Ashland/Johnson Central Predictions

[PigSkinFan42]

Ashland in a close one, JC has been a powerhouse for many years and had their way with most teams in eastern KY. That being said Ashland will come out on top but not without a fight from JC.

[Ram]

As well you should, but (and you know that as a lawyer I'm going to use all wiggle room I can find) if Ashland wins the district, I will point out that I made my prediction of JC winning the district before JC's o line coach left and before Dillon left the team (he's still gone, correct?). :D

Oh, the bureaucracy of it all. No wiggle room for you, come back one year. (in my best Soup Nazi voice)

If it takes me being wrong for you to reach some new level of satisfaction, it will have been worth being wrong. I've got to help my NE Ky friends what ever way possible (other than losing to Blazer or JC in the playoffs of course). :clap:

I appreciate all the help, by being wrong, that you can provide.

[Ram]

That is the best that I have heard my philosophy on life put :lol: :notworthy:.......A simply great way of saying " if you can't dazzle them with brilliance.....baffle them with bull...uh, El Toro Poo Poo.:popcorn:

 

Words to live by.

If you don't know the answer, just make it up and swear it to be the truth I always say.

Ram please no :isurrender:......one of you is all we can take. :eek:

We are Ram, and one of us is always right.:lol:

[PigSkinFan42]

Does JC still run the wishbone?

[Austydak]

I don't think Ashland can be taken off the schedule even if the cats beat them 70-0. It's a dist. game.

 

I know but remember the Boyle County whining Matney threw out.

[oldrambler]

1.) If you don't know the answer, just make it up and swear it to be the truth I always say.

 

We are Ram, and one of us is always right.:lol:

 

1. That is another way of saying it and all lead to the same result. "act like you know what you are doing whether you do or not".

 

2. :ohbrother::confused::isurrender:. Those voices in your head are going to start arguing and it will drive you crazy. I know, I used to be normal before I started listening to the ones in my head. Now all of us are crazy .....I think, who am I :idunno:, where am I at :idunno:. Oh yeah I know now, well......maybe! :confused:

 

Good bye for now, I need a nap. :lol:

 

 

Back to Ashland and JCHS.

[Graybeard]

JC may not have played up to expectations so far, but I believe when Ashland plays them we'll see the JC team everyone expected to see this year. This will be a tough game for Ashland but I expect them to be well prepared and ready to avenge the big loss JC handed them at Putnam last year. I look forward to a great game atmosphere!

 

 

I agree with you Golfer. You can bet your last dollar that coach Matney will have his team ready for Ashland. This will be another big test for the Tomcats. This game will be hard fought and the Tomcats better show up expecting to give best efforts for 4-complete quarters. But, I believe if they show the same intensity and focus as they did in the Ironton game, they can get this win in the Nest.

[leatherneck]

Oh, the bureaucracy of it all. No wiggle room for you, come back one year. (in my best Soup Nazi voice)

 

I appreciate all the help, by being wrong, that you can provide.

 

I do my part.

 

This should be a very great and telling game. Obviously Ashland has performed better than I thought they would and JC has not played as well (until perhaps as of late) as I thought they would.

 

I'm still trying to figure these two teams out. Ashland gets clobbered by Campbell County in a scrimmage that supposedly both teams took very seriously. Campbell County gets clobbered this past week by Boone County. Boone County got beat easily last week by Highlands. Using the not always reliable but sometimes indicative theory of comparing scores, that would seem to indicate that Ashland is not close to Highlands level of play this year. While I think Highlands is better this year than last (maybe or maybe not by much), I expected JC to be better this year too. Highlands narrowly beat JC last year and JC had a more than a decent number of starters returning. Ashland looked very poor against Highlands last year. Had some good starters returning, but in my opinion, not enough to think that they'd be able to overcome the difference in level of play that both teams demonstrated to me last year. Seemed logical to me that JC would be the better team this year.

 

Then the season begins, and my logic goes out the window faster than UK's chances of beating Florida left Commonwealth in the first quarter last weekend.

 

I'll be pulling for JC to win to restore some faith in my logic, but good luck to both teams. :thumb:

[Ram]

I do my part.

 

This should be a very great and telling game. Obviously Ashland has performed better than I thought they would and JC has not played as well (until perhaps as of late) as I thought they would.

