Cover Corner

This one is to close to call for me. I think Raceland is the better team overall, but I think Russell has the best player in the field in Conley and might be a bit more athletic at the skill positions. Big rivalry with the game meaning more to each coach than they would ever make public. Rams are tough to beat at home but could be hard to get back up after the way they lost to Paintsville. I expect an even matched game unless Conley gets on a roll. He is a special back and capable of taking over a game. This game very easily could be one where a game is not necessarily won but lost by the team that makes the most or last mistakes (penalties and turnovers). Good luck to both and hope they remain injury free as both have plans bigger than this game.

This was an odd game to me. Great game to watch as it was entertaining as all get out but the officials seemed to zap any flow of the game in the first half. I felt that Raceland was the overall better team. That Paintsville had better athletes with more big play ability. And most importantly that Paintsville out-coached Raceland. Two or three decisions or lack there of usually determine a game. Raceland elected not to onside kick with the ball at the 30 after 2 15 yard penalties and up 7. Worst case scenario they recover at the 20. Best case scenario you recover at the 20. Instead you kick it out of endzone so they get it at 20? Also the final play call? Why call a draw there? Roll out your QB (best player on your team IMO) and let him make a decision to run or throw. I feel like Raceland let one get away as I don't think Paintsville will have 98 yards of penalties in a half if these two play again. I was pulling for Raceland in this one and the game lived up to the hype but the Rams took a loss that could have been avoided to IMO. Paintsville deserves a lot of credit for the way their kids handled adversity tonight. A couple of times they could have sulked but they rallied and made big play after big play. The FB for Paintsville was a load in the 2nd half. Great game and atmosphere.

Pretty good list. I too think Russell should be on the list and right around the 10-12 range would be fair. Not sure the top two teams shouldn't be flipped but that will work its way out through the season. EKY football is quickly becoming the "Haves" vs the "Have Nots". With the 6 class system there are few teams that can push the top teams in most EKY districts but over all classes there are some good teams playing some good football.

I think Boyd may have checked out after the JC game. Hate to see the once proud program where it is now. Congrats to Rowan on this one.

Russell makes quick work of another overwhelmed opponent. Hope the Red Devil fans appreciate Conley. He is special. Hope both remain injury free in this one.

This should be Greenup's Super Bowl. This is a winnable game for them but they need to play well and limit Ashland's big plays. If they make the young Tomcat Offense drive the field the hard way they will greatly improve their chances. I watched Ashland twice early and felt like the second time they were better than the first. They are young and will only get better but if Greenup is going to get a home playoff game this is their best bet. I expect Greenup to put up a fight but money goes on the Tomcats. Good luck to both

30-0 JC with 4:24 in half

0-0 here with 6:00 minutes prior to kickoff.

Not even close. Russell is far and away behind Belfry, Corbin, Central, & Lex Cath for sure in my book. I think Russell would have trouble keeping the game competitive against any of that crew. The athletes of Central and Lex Cath would really be difficult for Russell to do anything with considering Russell struggled with Ashland'a athletes once they got in space especially. Belfry and Corbin are different animals completely and I would be shocked if they did not have a running clock on Russell. Russell is a solid AAA football team in the 6 class system and will probably win their district, but they have not beat a good team yet this season IMO. Fleming may be solid but they lost by a similar margin as Boyd who is just plain bad. No disrespect to Russell but I don't see them as top 3. I will buy top 10 but I do not see them as a legitimate threat to win a state title.

I was speaking about the final drive when Ashland's sophomore QB made multiple Red Devils miss tackles by slightly moving horizontally and then dragging defenders as he goes down to beat the devils. Ashland's lack of production was more so due to Ashland than Russell IMO. Russell is just an average football team at best this year. There is no disrespect here for Russell but having watched Russell against a not very good Ashland team and Lex. Cath against a pretty good Johnson Central there is no way I see the Devils keeping it close.

I can not speak for Fleming as I have not seen them but Russell struggled with Ashland's Athletes. Lex Cath would name their score against Russell. Russell couldn't tackle Lex Cath in a phone booth.

