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Just some random thoughts from a fan’s perspective entering the 2024 season. Carroll: Dinan seems determined to make Carroll a household name. He wants to be the team people think of when they think of Northeast Indiana football. I think we can officially predict that Carroll will just reload from this moment forward. You add a good football coach to a growing community that loves football, and you get a potential state powerhouse. This year’s team is lead by a D1 quarterback and a D1 tight end. That could be a lethal combination. Carroll’s defenses have been stout in recent seasons and should probably continue that trend this year. Potential looms for this team, but it won’t be easy. Every sectional boasts a team or two capable of making it to the state finals. Concordia: Can state champion coach Tim Mannigel get the Cadets back to where he had them a few years ago? The team that wasted everyone on the way to the 3A title in 2016? The team that almost took out one of Chatard’s all time best teams in 2019? I’m betting on this team being better than last year, but that’s about it. Then I’ll bet again that they’ll be better in 2025. For now, I see the SAC being too good to see Concordia in the top half of the pack. But they WILL be an improved team that teams probably shouldn’t fall asleep on. Dwenger: Some might consider this a make or break season for Jason Garrett. The Dwenger faithful won’t accept mediocrity forever. It could be that they just had a downward trend in talent in recent years. After all, Garrett’s teams were pretty good the first few years he took over. But this trend they are going through now? The last time the Saints were this “average” was the final four years of the Andy Johns era from 1998-2001. Since then, Dwenger never went more than two years without posting a double digit season. I’m not sure what’s in store for this years team, but I’m rooting for them Saints to get back to Blue Blood form. The first two weeks should be telling. Last year they were outscored 108-7 and have the same two opponents to open this season. Good luck and God speed. Homestead: Like the Saints, Homestead has been stuck in a mediocre stage for a few years now. I think it’s safe to chalk it up as a downtrend in talent. Losing Jimmy Sullivan to the Chargers didn’t help matters any. Zolman has had some pretty stout teams during his run as head coach, including two one loss seasons in the SAC and one undefeated season. Those are the teams that Fort Wayne grew to know under Chad’s leadership. But I’ve got to bring up the elephant in the room. No matter how good the Spartan’s tend to do in the regular season, they always seem to plateau at the regional level. In 20 seasons as the team’s head, they are 0-5 at the regional level where Indy teams (Carmel four times) have had their way with Homestead by an average score of 35-6. That doesn’t mean the Spartan’s don’t know how to handle SAC foes though. Over the past five years, they are 4-2 vs Snider and 3-3 vs Carroll. All bets are off this season. Luers: Kyle Lindsay enters his 12th season and finally got the state champion monkey off his back last year. He would probably argue that he had 2A’s best team in 2020 & 2021, and a good argument he’d have. But hoisting that trophy is a weight off the programs shoulders in my opinion. There will be more, but will any come at the 3A level? Can he do something his father never did and win the 3A title? Honestly, I have no idea. Certainly possible with Chatard out of the way. I do know that you have to be ready to go anytime Luers takes the field. I want to say this years team returns plenty on defense, but little on offense. Probably enough to take care of business in the SAC small division. I see this team falling somewhere between 7-2 & 4-5 in SAC play. They could actually go 4-5 and still be considered a top contender in 3A. North Side: There’s still a lot of excitement within this program for the kids who have bought in. The last two years were a yoyo. In 2022, they were as good as anyone in 5A. It was a different story in 2023. They weren’t a bad team, but not very good either. This year’s team has some talent for sure. It’s up to Ben Johnson to put it all together. The first three weeks against Northridge, Lawrence North, and Dwenger will tell us if they are a contender or a pretender. With Snider out of the way in 5A, a deep playoff run is possible. A share of the SAC title is also possible for this club……….no Snider or Homestead on the schedule. Northrop: Quentin Bowen’s teams have been roughed up pretty bad in his first two seasons as a head coach. But to his defense, there’s never really been a football culture at Northrop. His predecessor was able to take the Bruins to a respectable level as an opponent, but ended up at a program with more of a football culture. I’m not optimistic at all about the direction of the Northrop program. With some of the other bottom teams trending up, a last place finish wouldn’t surprise me at all. But like the rest of the programs in the SAC, I wish Bowen and the Bruins a prosperous season. Snider: Snider will be good………..or really, really good depending on how the offense comes together. Another SAC title is within grasp. But what are their capabilities now that they enter 6A? Every sectional is home to at least two, in some cases three, state title contenders. They’ll probably bring a state title caliber defense to the field, but again, it’s all going to come down to how the offense comes together. Week 1 against Warren Central will provide some answers as many are predicting the Warriors to be one of the teams to beat in 6A. South Side: For the second year in a row, the Archers put forth a very solid performance at the most recent 7 on 7 tournament. And as we saw last year, things change a whole lot when you add an offensive and defensive line. There does seem to be a different vibe with Andre Goodwell at the helm. Although they only won one game last season, they did seem to be more competitive than they have been in the past. I think they’ll be an improved team this year, but not enough to compete with the SAC’s best. Maybe a win or two in the sectionals. Wayne: The Generals are a formidable program under Sherwood Haydock, still waiting for that breakout season though. Replicating the 9-3 season his predecessor had in 2018 won’t be an easy task in the SAC, and quite frankly, is HIGHLY unlikely. But we all know Haydock is capable of producing state championship caliber football teams based on his last endeavors with Harding and Woodlan. A share of the SAC title is probably out of reach based on them receiving a nasty draw against Snider, Carroll, and Homestead. But that type of preparation could make them a dangerous team at the 4A level. Sectional 19 is an absolute beast though.

you better not or were gonna have problems

I thought I was bold. Normally when I'm bold though, it's more for the fun of it. Center Grove hasn't skipped a beat for five seasons, and I really don't think they will at home in their opening game. We're talking about a program that was an overtime away from their fifth straight title. My brain says Center Grove by 14, but I'm taking the bet Temp.

Temp’s preseason top 50 under construction…rough draft has 16 6A teams in the top 25…

I agree, TurboStats has a good set of features. But as you said, with it not being available on iOS or Android, there's a gap to be filled there. When I was looking for new software last year, TurboStats was one that I looked into. But I couldn't do it for a few reasons: (1) It was way too expensive for my coach to agree to. My product comes in about 1/4 the cost of their cheapest package. And (2) Maybe even more importantly, with the size of schools my team plays (and their facilities), I cannot guarantee having press box space at every away game. So if I'm stuck doing stats from the bleachers - exposed to the weather - a laptop option is not quite as appealing (or even feasible) as one that's available on phone and tablet, but contains most the same features. Some use TurboStats and love it, and that's great. But for those like me, it's just not one I could consider.

This thread totally brings a smile to my face. TA was one of one, and his passion for Indiana high school football was unmatched. Honestly, I felt like I lost a family member the day I read of his passing. It's so great his legacy lives on through this forum.

Indy now going to host 3 biggest WWE events: Feb 1st Rumble, (yea I will be there). future 2 day Summer Slams and Wrestlemanias. HUGE news Thanks for share, will check this out soon

@Muda69 I have seen a 30/30 short I think maybe, on how NFL schedule thing works, its was fascinating, wonder if I can find it

No guessing. To quote the kid from Kindergarten Cop. "Boys have a penis, girls have a vagina"