2021 Massillon Football

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Haven’t read much, positive it’s already been said, but I hate to take away from the kids from Green and I tip my hat to them for being WAY more formidable than I anticipated, but that was the worst display of officiating I have seen on any level or football ever. Good season Tigers a lot of folks didn’t have us penciled in anywhere near this game. Forever and always, GO TiGERS
 
Obie3621 said:
Haven’t read much, positive it’s already been said, but I hate to take away from the kids from Green and I tip my hat to them for being WAY more formidable than I anticipated, but that was the worst display of officiating I have seen on any level or football ever. Good season Tigers a lot of folks didn’t have us penciled in anywhere near this game. Forever and always, GO TiGERS
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penciled in near this game???? Have you not looked at region 7? You were the favorites to win the region. If you weren't the favorite to win the region then please tell me who was.
 
HooleyHouse22 said:
penciled in near this game???? Have you not looked at region 7? You were the favorites to win the region. If you weren't the favorite to win the region then please tell me who was.
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I didn’t say I was one of those people, but yeah a lot of tiger fans had no faith in the begging of the year, sadly.
 
Obie3621 said:
I didn’t say I was one of those people, but yeah a lot of tiger fans had no faith in the begging of the year, sadly.
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That's very unfortunate because the talent is there. They played with st eds who has dominated division 1 playoff. As long as you guys are in region 7 not making the state final four is a huge disappointment. It arguably the worst region in the state in comparison to the other regions expect maybe region 10.
 
HooleyHouse22 said:
penciled in near this game???? Have you not looked at region 7? You were the favorites to win the region. If you weren't the favorite to win the region then please tell me who was.
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It's a public school with an enrollment of under 500 boys do you really think the state final four is attainable every year? Is that the expectation for the school you support(whichever that may be)? Final 4 or bust? Massillon is one of the best public school programs in the state year in and year out because of the commitment of the coaches, parents, community, and most importantly THE PLAYERS who ultimately decide these games. This season may have not ended the way the fans would've liked but it was in no way a failure either.
 
murphy13 said:
It's a public school with an enrollment of under 500 boys do you really think the state final four is attainable every year? Is that the expectation for the school you support(whichever that may be)? Final 4 or bust? Massillon is one of the best public school programs in the state year in and year out because of the commitment of the coaches, parents, community, and most importantly THE PLAYERS who ultimately decide these games. This season may have not ended the way the fans would've liked but it was in no way a failure either.
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How much more talented was Massilon’s roster than every other team in region 7? 24 point favorites….

let me repeat this every year this public school that attracts great outside talent should win region 7 going away. Anything else is a major upset.
 
MassillonTigers.com

2021 Booster Club Report – Week 14​

NEWS
In regional final playoff action No. 4 Massillon lost to No. 7 Green, 26-25, finishing the season with an 11-3 record. The game was played at Mansfield’s Arlin Field Stadium.

The Tigers were favored in this one but lost with less than a minute remaining when Green’s Trevor Van Horn connected with Trey Martin for a 16-yard touchdown pass. Green advances to the state semifinals where they will face Cincinnati Winton Woods. The other semifinal pits defending champion Akron Hoban against Avon.

All-in-all it was a good game spoiled by some unfortunate referee calls. Right from the start there were issues. On Green’s second play from scrimmage, Van Horn threw a sideways screen pass that was dropped by the receiver. The referee closest to the play ruled it incomplete, but the side judge on the far side of the field called it a backward pass and a fumble, which Massillon then recovered. The Tigers would score the opening points a few plays later, but only after the Bulldog head coach was assessed a 15-yard penalty for disputing the call. A review of the film shows that the pass was thrown parallel to the line of scrimmage and was thus incomplete.

In the second quarter Green had the ball at the Massillon ten facing a fourth down and a half yard to go. Van Horn tried a quarterback sneak but was stopped dead in his tracks. But the side judge ruled that he had advanced a full yard and awarded the Bulldogs a first down, overruling the ref on the opposite side of the field, who was closer to the play. That led to Green’s first touchdown.

