I dont get why people are getting so upset with Belfry fans calling it a practice. That is even what Coach Haywood will call it. Belfry has played some close scrimage games to teams that havent won a game before. And Haywood does run alot of players in and out and he did against the JC game. And he didnt really run what really works for Belfry but instead stuck to what needed improvement. They are no reason to show what works real well to a bunch of scouts at the game. Most JC fans know we will be tuff and about everyone else knows it to. JC has a good team this year and Jim is creating the excitment that he hoped to create and I wish him nothing but the best. But Jim and Coach Haywood does look at a scrimage 2 different ways and that shows as a result. Thats why Haywood will only do the 10 plays a piece scrimage, he dont want to turn it into a score competition but rather a practice.

The same with Jivan Ivan at Russell, scrimmages are times to work on other plays, well other that the 6 running plays and the 2 pass play we run all year. I think we work on 3 more run plays from a different formation and a pass play that you never see in the real season.

Good to see JC has the program heading in the right direction.

Played well in a scrimmage...the key word is scrimmage, Doesn't mean anything...some coaches look at it as practice...to see how players handle game type situations...some coaches use it as a confidence builder and keep score and fans get way too excited on fan forums.

It's a scrimmage...doesn't count in any record books....relax everyone, it's ten days til the regular season.

Belfry and Johnson Central, Good Luck to you both!!!!

How have the scrimmage games between these 2 turned out in the past? I feel like it's the same every year, JC coming away feeling good. And Belfry sticking with the fact that these games don't mean a whole lot. Seems like Belfry has done alright for themselves in the past couple years.

I hear that JCHS will be unstopable this year :flame:

 

I wouldn't get carried away, Brat. I may take some heat for this, but they have a long way to go to be dominant.

 

I do think they looked better than any JC team we have scrimmaged in the past several years, but we made them look better than they are. And in the division they compete in, I see them as being better than average but not anywhere near unstoppable.

I wouldn't get carried away, Brat. I may take some heat for this, but they have a long way to go to be dominant.

 

I do think they looked better than any JC team we have scrimmaged in the past several years, but we made them look better than they are. And in the division they compete in, I see them as being better than average but not anywhere near unstoppable.

Comparisons to past years is valid only back to Jim Matney's arrival at JC. The Belfry scrimmages were high points in the three dismal seasons that preceded his arrival. Belfry played the Golden Eagles at JC's peak. Like Belfry, Matney's teams improve greatly during the regular season and just as I believe that it is premature to be crowning JC state champs or even contenders for the title, I think that it is way to early to dismiss them as an "above average" team. They have won just as many playoff games this season as anybody else in the state and the team has improved each year since Matney took the job.

Thanks, Dino. What you say has some truth to it, but I am not merely making comparisons to prior years and I am not just reading their scores in the papers either. I've watched them a few times each year in addition to the Belfry scrimmages and I follow Matney's teams, so I feel like I am familiar enough with them to make my own assessment. I wish them the best and I hope Jim can run the table in 3A, but from what I have seen, I don't think they will. I think this is the best JC team in several years, but not nearly good enough to win their region. I hope I'm wrong.

I wouldn't get carried away, Brat. I may take some heat for this, but they have a long way to go to be dominant.

 

I do think they looked better than any JC team we have scrimmaged in the past several years, but we made them look better than they are. And in the division they compete in, I see them as being better than average but not anywhere near unstoppable.

 

 

Yes we helped make them look good lol. But I'm not getting carried away and I didn't make this post based on the scrimmage. I said "I hear JC will be...." and I wish them the best. As I do ALL the mountain teams when they are not playing against Belfry and I do think they are getting better every year :thumb:

Thanks, Dino. What you say has some truth to it, but I am not merely making comparisons to prior years and I am not just reading their scores in the papers either. I've watched them a few times each year in addition to the Belfry scrimmages and I follow Matney's teams, so I feel like I am familiar enough with them to make my own assessment. I wish them the best and I hope Jim can run the table in 3A, but from what I have seen, I don't think they will. I think this is the best JC team in several years, but not nearly good enough to win their region. I hope I'm wrong.

I respect your opinion, Watusi, but there may be no team in the state good enough to win JC's region this year outside of Rockcastle County. Johnson Central could emerge as a legitimate top 5 3A team and still get pounded in the regional title game. We won't know how good they are until a state champ is crowned at the end of the season.