I think LSU puts a full court press on Petrino. If he goes I am not sure Louisville misses a beat because there is a young man in Bowling Green that if he makes the move back home might end up being the best football coach UofL has ever had. I am not even sure Petrino would go. Much easier gig where he is at now. Less pressure. Easier conference. No Saban Just my opinion though.

If Russell can handle Boyd like they did then JC would have to make some major mistakes to make this one comparative. Better go ahead and start the running clock now.

UofL looked as good as anyone in the country today. I hope they continue this momentum and find them selves in the playoff. Love him or hate him Petrino is one of the best if not the best offensive minds in football. He is also very good at evaluating talent to fit his style. This Cat fan had to look away dreading when the Cards play my Kittens.

Similar to the success that UK Basketball has after Calapari, Duke has after Coach K, Belfry has after Haywood, and Alabama has after Saban. Programs of these caliber are going to be very good regardless. Will he compete for titles every year like now? Maybe maybe not but they will be in the thick of things more often than not.

I am far from an Ashland fan but Coach Love is a WONDERFUL person and role model. I know he has struggled with Johnson Central but so had every other team in EKY. Ashland was a top 3-4 team in the class last year and got beat by another top 3-4 team in the class prior to injuries. No shame in that. Ashland is like every other program in EKY jobs are being lost (AK Steel, CSX, coal mines, etc). Numbers are not what they once were and when you lose a class as talented as the one that just graduated you feel it over the next couple of years. I have watched Ashland twice this year and they are young but play very hard. They will get better. I seldom pull for Ashland but I will actively root against them if they force out an individual of Coach Love's character due to his record against a district opponent with a larger student body.

What was Russell thinking? Why did Conley not touch it more? Russell's coaching staff did a poor job on offense. Congrats to Ashland.

Drew Barker is one of the few bright spots of the game to me. The talent is there and he had the poise of a SEC QB. The turnovers were tough but the first fumble was an experience mistake and the pick was trying to make a play as UK was on life support at the time. People can take personal shots all they want but QB play did not lose the game and anyone who thinks so is jaded or knows very little about football. UK's front 7 are as bad as there is in college football. UK's secondary is talented no doubt about it, but in the SEC teams will not have to throw it when they are getting 5-7 yds a pop every time they run. Stoops has been given some passes in the past since he took over a mess, but his luck may have run out. Without a bowl game he may be unemployed.

Johnson Central looked really good tonight. I am not sure I was as impressed as I was with them last year but they are really good. I thought there backs ran much harder and that their secondary is improved. Not having the Pack kid as a kicker makes a difference when you try to flip the field but the kicker did a great job on PATs. Central dominated the game and I bet they had close to 100 yds in penalties. Lex Cath is athletic and dangerous but they are well behind Belfry. If Lex Cath comes out of the West (and based on the Boyle game tonight I figure Lex Cath or Central are the favorites) then the winner of Belfry/Corbin (barring no big upsets) would be heavy favorites.

Huge UK fan here but WOW did Louisville look good!!!!! I know they should have dominated this game and Charlotte is below average but the Cards really looked good. I am one of the few UK fans that pulls for UofL as long as they don't play UK. The better they are the better for our state IMO. Also love him or hate him there is no denying that Petrino is as good of an offensive mind as there is in football.

I agree completely. Just wondering what the final decision boiled down to.

Does anyone know what the reason for Scott's termination was? I have seen guesses it was finances and I know Scott has had trouble with gambling previously, but I have not seen anything definite.

Wow Fleming is getting an awful lot of love on here. When I saw them last year I was very much not impressed. They only beat Russell due to Conley being banged up and then got demolished by West Carter. I am not saying they won't win their district or they won't be undefeated but I have concerns of them getting past Lawrence or Pike Central in round 2 let alone having any shot at the Big Red Machine.

Is anyone sure if the JC scrimmage on Aug 5 vs Cabell Midland?

Dropping out of district play will help, but it will take some time to recover from the mess that is the SC football program. The program has been decimated from the loss of jobs in the area and from recent coaches not taking an interest in the feeder program. I am not sure SC will ever return to the position it once was but it should not be at the level it has been at the end of Shawn Hager's run and the last year.