Coach Mark Spader started his career as the Purples new head coach off on the right foot, picking up a win over top ten 6A Central Hardin. From first glance, the Purples are handling the loss of legendary coach Wallace really well. Pleasure Ridge Park opened the season with a 37-6 win over 4A Valley, but will have their hands full with the coach Spader's Purples. What are your thoughts?

I think the Purples get the win. PRP lost a lot from last years team.

Hoping BG's offense can be a little more efficient.

The BG defense played well against CHardin, so I'm anxious to see how they do with a little more speed on the field.

Expecting a Purples victory though.

I think the Purples will find a way to knock off PRP and get a little revenge from last years loss. Just from reading about Bowling Green, they seem to be a bit up and down. Struggled against Male, and while they won against Central Hardin, the score anyway seemed much closer than expected.

 

Is this game in Bowling Green?

 

BG - 23

PRP - 10

I think the Purples will find a way to knock off PRP and get a little revenge from last years loss. Just from reading about Bowling Green, they seem to be a bit up and down. Struggled against Male, and while they won against Central Hardin, the score anyway seemed much closer than expected.

Is this game in Bowling Green?

 

BG - 23

PRP - 10

 

This game is indeed in Bowling Green.

I think the Purples will find a way to knock off PRP and get a little revenge from last years loss. Just from reading about Bowling Green, they seem to be a bit up and down. Struggled against Male, and while they won against Central Hardin, the score anyway seemed much closer than expected.

 

Is this game in Bowling Green?

 

BG - 23

PRP - 10

LTR,

Good points! The game is in Bowling Green.

Bowling Green didn't play well at Male plain and simple. Lot of things there including Male is downright very good.

 

To start, BG outgained CHardin by 220 yards on the night. If I could play a little of my favorite past time "Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda", BG committed 3 holding penalties inside the CH 15 and on 2 of those scored. On 2 other occasions, Beau Buchanan hit open WRs in the hands and the balls weren't caught.

Now a greedy BG fan would want all those points, which greedily "could" have accounted for 4 TDs (1 of those posessions a hold and a drop occurred) or 28 points. Would 48 to 13 make you feel better about BG than 20-13 where CH had the ball and a chance to tie late in the 3rd Quarter? Pretty obvious.

 

BUT, the game doesn't go like that. And it is in these August trials that you try to put it together, go back to practice, work on it an go back at it Friday night. So I feel good about BG being able to correct some of the holding issues and with some luck a couple of the starting WRs will be back from injury and the whole receiving corps will get another shot to prove it on the field. All those things are fixable IMO. Plus CHardin has BIG and good O and D Lines and BG playing against them will make them better.

 

Hope your right about the score on this Friday night! Then we can talk about Week 3!

I have no idea what to think here. I'm glad BG got the win Saturday and I love coach Spader, but I thought BG looked terrible to me.

 

Offensively they struggled once they got into the redzone, over and over again. I realize they had what? 4 touchdowns called back. But BG missed several field goals that should have been made. They couldn't find a way to score after those penalties. They couldn't put the ball in with 1st and goal with the game on the line with 2 minutes left. The offense looked stagnant and very bland. The play calling was bad to me and very predictable. I realize the plan was to run the ball more and I think that can help them. But the OL looked absolutely terrible. I also thought some more shots down the field wouldn't have hurt.

 

I mean the Purples didn't do anything stupid, they didn't turn the ball over, they didn't have any bonehead plays or bad passes, it was just the offense was couldn't go anywhere. That's a bad sign. And perhaps the worse sign was that BG didn''t get better in the second half, they got a lot worse. One of the things that made Bowling Green great was their ability to adjust and come out better in the second half. That didn't happen Saturday for sure.

 

Defensively I thought BG was fine. Gave up a couple of long passes that shouldn't have happened, but no big deal I think. One thing that stands out to me is that Bowling Green has the best secondary player in the state, but he didn't play in the secondary at all Saturday. I thought he at least needed to be out there on that last series where Central Hardin had to start throwing deep. I realize the plan is to have him running the ball and limit his carries cause they need a running back, but it's hard to imagine the best secondary player in the state on the bench in that situation.

 

I don't have any idea what PRP brings back, but they whooped our tail last year that's for sure. I was at that game and they just flat ran over BG and ran by them. Unless PRP has gotten a lot weaker I don't see how this BG teams beats them. I hope they come out fired up and play better to get this win though.

 

I hope the Rafferty's Bowl was just a bad game, but I saw a lot that really concerns me as a Purples fan.

I thought BG looked terrible to me.

