I thought this was a message board. When did any fan on a message board of any sport at any level speak for the team? Im not doing that now. Like I said I got this Idea for the thread from an article I read. He predicted MERCER to go 10-0 in the regular season. I asked him his thoughts about the season in general after he saw last saturdays improvement from week 1. He told me if he had to do it all over he would have said 15-0. Now I know he just has an opinion as well. I was just curious with what some of the fans thought about the potential of this team. I think the players know they have to earn the respect. The fans have nothing to do with that. So please no need to take offense and lash at me. If you think I shouldn't have started a thread like that then why don't you tell the Danville Advocate for making such predictions. I never made one myself. What I say doesnt reflect the team. Who am I. Just like you. Somebody on a message board.

No offense intended :thumb: Vaughts "undefeated" article was not well received by quite a few folks either. However, he and his staff annually make predictions....so the forum was right in that case. Plus he is not from Mercer, which is the difference between compliment and obnoxious.

No, not meant as an accusation of cheating. Just a comparison that if Team A suddenly received 30 players from Team B it would create quite a stir. I probably used a bad analogy, but the point I was making is that under both scenarios, some people are going to see that as unfair.

 

It is an unusual situation. A team jumps that much in enrollment and remains in the class to compete against teams with much lower enrollment. You have to expect people to talk about it.

 

If it were Belfry and Pikeville, I'm sure the reaction would be much the same.

You are absolutely correct. Most people won't stop to consider the huge sheduling mess that would have occured by bumping Mercer into a different class, region, and district. While I rarely agree with most of the KHSAA decisions, I think there was no choice in this case.

A team jumps that much in enrollment and remains in the class to compete against teams with much lower enrollment. You have to expect people to talk about it.

Especially when people start talking about going 15-0 and bragging about dominating 2A football.......when you will be moving into 5A next year with some teams that are 4A this year. I know, it's not Mercers fault, but I don't believe anyone was saying much about it until the 15-0 talk....

I think there are some people that take this stuff too seriously. It probably would be a good idea to close this thread out.

Why close it? It's been one of the more interesting topics this week,and it's not got out of hand...

No don't close it out, I love it, I love it, I love it.

 

:laugh:

 

The players themselves want to win the state title. So do the players at Boyle, danville, Russellville, Bowling Green(Unfinished Business),

insert your high school here. You have to live here to understand the hype involved in all of this. I moved to the area in 1997, and finally this year, people are excited about football in Mercer County. Harrodsburg has had excellent teams and talent but never won a title. They sit next door to Titletown, so yeah, Mercer County fans are excited and they have every reason to be. And yes, I do believe that a rivalry will develop between Mercer County and Boyle County as well as Mercer and Danville. Who really is the big dog between the two counties? I'd like to know and I'm sure a few thousand people would like to know as well. I work at a factory where bragging rights and high school pride rule the hallways and I know that it is the same at all the other factories in the area. There will be arguments all day tomorrow about Boyle and Danville and a lot of eating crow come Monday. Then it'll be Mercer and Boyle arguments starting on Monday as well. Mercer fans have never entered the arguments until this year. I welcome it, I love it, and the more that people hate on Mercer, the stronger they will get. They kind of remind me of Boyle County when I moved here, but I doubt Mercer will win 5 in a row. Regardless of the fact, we will see how this year plays out, we'll see if they can be the best team in 2A at the end, but I will say this, it will take a very good team to beat them. Russell, Belfry, Newport or whomever it may be had better be ready to play because this team is for real. And I am not a Mercer fan, but I love to watch them play.

 

Cory Jackson is my hero.

No offense intended :thumb: Vaughts "undefeated" article was not well received by quite a few folks either. However, he and his staff annually make predictions....so the forum was right in that case. Plus he is not from Mercer, which is the difference between compliment and obnoxious.

 

 

Trust me I know. I remember in 1988 he predicted Mercer would beat Danville. Danville was loaded but Mercer had more size and hard nosed backs. Well Mercer went 10-2 with both losses to Danville via BLOWOUT! I reminded him about that year when I read his article the other day. That's where my thread was originated from. But I thought about it. If we are able to beat Boyle somehow. And beat Newport I wasn't sure anyone in the district could challenge us. So I went to the next level and that's where my thread originated from. 10-0 is possibile. But I should have worded my thread different. It wasn't in anyway meant to be disrespectful. It was after getting back from the first game in front of the home crowd. Now that was history and it was pretty cool seeing everybody as one on the team, stands, and spread out everywhere. Even on the hill with everybody tailgating. It was an awesome site for the fans to see their team walk down the hill from the school to the field between all the tailgaters lined everywhere. I've never seen that kind of excitement in awhile at a high school game around here. And I guess I was still riding that high from a great evening and set myself up for alot of backlash. I apologize to anyone I offended. It wasn't meant to be a negative to anyone. I should have paid closer attention.

