I'm not quite ready to proclaim Hopkinsville a Top 10 team.. I think W.Central or F.Simpson either should be ahead of them.. I think Caldwell will be better than most are counting on and I do expect them to beat out PT for the 3a district title. Christian Co will be outstanding on the offensive end, but, the question will be, can they keep other teams from scoring 40 a game? It may not be a popular opinion, but, I expect O'boro Red Devils to unseat BG in the 5a Region finals this year..

This may be the strongest year in quite some time for WKY... seems like a lot of programs who are typically kind of 2nd or 3rd tier are set to have big seasons.

So will Meade County and the Hardin County schools be in the Louisville district? Ouch, tough to make the top ten there.

Hardin County should be out west this year (Central Hardin)

I think Caldwell has kind of become an after thought in 3A..most I think are viewing them in the 8-12 range... but most also are thinking Tilghman will be the clear cut #5 team in the State.

 

I dont see Tilghman though listed in the Top 10... do you expect Caldwell to beat Tilghman for the District?

 

Is Tilghman being overrated or Caldwell underrated by most in 3A?

 

I think even I have possibly even overstated the significance of Sindelair leaving... Caldwell and Corbin are pretty similar teams if you think about it. Both have massive rosters and took some graduation hits, and both were pretty comparable quality of teams in 2014.

 

Could Caldwell be the biggest sleeper in 3A?

 

ATL, Paducah Tilghman will be a good team. To me, they usually beat the teams they are supposed to and lose to the teams they are supposed to and I admire that their schedule is always tough, but I think the word that pops out to me most for the Blue Tornado is inconsistent. Personally, I don't see that changing.

Caldwell County is an afterthought for most because of the loss of Sindelar and I get that. When comparing them to Tilghman, I think it is pretty close, but IMO Cain will be the best player on the field and he tips the scales there way. Plus that game is at Caldwell Co this year.

At the end of the day, if Hopkinsville lines up against Warren Central Week 0, you're telling me you would take the Tigers? I surely wouldn't. But as you say, everything is fluid.

 

DFire, I would Hopkinsville at a neutral field. I think Shanklin is better than Hopkinsville's QB, but that's it. Colin Burnham top rusher and Feggins top receiver are gone for WC. Right now, their coach is better than your coach from 10,000 feet. Let's talk after the first games.

With all due respect to Purples88, to put an incoming QB with no career starts in a category above Devin Hayes and Scooter Hollis is borderline insanity. Hayes was 29-0 as a starter and BG won their pool both years he QB'd at the SE 7 on 7 in Dalton. Hayes is the best pure passer EVER at BGHS (numbers don't lie), and in my opinion, it is not even close. It is unfair to put those kind of expectations on Payne.

 

As for the rankings

 

TOO LOW: Christian County (could be the biggest surprise in KY, great young talent), Paducah Tilghman (a recurring theme of good young talent in WKY and too much speed to be left out of the top 10), Warren Central (will benefit from the move to 4A), Franklin-Simpson (another team with outstanding young talent)

 

TOO HIGH: Bowling Green (youth/inexperience in both lines could spell trouble early), Hopkinsville (cant see them above several teams that are left out)

 

TEAMS THAT WILL BE BETTER THAN YOU THINK: Christian County, Russellville, Glasgow

 

Bear,

My comment was "I am told Mr. Payne is a very accurate passer, maybe the best since Trent Stillman", which means someone close to the program told me this. I have only seen him play on very limited occasions. However, I saw Devin Hayes and Scooter Hollis on all but 2 games that they started combined as a Purple and I concur that they were both fantastic QBs. I did not make that statement as you say. I agree it is too much to put on a young QB. I made the statement above to provide insight that others closer to the team than I might provide BGP members with better insight to the new QB.

 

On the other teams being too high and too low (of which all were mentioned in my list but Glasgow), you are clearly entitled to your opinion, selecting a top 10 of 52 teams based on what we all perceive from teams that haven't played a game yet is why we have this forum to discuss it.

Damion Carter is back for Henderson County kinda seems like they are saying he is gone. He has a chance to become Henderson County All time rusher.

 

Sorry cols, didn't mean to insinuate that, but heard he is a super RB. Maybe I should have said "Damion Carter returns for Henderson County".:thumb:

If these rankings are right then Henderson has one of the toughest schedules in western ky. They play Christian, Caldwell, Mccracken, and Owensboro. Plus Evansville Reitz, Memorial, and Gibson Southern out of Indiana. Only weaker opponents will be district games that they have to play. With that said Henderson will be lucky to finish 5-5.

