BLACKGOLD2007

I believe that Moore is the OC or at least OC in waiting. On the defensive side of the ball, it is hard to say what we have because Valpo was up and down the field on us. We are small on the D-line, but that seems per usual at Penn. On the offense we are using multiple formations, we still favor that Pistol with a TE and sometimes TE wing. Most of the faces seem similar. I sit up towards the top of the stands, sometimes faces are hard to make out. Watson the QB has state finalist track speed. If he gets in the open it will be very hard to catch him. We have a stud with glue for hands at WR, his name escapes me at the moment. He has good speed and is shifty to where he is hard to bring down.

Right now from the things I have heard about how Pete is running the coaching staffs from Varsity down to Freshmen is positive. I was 100% worried about the hiring. I have come around to a neutral position right now. I would like to see some changes in the schedule. I know this is not a popular idea, but because JV games are hard to come by, I say send the JV and maybe the first string of the freshmen team to play the Varsity teams of Washington, Adams and Riley. IDC if we get waxed. The Varsity needs to be playing better programs if we ever want to compete for a state title again.

The biggest issue right now is that a majority of the fans at Penn home games are 4 year football parents and band parents. They don't care which direction the program goes after they are done. I bet if you lay out the pro and con of staying in the NIC or leaving for the DAC the hardcore fans would go with the DAC. If we drop 500 yards of offense a game this season, I think it is time to level up on the competition.

If Penn can put up another 500+ yards of O against the Cavemen, I am sorry for what is going to happen to the other NIC teams.

I have no idea, I will have to get a program at the next game.

Penn did drop the ball then, I would not be surprised at all if Penn and Elkhart go different directions. Elkhart is a better fit in the NLC, geographically speaking and culture wise. However, based on things I have seen the past couple seasons in two of the big sports, is that Elkhart and Penn are trying to come closer together. I would not be surprised if they try a package deal to the DAC. But, if Penn gets the offer and Elkhart doesn't, Penn has to go. If Penn goes to the DAC alone, I would not be surprised if MCity or maybe LaPorte drop out of the DAC. I would take the opportunity to see Mville, CP and Valpo each year. If MCity and LaPorte both leave, then I think that is even better. That is two more non-conference games that we can get back on the schedule. I would like to see Penn add Westfield, Carmel, Snider, Carroll, Center Grove, Ben Davis, Warren, HSE or Fishers to the schedule.

Like I said in my original post, leave the system alone, because moving it away from a participating schools looks to be too much of a hurdle for either high school sites or university sites.

How is Lake Central getting nods before us!?! I am sorry Lake Central has not had a winning season since 2014...How? It has to be...I was stunned to see that.

St. Joe's former coach Bryon Whitten is Penn's D coordinator? Shoot I had no idea. at least that is how I am taking your post.

If you do neutral site high schools, you could have the host school provide boosters or teams to work the concessions and gates. At the universities likely the IHSAA would have to work out a deal with the school to provide staff, and the gate fees will either go up or a larger portion will go to the school itself. The benefit for the schools is they get all concession revenue and they don't have to have more than one or two bays open on each side of the field. Less workers needed more overall revenue. In the North Penn or School field would be good hosting sites....depending on the size of the schools. Penn would be better fit for the 4A and larger schools. School field would be a perfect fit for 1A-3A schools.

Sorry I am having issues with my computer. It keeps posting the same thing. I apologize

I don't think you are going to get Penn or Elkhart to move with out the other at this point. There have been a lot of noticeable changes to games when Penn and Elkhart play in football or Basketball. It feels like they are trying to build up a bigger rivalry between the schools. The NIC used to be held up by the Penn Mishawaka rivalry, but now with the NIC being a shell of its former self, the two big schools are coming closer together then they used to be. I don't think you are going to get Penn or Elkhart to move with out the other at this point. There have been a lot of noticeable changes to games when Penn and Elkhart play in football or Basketball. It feels like they are trying to build up a bigger rivalry between the schools. The NIC used to be held up by the Penn Mishawaka rivalry, but now with the NIC being a shell of its former self, the two big schools are coming closer together then they used to be.

I think either Elkhart and Penn need to go to the DAC or if you can convince Snider, Homestead and Carroll from the Summit and Warsaw from the NLC that would be a strong conference. If they go DAC they need at least 2-4 teams to also join. They could then split that conference either by size of school or competitive balance the divisions and have 5/6 conference games and a better non-conference schedule.

We could go to neutral site games for Semi-State. Notre Dame will host if the game is between teams from the Region v Fort Wayne or Fort Wayne v Carmel/Westfield. Due to the central location of the St. Joe and Elkhart County schools, Purdue or Ball State may have to be host to those games. Butler or U of Indy can host all indy area school semi-state games. Purdue can host games from the Region to Northwest Indy to the state line IU can handle the southern portion of the state. Just spit balling here. This would force both schools to travel giving no one this advantage of not having to get on a bus and drive.... But, then again do we decentralize the state title games? I say leave it alone, and let the cards fall where they may. Sometimes you will get blowouts and sometimes you will get amazing football games.

