Then it's a good day:thumb:

 

 

Indeed again, and if our frosh beat NewCath, it will be an outstanding day.

Indeed again, and if our frosh beat NewCath, it will be an outstanding day.

 

will be there with bells on!!

Colerain 35-14.

I watched Highlands last year, and Colerain a couple years back, and both are great high school football teams!

 

I'm going to say Colerain will take this one, but Highlands will put a heckuva fight!

Is it true Colerain has not lost a home game since 1999?

Is it true Colerain has not lost a home game since 1999?

 

You want to talk about pressure!!!!!

Even though my request for information was met with playful sarcasm, I will offer up something for the Highlands fans who are making the trip to NW Cincy tomorrow night. Enjoy! Courtesy of CardinalsFan.

 

Outlook on the 2008 Colerain Cardinals

 

OFFENSE

Key Players to watch on Offense:

#8 – Jr. – QB Greg Tabar (6’0” 170lbs)

• Learning the offense. He is a first time varsity starter and it has shown in the first two weeks. Many of my Colerain apologists attribute that to playing against such great defenses, which may be true, but it isn’t likely to get any easier this week against the Bluebirds.

#1 – So. – RB Tyler Williams (5’7” 155lbs…soaking wet, in equipment)

• If speed really did kill, this kid would be wanted in all 50 states. He is absolutely uncatchable IF he turns the corner. You don’t have a DB that will get him…I promise you. On the flip side, he doesn’t take hits very well and because of that, he doesn’t get a lot of touches. Didn’t touch the ball at all in the 2nd half vs. St. Xavier in week 1.

#34 – So. – FB Trayion Durham (6’0” 200lbs)

• He is the FB we have missed the past 3 seasons. Anyone who understands the triple option knows you must have a tough, “take a beating” type fullback who can get the yards when needed. Trayion is that FB. As a SOPHOMORE, he is already as big, and faster, than a SENIOR FB Colerain had a few years back by the name of Mister Simpson. That is sick.

#76 – Sr. – OL Brandon White (6’5” 315lbs)

• He’s a big boy and already has Division I offers from Louisville and Ball State. He is the anchor of the OL that will, hopefully, open the holes for the skill guys behind him. He didn’t play football until he was in 7th grade because…get this…he was too big to play in our Little Cards program. He consistently missed the weight limits.

Others to watch on Offense:

#4 – Jr. – RB Monty Ivery (6’0” 180 lbs)

-> Big like Trayion but not as fast. Also, has had trouble holding onto the ball. He has struggled early and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him moved to defense sometime this season as our backfield is probably set for next year and I don’t think he’s in it. He hits very hard and finishes runs with big hits. Good blocker.

 

#71 – Jr. – OL Brandon Good (5’10” 235 lbs)

-> One of our unsung “little guys” on the OL. Brandon is our center and helps to run the offense with fellow Jr. QB Greg Tabar.

 

#24 – Jr. – RB Dom Carter (6’0” 190 lbs)

-> Another talented RB in the stable at Colerain. Has some moves and can hit some people. Missed most of last year due to injury so still playing a bit of catch-up to some of the other RB’s in the system.

 

Philosophy: We are going to run the ball. Period. If we attempt as many as 3 passes, I would be absolutely shocked. Our ground game needs a lot of work and I think Coach Bolden will use this game, our home opener, to get that work in. The over/under on turnovers for Colerain seems to be 3 each week. Any more than that and we are in serious trouble. Tabar must make good reads (which he did NOT do last week against McKeesport) and must make them QUICKLY. Highlands D is too fast and too good to be indecisive. The Cards must use their unparalleled strength and conditioning to wear down the Bluebirds with the hope of putting the game away in the 4th quarter.

 

DEFENSE

Key Players to watch on Defense:

#27 – Sr. – LB Colin Lozier (6’0” 205lbs)

• Very, very smart young man and hits like a mack truck. McKeesport was heading into the endzone in OT last week when their TB, after juggling the pitch from the QB, got absolutely destroyed by Colin and the ball went flying. He is the heart and soul of our defense and will be the leading tackler at nights end.

#5 – Jr. – LB Tyon Dixon (5’11” 195lbs)

• Suited better as a strong safety, Tyon is a wrecking ball on defense. He personifies our motto of “Run Fast. Hit Hard.” If he continues to develop and grow, Division I football is in his future. He and Lozier should make life miserable for anyone who gets past the DL.

#52 – Sr. – DL Adam Moser (6’0” 245lbs)

• Our nose tackle. Also, our teams strongest player with a bench press of over 400 lbs. He is another of our Sr. leaders on defense. While certainly not as big as we’ve had before, he has good speed and can create some havoc if he gets in the backfield.

Others to watch on Defense:

#4 – Sr. – DB Cole Pasquale (6’1” 170 lbs)

-> Most seasoned DB on team. Very good speed and recovers very well. Started his career at Colerain as a QB but then switched to DB as a sophomore. Is usually responsible for covering opponents WR1 so expect him to get to know Mr. Collinsworth early and often.

