Mercer Co. 2006 Passing Stats:

41% completion rate

12 TD's

2 Int's

 

Are you sure you were at the right field last year? Exactly WHAT do you consider efficient??!!

Watched a couple of Mercer games last year, and had them all figured out did you? I know 15 coaching staffs that could have used your "expertise" last year.

 

 

Nice 6-1 TD to INT ratio, but 41% is hardly efficient last time I checked. I know you guys had probably the best RB tandem in the state, therefore, why pass if no one can stop the run. You lost that tandem and all I am merely saying is that you will be forced to pass vs. the likes of CCH, Highlands, Hopkinsville, Christian County, Warren Central, BG, Dixie, Johnson Central,etc. When you advance deep into the playoffs against these type teams with better athletes than what is here in Mercer(now that Cory and Brandon are gone) you will understand. These teams will have more than one Kasey Klark on defense to force you to pass and then we will see how efficient your passing game is. I wasn't impressed by the screen passes Cory and Brandon would take to the house. But as was said, why pass if we don't have to. Well, now you will and COry and Brandon won't be here to pad your TD to INT ratio. I never claimed to be a coach, simply a fan, a fan who has been and will be wrong on many occasions. I'm sorry it hurts your feelings that I don't think you guys can hang with those schools I mentioned above, it's just my opinion, and I could be wrong. I guess we'll see, won't we?

It will be interesting to see what kind of year Mercer will have.

 

 

My guess is that they'll be like BG was 3-5 years ago. Great regular season, lose in the playoffs when they get to the stiff competition in the quarters or semis. It will be very interesting to say the least.

It will be interesting to see what kind of year Mercer will have.

You are correct.

While last year's success was critical for bringing a community together...I personally think 2007 is just as critical; as this is the year to prove whether or not Mercer can sustain their success at an even higher level of competition. If they can, they could parlay that into a measure of respect.

25-2 the last two years with a title is a good beginning. However 2 years does not qualify for "powerhouse". If they can become a contender in the new 5A, they are well on their way to statewide respect.

I wasn't impressed by the screen passes Cory and Brandon would take to the house. ................. I never claimed to be a coach, simply a fan, a fan who has been and will be wrong on many occasions.

 

Of Mercer's 12 TD passes last year........ONE was a screen that went to the house.......to a tight end.

Jackson and Ford COMBINED only caught 6 passes last year.

I'll ask again, are you sure you were at the right field last year?

 

Never mind I see my answer above.......

CCH will start the year ranked third in their district and rightly so. HHS is #1, Dixie #2 and then the Colonels. Way too many questions, way too many new players (who may turn out to be very good but its simply too early), new system on offense.

 

I'm not sure why this is but Dixie seems to have one loaded grade every 3 or 4 years. This senior class is the newest version of the 2004 Dixie team (class of 2005).

 

CCH @ Dixie will decide the #2 spot IMO. Right now, the nod goes to the Red Colonels.

I agree with you wholeheartedly if we are talking about the teams that take the field in week one, but remember, Dixie ain't exactly a barn burner in the first five weeks of the season historically. They are still shifting personel in and out usually in the thrid game of the season, which if I'm not mistaken is when the two of our teams play. It will be interesting but a shame IMO. This game would be so much better if it was played by both teams in the last few weeks of the season. I hope they fix that in the future.

You are correct.

While last year's success was critical for bringing a community together...I personally think 2007 is just as critical; as this is the year to prove whether or not Mercer can sustain their success at an even higher level of competition. If they can, they could parlay that into a measure of respect.

25-2 the last two years with a title is a good beginning. However 2 years does not qualify for "powerhouse". If they can become a contender in the new 5A, they are well on their way to statewide respect.

 

 

You said everything I have been saying since I began posting right here. I believe you can become a contender, just not this year. That's all I am trying to say.

Of Mercer's 12 TD passes last year........ONE was a screen that went to the house.......to a tight end.

Jackson and Ford COMBINED only caught 6 passes last year.

I'll ask again, are you sure you were at the right field last year?

 

Never mind I see my answer above.......

 

I never claimed to be at all of Mercer's games, I was at the South Laurel game, the BC game(of course), and the state final. All the info I needed about Mercer I received from the rabid Mercer fans I work with daily. My words about Mercer are from your fans and from what I saw those 3 games I was fortunate enough to witness. How many of those 6 receptions did Cory and Brandon turn into TD's? I just received my Mercer County highlight dvd and I will be sure to post how many passes are contained on this 1 hour long dvd with highlights from every game last year.

 

I am not ashamed to admit when I am wrong. :walk:

I saw Mercer play twice last year. Very one dimesional and predictable in both games. But that was because they could afford to do that against their competition. If they come out with the same playbook/game plan this year, they might make the playoffs, but it will be a quick exit.

