3A: Breathitt County Bobcats (11-2) at Belfry Pirates (13-0)

[1771]

Breathitt- 28

Belfry- 14

 

Fugate pulls this one out for the bobcats with a little help from the rest of the team.

[Morehead State]

Fugate is legitimately the best football player in 3A. I definitely think that Fugate will dominate Belfry even as good as Belfry is. This is one game the Pirates will not be able to tackle well,as Fugate will move Breathitt on to the carpet.:thumb:

 

I highly doubt that Fugate will dominate the Pirates. I think Breathitt will leave the CAM tomorrow night thinking that although they have one great player, it takes a team to win, not just one superstar.

 

GO BUCS! :thumb:

 

Belfry 34

 

Breathitt Co. 20

[Watusi]

I'm thinking like Morehead State, final score in the 35-21 range, in favor of the Pirates.

[EKUAlum05]

It's State Semi-Finals Day in the Mountains!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Last year Mike Holcomb made IMO, the poorest decision of his illustrious career. He publicly stated for his team to "ignore the fullback" early in the game, and as a result Belfry ended up hanging 62 on the Bobcats. The fullback is the heartbeat of any Belfry team. The offense completely revolves around the success of the fullback on the belly read, or the strategy employed by the defense and their alignment to stop him.

 

After last season's debacle Holcomb has publicly went on record talking about how they have been preparing for Belfry all season, so I have a feeling he will not be ignoring anyone this year. Instead, what I expect from Breathitt is to see 11 guys in the box, press coverage on the receivers, and every blitz and stunt that John Chapman knows to be thrown at the Pirates. I also expect to see specific assignments on every play for the fullback to be accounted for and put on the ground. Breathitt will also align the defense to take away the quick hitters on the veer and belly.

 

Belfry's bread and butter tonight will have to come outside or on misdirection. If the Pirates can stretch the Bobcat's defense across the field efficiently, and maybe even mix in a couple passes to force the corners to honor the receivers and make safeties who will be walked up to stop the run have to play with a step of reluctance. If this occurs then Belfry, who has a decisive advantage in size/strength and depth on the O-line, will be able to wear adown a Breathitt team composed of mostly two way players.

 

Offensively I expect to see some new wrinkles out of Breathitt. The Belfry DE's have to stay at home and the safeties cannot get sucked in on the play. Channing Fugate may be the best individual player in the mountains, but he does not worry me if he is asked to carry his team, what worries me is Channing Fugate running the ball when Belfry has to devote 5-6 players specifically to pass coverage and the Pirates are not able to gang tackle him. If Belfry can limit Breathitt's passing game with two CB's and two safeties, and can effectively rush Haddix, then I like the Pirates chances of disrupting Fugate in the backfield.

 

Ultimately, what this game boils down to, is three things:

 

1. Who can win the first two seconds after the ball is hiked. If Breathitt is the team penetrating the backfield and forcing Belfyr to make rare mistakes and turnovers, the Bobcats can and will win this game. If Belfry is pressuring Haddix and keepign Fugate from getting a full head of steam then Belfry wins.

 

2. What tempo the game is played. If Breathitt dictates a tempo consistent with big plays and pass blocking, while forcing Belfry into quick posessions. Then fatigue will have no effect. If Belfry can grind out long drives, and force Breathitt to have to drive the ball on offense instead of scoring quick. Then Belfry's size and depth advantages will play a major role by the end of the game.

 

3.Who surprises the other the most. Breathitt has tricks up it's sleeve, but also the Bobcats find it inconceivable that Belfry could shut down Fugate. Additionally, Belfry has a lot more plays up their sleeve then they have been forced to show, and Befry fans do not feel Breathitt can overpower their line at shutting down their running game before it starts. Whoever surprises the other will control this game.

 

Prediction: Very close, back and forth game for a half.... Belfry starts to win the LOS in the second half, then in the 4th Quarter the Pirates put it away.

 

Belfry 34

Breathitt 20

[Guest steve banks]

Fugate definitely will dominate Belfry, then the world can see just how good Channing is,and we all can be impressed and appreciated by the talent of a superstar. Fugate will move Breathitt on to the carpet.:thumb:

[EKUAlum05]

Fugate definitely will dominate Belfry, then the world can see just how good Channing is,and we all can be impressed and appreciated by the talent of a superstar. Fugate will move Breathitt on to the carpet.:thumb:

 

How much are dues to the Channing Fugate fan club?

 

Just do us a favor... if for some reason Fugate does not dominate Belfry as you have predicted, just please don't place all the balme on him for the loss, since all the expectations for a win have been unfairly placed on his shoulders.

[Guest steve banks]

Fugate definitely will dominate Belfry, then the world can see just how good Channing is,and we all can be impressed and appreciated by the talent of a superstar. Fugate will move Breathitt on to the carpet.:thumb:

[Morehead State]

I am not doubting in any way that Fugate is a great player, but I just dont think you are giving the Pirates enough respect. Thats all I will say about that and I will let them do the talking on the field tonight. And if Fugate dominates the Pirates I will acknowledge that fact and congratulate him. If the Pirates contain him, and beat the Bobcats, hopefully you can do the same and show the Pirates some respect.

[Watusi]

If Belfry is forced to run outside and misdirection, then I don't think the Pirate fans will be happy because I think that means we are getting less offensive production than we would like. When teams stack up against us with 11 in the box. I think the best attack is to run right at them. Particularly the way Breathitt normally stacks the outside corners against us and tries to hit the gaps inside. The quick hitters, dives, inside and outside veers, etc., have been more effective because you only need one block or one missed tackle and its off to the races. The more time the play takes to develop, the more it favors the defense, IMO.