 

I'm still trying to figure these two teams out. Ashland gets clobbered by Campbell County in a scrimmage that supposedly both teams took very seriously. Campbell County gets clobbered this past week by Boone County. Boone County got beat easily last week by Highlands. Using the not always reliable but sometimes indicative theory of comparing scores, that would seem to indicate that Ashland is not close to Highlands level of play this year. While I think Highlands is better this year than last (maybe or maybe not by much), I expected JC to be better this year too. Highlands narrowly beat JC last year and JC had a more than a decent number of starters returning. Ashland looked very poor against Highlands last year. Had some good starters returning, but in my opinion, not enough to think that they'd be able to overcome the difference in level of play that both teams demonstrated to me last year. Seemed logical to me that JC would be the better team this year.

 

Then the season begins, and my logic goes out the window faster than UK's chances of beating Florida left Commonwealth in the first quarter last weekend.

 

I'll be pulling for JC to win to restore some faith in my logic, but good luck to both teams. :thumb:

 

In all seriousness. Really, not messing with you at all:

I didn't see the Campbell County scrimmage, but I truly think Ashland was working on some things against a decent team and was not that concerned with the score. They were getting ready for the season.

 

Ashland returned quite a few players from last years team that were young then and needed experience. Last year they were starting a freshman QB that is a good athlete but needed varsity experience. They were playing anther good freshman that needed varsity experience, and they had several Juniors starting that were in need of some more experience. This year, they all have that experience and are playing like it. I'm sure you could agree that having that experience on the field can make a world of difference.

 

Johnson Central does return some nice players, but they just don't return as much as Ashland did this year. They are a good team, and have played a stronger then normal schedule. Again, they are a good team.

 

Ashland has a lot of team speed, particular on defense, and, again, I am sure you would agree that team speed is a very good thing. Their defense is fast to the ball, and they don't start many true linemen on defense, they are mostly RB's/Wr's from the offense. Their defense is what has propelled them to an undefeated record.

 

Again in all seriousness, I expect this to be a very good game, and a hard fought victory for the winner. I just think this will be Ashland's year to win it.

[Graybeard]

Leatherneck I shared some of your concerns early on. But after watching the Tomcats develop this year, I’ve come to see a few things that you can’t from where you sit. Before I start, let me say that I don’t claim that either JC or Ashland is on Highlands’ level – very few are.

 

Here are a few of my observations, for what it’s worth:

 

• Regarding the Campbell Co. scrimmage. I was worried by our poor performance and said so openly. I’ve been told that our coaches chose to work on our passing game in that scrimmage instead of running the ball; though the run was working (I was not there and have to rely on reports for this, but I believe them). Hart knew that we would need to develop the pass in order to be balanced and successful. In fact the passing game didn’t jell until the Ironton game, IMO.

 

• Our O-line was an unknown, but they have performed very well.

 

• Our QB (Sam Hunter) was a freshman last year and he wasn’t asked to do much, just hand off. I know you are a father, so you are aware of how young men this age develop – each year is almost like stair steps. Sam has really advanced from where he was last year. I think the Ironton game this year was his “coming out party”. It was his passing that kept Ironton’s bigger players in check. He reads the field well and he has also gained confidence in running the ball himself when needed. And the team has confidence in him (this is huge).

 

• If you look at our stats you will see a very balanced attack – stats and TDs well distributed between 4 or 5 players. This was not the case last year – there was too much Carter last year, IMO (btw, Carter transferred out of Ashland after the opening game).

Edited October 1, 2009 by Graybeard

[oldrambler]

Leatherneck I shared some of your concerns early on. But after watching the Tomcats develop this year, I’ve come to see a few things that you can’t from where you sit. Before I start, let me say that I don’t claim that either JC or Ashland is on Highlands’ level – very few are.

 

Here are a few of my observations, for what it’s worth:

 

• Regarding the Campbell Co. scrimmage. I was worried by our poor performance and said so openly. I’ve been told that our coaches chose to work on our passing game in that scrimmage instead of running the ball; though the run was working (I was not there and have to rely on reports for this, but I believe them). Hart knew that we would need to develop the pass in order to be balanced and successful. In fact the passing game didn’t jell until the Ironton game, IMO.• Our O-line was an unknown, but they have performed very well.