Sorry I meant after the upcoming mercer/boyle game, that there is a great possibilty to see a rivalry between mercer and boyle because of the caliber of both programs.

 

 

I would love to still see Danville/Boyle/Mercer play each other as much as possible. I know Mercer has been the little brother the last several years since Boyle had risen to a state power. I think Mercer being 5A wont give them too much of an advantage over Danville. The ADS might be small in terms of school size but they are anything but that with football. I know back in the 80's and early 90's Danville could beat anybody in the state. I remember when Steel Valley from Pennsylvania who were one of the very best teams in the country came down and played a televised game against the ADS at commonwealth stadium. Charlie Batch was the QB for that team that beat Danville. Danville played with them. But that game happened cause not even the Louisville powers could beat Danville that year.

Why close it? It's been one of the more interesting topics this week,and it's not got out of hand...

 

 

Sounds good to me.

Just to get back on topic, one key point that needs to be considered is that to these Mercer kids a long playoff run is unfamiliar territory. Part of why Belfry, Russell, Breathitt, Owensboro Cath, et all has such a mark in 2A is the fact they are able to advance deep in the playoffs on a consistent basis. There is a HUGE difference in games 13, 14, and 15...compared to games 11 and 12.

 

It's also worth noting that when Mercer gets to the Belfry's and Russell's of the world the run defense becomes considerably better than a South Laurel or LCA. In fact...if we are talking about the best backfield's in the state I'm not so sure that Mercer County is even ahead of Belfry or Russell.

Just to get back on topic, one key point that needs to be considered is that to these Mercer kids a long playoff run is unfamiliar territory. Part of why Belfry, Russell, Breathitt, Owensboro Cath, et all has such a mark in 2A is the fact they are able to advance deep in the playoffs on a consistent basis. There is a HUGE difference in games 13, 14, and 15...compared to games 11 and 12.

 

It's also worth noting that when Mercer gets to the Belfry's and Russell's of the world the run defense becomes considerably better than a South Laurel or LCA. In fact...if we are talking about the best backfield's in the state I'm not so sure that Mercer County is even ahead of Belfry or Russell.

I agree by game 13...there are no cupcakes left. Mercer does however have more than one coach besides Coach Jaggers that have been to game 15. That gives the program itself somewhat of an advantage. Russell and Belfry have players with this experience which gives them a better advantage.

I disagree with your assesment of Mercers backfield. I prefer all things factual and shy away from the hype. Here are the facts about Mercer's rushing attack..

4 backs that compliment each other with varying styles from mind blowing speed to bone jarring create a hole running.

4500+ rushing yards between them last year.

Over 50 TD's between them last year.

An effective passing game (2:1 TD to Int ratio last year); just to remind defenses to abandon stacking the line of scrimmage.

And last but certainly not least...Mercer is not one dimensional in their running attack which makes them unique. While the wishbone is their preferred method of attack..they have the ability and experience to run out of mulitple formations which gives them the ability to adjust.

Don't know how far Mercer will advance this year, but it'll be better than what the old Mercer or Harrodsburg could go. They will no doubt be a team to reckon with in the future.

One other reason Mercer is so fired up is that they really believe that had Brandon Scheller been able to play against Russell last year the game very likely could have turned out differently. Even with out him they seemed to wear out Russell in the 4th quarter last year and consequently they believe they were as good as the eventual state champions, without the Harrodsburg players. A confident team can be VERY dangerous.

Just to get back on topic, one key point that needs to be considered is that to these Mercer kids a long playoff run is unfamiliar territory. Part of why Belfry, Russell, Breathitt, Owensboro Cath, et all has such a mark in 2A is the fact they are able to advance deep in the playoffs on a consistent basis. There is a HUGE difference in games 13, 14, and 15...compared to games 11 and 12.

 

It's also worth noting that when Mercer gets to the Belfry's and Russell's of the world the run defense becomes considerably better than a South Laurel or LCA. In fact...if we are talking about the best backfield's in the state I'm not so sure that Mercer County is even ahead of Belfry or Russell.

 

I take it that you know nothing about the backfield of Mercer. Just my assumption.

He hasn't, heck we haven't, there's still one running back missing. See ya on the 15th.

 

Cory Jackson was my hero, but now Josh Miller is.