Why is Ironton so good all the time? Is it the coach? Is it the fact they get the best players from all around their area of Ohio? Is it the weight program?

 

What do they have going over there that teams on this side of the river haven't been able to figure out?

Read this thread, there are some reasons why Ironton and other Ohio schools do well in football.

Forgive me for my lack of knowledge about the Ironton football program, but what offensive and defensive schemes do they run? I know everyone says this year's Ironton team is big and powerful, but do they have speed to go along with it?

Unless they have changed this year, Wishbone offense, with a big FB, they are a lot like Russell in that they run about 5-10 plays and they run them well, and you have to stop them.

 

Defense used to be a 5-2 or 5-3, big, strong, fast, and aggressive. The bad news for Russell is that Ironton is normally a "Run Stopper". Not many teams run very well against them. They stop the run and dare a team to pass. That is their normal MO.

Unless they have changed this year, Wishbone offense, with a big FB, they are a lot like Russell in that they run about 5-10 plays and they run them well, and you have to stop them.

 

Defense used to be a 5-2 or 5-3, big, strong, fast, and aggressive. The bad news for Russell is that Ironton is normally a "Run Stopper". Not many teams run very well against them. They stop the run and dare a team to pass. That is their normal MO.

 

They threw 5 passes last week I believe and 2 were for touchdowns. Yes, they run a base 50 defense. I believe they run the power I instead of the wishbone, but it could be a mixture now.

Well, for comparison's sake, I figure Russell's wins over Estill County and the like were balanced out by Ashland's wins over the likes of Rowan County and Magoffin County. In fact, if you check Ashland's schedule over the years, the "improvement" made after losing to Ironton each year was followed up on an almost yearly basis by a shellacking of Magoffin County. Isn't Ashland, being a 5A school, supposed to be playing significantly harder teams than 3A Russell anyway?

 

Ashland hasn't played Magoffin Co. in 6-years (this will make 7). :lol: The Tomcat schedule speaks for it's self.

 

But this thread is about Russell/Ironton and you've got a tiger by the tail.

 

I'll catch you next week. :popcorn:

Here's a post that has something to do with this thread.

 

Why is Ironton so good all the time? Is it the coach? Is it the fact they get the best players from all around their area of Ohio? Is it the weight program?

 

What do they have going over there that teams on this side of the river haven't been able to figure out?

 

Most of it is Lutz, no doubt in my mind. The man could "take his and beat yours or he could take yours and beat his" ......Bum Phillips about Bear Bryant.

 

Ironton does get several players from all around Lawrence Co. in Ohio. I believe that Ohio schools are set up on "county" systems in that a kid living in any individual district within the county can go to any other school within that county/system w/o any transfer rules. As far as a weight program, I would certainly think that they do have an excellent one.

Also, imo Ohio schools for the most part just play a better brand of football than we do over here, they put more emphasis on it. I don't like saying it or admitting it but it is true. I have seen small school across the river beat (and reguarly) some pretty big school over on our side.

Shock boys no transfers all of these kids have played together since little league, it's just one of those years when the planets align and the stars shine bright.

 

No prediction here, just wishing both teams good luck and an injury free game.

I'll be pulling for Russell but I just don't see it happening.

 

Ironton - 35

Russell - 14

Unless they have changed this year, Wishbone offense, with a big FB, they are a lot like Russell in that they run about 5-10 plays and they run them well, and you have to stop them.

 

Defense used to be a 5-2 or 5-3, big, strong, fast, and aggressive. The bad news for Russell is that Ironton is normally a "Run Stopper". Not many teams run very well against them. They stop the run and dare a team to pass. That is their normal MO.

 

They actually usually run a straight T, but it can appear to be similar to a wishbone.

Russell hasn't been willing to play Ironton for many, many years. I think we're going to see why.

 

 

Ironton by as many as they want.

 

 

I am happy to see Russell step-up and play a good team.

 

So how many times has Raceland played Ironton over the years? And while we're at it, let's look at Raceland's non-conference teams played over the years:

 

Boyd

Greenup

Ashland

Fleming Co.

East Carter

West Carter

Paintsville

Rowan County

Lewis County

South Floyd

Coal Grove

Lawrence County (got a spankin' 52-0)

Bath County

Johnson Central (back in 1998 before they were much count)

 

Murder's Row? Hardly. Now, I don't have a dog in the hunt, but it does chap my butt to see the high and mighty Racelander's dogging Russell for "refusing to play Ironton", when they've not exactly called them up or played many tough teams either. Yes, you've played Ashland for many years, but other than that, cupcake city. Appears a little hypocritical. But, what do I know, I'm a muppet.

They actually usually run a straight T, but it can appear to be similar to a wishbone.

Good to see you back, I haven't seen you post in a while.

 

Thanks for the correction, I thought it was just their alignment was so tight, but it could well be a T formation.