But the coup de gras came with 24 seconds left in the game. Green was behind 25-19 on the scoreboard and was facing a 4th and 10 at the Massillon 25 . It was undoubtedly the play that would decide the game. Martin lined up near the right sideline and headed straight for the end zone looking to high top the ball and score. Zahnii Berry was on defense but ended up trailing Martin by about a yard. At the one yard line Martin stepped out of bounds with his right foot, which would have made him an ineligible receiver, unless he was pushed out, which he was not . He stepped out again with his right foot after he had crossed the goal line. Now in position to catch the ball at the corner of the end zone he was challenged by safety Austin Brawley, who had beat him to the spot, jumped straight up and intercepted the pass, as ruled by the back judge, who was standing five yards from the catch. It was a clean play as neither player interfered with the other. But the side judge, who was some twenty yards away from the play ruled that one of the Tiger players had interfered. Ironically, it was his fifth pass interference call against Massillon. The side judge also failed to drop his hat at the spot where Martin had stepped out of bounds to indicate such. The penalty gave Green new life and they scored the winning points two plays later.

In all, the two teams were flagged a combined 30 times, 20 against Massillon and 10 against Green. Inexcusable, considering both teams were good enough this year to advance to a regional finals game and were not highly-penalized teams. What ever happened to letting the kids sort it out on the field? So it was indeed a good game spoiled by some bad referees.

As expected, Massillon was certainly a tough out in the playoffs. It took a career effort from Van Horn to bring his team to victory. He threw a whopping 57 passes and completed 31 for 276 yards and four touchdowns. Ten of the passes went to Martin, for 129 yards and three scores. Obviously, Green knew they wouldn’t be able to run the ball (26 carries for 54 yards), so they resorted to using an empty backfield formation (5 wide receivers) exclusively throughout the game. The 57 passes were most ever thrown against Massillon in a single game.

The Tigers’ game plan was to run the ball and found success with quarterback Darrius McElroy, who carried 20 times for 136 yards and scored all three touchdowns. Shane Rue also added a field goal, his eighth of the season. But the base first down scheme, which involved 23 runs and just two passes, struggled since Green was blitzing their middle linebackers each time. As a result, Massillon’s longest drive less penalties was just 37 yards. But it wasn’t for lack of effort that they lost the game. The Tigers gave it their all from start to finish.

“Congratulations to Green as they move forward in the state playoffs,” said Massillon Head Coach Nate Moore in his opening remarks at the final Booster Club meeting. “Unfortunately we couldn’t get it done in spite of a great effort. It was a great play when Austin picked off the ball at the end. But we didn’t make enough plays to overcome twenty penalties.”
Stats:
  • Jalen Slaughter – 5 for 11 passing for 41 yards
  • Darrius McElroy – 2 of 5 passing for 5 yards; 20 carries for 136 yards and 3 touchdowns; 4 punts for 34.5 ave.
  • Freddie Lenix Jr. – 14 carries for 67 yards
  • Austin Brawley – 3 receptions for 11 yards; 6 kick returns for 77 yards; pass interception
  • Camden Beasley – 8.5 (8-1) tackle points
  • Maverick Clark – 8.0 (5-6) tackle points
  • Ressieo Kirksey – 1.5 tackles for loss; 1 sack
Coach Moore brought all of his senior team leaders to the meeting. They included:
  • Austin Brawley – wide receiver / safety
  • Riley Campbell – wide receiver / defensive lineman / outside linebacker
  • Nathan Depuy – inside linebacker
  • Darrius McElroy – quarterback
  • Kurtis Miller – wide receiver / cornerback
  • Angelo Salvino – long snapper
  • Nate Watkins – wide receiver / outside linebacker
  • Jaiden Woods – offensive lineman / defensive lineman
Each player addressed the attendees and thanked the Booster Club and community for the great support, saying he was sorry they couldn’t take it farther in the playoffs.

“What a tremendous career these guys had,” said Moore. “They had a great senior year. It didn’t end the way we wanted. We lost to a team we should have beaten. But they were part of a lot of wins. A lot of people thought we wouldn’t be very good (just four returning starters and the loss of some key starters early in the season due to injury). I couldn’t be prouder of these guys. This is a great group of outstanding young men. And they grew so much as leaders. It was one of the most fun seasons I remember. These guys raised the bar on effort and leadership. I’m proud to stand with them today.”

Massillon ended the season with an 11-3 record, the fifth year in a row that they won at least ten games. During past six seasons the Tigers have compiled a 67-14 mark, including four regional championships and three trips to the state finals. And the future bodes well with the talent coming up from the lower grades.

