magfit

LOL ...so if there are any middle schoolers reading this thread that want to play in a dynamic offense you may wish to consider Ballard, Eastern, St.X, (please insert your school of choice here). Congrats to Eastern on their opening season win!

Let me start by saying I like everyone on this thread so don't anyone take offense to anything posted here. St.X is a great school, great coaches, great fans… However, the crystal ball has been dusted off and the prediction of scoring 73 points vs Ballard has become a reality check…That said, St.X remains a very good team that will get better. I sense that because this game wasn't a blow out that something must be wrong, and that all of the earlier predictions about this being a St.X team that will go undefeated are out the window. What some may not be willing to admit/realize is that Ballard is pretty good! In fact, THEY may have let that game slip away. I'd mentioned earlier that IMO they left 3 or 4 TD’s on the table. 1 TD pass was called back early in the game (a correct call by the way) and they had a couple of other drives they did not cash in on in the first half. At the half Ballard had run 44 plays for 175 yards…St.X had run 14 plays for 66 yards. Ballard’s offense did not slow down in the second half and they started scoring on their drives. St.X ran very well in the 2nd half and scored more. Second point for Ballard…It’s not like St.X was playing Glass Joe HS. Ballard has around 35 seniors on this team. That's a lot for a public school. Going back a few years…this Ballard senior class went 7-1 as freshmen including wins over St.X, Central, Male amongst others. In the scrimmage the previous Friday vs. preseason #8 Lexington Catholic, Ballard scored 40 points in 3 qtrs, including 4 TD passes of 78, 45, 40, and 25 yards (Ballard had a 75 yd TD pass called back). In that game they completed passes to EIGHT different receivers, and two of their top receivers did not play. Throw in a 50 yard TD run, and a kickoff return for a TD and you saw a Ballard team that has some fire power of their own. St.X does have a very talented team. Terrific run game and their pass offense is going to improve. It is tough to go from running the veer, to their new hybrid west coast/pro style offense and not expect a few early kinks with the passing game. Having such a strong run game will indeed help their pass game progress. And, it is true, despite it all St.X is 1-0. Lexington Catholic and Bowling Green are very strong passing teams…should be interesting.

Hats off to St.X on their win. But, anyone who attended the game would agree that it was a much closer game than the score indicates. Coach Jackson and his staff did a great job preparing the Bruins. If I'm a young middle school QB or receiver and I want to play in a dynamic offense, there is no question I go to Ballard HS. While they did not have a great night running the ball, they will get better (you can count on that). St.X's run D was solid. However, the Ballard offensive line did a terrific job protecting the QB ... he had plenty of time to throw all night. Their quick passing game was very good and they had several deep pass plays that St.X could not stop. That said, Ballard probably left 3 or 4 TD's on the table...sometimes that happens, but with this Ballard team I'll bet it doesn't happen again. Entertaining game.

I agree with you, but as you know rules prohibit them from coming to their school to work out on their own during dead period...many can't afford a gym membership. Few kids are going to run around the park. Frankly, many kids are going to take that 2 week break and just stay inside doing nothing. My point is have the break, but for football, figure out a way for the break to be in June vs 2 weeks leading into the first practice. There are other states that have dead periods, they just don't have the same dead period for all sports.

Nothing wrong with taking a break, but having Dead period lead into the first day of football practice is counter intuitive...To tell kids who play football that they can not come to school to lift weights or run on the track for 2 weeks leading up to the first day of conditioning/practice makes NO SENSE. It means for those couple of weeks these kids (who are about to be exposed to some tough conditioning in some very hot weather) are going to start to get out of shape. Some may go on vacation, some may stay inside (AC) and play video games. Those who want to stay fit may have to pay $$ for a gym membership. Some may do nothing at all...Not a great way to prepare for football. A break after school is out in June is fine...call it Vacation period and have it for 2 weeks the day after school is out. You may want to make the date different for football vs basketball, baseball, because those sports don't start practice in July. For KY football players, June is logical time for every player, coach, family, etc... to take a break. A break is great...but you do a young athlete a disservice by telling them they can not come to school, weight room, track, etc...for 2 weeks leading up to the first day of conditioning/practice, when they are going to be expected to be in good shape the first day after the dead period is over.

Most College programs host camps in the summer. Great way for them to see prospects like Reggie up close. They can get 40 times, shuttles, etc... plus with QB's they can see their velocity, mechanics, accuracy, as they throw to receivers in the camp setting. Often a big school may have coaches from a variety of other colleges in attendance whether they are helping or just watching. For example, Ohio State's camp a couple of years ago had 50+ coaches from all levels in attendance, so it gives the athlete lots of exposure. I'm sure he's been impressive in those settings in addition to other combines and 7on7 tourneys he may have been involved with. While college coaches can't attend the combines they can to some degree rely on the verified information that Nike, Under Armour, NUC, and others make public (height, weight, 40 times, etc...).

Link to the play:

This senior class is loaded with good leadership and good character young men. These guys enjoy each others company, they work hard collectively, they have great admiration for their coaches and their school, and they are unselfish. These are just a few pieces of the puzzle that Championship teams require. You have to throw in some talent and a few other things but this group seems to have a special kind of chemistry. There are never any guarantees, but without this chemistry, championships are few and far between. With that said, if you are planning a visit, there is a lot of construction right now on the road to Bowling Green.

TEAM 9 WINS 4 LOSSES Western 20 7 W Riverdale 47 7 L Seneca 26 6 W Central 19 14 L Manual 21 0 W Warren Central 34 17 L Eastern 42 21 W Fern Creek 13 12 W Oldham County 21 14 W Campbell County 35 34 W PLAYOFFS Muhlenberg Co 61 6 W Oldham Co 30 14 W Eastern 42 23 L

Bruins may be flying under the radar. This could be an exciting team.

I've seen some of the best teams in the state play here this week and they all seem to be shooting in the 20-30% range. Very low scoring games. Something 'ain't' right with the rims...it's like shooting at the carnival. Ball doesn't bounce off it jumps off, like a super ball. Really tight...at this point if I were playing I'd have to get my ladder, level, and wrench, go up there to make sure the rims were level, then with my wrench I'd loosen those things up!

It's a very interesting throwing program that we've used for 3 years...we've adapted it for football. One of the other keys to this program is the exercises that are done before throwing ie... the use of tubes, bands, etc... The idea is that you warm up to throw vs throwing to warm up. Once warmed up, you begin the long toss program.

"Coaching is so unpredictable," said Hall of Fame QB Joe Montana. "In many cases, it depends on who surrounds you. At any other school, Bob Beatty is probably a below-average coach, but you start surrounding him with players like Quick, Dawkins, etc... and the outstanding staff & facilities at THS, and you see what he can do." Future success as a coach proves tough to predict.......lol. Couldn't resist it. Montana was a great QB, and Coach Beatty does a great job with THS.

17-7 Ballard at the half.

Update?