First_Backer_Inside

Practice for week 1 just started anything can happen from now until a potential Laville and Andrean matchup. You never know what the weather will be that night. You don't know what both teams will look like by then. You don't want players to go down throughout the year, but unfortunately injuries do happen in the sport we play. While we can all agree that Andrean should be a heavy favorite to return to LOS I'm sure there are a few teams in the North that want a shot at them along the way. They aren't just going to get it handed to them. Too many proud programs in the North to allow that.

Week 1 polls are of a reflection of what your team did last year. Nothing more in my opinion. It will sort itself out in three or four weeks. As for thoughts on 1A: Judson is dangerous, might be the only team who can contend with Laville in their conference, and in my opinion, the team that will represent the North on Thanksgiving weekend. I watched Adams Central down the stretch last year and they are a well coached and disciplined team, but Judson is going to be the full package this year: Size, Speed, Strength, and Physical at every position. Goodluck if you're on their schedule this year.

Anything can happen in November

What did the quarterback play look like from LCC in the scrimmage? I know they gotta replace a stud at the position from the last couple of years.

West Lafayette had a 195-pounder that lost in the finals who I believe is a heck of a football player. I'm pretty sure he was voted to the region all-star team.

I'll be interested to see which team controls the line of scrimmage. Both teams have great size up front on both sides of the ball. Andrean has some cats at the skilled positions, so Mater Dei is going to have to be solid in the secondary. Don't know much about their secondary, but they didn't make it to Lucas Oil just because of their front 7 I'm assuming. I like Andrean in a low scoring affair, but that's just because someone has to lose. Could easily go either way. Good luck to both teams, hopefully everyone traveling gets to and from the game safely, and its an injury free fun game to watch. Man I love Thanksgiving Week in Indiana!!!

When I was playing football at Uindy, I got to watch quite a bit of Secina football. Always really good athletes and well coached players. Undersized in a lot of games, but doesn't have an affect on them in the slightest, low man always wins! On the flip side of this, Mater Dei seems to find themselves playing on Thanksgiving weekend quite a bit. The players look like they live in the weightroom, and it shows on the field as well. I'm more of a North guy when it comes to 2A, but it doesn't take a genius to know this is gonna be a DAWG fight! I'm not taking a winner, but the spread isn't going to be more than a touchdown for whichever team that wins in my opinion. Goodluck to both teams, safe travels for the fans, and hopefully its a great, injury free game!

Might be easier to list his weaknesses if he has any than his strengths.

LCC beat Pioneer 31-14 in that regional game, not exactly a nail-biter. I know the game was closer than the score shows, but you kind of knew if you were there LCC never really felt super threatened. Also Pioneer graduated arguably one of the the best classes they have had go through the program that year with a lot of good seniors including Jack's older brother Sam. Jack played really well that game, but I think even he would tell you he didn't make it a good game all on his own. Also, not trying to take anything away from Jack Kiser, but he played a heavy 1A schedule and also played 1A competition in the playoffs every year. Being at Andrean, Bowen plays a lot of bigger schools as well as a 2A playoff schedule. Would Jack still be dominate at a 2A level? Most definitely. Would Bowen look even more dominate playing Caston, Triton, Knox, and others in that league? Most definitely. I don't think its fair to compare the numbers or how dominate one looks over the other based on this. As for the 5-star, it has to do with the potential the kid still has. He's only a junior, and as far as build goes, the kid looks like he knows where the weight room is and visits it often. I think he will do just fine at ND. The physical tools are there, and ND is a good program for coaching players up, especially at the position he will probably play. Being a former college player that has experienced 5 years of playing, that first redshirt year will do wonders for him. He's not going to be ready to go day 1, but he will get where he needs to be to have success at ND long-term.

Is there a Laville/Andrean thread started? Obviously we still have the Regional games, but it feels like the winner of this Eastside/Eastbrook game is going to be the favorite to represent the North at Lucas Oil and no one is really talking about the other North regional game. I know Andrean has that stud outside backer/running back going to Notre Dame. Last time a team had a guy like that going to Notre Dame they won 4 2A titles in a row. I was just wondering if people aren't giving either team a chance to go to state or they just feel like Andrean is going to roll over Laville and its irrelevant to talk about.

Laville field goal - 17 Pioneer - 0 1 qt 0:18

Laville - 14 Pioneer - 0 4:50 1st quarter

Sorry, for some reason my quote button doesn't work. If you go to the ISHAA website or there is even an app, you can find just about any games live stream on there at this point in the season. IHSAA*

I think the key to staying in games with Eastbrook is finding a way to stun them to start the game. Notice how I say "staying in the game with them". Just because you stun them early with big plays doesn't mean you win which says a lot about the Eastbrook mentality and program that has been built. I just remember in 2018 being at the Cass and Eastbrook game. No one was giving Cass a shot, and Cass came out with an early pick 6. From there it was a dog fight that ultimately ended in Eastbrook winning by 2. The point I'm trying to make is if Eastbrook jumps out to a two touchdown lead against anyone, forget about a comeback. If you jump out to the two touchdown lead against them, you've given yourself a chance to win the game. Tipton has to be ready to go from the jump this Friday in order to have a shot at winning this. I have to agree with what someone said earlier. I think this will be a really fun game to watch that will be a lot closer than anyone thinks it will be.

Does Eastbrook go into the playoffs 9-0 or even 8-1 if they play in Luers conference though? I'm sure if Luers played Eastbrooks schedule they would be an unblemished 10-0 and a lot healthier than it sounds like they are. I'm not trying to knock Eastbrook, their conference, or record, winning every week is hard no matter who you play. I just think there is a gap in the level of competition between the two conferences which in my opinion makes Luers record more impressive than Eastbrook and more of the team to beat.

If I'm not mistaken, Pioneer lost one of their backs towards the end of the game against Wabash. I might have misheard on how serious the injury was, but I thought it was pretty serious.

In previous years, do you think the offense the Panthers run compared to what other teams in the North run has anything to do with their success in the North playoffs. The deeper into the tournament you get the more the weather plays a role in the games played. If I'm not mistaken, Eastbrook runs something similar to a wing-T type offense correct? Because of this offense, the weather has little to no affect on the panthers offense while it might for other teams that allows eastbrook to play its "in the trenches" type of game. Maybe this could have something to do with the Panthers exceeding expectations in the North, and then falling just short at Lucas Oil every year where the weather factor is taken out of the game. Do you think eastbrook wins any of those state games they are in if they don't play in the climate controlled Lucas Oil Stadium?