 

• Our QB (Sam Hunter) was a freshman last year and he wasn’t asked to do much, just hand off. I know you are a father, so you are aware of how young men this age develop – each year is almost like stair steps. Sam has really advanced from where he was last year. I think the Ironton game this year was his “coming out party”. It was his passing that kept Ironton’s bigger players in check. He reads the field well and he has also gained confidence in running the ball himself when needed. And the team has confidence in him (this is huge).

 

• If you look at our stats you will see a very balanced attack – stats and TDs well distributed between 4 or 5 players. This was not the case last year – there was too much Carter last year, IMO (Carter has transferred out of Ashland).

 

Graybeard, as for the bolded I wold say that Hart was using a scrimmage for exactly what a scrimmage is and is supposed to be used for.......Practice. Coach Hart is a very good football coach and he absolutely knows what he is doing.

[ballbrain]

Graybeard, as for the bolded I wold say that Hart was using a scrimmage for exactly what a scrimmage is and is supposed to be used for.......Practice. Coach Hart is a very good football coach and he absolutely knows what he is doing.

 

I was able to go down to the scrimmage and I think you've got it just right. Coach Hart told them during the scrimmage that they were there to work on things, not to win. Ashland had serveral things that were working for them, but what good would it have been for them to just keep rehashing the stuff that was okay? No offense intended for Campbell Co. but they saw that the screen was working so they ran it at least 12-13 times. They seemed happy to win but, on the other side of it Coach Hart and staff didn't seem to be upset at the score in the least.

 

Ashland's defense got some very valuable experience against a good team, same with their offense. You have to put your team together at some point, hence the scrimmage concept.

[AshlandGolfer]

The posts above give a good idea as to how the scrimage against Campbell County went. I believe the final score was Ashland losing 41-0 against what seems like a quality Campbell County team, but looking at how we have played since one can say that the scrimage paid off tremendously.

 

Having played four power running teams so far (Greenup, Belfry, Russell, and Ironton) I think the experience from those games will help against JC. I was concerned with the size of our lines at the beginning but after seeing us beat Belfry, and especially Ironton (who has a huge line) I feel better about that. One area of concern with this team is penalties. I don't know our exact penalty yardage but the past three games Ashland had several false starts and holding penalties that either slowed or killed drives down the field. That must be fixed against Johnson Central, and I'm confident that Coach Hart and his staff will have the Tomcats well prepared.

 

Again, I think we'll be in for a great game atmosphere next week. Can't wait!

[Governor Jake]

Tomcats rule in this game

[leatherneck]

Leatherneck I shared some of your concerns early on. But after watching the Tomcats develop this year, I’ve come to see a few things that you can’t from where you sit. Before I start, let me say that I don’t claim that either JC or Ashland is on Highlands’ level – very few are.

 

Here are a few of my observations, for what it’s worth:

 

• Regarding the Campbell Co. scrimmage. I was worried by our poor performance and said so openly. I’ve been told that our coaches chose to work on our passing game in that scrimmage instead of running the ball; though the run was working (I was not there and have to rely on reports for this, but I believe them). Hart knew that we would need to develop the pass in order to be balanced and successful. In fact the passing game didn’t jell until the Ironton game, IMO.

 

• Our O-line was an unknown, but they have performed very well.

 

• Our QB (Sam Hunter) was a freshman last year and he wasn’t asked to do much, just hand off. I know you are a father, so you are aware of how young men this age develop – each year is almost like stair steps. Sam has really advanced from where he was last year. I think the Ironton game this year was his “coming out party”. It was his passing that kept Ironton’s bigger players in check. He reads the field well and he has also gained confidence in running the ball himself when needed. And the team has confidence in him (this is huge).

 

• If you look at our stats you will see a very balanced attack – stats and TDs well distributed between 4 or 5 players. This was not the case last year – there was too much Carter last year, IMO (btw, Carter transferred out of Ashland after the opening game).

 

 

Graybeard, thanks for the analysis. Obviously some very good and positive things have happened with the Ashland team. I'd have said surprising things, but perhaps they weren't surprises to those better informed than me.

 

Ram, thanks for your analysis. You re definitely right about me feeling speed and experience are very important to a team's success. And on a serious note of my own, I'd prefer Ashland win the game and the district, even if that means I was wrong in my original comments months ago that I thought JC would be the better team. I respect Ashlands' tradition and like to see teams with tradition continue to have success.