2021 Massillon Football

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Tiger #33 You Sir are a true square shooter! You guys most certainly have a lot to be proud of! In all honesty I for one am envious of what's going on in Tiger Town! I just wish that the Panthers could turn the corner on your team! Good luck next year!
WE WILL !
 
There are always some things I question or would like to see us do different from the stands. That applies to every coach we ever had. I just think some of you are a little heavy on the criticism and light on the positives, that's all.

All in all I give Moore more credit for the season we had than critique for the season we didn't. Lost QB starter, premier RB, multiple injuries, youngest team in years, and he still had us right there. Where would Hoban be w/out Sperling? Or Green w/out Martin? Some unbelievably fluky things happened in the title game but our horrible O looked alot better than WW's, and they're moving on. And after giving up 500+ yards on defense too. Now that coach is drinking wine and ours is stomping grapes.

Like Shep said, the wind blows hardest at the top of the pole. He also spoke alot about everyone pulling the same direction. Just keep that in mind. The silver lining is most are back and I think go into this off-season a little more pissed and motivated than usual.
 
There are always some things I question or would like to see us do different from the stands. That applies to every coach we ever had. I just think some of you are a little heavy on the criticism and light on the positives, that's all.

All in all I give Moore more credit for the season we had than critique for the season we didn't. Lost QB starter, premier RB, multiple injuries, youngest team in years, and he still had us right there. Where would Hoban be w/out Sperling? Or Green w/out Martin? Some unbelievably fluky things happened in the title game but our horrible O looked alot better than WW's, and they're moving on. And after giving up 500+ yards on defense too. Now that coach is drinking wine and ours is stomping grapes.

Like Shep said, the wind blows hardest at the top of the pole. He also spoke alot about everyone pulling the same direction. Just keep that in mind. The silver lining is most are back and I think go into this off-season a little more pissed and motivated than usual.
I hope you’re right. I hope that loss burns in theirs a$Z’s all off season long
 
I've largely refrained from reading or writing much since the Region 7 Final (the only Tiger game I've been able to attend in person since the 2019 Final). After watching this game and most Tiger games during the Moore era, here's my take.

We're too damn obvious.

No matter what it is we're good at--we do it and we do it 30-40 times a game straight up and down.

Got a great QB like Aidan Longwell and a couple DI recruit WRs? Fling it down the sideline 40 yards at a time.
Got a great RB like Jamir Thomas? Run it between the tackles until the other team folds.
Got a running QB like McElroy? QB run 20 times a game.

There's never been any misdirection or mystery about what was going to happen on our offense. That can work for a team like Hoban that simply overwhelms most other teams and grinds them down. Heck, it even works for us to the tune of 71-20 over the past 6 years. But that kind of gameplan runs into trouble against the likes of Hoban, WW, and LaSalle. This year it ran into trouble with Green.

We were one dimensional and they were ready for it. McElroy on the field? He's running it. Slaughter/Lenix? Lenix is running it. We had the athletes, but they were seldom on the field at the same time on offense. You can't expect a one man show to win games that late in the year.

I think we're maybe 90-95% of the way there. There need to be some tweaks around the margins to bring this program up to the highest possible level. Moore and his staff have done great things, but there needs to be a little bit more to put the Tigers over the top for their first playoff title.

Go Tigers!
 
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I've largely refrained from reading or writing much since the Region 7 Final (the only Tiger game I've been able to attend in person since the 2019 Final). After watching this game and most Tiger games during the Moore era, here's my take.

We're too damn obvious.

No matter what it is we're good at--we do it and we do it 30-40 times a game straight up and down.

Got a great QB like Aidan Longwell and a couple DI recruit WRs? Fling it down the sideline 40 yards at a time.
Got a great RB like Jamir Thomas? Run it between the tackles until the other team folds.
Got a running QB like McElroy? QB run 20 times a game.