Next season’s schedule will see the return of Canton GlenOak (A), Warren Harding (H), Austintown Fitch (H) and Canton McKinley (H), games that cover Weeks 2, 4, 6 and 10, respectively. That leaves six open dates for Moore to fill. Look for another big name Ohio team for the opener and perhaps an out-of-state team or two.

Go Tigers!



2021: Green 26, Massillon 25
Austin Brawley Receives Touchdown Club Award
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“But the base first down scheme, which involved 23 runs and just two passes, struggled since Green was blitzing their middle linebackers each time.”

WAIT A DAMN MINUTE. You mean to tell me that our coaches watched them blitz their middle backers on every single first down play and just called run plays right into it on all but a few occasions?!?! And y’all want to defend these offensive coaches ???
 
MassillonTigers3 said:
“But the base first down scheme, which involved 23 runs and just two passes, struggled since Green was blitzing their middle linebackers each time.”

WAIT A DAMN MINUTE. You mean to tell me that our coaches watched them blitz their middle backers on every single first down play and just called run plays right into it on all but a few occasions?!?! And y’all want to defend these offensive coaches ???
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You beat me to it. How about play action and throw the ball right down the middle to your TE. My god this makes my head hurt. Shepas is the last coach we had that would throw the ball up the seams.
 
firewatch said:
You beat me to it. How about play action and throw the ball right down the middle to your TE. My god this makes my head hurt. Shepas is the last coach we had that would throw the ball up the seams.
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To be fair I wouldn’t call what their middle backers were doing on first down “blitzing” but they were certainly right up there near the LOS and keying in on the run.
 
MassillonTigers3 said:
“But the base first down scheme, which involved 23 runs and just two passes, struggled since Green was blitzing their middle linebackers each time.”

WAIT A DAMN MINUTE. You mean to tell me that our coaches watched them blitz their middle backers on every single first down play and just called run plays right into it on all but a few occasions?!?! And y’all want to defend these offensive coaches ???
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Dude you already know lol ?
 
firewatch said:
Great rant by Nick Saban here discussing fans expectations. Massillon fans and probably a lot of other fans need to listen to this..

https://twitter.com/x/status/1463863053569699840
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Yeah you’re right. Only difference is Saban wins championships, Massillon comes close all the time. Most of us just want one, one damn time. And to not get completely out coached in championship games
 
Does it really matter where the officials are from? If anyone thinks Massillon lost because of the officials it's a ludicrous thought. That was a bad call on the INT but that isn't why they lost the game. They lost the game because they played down to the level of competition. They were way to undisciplined and weren't playing inspired the entire game. This is what happens when you take someone too lightly. Live and learn, maybe next year we'll see a more disciplined ready team. Put it in the past, this year is over for these young Tigers.
 
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Striker300 said:
Does it really matter where the officials are from? If anyone thinks Massillon lost because of the officials it's a ludicrous thought. That was a bad call on the INT but that isn't why they lost the game. They lost the game because they played down to the level of competition. They were way to undisciplined and weren't playing inspired the entire game. This is what happens when you take someone to lightly. Live and learn, maybe next year we'll see a more disciplined ready team. Put it in the past, this year is over for these young Tigers.
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No, it doesn't really matter. I am just curious as to what area they were from.
 
I’m just going to say this….I watched both semifinals games tonight. Flipping back and forth. Massillon could’ve easily been playing next Thursday night, probably should’ve been. But we’re not. I know we can’t change anything this year, but if these boys and coaches aren’t watching tonight and seeing the missed opportunity they had, and taking that into the off season with them to get in the weight room, to work on their craft, to be much better next year, then I don’t know. It’s going to be wide open again next year. I’ve already done a small offensive and defensive projection and we will have 14 starters back next year. Now a couple play both ways and there’s one kid that wasn’t a starter that will be without question. We need to build around those guys and see who else wants to crack this state championship 0fer we have in the playoff format this off-season. Sophomore’s to be get in the WEIGHT ROOM!!!!
 
