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. 

2 minutes ago, BTF said:

Agree. It also gives our teams a false sense of superiority when they play a one win team out of Indy. When you're playing the MIC or HHC, you put your best foot forward or you clean out your lockers. It's really that simple.

Mega giants Carmel, Ben Davis, and Warren Central groomed the rest of Indy. Indy groomed the burbs. The SAC groomed Homestead and Carroll. Now playing outside the bubble, Indy teams in particular, will groom the SAC.

Great job with outsidethehuddle.net. Some of the best promotion of high school football I've seen. More of us should support our local athletics versus giving our hard earned dollars to billion dollar college programs and overpaid professional athletes and coaches. They seem to understand this in Texas and Ohio. High school football stadiums in Indiana have way too many empty seats. How many times have you heard, "I don't have any kids in high school anymore?" My response: "Oh really, how many do you have playing at Notre Dame and the Colts?"

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. 

12 hours ago, BTF said:

Temptation and I have had some fun conversations about that 2019 Homestead team. I'm not sure the Spartans got the motivation they needed for Noblesville. Too many people look at wins and losses and not the quality of the competition. I don't think they were too jacked up to travel 2 hours to play a 1-9 football team. The Miller's were under estimated for sure. The following week they outplayed Indy's best team for a half without their best player. In fact, I think a healthy Homestead team was probably Top 5 that year. 

I have no issues with Noblesville and Avon being pre-season Top 25. But I have a major issue with no Fort Wayne teams in a Top 25 poll. It's never happened in the history of the game, and it won't happen this year either. 

Happy dickhead?

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. 

46 minutes ago, BTF said:

Overall a good writeup. Stats don't lie. Your only blemish was the comment about no 6A team being competitive in the last decade. Snider was probably a Top 5 team in 2017 and was one mishap from routing the Greyhounds on their way to a semi-state appearance. I also think you have to give Carroll some props last year. They were Top 10 in my opinion. Down only 8 points late in the third quarter against Westfield has to be considered "competitive." And if it wasn't for the injury bug, Homestead was Top 10 in 2019. In terms of wins and losses? Yeah, the article is pretty much spot on. Get better or get used to it. 

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.  

1 hour ago, temptation said:

Does "Blitz" always talk in third person?

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/

10 hours ago, Indiana Fan said:

According to Carroll Twitter account, they are scheduled to play Center grove in 2024 and 2025.

Good call. You are correct. Fixed. Thanks.

1 hour ago, Indiana Fan said:

Some of that information is wrong

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. 

56 minutes ago, NLCTigerFan07 said:

Gotcha! Thanks! Still - where/when did you see this was announced? I'm not saying it wasn't, I just missed it and haven't found anything official myself. Pumped for the Tigers and Panthers to square off though.

No - they are still scheduled to play a home and home in 2024 and 2025.

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

On 4/22/2022 at 11:09 AM, NLCTigerFan07 said:

I must have missed the official announcement of Snider and Warsaw playing in 2024. When was that announced? And only a 1 year contract?

Warsaw will be playing Snider (I am assuming at home?) in Week 1 then will be visiting Warren Central in Week 2.

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

38 minutes ago, jakone said:

I thought Luers picked up a game against East Noble.

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%

6 hours ago, whiteshoes said:

As a fan, I can see East Noble play anytime I want to.   Just to drive to Kendallville or wait for them to play locally here.   However, a chance to see Toledo Whitmer, Coldwater, or Marion Local play close would be nice.   In addition, why would you want to play an Indiana team that you may play again in the playoffs?     Sometimes it helps to think outside the box.

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.