 

I realize they had what? 4 touchdowns called back. But BG missed several field goals that should have been made. They couldn't find a way to score after those penalties. They couldn't put the ball in with 1st and goal with the game on the line with 2 minutes left. The offense looked stagnant and very bland. The play calling was bad to me and very predictable. I realize the plan was to run the ball more and I think that can help them. But the OL looked absolutely terrible. I also thought some more shots down the field wouldn't have hurt.

 

Defensively I thought BG was fine. Gave up a couple of long passes that shouldn't have happened, but no big deal I think. One thing that stands out to me is that Bowling Green has the best secondary player in the state, but he didn't play in the secondary at all Saturday.

 

I don't have any idea what PRP brings back, but they whooped our tail last year that's for sure.

 

I saw a lot that really concerns me as a Purples fan.

Watt,

 

I thought I saw you at the game on Saturday, but I honestly wasn't sure so I didn't say anything. If it was you, I apologize for not saying hello.

 

You bring up some GREAT points! I will focus on these:

- This BG team didn't look like BG teams of the past. But they are led by a new coach and a lot of new players and they will need some time to get those nuiances worked out IMO.

- 4 TDs were called back. We have to work on the penalties and catching the ball for sure. But that's 28 points left on the field. I think we can fix that and be able to gain those points.

- Play calling - Hey I'm in your boat on this one. We need to enhance that for sure. Are the coaches simply holding back for the more difficult games to come and focusing on getting the simple stuff right at the beginning of the season? Maybe. And you are clearly right, we have to throw the ball downfield more even if we don't hit them.

- The OLine wasn't fantastic, but I honestly think the most talented part of the CHardin team was their DLine. So are they not that good or are they adjusting to game speed good team DLine that will take some film work and an up tick in technique to improve? We'll see.

- Yes, Tisdale not being in there the last series is a head scratcher for me too. BUT the player in for Tisdale MADE the INT to preserve the win, so sometimes we have to let the coaches coach.

- PRP lost the heart and soul of a SR laden squad from 2017. Last year was a very difficult loss, but I honestly look for BG to come out very strong in this game. If our defense is focused, I really like our chances because I think the offense will continue to improve - Just me.

- The one thing you mentioned that concerns me is the Best BG teams have always been second half teams. We make adjustments and shut you down. That hasn't happened the last 2 games. I think the 2018 team will get there, but it is going to take some time. I believe in Coach Spader.

- Last thing and I realize it is likely insignificant to most is BG's JV win last night v Brentwood Academy. What does it mean for a JV squad to win a game? Confidence! And that is KEY for BG improving and getting to play the way you are accustomed to seeing! Go Purples

I think PRP lost too much from last year and BG wins this. Hopefully the Purples can improve on some of the mistakes they made against Central Hardin.

This should be a good matchup. PRP is kind of a "mid card" success in 6A. They can compete with most teams in their class.

BG is clearly a "main event" competitor in 5A, as they've proven with multiple title wins.

I think this will be a dog fight, and could depend on who holds the pigskin last. Both teams have a lot to prove and this game could be a precursor to how their season goes. I'm a firm believer in home field advantage in evenly matched games though.

BG- 31

PRP- 27

Purples come in to the game with still a couple of points to prove (to themselves)

 

1. The defense will be tested with facing a handful of speedsters for first time. CHardin never was a threat concerning speed. PRP lost a lot but still has athletes that can hurt you in an open field

 

2 Special Teams frustrations. Goal #1 for this team is to allow Vito to receive the ball. Teams are kicking/punting away from him. The one time CHardin did punt him the ball - score. He will score often and a lot of teams make that mistake. Unfortunately, not many teams here on out will give him the honors to receive it

 

3 Offensive line will see what they are made of in the next 3 weeks. Outside of 1 drive last Friday, they did an above average job. Keep it up

 

Looking forward to the game. Side note that no one is talking about but will be soon. BG QB, Baeu Bucannon, has transformed his body into a potential D1 QB. Everyone that knows him from last year saw his height was ready, his arm was ready, his skill set was ready but his frame on his body was just not there. He has added 40 lbs (no fat) and looks great. His arms are huge. He will be playing on Saturdays.

 

Purples 35

PRP 13

Is Tisdale going both ways, or is he strictly offense this year?

Is Tisdale going both ways, or is he strictly offense this year?

LTR,

It's a mixed bag at the moment. But he lines up mostly as RB. He is also the primary kick and punt returner. He has lined up sporadically in the defensive backfield.

 

I wish he would be more of a Tre Fant-like hybrid. Touch the ball some on offense, return some kicks, but be a defensive stopper (that's where he will play in college). I think they are still working that out.

I have no idea what to think. Who is considered the better team? Central Hardin or PRP?

 

Last Saturday was concerning for some BG fans. Things that seem fixable. The question is how long it will take to fix it. That remains to be seen. Patience will be needed during this transition.