Short passing to Horn was saved all year and run several times at key moments against Belfry last year. If 2006 lines up like 2004 , all run Kasey , replacing Josh ... The road to the ville is going to be very tough as Belfry and others will put 11 in the box. Look for Ivan to really work the passing game this year , even against the cupcakes. No doubt Jones is a player , just see Sizemore providing a better chance for clutch passing in big games. Brown was likely best QB at Russell I have ever seen in the clutch... His passing at Newport won that game , that other Russell teams found ways to lose...

When are Russell's scrimages and were are they being played?

Spring Valley in the morning at 10:00 (at Spring Valley)

 

Cabell Midland Tuesday at 6:00 at Russell

Spring Valley in the morning at 10:00 (at Spring Valley)

 

Cabell Midland Tuesday at 6:00 at Russell

 

Only 2 days rest after a football game? Some guys may still be sore on Tuesday. Especially since Spring Valley and Cabell Midland are generally both bigger than Russell.

Only 2 days rest after a football game? Some guys may still be sore on Tuesday. Especially since Spring Valley and Cabell Midland are generally both bigger than Russell.

 

Come on, I know your math is better than that. :D :jump: :laugh: :laugh:

Come on, I know your math is better than that. :D :jump: :laugh: :laugh:

 

 

Well, I didn't count tomorrow or Tuesday as rest days since they play on those days. So Sunday plus Monday equals 2. Unless I am missing something? I guess if you consider 24 hour periods, then you can say three days, but still that's quick for football.

Short passing to Horn was saved all year and run several times at key moments against Belfry last year. If 2006 lines up like 2004 , all run Kasey , replacing Josh ... The road to the ville is going to be very tough as Belfry and others will put 11 in the box. Look for Ivan to really work the passing game this year , even against the cupcakes. No doubt Jones is a player , just see Sizemore providing a better chance for clutch passing in big games. Brown was likely best QB at Russell I have ever seen in the clutch... His passing at Newport won that game , that other Russell teams found ways to lose...

 

Sizemore will be on the field but Jones is QB...like it or not, that is the way things stand right now with Jacob at the split end position. Jones is a capable passer and showed as much during passing league games. The team will be alright and there are many games for Russell and Belfry to worry about before they need to concern themselves with each other...:thumb:

You might be right , but the best chance for a repeat is with Sizemore. Brown was most all around athlete on last years team. This year that is likely Sizemore.... Think back , Mullins , Gabbard ,Wyant , etc , etc ... none were as clutch in big moments as Brown's passing. He was the wild card last year , who is going to be that this year ? Tyler might be this as a Senior.... One thing for sure , Ivan learned a lesson at Belfry in 2004 , in big games from then on the Devils passed the football ( with exception of State game as OC were poor tacklers) ... 2004 we waited to long to begin passing. Look for whoever to throw the ball alot ( for the devils ) this year. Especially with the athletes on this years team.

Short passing to Horn was saved all year and run several times at key moments against Belfry last year. If 2006 lines up like 2004 , all run Kasey , replacing Josh ... The road to the ville is going to be very tough as Belfry and others will put 11 in the box. Look for Ivan to really work the passing game this year , even against the cupcakes. No doubt Jones is a player , just see Sizemore providing a better chance for clutch passing in big games. Brown was likely best QB at Russell I have ever seen in the clutch... His passing at Newport won that game , that other Russell teams found ways to lose...

 

You have not been around awhile if Tommy was the best in the clutch you have ever seen at RUSSELL. Tommy was athletic- NO DOUBT- but the best you,ve seen ???????? You need to get out more LIL DEVIL !!!!!

Muncy, Couchot, Watkins......

Been going to Russell games for 21 years and played against the Devils in high school including a scrimmage against the state champs. Russell is alot of things but not a quarterback developement factory... Brown was special in the clutch... I can remember the center who high stepped out of the huddle ...

You might be right , but the best chance for a repeat is with Sizemore. Brown was most all around athlete on last years team. This year that is likely Sizemore.... Think back , Mullins , Gabbard ,Wyant , etc , etc ... none were as clutch in big moments as Brown's passing. He was the wild card last year , who is going to be that this year ? Tyler might be this as a Senior.... One thing for sure , Ivan learned a lesson at Belfry in 2004 , in big games from then on the Devils passed the football ( with exception of State game as OC were poor tacklers) ... 2004 we waited to long to begin passing. Look for whoever to throw the ball alot ( for the devils ) this year. Especially with the athletes on this years team.

