4A Preseason Rankings?

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

Here is a look at how the last three weeks of the 4A football season played out last year. So now that we're just over 4 weeks away from the 2024 football season kicking off, what are you thinking in terms of preseason rankings for 4A?

Have any of these teams dropped out of the picture for the beginning of this season?

Are any of the quarterfinalists or semifinalists looking more like finalists this season? Or vice versa?

What about teams like Ashland, and Logan County, and Taylor County...do you see them making it any deeper of a playoff run than they did last year?

Here are this year's team threads that have been started from among the teams that made last year's 4A quarterfinals:

2024 Boyle County Rebels

2024 Covington Catholic Colonels

2024 Paducah Tilghman Blue Tornado

2024 Franklin County Flyers

2024 Corbin Redhounds

2024 Bardstown Tigers

2024 Johnson Central Golden Eagles

[TylerDurden]

Last year I kinda felt like Tilghman's schedule gave them the illusion of being as good as they were. Their lack of discipline always ends up being their undoing, and I don't see that changing this year. Unless there's a major shakeup in the 4A playoff bracket, I figured their season will probably derail come quarterfinals or semifinals again this year. They're probably 4th or 5th.

Johnson Central had a similar playoff cakewalk last year and the the curtain was pulled away and they had their season ended when they played CovCath. They probably belong somewhere 6th thru 8th.

CovCath probably takes a step back without the Rodriguez kid and after graduating their quarterback and starting running back. Probably fighting with Franklin County for 3rd or 4th place

Corbin is the best team in the universe if you talk to anyone from Corbin and they're not fit to fly if you talk to anyone from Boyle. Realistically they're probably 2nd, maybe 3rd.

 

[theguru]

I think Boyle owns 4A this year and every other team is at least three touchdowns behind. 

The only chance I think the rest of the teams have is if Boyle has some injuries this year. 

[VF111]

Tilghman looked unimpressive in the passing league that I saw, given the hype. I can't imagine they are better up front than their skill players. I agree with a previous post: Tilghman will roll until they have to play someone who forces them to be disciplined, and then I don't expect them to get past that. 

I predict the gap between Cov Cath and Boyle will close significantly this year. 

I'll also go out on a limb and say that Corbin will be a shell of what they have been for the past two years. 

[theguru]

1 minute ago, VF111 said:

I predict the gap between Cov Cath and Boyle will close significantly this year.

Based on what, Boyle being down?

[VF111]

1 minute ago, theguru said:

Based on what, Boyle being down?

Based on Boyle coming back to earth a little and my last 35 years of life around HS football and Cov Cath. 😂

It has been a general rule of thumb for my experiences that Cov. Cath is never far from closing the gap quickly or overrunning those who are perceived as the favorites. 

[Golf2074]

Boyle just might be as good as they were   last year and Cov. Cath won’t be as good as last year so in a rematch Boyle would win by more then last year.

[theguru]

26 minutes ago, Golf2074 said:

Boyle just might be as good as they were   last year and Cov. Cath won’t be as good as last year so in a rematch Boyle would win by more then last year.

That was my initial thought other than winning by more is a challenge for sure. 

[Purple88]

Boyle County loses their D1 QB and anchor RB/LB, who did everything for them (Bodner).  I think the EKU 7v7 is more important for them this year to get some chemistry for this season.  That being said, just throw it up to Quisenberry and the Browns and you have to like your chances with a decent pass.  Their defense "may" be better than last year.  That's not good for 4A.

Tilghman is a good team; CovCath may improve more than any other 4A team throughout the year; Corbin is a good program, but they lost a lot; I think Franklin Co is a decent team, but I don't think any of them are anywhere near better than Boyle County and that's no slam on any team mentioned.  

I do think Boyle likely loses to the Ohio team even though I'll pull for the Rebels.  That would set up an interesting game at Scott County the following Friday.  Boyle is better but back-to-back road games in tough places will be interesting.

[VF111]

49 minutes ago, Golf2074 said:

Boyle just might be as good as they were   last year and Cov. Cath won’t be as good as last year so in a rematch Boyle would win by more then last year.

I don't think people realize just how good Dawson made them. I cannot see them being better at the most important position on the field. I think they are still the large-margin favorites, but I don't think they will be better than they were last year. 

[CCHFC]

1 hour ago, Golf2074 said:

Boyle just might be as good as they were   last year and Cov. Cath won’t be as good as last year so in a rematch Boyle would win by more then last year.

I would agree with this. 

I think that gap will shrink significantly in 25 and 26 though.

[D Wolf]

Man y’all!  The Tornado didn’t lose very much from last year and then they added a D-1 commit (Vanderbilt) and some other guys too

That was a pretty close game at Cov Cath last year and admittedly I don’t know what all CC loses.  
 

I think a lot of it will come down to RPI and where the semi games are.  But I’ve got the Tornado 2nd!

[Golf2074]

I agree RPI and being able to stay at home thru the semifinals will play a big part of who makes it to Kroger field.I know Boyle had to travel last year but they were just that good that it didn’t matter.

[Cheese]

As for Preseason, no doubt Boyle County is the top team. I think you would have to move Paducah Tilghman up to the 2cd spot above Covington Catholic because of graduation. I think after that I would have to go with Franklin County. Franklin County always is in the mix in the 4th round, and I don't see this year being any different, the question is can they get through that 4th round game. I think the next couple teams are very similar, all having graduation but still contenders to make a run when it counts. that's Covington Catholic, Corbin and Johnson Central and I'll add Ashland to that group now that they are in 4A. So, preseason for me I'll go: 

1. Boyle County

2. Paducah Tilghman

3. Franklin County

4. Corbin, Johnson Central, Covington Catholic

5. Ashland Blazer

As always, we will have to see what each team looks like during the season and 3-5 teams are just all capable to beat each other on any given night. I will add, Boyle will probably be better this season than they have been the last 4. I agree with Guru. I don't see anyone in 4A playing within 3 Touchdowns of Boyle in 2024. I'll add this, please pick against Boyle as we play pick em. I'll take the points. 😁

[Maroon Beech]

I agree Boyle is the team to beat but the RPI could definitely factor into where the latter round games are played. As a side note I attended the Greenwood 7x7 tournament (excellent) and some of my fellow fans (I'm a Kentuckian living in TN) were commenting we should schedule some of the Bowling Green area teams instead of four TN 6A programs that bring very few folks to the games. I commented that because of the KHSAA RPI calculations, Kentucky teams would probably be reluctant to play us. I think it's great that Boyle is traveling to OH to play but just like last season playing Gibson Southern (IN) cost them the home field advantage in the semis. Even if the Rebels win in Ohio and win out they may be a similar situation this season.