....................Murder's Row? Hardly. Now, I don't have a dog in the hunt, but it does chap my butt to see the high and mighty Racelander's dogging Russell for "refusing to play Ironton", when they've not exactly called them up or played many tough teams either. Yes, you've played Ashland for many years, but other than that, cupcake city. Appears a little hypocritical. But, what do I know, I'm a muppet.

Not dogging Russell at all. It's good for Russell to play Ironton, it will help them in the rest of the season. Actually, Raceland did have some talk about playing Ironton this year, but it was between Russell and Raceland, and Russell got the game for some reason, I don't know the reason. It could have been a preference from Ironton, or a scheduling conflict, I honestly don't know.

 

Raceland tries to play a strong our of district schedule, I don't know if everyone thinks it is strong or not, but they try to play teams that will prepare them for teams they will see in the playoffs, and some of the choices are financial. The Ashland game is both, big time game, with big payday. The Greenup game is a good payday on home years. The Russell game is a good payday at home and good competition for the playoffs. Raceland also plays in the EKC and are required to play so many conference games, so Fleming, East Carter, West Carter and some of the other schools you mentioned meet that requirement as well as has teams that play similar to the teams that Raceland has to play in the playoffs. The district game, as with everyone, Raceland has no choice but to play.

 

I don't want to threadjack and just wanted to supply some information that may help you understand.

Ironton 48 Russell 13

So how many times has Raceland played Ironton over the years?

 

Murder's Row? Hardly. Now, I don't have a dog in the hunt, but it does chap my butt to see the high and mighty Racelander's dogging Russell for "refusing to play Ironton", when they've not exactly called them up or played many tough teams either. Yes, you've played Ashland for many years, but other than that, cupcake city. Appears a little hypocritical. But, what do I know, I'm a muppet.

 

I know that Raceland played Ironton a time or two in the 60's and for Raceland not trying to schedule Ironton that is incorrect as well. I know that talks were going on for a Raceland/Ironton game just before the Russell series was finally agreed upon by Russell to be renewed. So, I guess in a way you are right, the Rams did trade down in competition......by playing Russell instead of Ironton. . Another one on your list was Lawrence County, Raceland was playin LCHS in the 70's, 80's and 90's when they were a very good football team. The 52-0 score was the year Raceland was way down and LCHS went to their State Semi's I believe, maybe the finals. Raceland also was the only loss that LC had in one of their seasons. So, LCHS was far from a "cupcake" through the years as you labeled them. Others on that list had some pretty decent years as well.

Also, I was just wondering, how do you know who Raceland has or has not had talks with a far as scheduling games? Were you in on the talks with them. I know for a fact that Bill Tom Ross did everything but get on his hands and knees and beg to get Russell to play him in the 80's and the Mighty Devils would have none of it :sssh:. Raceland being a small class A school imo schedules up as best they can. This season for example the only class A schools the Rams play are district games. Russell, being a bigger school probably has had more opportunities to play bigger, tougher schools. I don't know and am not going to say that I do when I am not sure. I do know that Russell's district for years was a cupcake city that their JV could have probably won. I don't now if Rusell ever thought of moving back up in classification like they played in the 70's or not but they probably should have. When Russell moved down in competiton, classification that is when their schedules became a joke. Russells district/competiton has just in the last couple of years stepped up somewhat.

Not to bring all of it up again and I won't continue arguing argue it but you made a couple of statements in your post that are just not true.

 

I apologize for getting off topic, was just answering another post that stated some things that imo were not correct.

 

Back to this game, I made my prediction.... 38-6 score. Ironton imo will name the score, all depends on if Lutz wants to run it up or not imo. Russell in some years will quite possibly be able to play with Ironton, just not this season. JMO

Just a few of the harsher quotes on this thread:

 

"Russell hasn't been willing to play Ironton for many, many years. I think we're going to see why. Ironton by as many as they want."

- Graybeard

 

"Ironton will spank the Devils."

- SidelineDoc

 

"Smackdown coming to Devils by the way of the I Tigers. Devils will be Tigerbait."

- BlueKyBlue

 

"The Rams did trade down in competition...by playing Russell instead of Ironton. Ironton imo will name the score, all depends on if Lutz wants to run it up or not."

- OldRambler

 

Amazing that a school with a coach who has won 313 games and 2 state championships over 37 years of coaching has this chance, but Russell has an opportunity to win a lot of respect from area fans by making a game of it on Friday night.

Any Russell fan crying about people giving their opinion on a score in a prediction thread is silly. Now, I own up to my prediction, it probably will be a spanking. I do not know what the score will be but Saturday we can all discuss that. There have been many Russell fans that predicted lopsided scores against many local schools and it's okay because that is their opinion. Now, Russell is going against Ironton, who has returned to their tradtional place as "top dog" in the area. Russell is not as strong this year and this all leads to the logical ending of a spanking. Could Russell suprise Ironton and make it close or even win? Heck, yes!!!! That's why the game is played and score is kept. Anything can happen. But to draw out individual quotes as some sort of Russell bashing is absurd.

 

Good luck to both schools.