Can Russell go into Ironton and pull out a win against a good fighting tiger team,or will Ironton be too much?

It's never easy to go to hallowed Tanks Memorial Stadium and get a win, especially when Ironton is good. And they looked really good last Friday, hanging a 30-6 beating on Wheelersburg. I've said it before, but Reid Carrico might be the best football player Russell sees all season. He's rated by 247 sports as one of the top 2-3 middle linebackers in the country and holds offers from Ohio State, Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame, and too many others to list here. He's also a force at RB. Russell held a slim fourth quarter lead last year before Carrico left his mark with a blocked punt that he recovered for the go-ahead TD and a long TD run that sealed the Ironton win.

 

Russell and Ironton are essentially built the same way. Big and physical up front with deep, hard nosed backfields. They also both have dual threat QBs who run a little better than they throw and excellent defenses that are a little ahead of their offenses at this stage. One more similarity - they're both coming off of cathartic, lopsided wins over rivals that previously had their number over the last several years. Avoiding a hangover could be crucial to coming out on the winning end of this one.

 

That's all I've got for now.

I hope Russell can go in and pull the upset. Not many people are giving them a chance. I know it will be hard to win at Ironton.

I think the school might choose the referee's over in Ohio but I'm not sure. Do they have assigning secretaries like Kentucky?

This is going to be a "lunch pail and hard hat" kind of game. Maybe the most physical game either team plays this year, at least in the regular season. It would be in both teams' best interest to force the opposing QB to have to make plays with his arm. Jachimczuk and Gage Salyers can run it, but neither have displayed the ability to win games throwing the ball, and the passing game could be a big deciding factor in the outcome if this becomes the physical, war of attrition slugfest that it appears on paper.

 

Obviously the turnover battle is crucial too. Carrico put the ball on the turf twice last week against Wheelersburg. That's something to watch for on Friday.

I think the school might choose the referee's over in Ohio but I'm not sure. Do they have assigning secretaries like Kentucky?

The school is responsible for scheduling the officials. Which often leads to many of the same officials working the same school's games.

(S4) Kool Kountry

0-0 3:30 1st

Russell holding strong.

1:07 1st

0-0 after 1.

Devils 1st and goal from the Ironton 6.

8:26 2nd quarter.

3rd and goal from the 3.

4th and goal from the 1.