Looks like games on Friday may not get played. I am seeing storms from like 2pm until after kickoff. Looks like we may be looking at Saturday morning kickoffs. Fingers crossed that does not happen. This is a good week to get back into the win column. Northridge from what I have heard is not going to be as good as years past. So, strike while the iron is hot. Good luck to you guys on Friday.

St. Joe since Downey has come back has been struggling to be competitive. South Side, also sees better teams week in and week out than St. Joe does.

I think you under estimate Elkhart's ability to screw things up. lol

This seems typical of Elkhart teams. Talent coming out the ears, just too many mistakes to overcome.

South Side at St. Joseph, 7 pm Logansport at Adams, 7 pm Marian at Culver Academy, 7:30 pm New Prairie at Goshen, 7:30 pm Northridge at Elkhart, 7 pm Penn at Mishawaka, 7 pm Riley at Wayne, 7:30 pm I don't trust St. Joe to win close games. I am taking South Side. 24-10 Adams will be the Clay for this season, sorry eagles the Berries give you indigestion. 21-0 I want to believe that Marian is going to build off last season, beating CMA will help their cause. 21-17 NP is the second best team in the NIC, sorry Elkhart you have some explaining to do. 28-3 Elkhart wins in a close game, but does not impress doing so. 10-7 Penn will either shut down Mishawaka or we may have another shoot out on our hands...I am thinking 35-21 Riley wins another game, but will still have doubters...me being one of them. 24-17

Is it possible that teams in the past could not generate points or offensive consistent enough to help their defense. Penn teams from 2019-2021 were awful, they struggled to generate any momentum, they couldn't sustain drives and went three and out more often against top teams in the North and in 6A. Is it possible that I am reporting the facts because I was at the game, and giving my perspective of something we have not seen in years from the Penn offense. It has been since Zach Oakley that the offense has gone off so easily on a team of any significance. They scored so quickly it actually was hindering the defense. That is fact based on the events of the game against Valpo. I love the fact we scored, however it would have benefited the team more if they were able to take time off the clock. I think it is comical that you cant differentiate teams of the past and something that happened with a new set of players 4 days ago. SMH

Results from Friday's games: Concord 13, Elkhart 12 Culver Academy 36, Adams 14 Hammond Central 28, Washington 24 Lakeland 21, St. Joseph 20 Mishawaka 41, Marian 24 New Prairie 33, LaPorte 14 Penn 49, Valparaiso 42 Riley 35, Bishop Noll 0 I think the teams that won were the ones everyone was thinking were going to win. The Penn game was ugly if you are a defensive guy. Both teams offenses were unstoppable. I believe Penn's D was hurt by their O, the O was scoring fast...too fast. The D was on the field a lot, but seemed to keep fighting their hardest until the final whistle. New Prairie started slow it sounds like but avenged the hic-up from last year. Riley beat a bad team, so we learn nothing from this game, other than they won a game they were supposed to win. Unlike how they finished last season. Marian had the fans at Penn shocked for half the game, until Mishawaka finally flexed their muscles and pulled away. Lakeland has had St. Joe's number for the last two games. A tough loss for the newly branded Huskies. Washington came close but fell short in a tough game with Hammond Central. Washington is now 1-3 against HC. Adams was taken to the shed by CMA, making Adams 0-2 against CMA. In Adams' last 6 games they have given up 30+ points per game. Is Adams going to take over as the new Clay?

I think we will know for sure after the next two weeks. They have Columbia City and Northridge coming up. Win one of two or both, look out...Drop both games I think this is business as usual for Plymouth.

Is Ben Davis also young on the Defensive side of the ball? I think they will over come some of these short comings as the season progresses, but I currently think BD could drop 2 or 3 more games this year, if they don't. The nice thing about being exposed week 1, is there are 8 weeks to work on fixing these issues. Penn's D gave up 500 plus yards of offense to Valpo and 42 points....now they were on the field all night because Penn couldn't sustain a drive...because they were scoring every few plays. The benefit Penn has is they play no one after week 2. So, lots of opportunities to improve...but that doesn't bode well for their inevitable match-up with CP.

1 - Cathedral 2 - Westfield 3 - Warren Central 3 - HSE 5 - Brownsburg 6 - Center Grove 7 - Ben Davis 8 - Crown Point 9 - Carmel 10 - Snider

I know you should reward winning, because wins need to mean something, but a blow out win over Lowell does not convince me that CP is better than Ben Davis or Center Grove. I think Snider at 10, after playing Warren to a 15-0 L is fair. Carmel still has to prove they are better than the past couple years. Other wise those are the only changes I would make.