 

That is tough cols; I probably didn't give it its due because of the out of state teams, but on the contrary I probably should have because district mate Daviess County doesn't do that and probably should.

I'm not quite ready to proclaim Hopkinsville a Top 10 team.. I think W.Central or F.Simpson either should be ahead of them.. I think Caldwell will be better than most are counting on and I do expect them to beat out PT for the 3a district title. Christian Co will be outstanding on the offensive end, but, the question will be, can they keep other teams from scoring 40 a game? It may not be a popular opinion, but, I expect O'boro Red Devils to unseat BG in the 5a Region finals this year..

 

Great points UKfballfan! Again, I went back and forth on the teams closer to 10 and we will all be watching them as the season gets going. Will be fun!

As much as I don't like your last sentence, I can't say it can't happen, because I know they gave BG everything they wanted last year. I look for Owensboro and BG to play twice this year. Have you heard who O is looking at for their QB?

Hardin County should be out west this year (Central Hardin)

 

HCP, if they were it would be a different list (JHardin too).

DFire, I would Hopkinsville at a neutral field. I think Shanklin is better than Hopkinsville's QB, but that's it. Colin Burnham top rusher and Feggins top receiver are gone for WC. Right now, their coach is better than your coach from 10,000 feet. Let's talk after the first games.

 

You've been around here enough to know that while I'll always laud the various running backs for Central, and some are better than others, it's easily the most replaceable position for the Dragons, year after year. Feggins is a body blow for certain, but Burnham is not that. Hoptown lost their top two rushers, and the only real difference is they had other guys that consistently carried the ball. The Dragons will be just fine at that position. They do have Murray and Mitchell back, both who were solid at WR. Now coach, that we're certainly going to have to see, since Clay has never been HC before.

 

Just saying, at the end of the day, even with the inconsistencies, the Christian County results from last year are the only evidence that Hoptown was even in the same stratosphere, and that's when you ignore the 38 point shelling at the beginning of the year. You're talking a megaton leap forward for Hoptown to come back from losses of 60, 38, and 38 in the last three years to Central. Hoptown is improving, and Central is not at the same clip they were in 2012, but it's not that dramatic.

 

But I'll leave you alone until the games go! You know I'll be here to call you right if you are. :thumb:

 

P.S. - I think I'm going to defer to Bear3 on the Purple QB question. No offense to your source, but I've got a feeling Bear3 has the better feel for it.

As far as the statement of Clark Payne, Purples signal caller, being an accurate passer since Steelman, has no ill intent for Hayes and Scooter. I know that Hayes has been one of Purple88s favorite players. Both Hayes and Scooter were as good of HS players as you will see.

 

I think those that know the program and the Purples players that Scooter, scooted. His feet did his talking. Hayes was Hayes. Unreal HS QB. You have to admit that as good as he was, having Fant catch 98% of ALL balls thrown his way, certainly helped. Ask St X, Blackman, McCallie and Central about who beat them. Fant.

 

Clark Payne will be beyond green. Give him Fant and he immediately becomes legit.

 

Forums are made for discussions. No experts on here. Just opioions of people making observations of 17 year old kids. No one knows Payne yet. I get it. Come to some of their games and he will hit receivers between the numbers.

But I'll leave you alone until the games go! You know I'll be here to call you right if you are. :thumb:

 

P.S. - I think I'm going to defer to Bear3 on the Purple QB question. No offense to your source, but I've got a feeling Bear3 has the better feel for it.

 

DFire, I think you have good points here. For me at this stage of the game in the preseason of 2015, I just like the Tigers a little bit better. I could be wrong (won't be the last time) and if I am I'll admit it.

 

On the Bear comment, all I want to get straight is that I wasn't trying to say nor did I say Mr. Payne was above Hayes and Hollis. I was trying to pass along information from someone I feel is credible with the program who is also excited about his progress. Simple as that. My apologies if it came across differently.

I would assume Mayfield is too high to begin the season based on having a young inexperienced line that will need time to develop. I suspect the Cards will drop a couple of games early while they are working on this learning curve and I hope that by midseason they will turn the corner and become a pretty good football team. Their skill positions are absolutely loaded