teams in the run of great programs probably weren't the best crops during their Middle School days.

 

Say what! Dont let other see this, they tell you your a looney bin.

I don't think it is all down hill have a great number of freshmen, sophmores adn juniors on the team. They have some work to do but I think they will be fine.

See Bobcat, not all that it seems, right? I will take Middlesboro speed over the bobcats this year. Catch us if you can.