article WKY Power Rankings - Offseason Discussion

[Purple88]

Saul Brady is one the most underrated players around. The senior to be has had back to back seasons of putting together 2,000 all-purpose yard seasons. He has done this while playing every snap on defense as well. Besides Saul Brady I really like our Fullbacks - Carlos McKinney returns at FB and will be a junior and has gotten better with every game he has played. Currently Carlos looks really good in the weight room and is weighing right at 220. He has added about 15 pounds of muscle.The second FB James Baker is a tremendous athlete that returns as a starter on defense but can really be explosive on the offensive side. Senior to be Cade Harvey has led our team the last two years in tackles but will also be a FB and could help us at TE as well. I also look for big things from Junior to be running back Tre' Bass. He has added some really good muscle to his quickness. There are two strong candidates for QB in Rylan Thomas and Conner Rogers. If 6'5 receiver Jevon Covington develops consistency in his game he will be a key at WR. The offensive line should be very talented but will be 'green'. By the time we hit district play they will have faced some very good teams like E-town, South Warren, Greenwood and Glasgow to name a few. With 7 starters returning on defense we could develop into a pretty good defense again this year. There are many other things I could post but I'll leave it at that. Very tough preseason will force us to step up and improve. As always the injury bug will have something to say about how well we develop. Lot's of work to put in between now and then.

 

Coach,

 

GREAT Post! I enjoyed reading about your team to be in 2017. I think the ground work was laid from last seasons efforts for this coming team to follow and maybe add to it. I really like the Wildcats and Hopkinsville in 4A West this coming season. Should be another great year!

 

Best of luck moving forward!

[DragonFire]

I think Greenwood is going to be in future conversations with BG, CC and Oboro, maybe even SW on occasion.

 

I love what Greenwood has done under Seabolt. A huge, huge test for them will come after this year when they have to replace Adams at QB. He is a revelation in that system, and they could not have found someone better to run it. He has been possibly the largest factor in moving them from a 3-8 team before he came there to a 9-3 team that basically only loses to the best. But we will need to see how they respond after he's gone to know just how high the ceiling can be. They have been competitive with Owensboro (although they got run out late in 2015), but have never beaten Christian County, Owensboro, or Bowling Green. As good a team as they had this year, they got rocked by Bowling Green. This is possibly the highest peak (or on its way) that Greenwood has ever had as a program, but it will be tough to project them as higher until they actually beat one of those teams. The addition of South Warren only complicates it further.

[fastaslightin]

I am hearing rumors that Lacey for S. Warren is transferring to a private school in Tennessee. Is there any truth to that?

[DragonFire]

I am hearing rumors that Lacey for S. Warren is transferring to a private school in Tennessee. Is there any truth to that?

 

A common and persistent rumor for the better part of the past 9 months or so that I've heard. No idea on the validity, but it isn't a brand, brand new rumor that he would leave prior to his junior year.

[Coach Preston]

I love what Greenwood has done under Seabolt. A huge, huge test for them will come after this year when they have to replace Adams at QB. He is a revelation in that system, and they could not have found someone better to run it. He has been possibly the largest factor in moving them from a 3-8 team before he came there to a 9-3 team that basically only loses to the best. But we will need to see how they respond after he's gone to know just how high the ceiling can be. They have been competitive with Owensboro (although they got run out late in 2015), but have never beaten Christian County, Owensboro, or Bowling Green. As good a team as they had this year, they got rocked by Bowling Green. This is possibly the highest peak (or on its way) that Greenwood has ever had as a program, but it will be tough to project them as higher until they actually beat one of those teams. The addition of South Warren only complicates it further.

 

In playing against Greenwood I can say that they have improved not only due to the QB. Their offensive line play has been tremendous under Seabolt. I think he is a very good coach and have a ton of respect for him. They will be a very good team in the future with coach Seabolt leading that program.

[Purple Nation]

Life long Purple fan as most of you know. Although Purples lost some key players. Mainly Caruthers, Payne, D Wilson, Cofer and some other key defensive lineman the Purples will reload. It has actually worked out perfect on their "reloading" years. Every 2 years our QB situation and our RB situation has worked out great.

 

How many teams would like to have had Trent Steelman, Scooter Hollis, Devan Hayes and Clark Payne as their last 4 QBs? Next up is Beau Buchannon. Beau, like each of the other QBs has a great head on his shoulders. Like his predecessors, he will be very heady. He needs some work and improvement work on his feet but his smarts and arm is ready. He has a cannon. With a huge (not much experience but very big O line) he should be fine. Kenner, his WR, should be number 1 target but will spread the wealth well.

 

Here is where it gets interesting for BG. Hear me, Caruthers was one of the very best to wear the Purple and Gold. His on field and off field behavior, effort and skill were unmatched, HOWEVER, Coach Wallace will be pulling the trigger and will be putting Vito Tisdale in the backfield. Without doubt, he will make an IMMEDIATE impact. As a freshman, he scored more points (11 TDs I believe) than any other Purple. More return yards as a Frosh than any other Frosh, more tackles than any other Purple freshman.... I could go on. I will predict that if he remains healthy and plays 3 more seasons he will break Caruthers scoring record and yardage record. Huge words but it can happen, especially if Beau is as good of a QB that most Purple faithful thinks he will be.

 

I think there is only 4 games in regular season that will not be a running clock (I still think last years squad was best of all time for them). In these 4 games Vito and Dingle will play both ways.

 

Greenwood will beat all area schools with exception of BG (IMO). Life with Jackson Adams has been great for the Gators. The following season(s) for Greenwood will be difficult.

 

I think its fair to say that Bowling Green has been the best, strongest and most competitive Public School the Bluegrass has seen. I think they continue the steamroll for 3 more seasons. They will be good after that but no where near where they have been the previous decade. To think how well the Purples has been the past several years is almost unreal.

 

Long post but anticipating another great season. If by chance they make it through regular season without a loss this upcoming season, (will be difficult to pull off) the following season, forget about it. They will run the table almost as strong as they did this past season.

[DragonFire]

How many teams would like to have had Trent Steelman, Scooter Hollis, Devan Hayes and Clark Payne as their last 4 QBs? Next up is Beau Buchannon. Beau, like each of the other QBs has a great head on his shoulders. Like his predecessors, he will be very heady. He needs some work and improvement work on his feet but his smarts and arm is ready. He has a cannon. With a huge (not much experience but very big O line) he should be fine. Kenner, his WR, should be number 1 target but will spread the wealth well.

 

You missed a couple in there for sure. Campbell Gott, Chandler Sears, and JP Jackson all saw significant time, Gott and Jackson were THE QBs for Bowling Green during their senior years during that time. BG has been blessed with talent at QB, but they definitely weren't handing over the reins every year to a guy like the four you named. That's no read on Buchanan, who I'm sure will be up for the job.

[Purple Nation]

Simply left out Cambell Gott. Not intended. Point is, last 4 or 5 QBs at Purple Land, most teams would love to have.

 

BG is on an incredible run that should produce a few more state championships. All good things will come to an end but I don't think the Purples " end" is anytime soon.

[kentuckycolonel]

Hopkinsville will not go 10-2 again this year, not because of a new coach, but because of a significantly upgraded schedule. Gone are the West Creeks and Ft Campbells, their schedule now includes South Warren, Mayfield, Caldwell, Tilghman, Greenwood along with the traditional cross town game with Christian Co. Their district is week, but upgrading their schedule may give them the edge to get farther in the playoffs.