There's never been any misdirection or mystery about what was going to happen on our offense. That can work for a team like Hoban that simply overwhelms most other teams and grinds them down. Heck, it even works for us to the tune of 71-20 over the past 6 years. But that kind of gameplan runs into trouble against the likes of Hoban, WW, and LaSalle. This year it ran into trouble with Green.

We were one dimensional and they were ready for it. McElroy on the field? He's running it. Slaughter/Lenix? Lenix is running it. We had the athletes, but they were seldom on the field at the same time on offense. You can't expect a one man show to win games that late in the year.

I think we're maybe 90-95% of the way there. There need to be some tweaks around the margins to bring this program up to the highest possible level. Moore and his staff have done great things, but there needs to be a little bit more to put the Tigers over the top for their first playoff title.

Go Tigers!
very well put..
 
Screenshot_20211201-062528_Chrome.jpg
 
What happens when Hoban goes out and finds another QB, will Massillon find another position for Crable? Did he play defense on the freshman / JV teams?
 
very well put..

WW just won a state championship only scoring 20 points in the semi (gave up 7), and 21 in the final (gave up 10). Comfortably. They are not talking about how lame their O is, play calling, blasting coaches, they are busy celebrating.

Massillon otoh scored 25 and lost. Why? Because Green scored 26. Which is more than they scored vs. Lake, Hoover, Wooster, WW. Massillon otoh allows 35 pts in their finals. So wtf do we talk about? - same ole chit. Everyone turns into Bill Walsh wannabes (no offense). This is what Massillon fans have never understood, and am confident never will. Not in our dna or something idk but been that way for as long as I can remember.
 
WW just won a state championship only scoring 20 points in the semi (gave up 7), and 21 in the final (gave up 10). Comfortably. They are not talking about how lame their O is, play calling, blasting coaches, they are busy celebrating.

Massillon otoh scored 25 and lost. Why? Because Green scored 26. Which is more than they scored vs. Lake, Hoover, Wooster, WW. Massillon otoh allows 35 pts in their finals. So wtf do we talk about? - same ole chit. Everyone turns into Bill Walsh wannabes (no offense). This is what Massillon fans have never understood, and am confident never will. Not in our dna or something idk but been that way for as long as I can remember.
Scoring more points than the other team is usually a good way to win games.

Does the defense need work? Yes.

Has every game we've been eliminated in the past 5 years included a defense that had us figured out?

Also yes.
 
WW just won a state championship only scoring 20 points in the semi (gave up 7), and 21 in the final (gave up 10). Comfortably. They are not talking about how lame their O is, play calling, blasting coaches, they are busy celebrating.

Massillon otoh scored 25 and lost. Why? Because Green scored 26. Which is more than they scored vs. Lake, Hoover, Wooster, WW. Massillon otoh allows 35 pts in their finals. So wtf do we talk about? - same ole chit. Everyone turns into Bill Walsh wannabes (no offense). This is what Massillon fans have never understood, and am confident never will. Not in our dna or something idk but been that way for as long as I can remember.
Should it not be taken into account that this was the first time Hoban came into the title game with a completely one dimensional offense and not nearly the same type of overpowering line that they usually have?

I don’t think anyone in Massillon thinks that the defense OR offense has played well in any of our title games.

I thought it was funny how WW was shredding Hoban by running the zone read every play and the fact that our coaches refuse to implement that into our offense. Nope we run a 2 qb system instead and let everyone in the stadium know what’s coming. I think McElroy could’ve been very successful running the zone read this year but we didn’t even try to make it part of the offense.
 
Haven’t seen a screen in six years and then Moore calls one with 7 seconds left to spare our season. There needs to be change in the offense one way or another and hopefully they figure it out
 
Oh and let’s forget the 2 interceptions and fumble at midfield that set Green up to win the game. Definitely all the defense’s fault.

Is that play calling?

