http://www.maxpreps.com/news/article.aspx?articleid=315fddea-e8ea-4c1f-aef2-29462b0b7e81&page=3
Check the highlight video for info on Ed's..
Check the highlight video for info on Ed's..
You don't have to game plan for Crawford on offense. Stump is their best offensive player and main target for Kean. Also, don't sleep on junior Cole Guest at running back. Most explosive back Eds has had since Frankie Edmunds in 2006.
I agree Eds is the real deal, but to say it will be over by the 2nd qtr? This group plays with too much pride to lay down like that. To stay in the game, they need long drives that keeps Eds offense off the field. Really sick of this cowardly attitude on here. They might get blown out, but expecting them to just lay back and take it, like all the work they've done leading up to this means nothing? Not a chance. They pizzed down their leg Friday, and IMO the staff let the team down. There was no excuse to not utilize Portis more, he was averaging ~4 yards per carry. Give some credit to McD, that might be the biggest OL they see, including Eds and Moe.
I am not like Final World, Elder's version of ReLoad, but give the kids a chance to prove themselves. This whole, expectation of "poor us, we can't play with the big dogs" makes me want to puke. This is a chance at redemption, even if they can't pull the upset, going toe to toe with the odds on favorite to win state, is a huge psychological boost. It's so easy to just quit on this team, bc honestly they choked Friday, but look at last year , the year before, and even 2010, Elder made huge strides. My guess is if they'd blown out Princeton or Xenia, you guys would be picking the upset.
It's not about kids laying down it's about talent, you're always talking this rah rah nonsense. Players play and coaches coach, the talent level isn't going to be close in this game. IMO Ed's will beat Elder handily and it will have nothing to do with Elder kids quitting or laying down. The offensive side of the ball has some talent although they lack explosion in the running game and the receiving game. Hall is a great possession WR but isn't a burner or big play threat and Portis is a work horse but again not a burner. The defense also has some nice players, but overall is slow and will have a lot of trouble against the spread once the Ed's skill guys get Elder in space.
Having said all that I hope I'm wrong and Elder can make it competitive.
I cant help but remember the 2001 season when Elder beat 3 (Warren Harding, St.I, and Colerain) #1 teams ranked in the state of Ohio. Maybe history will repeat itself this week with Ed's being ranked #1 in the nation and state in many polls.
http://www2.cincinnati.com/preps/2001/11/10/pre_elder_35_colerain_21.html
The series is tied 5-5 with Ed's winning the last 4 matchups
http://media.elderhs.net/EHSportsArchives/FootballArchives/index.htm
(click on composite record against opponents on the left)
Go watch the Mentor/Ed's film from last year. That's your blueprint.
The coaches need to take this as an opportunity for redemption. I guarantee you Eds thinks they're going to come in here and piss on Elder. They might, the talent gap is wide enough. Elder has got to approach this like they've got nothing to lose. Everyone expects a blowout, nowhere to go but up.
However, they need to mix things up. Playing their routine game plan on defense won't cut it. They're going to have to blitz and blitz often. I get the risk of leaving our corners on an island, but what's the alternative? Doing the same exact thing that's failed every year?
On offense they've got to switch up the cadence, Dipre will have a field day if he picks up the snap count. They also need to get the ball to Martin. He's their only true threat over the middle and I don't know if he was targeted last night. You have to assume Hall's going to be taken out of the game by Crawford so the deep ball isn't an option. Also with Eds stout front 7 power running won't come into play. They have to use the short passing game as an extension of the run, chew up clock. Look back at highlights from Ignatius vs Eds last yr. Special teams and field position were huge.
The outcome of that game was decided before the game even started when Ed's primary running back was injured. The Ed's O foolishly relied on Crawford too much, diminishing his ability to shut down the Mentor passing game when he was on D.