1 hour ago, HSFB Fan said:

Offensive play calling is a problem for HHS.

It has been since the new regime took the helm. 

20 minutes ago, CoachMulvi said:

Highlands with 32 passes and 24 runs? Is that real? 

Yes it is. 

16 minutes ago, thenamerobdigity said:

Kudos to the student led broadcast. They did an excellent job.

For Highlands, what the heck happened? It feels like Highlands has a ton of talent, but they get outcoached nearly every game when Highlands is on offense. Tonight it was both sides of the ball and special teams. How have they not fixed the kicking game? When is Lorenzen going to get the ball in his hands more? How many times did Boyle run the same successful sweep play?

In the end Boyle deserved that win. While the fumble by Highlands seemed like a bad call by the ref, there was a gift fumble at the end by Boyle and Highlands couldn't move the ball.

Highlands' offensive coaching missteps and Highlands' offense being out-coached seem like constantly recurring topics game after game after game. Does Bob Sphire have the self-awareness to see that it was a mistake for him to hand his son Hayden the keys to the offense of one of the most storied football program in the state? And if he does have the self-awareness, does he have the cojones to actually make the necessary change?

Pretty sure Highlands football is currently in their longest ever run without a state championship. Bob Sphire was hired to right the ship and change that situation. Dude's like 5 years into the job, we're still not seeing the change, and there are still the same old complaints about Sphire's nepotism hire making the same mistakes every year. If I was more of a Birds fan I would be pretty sick of it by now.

Obviously BC stopped the run, and ran effectively. that's what wins games, especially when the team is 13-32 passing. Of those 24 runs, how many were Lorenzen? Half? Less than half? Was Lorenzen at QB for any of those 32 passes? 

 

This isn't a "unique to Highlands" problem. It seems to be an offensive coordinator trait in general. They get bored running the same play, so they switch it up and do other things, before you know it, you're behind the chains or off schedule and forced out of doing what you're good at. I don't understand it. Highlands has a 270 lb-ish average on their Oline. RUN THE DANG BALL BERT!

My HS coach used to quote Woody Hayes all the time. "There are only 3 things that can happen when you pass, and 2 of em are bad." And he'd follow it up with, "if we get 3 yards, we're gonna line up and run the same play until they stop it for less than 3. Then I'm gonna call it again to make sure it wasnt a fluke." Those were the days. 3 yards and a cloud of dust. Now everybody has turf. I miss a good grass field. 

I obviously didn't watch the game, but it seems BC made them abandon the run and that won them the game. 

I’m shocked, but I’m not! 

How about Sophomore QB Jhett Raleigh making his first ever varsity start against the #2 4A Highlands Bluebirds!  9-13 164 yards, 1 TD and ZERO Interceptions.  Did everything you could have ask for to give your team a chance for a win.  When Boyle gets their tackles Yocum and Goodman in the lineup their running game should be even better.  Smith-Hisel it a great little runner, he just needs to hold onto the ball.  

On the defensive side Lucas Akers was all over the place making tackles.  With Borders-Coffman not 100% he picked it up big time tonight.  I though holding Highlands to 84 yards rushing for the game was huge for our defense.  I never would have thought we would have 200 yards more than the Birds on total offense. 

Boyle has a lot injuries but they're healing.  Quite a few back ups getting minutes on the field that will pay dividends come playoff time.  Glad that we have a off week next week to heal even more.  Ballard in 2 weeks, and St.X coming the following week.     

1 hour ago, cincyswords said:

Watching the game on the Boyle County broadcast I thought he completed some tough passes but also from the TV angles seemed to be some dropped passes.  Has this been the norm this year?   

There were more dropped than bad throws from what I saw in person. Boyle broke up a few on some really good plays. However I will say that last screen throw was upsetting.

I had a feeling we would see a nice bounce back effort by Boyle County after their disappointing loss to LexCath & despite being fairly banged up.  I can’t remember the last time Boyle County had lost 2 games in a row.

Special Teams, Special Teams, Special Teams. 

HAVE to nail it. No getting around it. You, of course, can point at offensive and defensive miscues. But, you have to look at what has been constantly causing errors for the Birds. 

A long way to go, and I'm not worried. They didn't lose at home to a rough 1A team...they went to Boyle County and played them to one point. Not bad. 

They've already been through the wringer with the schedule being difficult, but plenty of people were counting this is a huge loss. All losses suck, but this one isn't so bad in my view. 

I still have faith in the guys that are on the field for Highlands. I have no worries that they will be fine come postseason time, and it's good to experience some adversity at this point in the season. In the perfect time of the year to start building on, and learning from mistakes. 

8 hours ago, Rebel said:

So excited that I’m splurging on my diet and eating out after game. 

Can I get a……

Where did you go?

10 hours ago, Oldercoach said:

Final fake punt took a lot of courage for Boyle, but sealed the game.  Player acts injured, runs off but stops on the field, punter hits him on a streak for 1st down.  Coach Haddix wins the gutsy call.

Wouldn’t that fall under “deception”? I would like to see that play. 

10 hours ago, Rebel said:

So excited that I’m splurging on my diet and eating out after game. 

Can I get a……

Rebels!!! ??

@tdyballgame @PawPrints and @thenamerobdigity summed my thoughts up pretty well. 

Overall an extremely disappointing way to lose a game. Coaches are supposed to put their players in a position to be successful. Highlands currently isn’t doing that, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
 

All you had to do was look across the sideline to see a perfect example of this. Coach Haddix managed BC’s young QB in a way where he could be successful. Haddix allowed him to manage the game, did not ask him to do things he can’t, and relied on his teams strengths, even if it got boring or seemed overly simple. He stayed the course and got the win. 

I hope I am wrong, but I do not anticipate things changing based on what we have seen for the last 5 years out of the OC. 
 

It is still VERY early and the Birds are 100% one of the favorites to bring home a title. Hopefully some changes happen soon to make that happen. It’s been too long. 
 

GO BIRDS! 

2 hours ago, Hatz said:

Where did you go?

Drakes.  Had a greasy smashburger without the bun and steamed broccoli. 

I have watched Moeller, Cooper, Beechwood, Highlands, CovCath, SK, Ryle And whoever those teams played and Highlands is the poorest coached team of them all. And it isn’t even close.