I never claimed to be at all of Mercer's games, I was at the South Laurel game, the BC game(of course), and the state final. All the info I needed about Mercer I received from the rabid Mercer fans I work with daily. My words about Mercer are from your fans and from what I saw those 3 games I was fortunate enough to witness. How many of those 6 receptions did Cory and Brandon turn into TD's? I just received my Mercer County highlight dvd and I will be sure to post how many passes are contained on this 1 hour long dvd with highlights from every game last year.

 

I am not ashamed to admit when I am wrong. :walk:

 

Four.....

Be careful with the DVD, many plays are shown more than once and from different angles.

It's a great video by the way.

You said everything I have been saying since I began posting right here. I believe you can become a contender, just not this year. That's all I am trying to say.

Where you and I differ is that I think Mercer can be a contender this year. The only thing we are truly debating about are the FACTS from last year. Either way, I'm fired up for the season to start.:ylsuper:

I saw Mercer play twice last year. Very one dimesional and predictable in both games. But that was because they could afford to do that against their competition. If they come out with the same playbook/game plan this year, they might make the playoffs, but it will be a quick exit.

 

That offense you said was predictable was also that same offense that Marty Jaggers ran when he was the head coach at Lincoln County (3A) from '91-'96, which included five playoff appearances. Within those playoff births, there were Three (3) Regional Runner-up's, 1 Region Championship, 1 State-Runner Up and one year, his first as a head coach ('91) Lincoln made it to the 2nd Round.(guess what the majority of the current 5A is made up of?!?! Ding Ding, we have a winner Chuck!! That's right, Namecips got it..the old 3A!!)

 

At Danville, when he was the OC from '98-'04, he also called what many believed to be a "predictable" offense...guess what, it worked. You can say what you want about Danville being 1A and all that blah, blah crap, but then you're just not giving teams like Boyle County, Manual, NewCath, Beechwood, Glasgow, Breathitt County, LexCath, Mayfield (all are teams that Danville beat, running a "predictable offense") the utmost respect that they have gained across the state. Those teams mentioned all deserve credit that is more than well-deserved when being considered some of KY's current/historic elite's. I don't care what class!!

 

The wishbone, flex-bone/jet, heavily run dominated offense(s) arent the only ones that Jaggers knows, by any means. Guess what, though?! They work. For whatever reason, Jaggers has always seemed to get criticized for because his offense(s) arent, I guess, innovative enough for most. Whatever the crap that is all about, I have NO CLUE.

I never claimed to be at all of Mercer's games, I was at the South Laurel game, the BC game(of course), and the state final. All the info I needed about Mercer I received from the rabid Mercer fans I work with daily. My words about Mercer are from your fans and from what I saw those 3 games I was fortunate enough to witness. How many of those 6 receptions did Cory and Brandon turn into TD's? I just received my Mercer County highlight dvd and I will be sure to post how many passes are contained on this 1 hour long dvd with highlights from every game last year.

 

I am not ashamed to admit when I am wrong. :walk:

 

 

You obviously werent at the same games that the rest of us were at, that's for dang sure. Because if you are basing all of your info off of those 3 games, then you are WAY, WAY wrong. The South Laurel game, Mercer didnt throw the ball ANY at all, NONE. They just happened to roll up almost 650 yds on the ground v.s an old 4A team that had gone 9-1(I dont know their playoff record, but that was the regular season record).

 

As for the Boyle game, Mercer, I think, went 1-10 (the first play of the game was a 30 yd completion that was called back, false start on a lineman).

 

In the Russell game, Mercer attempted a single pass; a screen that nearly ended up in Russell's bleachers due to the wind.

 

I believe you said that you saw Cory and Brandon take some receptions for TD's, but you must have seen them on the news, because what you say you recall doesnt even come close to matching up with what happened to the games you were at.

 

Mr. Godfather, aka "Joe Dirt", correct me if Im wrong!!?? ha

You obviously werent at the same games that the rest of us were at, that's for dang sure. Because if you are basing all of your info off of those 3 games, then you are WAY, WAY wrong. The South Laurel game, Mercer didnt throw the ball ANY at all, NONE. They just happened to roll up almost 650 yds on the ground v.s an old 4A team that had gone 9-1(I dont know their playoff record, but that was the regular season record).

 

As for the Boyle game, Mercer, I think, went 1-10 (the first play of the game was a 30 yd completion that was called back, false start on a lineman).

 

In the Russell game, Mercer attempted a single pass; a screen that nearly ended up in Russell's bleachers due to the wind.