 

 

I'll trust Ivan's coaching abilities before I'll trust yours. Your not at practice everyday, you don't know the developement of these players. Tommy was a great player last year, I'm not taking anything away from him or what he did for the team last year but for one to say he was the best all-around athlete on the team last year is something I don't see and two to say Jones can't do the job is just crazy. Russell does not need a Tim Couch in order to win. Tyler is a very capable passer and runner. The 2004 Belfry team was a good team, with the threads you've wrote you act like it was the coaching which lost that game. Like I said, I trust the Russell coaches judgement over yours' anyday, especially since they are at practice everyday and know these kids capabilities, unlike yourself. Ivan will play the kid that gives him the best chance to win. Period.

Don't remember even seeing Sizemore under center at this morning's scrimmage, but Jones sure did throw some nice balls...

This will certainly play out over the season .... I can't wait .... and in 2004 I remember Ivan saying in the paper and the banquet we had a chance to beat Belfry and it got away.

We all learn more from defeat than victory.... Play calling last year showed the old coach is also still learning. Passes to Horn against Belfry. Moving Kasey to corner on the interception to beat Belfry was based upon learning. Without Horn this corner was being exploited ...

 

I certainly am not coaching just observing. Sharing observations ( not coaching) is the intent of Bluegrass Preps.. One thing is for sure any observations will be played out by the kids on the field. That's what makes this interesting. Good Luck Devils ....

The Belfry game in 2004 was won by the more physical team...We wore down...They had probably the best 1-2 backfield punch in the state that year plus their fullback & QB were no sloutches...They "out-physicalled" us much like last year's Boyd Co game...The 2004 team was more speed & finese...The 2002 team would have been a better matchup for that Belfry team because they were bigger & more physical...But,if you think back turnovers were the difference in the game...There was a 2 touchdown swing right before the half...When Ivan talks about it getting away it wasn't because of the passing game or lack thereof...It got away because of the turnovers & the huge mental impact it had on the team...With 15, 16, & 17 year old boys you cannot downplay the emotional aspect of the game...If we go in at halftime ahead rather than behind and then don't turn it over to start the 2nd half, it may have been different...That's what Ivan meant...Suddenly, we aren't as tired & sore because our emotions & adrenaline are carrying us...The other team gets down & starts doubting themselves...That's the mental part of the game...

 

I think we can all agree that the road to Louisville had no Breathitt 2002 or Belfry 2003/2004 standing in our way...There should be no doubt in Devil fans' minds that both the 2002 & 2004 Russell teams would have certainly accomplished the same thing as last year's team had they traveled the same road as last year's team...It truly is ALL ABOUT TIMING!!!

 

Tommy Brown did a great job last year but I am not sure we can annoint him as Russell's all-time "best in the clutch" just because we won the state championship...The Newport game became desparation & as we've mentioned before, you have to catch some breaks & "the stars we in alignment" for us on that night...Tommy's completion percentage last year was only 48% while Mullins' was 44% the year before...That's hardly overwhelming...That means if both threw 100 passes, Tommy would have completed 4 more...Tommy's advantage was his threat to run and that can allow you more time to pass...In fact, I believe Elijiah set a single season record for completion accuracy his junior year...There have been MANY Russell qb's who have made huge clutch plays through the years...One drive in the Newport game does not make someone the best ever...Don't get me wrong, Tommy did a GREAT job last year but so have a lot of others through the years...It just wasn't necessarily Russell's time except for 1978...

 

Who knows how this year will pan out?? From what I've seen so far & in last year's championship game while Tommy was hurt, Jones can handle the position & get the job done...He led the team on a 5 play 70 scoring drive that was all passing in the scrimmage today & his accuracy looked really good...I trust that Ivan will once again make the right moves & put the right people in the right positions...He's done a "pretty decent" job of it through the years... :thumb:

2002 was a balanced team but Gabbard didn't hit the clutch passes Brown did against Mercer, Newport and Belfry. Likely because Ivan stayed with the running game and who wouldn't have. Gabbard never developed into the passer he could have been that kid was smart and an athlete.

2004 , I believe Ivan remembered losing to Lloyd in 2003 which critical interceptions spelled our doom and the game got out of control. But in the loss to Belfry , Ivan remember how effective , late in the game , the pass was. No doubt Belfry was better on the ground and more physical.

2005 , Newport ( and Mercer in the second half) loaded the box and we had to pass to win. Brown responded. Belfry also loaded the box but passing staggered the defending champ in the first half to the point we almost put them away. In the second half after the interception and Horn's injury , play calling went into the shell and Belfry shut us down totally.

 

I go thru this sequence to demonstrate that clutch passing put the 2005 Devils over the hump. Certainly 02 and 04 had more talent but 05 had clutch passing that neither of those teams brought to the table at the most critical times.

Last note , this same ability to hit big passes will be a huge factor in how far this group of Devils advance in the playoffs. Just as big as timing ... Because if we cannot pass , 11 in the box is coming .... Looking forward to a huge Devil year , with the athletes they have both running and passing should come balanced and very easy. Good luck to all the kids ...