Tiger #33 said:
I’m just going to say this….I watched both semifinals games tonight. Flipping back and forth. Massillon could’ve easily been playing next Thursday night, probably should’ve been. But we’re not. I know we can’t change anything this year, but if these boys and coaches aren’t watching tonight and seeing the missed opportunity they had, and taking that into the off season with them to get in the weight room, to work on their craft, to be much better next year, then I don’t know. It’s going to be wide open again next year. I’ve already done a small offensive and defensive projection and we will have 14 starters back next year. Now a couple play both ways and there’s one kid that wasn’t a starter that will be without question. We need to build around those guys and see who else wants to crack this state championship 0fer we have in the playoff format this off-season. Sophomore’s to be get in the WEIGHT ROOM!!!!
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Yep I flipped back and forth also. Winton Woods didn’t impress me at all. They have some fast backs but that’s about it. Green played them pretty tough. Hoban is Hoban stop the running game and you can beat them. I was hoping Avon would knock them out. Your right though Massillon was one year off with having a young inexperienced team.
 
"SOMEONE" needs to light a fire under the coaching staff (Moore). He has been outcoached and the play calling has also cost us our top flight running back, just about every year going into the finals.

Either he doesn't have the ability to coach in the big games, (like Faust, he can beat you (who can't, with a overwhelming talent discrepancy) or he refuses to game plan for the teams he's playing.

When the opponent KNOWS the plays you are calling, and the defense can't stop a running QB, when will he ever be able to beat a team, in the finals, when he will never have THAT kind of talent, to beat them even when they know what's coming!!!
 
I don’t know, and again no disrespect to Green but that loss has been burning my arse. I feel like we just wasted another opportunity. I know we were young in spots and had some key injuries. We Had a few kids quit during the year too. But man we keep getting so close. I see these games tonight and it just bothers me even more. The crazy thing is I want to win it just once before certain people aren’t around anymore. Not for me, for them. For everyone else. This storied program deserves to get one. For all the guys of the past that were either a coach, a player, or whatever contribution that was made to the program. For all of you! All in all we have a great program now, but damn it I want the last game of the year to be a WIN so bad I can’t stand it. Yeah, it bothers me that much as crazy as it sounds.
 
Tiger #33 I feel your pain. All we can do is prep for next year. What’s your thoughts on offense/defensive starters for next year (name/position)?
 
T-Roy said:
Tiger #33 I feel your pain. All we can do is prep for next year. What’s your thoughts on offense/defensive starters for next year (name/position)?
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Well based on what we have coming back I’m excited. I’ll be really curious to see what Lineman really develop and step into some starting roles. The other thing I can’t wait to see is what current freshman step up and either take a starting job or get significant playing time with the varsity. I’ll have to get back to it once we start our 2022 thread, but I have some thoughts on some other guys that I’m really curious to see. Maybe some position changes? I’m not quite done with that yet. I’m also going to put out an early, and I mean super early depth chart just starters and get some input from others that might have more insight than I do
 
Fellow Tigers just like anything else that ill's us, it's not just one thing. Now, we've had some great talent the last few years, but maybe not the depth that some enjoy. So with that talent it must be disciplined and put in the best position to win. Whatever the talent is we've got to extract everything and can't afford to be lax, we've got to strive for constant perfection, although that's impossible, we've got to be as close as perfect as possible and that has to be the goal across the board. That takes some serious sacrifice, coming up we've got enough talent to do it within the next couple years, but do we have the will? That comes down to coaching, we've got all the resources and all that comes with it, but do we have what no amount of money will buy? Are we focusing our attention in the right direction or do some changes need to be made?
 
DB135 said:
"SOMEONE" needs to light a fire under the coaching staff (Moore). He has been outcoached and the play calling has also cost us our top flight running back, just about every year going into the finals.

Either he doesn't have the ability to coach in the big games, (like Faust, he can beat you (who can't, with a overwhelming talent discrepancy) or he refuses to game plan for the teams he's playing.

When the opponent KNOWS the plays you are calling, and the defense can't stop a running QB, when will he ever be able to beat a team, in the finals, when he will never have THAT kind of talent, to beat them even when they know what's coming!!!
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Lol it won’t be changing next season. The kids will have to overcome the anemic play calling on the offensive side of the ball. Whether they. An next season will be the big question because they will be a very talented group.
 
firewatch said:
Yep I flipped back and forth also. Winton Woods didn’t impress me at all. They have some fast backs but that’s about it. Green played them pretty tough. Hoban is Hoban stop the running game and you can beat them. I was hoping Avon would knock them out. Your right though Massillon was one year off with having a young inexperienced team.
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I agree with both of you..
 
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