 

Breathitt will spread you out and try to get Fugate running room and then give it to him and let him go. Belfry will need solid play from the front 7, especially the LB's. The DL guys need to penetrate up front and disrupt them when they drop back to pass.

 

With a team like Breathitt, you can't expect to shut them down entirely on defense. My guess is Belfry will try to take something away from them that they like to do and try and force them into something else. I look for us to really try and limit the run and try and make them throw it more. And when they do, we will try to get good coverage and give our front guys time to put pressure on the QB. I may be way off but I imagine this will be our game plan going in.

[Skunk]

I think Belfry stays undefeated

[kystraydog]

Belfry will come out the winner by 3 TDs

[EKUAlum05]

If Belfry is forced to run outside and misdirection, then I don't think the Pirate fans will be happy because I think that means we are getting less offensive production than we would like. When teams stack up against us with 11 in the box. I think the best attack is to run right at them. Particularly the way Breathitt normally stacks the outside corners against us and tries to hit the gaps inside. The quick hitters, dives, inside and outside veers, etc., have been more effective because you only need one block or one missed tackle and its off to the races. The more time the play takes to develop, the more it favors the defense, IMO.

 

Breathitt will spread you out and try to get Fugate running room and then give it to him and let him go. Belfry will need solid play from the front 7, especially the LB's. The DL guys need to penetrate up front and disrupt them when they drop back to pass.

 

With a team like Breathitt, you can't expect to shut them down entirely on defense. My guess is Belfry will try to take something away from them that they like to do and try and force them into something else. I look for us to really try and limit the run and try and make them throw it more. And when they do, we will try to get good coverage and give our front guys time to put pressure on the QB. I may be way off but I imagine this will be our game plan going in.

 

I completely agree and see everything the same, especially what I anticipate Belfry's defensive strategy to be. Except I fully expect Breathitt defensively to sell out to stop the inside running game. When Belfry has lost in recent years (all three or four total times LOL) it came from teams (with the exception of Sheldon Clark) who were able to completely disrupt the middle of the field and "send the house" to try to disrupt the play in the backfield. These teams were also not only able to force Belfry to have to try to run outside or on misidrection, but used the Pirate's stubborness against them to force 3 and outs and allow their team to dictate the game's tempo.

 

The "Perfect Storm" which would give Breathitt the "W" would be:

- Stop Belfry's inside running game

- Limit the big play and make Belfry go a full half before they can make wholesale gameplan changes

- Score a couple quick times and build a 2 TD lead forcing Belfry to come from behind.

- Force Belfry out of their gameplan by disrupting the backfield and forcing turnovers.

- Force Belfry to honor the pass with additional men in coverage, freeing up the opportunity ro run in the second half and eat clock with the lead.

[5wide]

If Belfry is forced to run outside and misdirection, then I don't think the Pirate fans will be happy because I think that means we are getting less offensive production than we would like. When teams stack up against us with 11 in the box. I think the best attack is to run right at them. Particularly the way Breathitt normally stacks the outside corners against us and tries to hit the gaps inside. The quick hitters, dives, inside and outside veers, etc., have been more effective because you only need one block or one missed tackle and its off to the races. The more time the play takes to develop, the more it favors the defense, IMO.

 

Breathitt will spread you out and try to get Fugate running room and then give it to him and let him go. Belfry will need solid play from the front 7, especially the LB's. The DL guys need to penetrate up front and disrupt them when they drop back to pass.

 

With a team like Breathitt, you can't expect to shut them down entirely on defense. My guess is Belfry will try to take something away from them that they like to do and try and force them into something else. I look for us to really try and limit the run and try and make them throw it more. And when they do, we will try to get good coverage and give our front guys time to put pressure on the QB. I may be way off but I imagine this will be our game plan going in.

 

:thumb:

 

I think that's part of the reason Belfry ended up rolling up so many points last year. Once they broke through the first wave, there was a lot of green in front of them...

 

I'll be surprised if Belfry struggles to move the ball on the ground tonight. I expect them to grind it out and dominate the clock with an occasional big play mixed in. I don't think they'll score 62 points, nor do I think the game will get as far out of hand as least years. But, it won't be a nail biter either.

 

As for Breathitt, I expect them to be more inconsistent moving the ball. They'll hit a few nice gains with the passing game, and as much as Fugate should get the ball, I'd expect him to break a few decent runs. They'll mount some offense, but not enough to keep up, IMO. Also, I think Belfry can hold Fugate in check, relatively speaking. If he only gets 100-150 yards (especially if the majority of those yards come on 4 or 5 good runs while he's held in check on the rest), then that leaves a lot of slack for the rest of the offense to pick up...I think Belfry could live with that, although they may actually do better. One player is not going to beat Belfry.

 

The #1 thing that has to happen for Breathitt to win this game is for Belfry to make mistakes. Turnovers are the obvious things because they give us the ball and possibly give it to us with a short field. But, that also includes penalties, poor play-calling, and poor execution...all things that kill drives.

 

If that doesn't happen, then I don't think Breathitt can stop Belfry's running game from bulldozing its way down the field.

 

I think the picks of Belfry winning by 2-3 TD's are right...they'll probably end up somewhere in the 28-42 range while Breathitt is in the 14-21 range.

 

I hope I'm wrong.

[BelfryBrat]

NOTHING what-so-ever against Fugate and his talent!!! But from several of these post it sounds like some think Fugate can play and win this game by himself :confused: I hate that for the rest of the team!! If this game wasn't so important I'd say let him......It takes 11 team members to play ball.

 

Everyone have a safe trip...Lets hope for an injury free game and...

 

:fight:LETS GO BELFRY!!!!:fight:

[Rebel88]

Good luck to both teams