Thoughts?

You can watch this game at https://www.youtube.com/@MyTownTVHD/streams

 

Coal Grove was a tough team last year and should be roughly the same this year as they return a lot of key players. I am unsure of names for Coal Grove, but I do know #34 is a 3-star edge player and (I believe) #14 is a wing back for their wing-T system. #14 got hurt early in the year last year with a shoulder strain and missed 3-4 games and still ended up with over 1,000 yards rushing. I venture to say Russell will struggle in the beginning keeping Coal Grove's offense off the field but will get better throughout the game. 

Coal Grove's defensive secondary is porous but the front seven are strong. It is a relatively simple question: who will stop the opposing team's run game? Whoever can limit the running game will win this game. It is a game of defense more than offense this Friday night. 

Bump.

I'd like Russell a lot more if Kaiden Benge were ready to roll. Coal Grove will be tough, physical, and fundamentally sound, as they always seem to be.

I'll take the Devils at home, but I'm less confident in that pick than I'd like to admit.

I agree with the others in this thread, Russell's best chance would be to use the passing game to loosen Coal Grove up, but I don't think they can/will do that and Coal Grove will stack the box with that strong front seven and create a lot of running trouble for the Red Devils.  I think Russell will have trouble keeping this one close.  

14-8 Russell 2:48 3rd

20-8 Russell final.