I agree the Green loss was fluky. I could name 4 or 5 of them on both sides of the ball. It was unbelievable frankly. I also agree this year's Hoban team was not nearly as strong as the ones we faced. That is not sour grapes that is everyone's consensus.

Another HUGE what if is what if Hartson had stayed healthy? And the 2 o-linemen? Those are the breaks.

I still say we are weaker (or less championship caliber) defensively than offensively. We were unable to apply much pressure on the Green QB and the secondary was not strong either. Bad combo. We'll never know but I suspect Crable would have had a better game, and Sperling his typical self.
 
Here's a thought.... Spread the carries around during the regular season. They feed Hartson even in scrimmages. 30 carries against Warren Harding in unnecessary. Theres plenty of players to take carries.
 
Take some solace in the likelihood D2 will be just as wide open next year. Hoban loses most of their line, but returns Sperling and Crable. In R6, Avon returns a ton, as does Toledo CC. Massillon returns a lot. Not sure who will challenge them in R7. In R8, WW should be good again. Not sure what LaSalle brings back. It’s going to come down to who is hot and healthy in the Final Four. I don’t foresee a ton of separation between the likely region winners in 2022.

See you in August.
 
Is that play calling?

I agree the Green loss was fluky. I could name 4 or 5 of them on both sides of the ball. It was unbelievable frankly. I also agree this year's Hoban team was not nearly as strong as the ones we faced. That is not sour grapes that is everyone's consensus.

Another HUGE what if is what if Hartson had stayed healthy? And the 2 o-linemen? Those are the breaks.

I still say we are weaker (or less championship caliber) defensively than offensively. We were unable to apply much pressure on the Green QB and the secondary was not strong either. Bad combo. We'll never know but I suspect Crable would have had a better game, and Sperling his typical self.
I’d definitely say this years defense was weaker than the previous three but the offense wasn’t great either and was very predictable.

The times that we did beat Hoban and Lasalle IMO the defense carried the offense considerably. It just seems like almost all of our losses in recent years consist of anemic offensive play, turnovers, and all of the pressure placed on the defense to win the game (that was true even in the Lasalle and Hoban victories).

This years defense was inexperienced in a lot of places and had young guys in some key spots and it showed. Our defensive staff has shown to out out a formidable unit when they have some pieces to work with.
 
Here's a thought.... Spread the carries around during the regular season. They feed Hartson even in scrimmages. 30 carries against Warren Harding in unnecessary. Theres plenty of players to take carries.
WW RB is 5’4 150 and got 25 carries per game. How can we not keep our guys healthy? Lol
 
Is that play calling?

I agree the Green loss was fluky. I could name 4 or 5 of them on both sides of the ball. It was unbelievable frankly. I also agree this year's Hoban team was not nearly as strong as the ones we faced. That is not sour grapes that is everyone's consensus.

Another HUGE what if is what if Hartson had stayed healthy? And the 2 o-linemen? Those are the breaks.

I still say we are weaker (or less championship caliber) defensively than offensively. We were unable to apply much pressure on the Green QB and the secondary was not strong either. Bad combo. We'll never know but I suspect Crable would have had a better game, and Sperling his typical self.
To be fair it’s hard to put pressure on a QB who throws quick screens.
 
To be fair it’s hard to put pressure on a QB who throws quick screens.

No doubt. Was for WW too. But on 3rd & long bring the heat. On that 4th and long they converted at the end, thanks to a dubious pass interference, I would have brought the house. Problem is most times we still can't get pressure.
 
I think you guys are all making excellent points. Me personally I’m taking my best 11 and putting them on defense FIRST. I agree you have to obviously score more points than the other team to win, but we get to the last game of the year 6 times and look at the points we have allowed. And I’ll agree some of that recently well the last couple is because we have been so predictable on offense. I honestly believe in 18’ we win if Thomas plays. But that’s neither here nor there. Right now I know the offense needs fixed more than anything else
 
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