 

BTW, I never said that JC was good enough to run the table, only that they are good enough to have a shot at an unbeaten regular season. I think that North Laurel and Ashland are the only teams on the Golden Eagles' schedule who will not be solid underdogs when they play JC. Last season, the Golden Eagles opened with a very inexperienced secondary against an experienced passing team in South Laurel. This season, JC's secondary and its defense should be among its strengths.

 

Matney's situation at Johnson Central is much different than the one that he had at Sheldon Clark. JC is one of the largest 3A schools in the state and should never have a rebuilding season competing in 3A. Of course, JC will no longer be a big fish in the pond, enrollment-wise beginning next season. Johnson Central may not run the regular season table this season, but the potential for an unbeaten regular season is probably the best that it has ever been.

^ All true.

:banana: All in all, I think that the JC fans are excited about the coming year...not necessarily bragging about a scrimmage or state playoffs just the fact that they have high hopes this coming season, as every team should. Good Luck to every team this season.

I respect your opinion, Watusi, but there may be no team in the state good enough to win JC's region this year outside of Rockcastle County. Johnson Central could emerge as a legitimate top 5 3A team and still get pounded in the regional title game. We won't know how good they are until a state champ is crowned at the end of the season.

 

BTW, I never said that JC was good enough to run the table, only that they are good enough to have a shot at an unbeaten regular season. I think that North Laurel and Ashland are the only teams on the Golden Eagles' schedule who will not be solid underdogs when they play JC. Last season, the Golden Eagles opened with a very inexperienced secondary against an experienced passing team in South Laurel. This season, JC's secondary and its defense should be among its strengths.

 

Matney's situation at Johnson Central is much different than the one that he had at Sheldon Clark. JC is one of the largest 3A schools in the state and should never have a rebuilding season competing in 3A. Of course, JC will no longer be a big fish in the pond, enrollment-wise beginning next season. Johnson Central may not run the regular season table this season, but the potential for an unbeaten regular season is probably the best that it has ever been.

 

That's what I'm talking about, Dino. These kids believe, and they have tons of talent too. Regardless of what we or anyone on here thinks, they think they're going to be state champs. If they believe that, I'm on board too, and while the odds are heavily stacked against them, look at how long it took Belfry, from old coach Roddy until just a few years ago, to actually win one. Belfry football has been East Kentucky's version of Friday Night Lights for several decades, and I know for a fact that all those old timers lived the delusion that they would be state champs each and every year, until it finally happened. I think this is the most talented, versatile team that Central has ever put on the field. I think Matney believes that too, but regardless, there's no harm in vocalizing the same goal that the kids end practice with every day.

That's what I'm talking about, Dino. These kids believe, and they have tons of talent too. Regardless of what we or anyone on here thinks, they think they're going to be state champs. If they believe that, I'm on board too, and while the odds are heavily stacked against them, look at how long it took Belfry, from old coach Roddy until just a few years ago, to actually win one. Belfry football has been East Kentucky's version of Friday Night Lights for several decades, and I know for a fact that all those old timers lived the delusion that they would be state champs each and every year, until it finally happened. I think this is the most talented, versatile team that Central has ever put on the field. I think Matney believes that too, but regardless, there's no harm in vocalizing the same goal that the kids end practice with every day.

:thumb: All great points, BrewDog. Every team that has ever won multiple state titles had to get over the hump of winning that first one. In most cases, people from around the state are shocked when a first time state champ is crowned. Bourbon County, Bell County, and Boyle County all once had their fair share of skeptics.

 

Best of luck to both Belfry and Johnson Central for a healthy and successful season!

C'mon Eagle mamas! Pay foothills and get hooked back up! Little help? (Honey, where's my fishin' pole? I'm goin' out to the lake to jack some jaws, 'cause they ain't nothin' hittin' here).

I think you have to be very careful in getting "too high or too low" on any team...based on the results of scrimmage play. A scrimmage is what it is...a practice against some new blood. nothing more..nothing less. These remarks are not meant to take away from either teams over all performance. However, as a former coach...you try to use a scrimmage to gage what you need to work on...and gleen a little insight as to how your players are grasping the system.

 

Good Luck to all the mountain teams!