 

#21 – So. – DB Chris Dukes (5’9” 160 lbs)

-> One of our young rising stars on defense. Certainly can run and has very good coverage ability. Is, of course, very young and could be exploited by a seasoned WR as he hasn’t faced one yet this year. Could be an interesting matchup with Highlands WR2/TE1.

 

#33 – Jr. – DL Dante Mixon (5’10” 205 lbs)

-> Here is your speed off the edge. Dante is fast and can get to the QB in a hurry. Sometimes plays a little out of control and can over-pursue but he is a work in progress.

 

Philosophy: We are going to STOP the run. Period. I do not expect that Highlands will have much success running the ball against Colerain. Especially with Connor sitting on the sidelines. However, 150 yards is not out of the question and with the right field position, that could be enough. The defense’s job will be to get to the QB early and often. The more he’s on his back, the better chance we have to win this game.

 

SPECIAL TEAMS – a work in progress. We have maybe one of our weakest kickers in years. I mean, he can boot it, but where it’s going is anyone’s guess. We’ve already seen blocked XP’s and missed XP’s and maybe even a blocked punt. #13 – Sr. – K Jordan Ross is big at 6’ but doesn’t have nearly the accuracy you’d like to see and also seems slow. For whatever reason, our kick/punt returns have always been, and continue to be, average at best. For the RB’s we’ve produced over the years, only Maurice Johnson and Brayden Coombs (who was a DB) could threaten to “take it to the house” on any play. The coverage teams have looked very good early which is a good sign as historically, they too have been a bit shaky.

 

CardinalsFan Prediction

This isn’t going to be a blowout…and Colerain can’t “name their score”. That’s nonsense. Our offense has a lot of growing up to do and playing a defending state champion and a favorite to repeat isn’t the game to do it in. We WILL turn the ball over, no doubt, and I think that will lead to a short field (or 3!) and Highlands will score. This game will be decided in the trenches as the Highlands DL must find a way to play disciplined, assignment football for 4 full quarters. A combination of a blown assignment and a correct read from our QB and it will result in big yardage gains. Colerain’s DB’s will get tested more than they have all year and I could easily see them getting burned by the more experienced Bluebird receiving core once, maybe even twice.

 

Bottom line is that this game is @ COLERAIN. It is our home opener and we haven’t lost a home game in 10 years. We are also currently riding a 31 game regular season winning streak that started, ironically, with a win over Highlands in 2005. While anything can happen, I simply can't envision seeing a let down from this Cardinal squad in their home opener in front of all their fellow students and family. That being said...

 

Colerain – 24

Highlands – 14

 

Run Fast

Hit Hard

Beat the Bluebirds!!

 

 

Thoughts? Comments? Opinions?

 

-CardinalsFan

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080905/SPT030101/809050358/1062/SPT&referrer=NEWSFRONTCAROUSEL

 

Mueller quote

"... (But) I don't really worry about the intimidation thing. Our guys are playing for Highlands. They're going into this game expecting to win. There are no moral victories at Highlands. Either you win or lose."

Finally, the water has broken through CF's sandbag levee. Great analysis. If your fullback is as fast and QUICK as you say he is, that could spell doom on the dive option or the veer. The dive option hits so fast and if your MLB's are just a hair out of position, a great athlete will exploit it.

CF...great post! Thanks for the analysis. It pretty much sums up what I saw on the DVD's this week. on O we have to account for #27 every play...and on D, the classic "tackle the FB EVERY play". If we can do that...then we have a chance!

Who does the weather effect more? Look's like rain in the forecast.

For those interested. Fun little piece by one of my favs, Ryan Ernst.

 

Plot Familiar, without holes

 

T-minus 8 hours and counting...

 

-CardinalsFan

Finally, the water has broken through CF's sandbag levee. Great analysis. If your fullback is as fast and QUICK as you say he is, that could spell doom on the dive option or the veer. The dive option hits so fast and if your MLB's are just a hair out of position, a great athlete will exploit it.

I wasn't sandbagging. I mentioned several times in my review how Highlands can pull off the W. It is not out of the question and I don't think that the Cards are gonig to run away with anything.

 

The Dive option is not something we have been successful at this year given the tremendous pressure St. Xavier and McKeesport were able to apply and bottle Trayion up. However, I think this is the week he gets his. I expect he will be used early and often to help suck those LB's and DB's in just a little bit each series. Then, we can hit the defense with a wide pitch or a speed option and it could be off to the races for Mr. Williams.

 

Should be a good game. Hope the weather doesn't scare anyone away.

 

T-minus 6+ hours and counting.

 

-CardinalsFan

CF...great post! Thanks for the analysis. It pretty much sums up what I saw on the DVD's this week. on O we have to account for #27 every play...and on D, the classic "tackle the FB EVERY play". If we can do that...then we have a chance!

 

 

Good Luck Highlands!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who does the weather effect more? Look's like rain in the forecast.

 

Since Colerain runs an offense that really doens't pass the ball much at all, it favors Colerain. Highlands is a team that tries to make an even split of the run to pass ratio (but usually ends up running out the clock ). We are going to have to be able to step up on defense and run the ball like crazy on offense if we want to stay in this game.