 

I believe you said that you saw Cory and Brandon take some receptions for TD's, but you must have seen them on the news, because what you say you recall doesnt even come close to matching up with what happened to the games you were at.

 

Mr. Godfather, aka "Joe Dirt", correct me if Im wrong!!?? ha

Well, since you asked...

vs. Lex Christian; Jackson gets a step on the CB, catches a 42 yd. bomb without missing a step and takes it 67 yds. for a TD

vs. Newport; Jackson catches a 21 yd. pass in the corner of the endzone

vs. Lloyd (playoffs) Ford makes an unbelievable over the head 30 yd grab and goes 57 yds. for a TD

vs. O'Cath (playoffs) Ford gets behind the secondary and catches a 38 yd pass in stride and takes it 84 yds for a TD.

And those my friend are the deepest "screen passes" in the history of football.

Mercer didn't play in 3A or 4A last year because when the merger became official it was too late to move up. I believe the merger became official last year around May or June. The timing of the merger made it impossible for Mercer to move up in such short notice nor do I think it would have been allowed. A lot of people close to both programs from Mercer and Harrodsburg knew that Mercer had a huge advantage against the other 2A schools and in my opinion and the opinion of quite a few others in Mercer, Mercer had no business not going undefeated and winning state. Russell gave them a great game in the state final, but had the weather conditions been a little more favorable, Mercer would have destroyed Russell, in my opinion. There wasn't a team in 2A that could handle the two headed monster of Cory Jackson and Brandon Ford. Their defense was nasty and they were probably the only 2A school whose best players played primarily on one side of the ball for a majority of the time. Every now and then you might catch a few going both ways, but there was only 2 or 3 that played exclusively both ways as opposed to most 2A schools having most of their players playing both ways most of the games. Mercer had to have had the freshest legs in 2A.

 

Yes, it is the same Mercer that played Newport.

 

Mercer has a new QB, new RB's, and new DB's. They are still loaded with talent and should make some noise and then we'll see what they are made of in November.

While I agree with some of this I think better weather conditions would have gone in Russell's favor. Russell's passing game kept most teams honest but to keep trying to pass the ball in that wind was their downfall in that game and was not a wise decision.

 

I don't think Mercer will be as successful this season in 5a but that is simply because they will not have the raw speed that they had last year. Mercer never really consistantly ran the ball in the AA title game but a couple of big plays made the difference. Speed kills and Mercer had plenty of speed in that backfield. Probably as much as any team in any class last season.

You obviously werent at the same games that the rest of us were at, that's for dang sure. Because if you are basing all of your info off of those 3 games, then you are WAY, WAY wrong. The South Laurel game, Mercer didnt throw the ball ANY at all, NONE. They just happened to roll up almost 650 yds on the ground v.s an old 4A team that had gone 9-1(I dont know their playoff record, but that was the regular season record).

 

As for the Boyle game, Mercer, I think, went 1-10 (the first play of the game was a 30 yd completion that was called back, false start on a lineman).

 

In the Russell game, Mercer attempted a single pass; a screen that Word Filter ViolationWord Filter ViolationWord Filter ViolationWord Filter Violation near ended up in Russell's bleachers due to the wind.

 

I believe you said that you saw Cory and Brandon take some receptions for TD's, but you must have seen them on the news, because what you say you recall doesnt even come close to matching up with what happened to the games you were at.

 

Mr. Godfather, aka "Joe Dirt", correct me if Im wrong!!?? ha

 

 

I never said I saw Cory or Brandon take some receptions to the house. I was making what I thought was an obvious tongue in cheek statement to your comments about Mercer's inept passing game. I just assumed that most of the TD receptions belonged to Cory and Brandon. My bad, they had 4 of the 12 TD receptions, my fault. I figured Daryl Smith caught 1, Chris Lewis caught 1, and Cory and Brandon did the rest. Guess you guys took some practice passes against that weaker competition. Don't pump South Laurel up neither. How far did they advance in the playoffs? I'm 100% sure all of the top 10 teams that were in 3A would have dismantled them in similar fashion. Now, back to your passing attack. The game some(not most nor all, the key word is some) people feel was your most competitive game besides the Russell game was the Boyle County game. Boyle County was way down last year, yet you guys managed to go 1-10, isn't that what you said? Go 1-10 against these top teams, and you shall lose. I have a Bowling Green tobaggon that is purple that I wear during the football season. Please, by all means, when you see the purple tobaggon at a Mercer game, feel free to approach me and gloat about your successful regular season(I got you going no worse than 7-2), but when the playoffs roll around, and when you guys don't make it past the semis(and I'm being generous), I will be back to say I told you so. Believe that. Good luck this year. You will need it in November. Can't wait for the BG-Mercer matchup.....if you make it that far.:flame: