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 ...

 

 

Have you ever heard of Kasey Clark. If I remember correctly, Kasey had a pretty good playoffs last year. You act like Tommy was the reason we won state. There were 22 guys on the team who won that champioship on the field including Tommy. Kasey had 36 carries for 196 yards in the title game. Tommy was not the only player out there. I'm done argueing with you about Russell, you obviously think your a football genious and have all the answers. Until you rack up as many wins as Ivan, I'll go with Ivan's judgement because you don't know these kids. You don't know their capabilities. You're not a Russell fan, you're a Russell critic.

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 ....

 

 

Come on, don't act like you know what Ivan's thinking. All you have is your assumptions, that's it.

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 ...

 

Rob Tulley then Tony Burgess copied the step, then Sam Smith in the mid 80's,then Danny Watts later continued the tradition of the high step. I think it was outlawed at sometime at a playoff game and Russell was told that if the center did it again they would be penalized.

Now for Tommy Brown--!!! Great Kid but I dont see his stats on the high school record with Tyler Wyant, Michael Gabbard, Mike Couchot.