Blitz

So bizarre and while a great article, only tells one side of the story. Efforts were made of course, but gag order prevents us from hearing the "other" side. Blitz has heard from a few folks that the word around Whitley County is that parents had gone to the administration about their kids not playing if the coach wasn't removed. Regardless of the reasoning, having it all go down in front of the kids is something neither party should have allowed to happen.

Blitz can confirm that Langston Leavell will not play for Snider on Friday night.

Thanks for the kind words BTF! Labor of love for sure. Really looking forward to 2023 and beyond with not only the games with out-of-area squads, but some NE8-SAC matchups as well.

The biggest thing that will help northeast Indiana, or at least the SAC, is non-conference games. The toughest league in the area and one of the top 3-4 in the state is in a bubble until the playoffs. It isn't good when it comes to opening eyes in other regions in Indiana.

Great points. Something Blitz didn't mention in regards to folks scoffing at Avon and Noblesville ranked. That really good 2019 Homestead team you mentioned needed OT to beat the Millers in 2019. Noblesville was 1-9 that year.

It was the way Blitz was raised ever since he was a cub.

Blitz's thoughts on this poll... https://outsidethehuddle.net/2022/08/10/blitz-misguided-top-25-indiana-prep-football-poll-holds-some-truth/

Good call. You are correct. Fixed. Thanks.

If there are any inaccuracies let me know so I can correct.

A few SAC non-conference adds: - Northrop will play a home-and-home series with New Haven in Week 1 of '23 and '24, next year at Northrop and '24 at New Haven. - Northrop and Wayne will play a home-and-home in Week 2 of '23 and '24. The two teams are not scheduled to play each other in SAC play in those years. @ Wayne in '23, @ Northrop in '24. - Bishop Luers has added New Haven in Week 2 for '23. Luers will now play at East Noble in Week 1 and at home against New Haven in Week 2. All the SAC non-conference games Blitz has confirmed can be found at https://outsidethehuddle.net/list-of-future-sac-non-conference-opponents/

What's up all, OPS in northeast Indiana is hosting its annual 7v7 Summit City Shootout on Wednesday, June 15 at Carroll High School. 16 teams - 8 small school and 8 large school. Had a team drop out so have a spot open for a large school, aiming for a 4A to 6A school. Guaranteed 4 games. Free event for teams. Winners get a cash donation from OPS to their program. Additional details below. If interested, reach out here or via DM. - 16 teams (Invitation only) divided into big and small school divisions - NO ENTRY FEE (event sponsored by OPS) - Spectators welcome (admission $5) - Champions in both divisions to receive PRIZE MONEY in the form of a cash donation from OPS to their program - Guarantee of 4 games (3 pool play games, followed by a single-elimination tournament) - Each game will have a 25-minute running clock and will follow traditional 7v7 scoring - Maximum roster of 18 players - Dinner to be provided for players & coaches - Free “OPS Summit City Shootout 2022” t-shirt for participating players & coaches - Food available for purchase, including hot dogs, Gatorade and candy - Helmets MUST be worn - IHSAA referees

Blitz remembers that Whiting-Woodlan game in 2015. One of the most memorable games he has ever been to. Snow, ice, cold as hell. The backdrop at Whiting is amazing with the lake and the trains going by. Remember parking and wondering what that sound was. Parked right up against the lake. Would have been able to see the Chicago skyline if it wasn't snowy. Incredible setting and a very good game.

My take on the situation: https://outsidethehuddle.net/2022/05/18/blitz-the-hypocrisy-is-real-when-it-comes-to-prep-coaches-heading-elsewhere/ Thrilled for Jason and his family. Great opportunity. Key for Leo is starting to think like East Noble. Coach Amstutz does not think about league titles, he dreams bigger. The conference crowns come with the deep postseason runs. Coach Sauder did a tremendous job in constructing a program, from the youth up, that is almost automatic for 8-10 wins a year. How does Leo take that next step and win a sectional for the first time since 2011? How does it become a consistent 4A threat in the north? That is the new regime's job.

Coaches Tippmann and Curtis have confirmed with me Snider and Warsaw will play. 2025 Week 1 at Snider (Spuller) and 2026 Week 1 @ Warsaw.

Series begins in 2025. Home and home. Have adjusted the list.

Good call. Added.

https://outsidethehuddle.net/list-of-future-sac-non-conference-opponents/ I have put together a page on Outside the Huddle that has the confirmed non-conference matchups for SAC schools. I will update as I receive new info or see social media posts from official team/school accounts.

Ben Davis and Chesterton have reached out to play Concordia but the Cadets want to add games that are relatively more winnable. Better?

A news dump this morning as we await this storm... - East Noble and Bishop Luers will play in 2023. One-year deal. - Bishop Dwenger's two games in 2023 will be against Brownsburg and Cincinnati Moeller. - Homestead will play Carmel and Noblesville. Both long-term deals. - Wayne is having trouble finding opponents. - Concordia wants to find two relatively winnable games, but Ben Davis and Chesterton want a piece of the Cadets. - There is some discussion on a SUPER showcase over two Saturdays between FW and Indy. Perhaps one Sat at LOS and the other Sat at another locale. Five games each day. Logistically a lot to figure out with that, so we will see if that comes to fruition.

Blitz is hearing rumblings about a potential SAC v. Indy day at LOS to kick off 2023 season. Stay tuned...

Also hearing Heritage and South Side, Concordia and Eastbrook. Wayne is reaching out to AC and SA.

Blitz is hearing some things re: matchups. Look for Northrop to lock in Goshen and New Haven. Carroll is going big. Like BIG. Center Grove, Warren, HSE and Merrillville all on the table. Perhaps even Fishers. Obviously only two per year but the Chargers want to take advantage of the opportunity to schedule up.

Blitz thinks there is a lazy belief (of which this bear falls into sometimes) that a team from an equal or larger class automatically helps a team prepare for the playoffs. It's easy to say "Oh 6A Team A is gonna help get ready for the postseason." It's deeper than that in a lot of instances. Maybe a particular scheme needs to be seen to prep for the same challenge in the sectional. Perhaps your offensive line needs to see more in the way of physicality. Perhaps your kids play soft and need a punch in the gut so to speak from a program that is tough. A lot of times higher class = bigger challenge. But that's not 100%

Coaches are masters of preparation. To prepare for Westfield, for example, who do you think Homestead is better off playing in the regular season, Coldwater or Westfield? Like Blitz said earlier. This new format was not made to appease fans who want to see out-of-state matchups. It was to give SAC teams the ability to play in-state teams that will better prepare them for the postseason. You will only see inter-state matchups if a team was not able to find a suitable opponent in Indiana.

Also remember that during the time between Elmhurst/Harding out and Carroll/Homestead in, each team in the SAC had 2 non-conference openings but they were spread all over the schedule. One team it was Week 2 and 6. Another it was Weeks 4 and 5. Point being, with the new format having the non-conference weeks being the first two of the season, it makes it a lot easier to schedule Indiana opponents. While some of those Toledo Whitmer, Cincinnati LaSalle games were exciting to look at on the schedule, they basically came about because of the inability to find anyone in the state to play.