1_beast;1664298 wrote:just a fyi...

Youth Bears beat Orr 26-12? Bears play Nwn at Orr field Sat night for league title.

That means absolutely nothing to me. Too many things change from that time to HS and many young stars are not even playing at that point yet.

Good luck tonight guys. RTR

50-16 to Madison? :-/

As I've said it IS the coach's job to make the team better in Week 10 than Week 1. Anyone want to challenge me on this one?? They gave up! It has happened 3 years in a row and some may argue more. Don't give me the outsized and outmatched nonsense either because Madison is terrible!! This program is 6 feet under!

It was tough to watch. Some needless fouls from frustration. Hopefully we'lll ne able to field a team for next week.

The way this program is operating right now can't possibly be sustained. Orrville is a few injuries away from having to forfeit a varsity game. As crazy as this sounds, their football team would be better being independent than they are playing in the OCC. Is it possible to stay in the OCC in every sport besides football? Kinda like Notre Dame does in college sports. I realize this year's version of Red Riders wouldn't be good against any schedule, but when you are down to around 20 kids something has to be done. Everybody can scream and holler for a new coach, and maybe the program does need new blood. After all, they went outside the box several years ago when they brought in Mo Tipton (and some assistants) from Philo. That said, it is harder to wipe the slate clean and bring in all new people in this day and age. They won't have enough teaching positions for the new coaches. Also, the reality is that very few, if any, top coaches would view the current Orrville situation as a desirable job. Quite frankly, Orrville football would be tough to sell to anyone right now from a conference, numbers, and talent standpoint.

Old Rider;1663689 wrote:I never would have imagined that Orrville football would be in this situation. I think the whole program needs to be reevaluated at the end of the season by the AD, Supt, coaching staff, community members...all in one big pow wow open to the public. Inform the people that have no clue what REALLY is going on and lets make this a TEAM effort to get our program back to what we all expect it to be!

Next year WILL be worse than this year in terms of participation. We have about 10-12 kids combined in the current soph and jr class. Numbers are better in the middle school grades, but who knows if all those kids will continue to play when they get to high school?

...The coaches are being forced to play kids that are not ready! We have kids starting that shouldn't even be playing on special teams!!
Its an attitude and a mindset that we can win....and our kids just don't have it!

Old Rider, realizing that starters and two-way players can and do get injuries, doesn't it say something about the coaching when you have to field players that "are not ready", even for "special teams". Think about it, as I'm sure you've been to pre-season and regular season practices, the second and third stringers, (of course when the roster allows), doesn't it make sense to do all you can to prepare the "entire" team to be ready to a certain extant? As the head football coach, shouldn't he make sure that the freshman and middle schools are made ready as they progress through school. I'm aware that not all players are going to have the same athletic ability or talent, that even if they were ready they may not win any games. However, from a football "guru" such as yourself to say such a thing, well it sounds like a poor excuse to say that they're "forced" to play team members that "aren't ready", perhaps the truth is, the coaching staff isn't "getting them ready"!

Old Rider;1663691 wrote:Another thing....can we get some new football uniforms? ...

They should have got new uniforms when they got the stadium upgrades and new turf!

Did I really hear a kid from Orrville got ejected Friday night?

Come on!!

I will say this for the 100th time, Orrvilles problems aren't the OCC. You think Lexington thinks there problems are the OCC? They won't come within two TDs of winning a game this year. Your program is down and the kids don't want to come out and play, Only way to change that is change the culture of your program. Nothing else will fix your team.

Wooster went through this in the 90's. It will run its course.

Flash;1664475 wrote:It was tough to watch. Some needless fouls from frustration. Hopefully we'lll ne able to field a team for next week.

I counted 26 kids in pads.

That should stay the same....we get 1 captain back from injury but lose another due to ejection.

Can't have captains losing their cool & getting ejected (for arguing with a ref) when you're already thin. Seniors ought to know better.

187xovr;1664506 wrote:That said, it is harder to wipe the slate clean and bring in all new people in this day and age. They won't have enough teaching positions for the new coaches.

This is where "reality" comes in to play. You not only have to find a capable replacement, but you probably have to find a job for him too. This isn't the 80's when a coach could get a cushy study hall monitor job.

187xovr;1664506 wrote:Quite frankly, Orrville football would be tough to sell to anyone right now from a conference, numbers, and talent standpoint.

Again....reality.



My fear is that kids have started to tune out. Not really quit, just tune out. They can only hear "hard work pays off" for so long. Starts to ring hollow when you're getting beat by 40 each week. What else do you say to kids?? It's OK to give up??

Series62;1664553 wrote:Old Rider, realizing that starters and two-way players can and do get injuries, doesn't it say something about the coaching when you have to field players that "are not ready", even for "special teams". Think about it, as I'm sure you've been to pre-season and regular season practices, the second and third stringers, (of course when the roster allows), doesn't it make sense to do all you can to prepare the "entire" team to be ready to a certain extant? As the head football coach, shouldn't he make sure that the freshman and middle schools are made ready as they progress through school. I'm aware that not all players are going to have the same athletic ability or talent, that even if they were ready they may not win any games. However, from a football "guru" such as yourself to say such a thing, well it sounds like a poor excuse to say that they're "forced" to play team members that "aren't ready", perhaps the truth is, the coaching staff isn't "getting them ready"!

My point was that the coaches are being forced to play "youth" (frosh) that are not ready. It takes a rare athlete to come in as a frosh and "be ready" to play on Fridays. Most sophs usually see their time on special teams, unless they are that rare special athlete. It is absolutely the coaches job to prepare the kids and get them ready, but preparing a kid doesn't mean a thing with ZERO football ability! Coach can't play for them!

Times get tough and series comes on here without understanding the situation and looks stupid...I have seen it 1,000 times. How many games would Vince Lombardi have one coaching this exact team? It would be the same record and you all know it.

I question that hard work as taken place "by the kids" both in the offseason and in the regular season. I don't see strong kids...that happens by choice, I don't see a QB that has gotten any better, I don't see the desire in these kids. You can not coach desire you have to have that and this group does not have it. Have they given up...probably because many feel that is better than out working and hitting the opponent. They know that the school and their parents will get them a " blue ribbon" anyway. Guess what the real world lesson for them all via HS football. Nobody is given something for free...you have to earn it and this group has not.

I think Luke is much better than he was last year. Threw some real nice balls last week....imagine if he had a Sam Miller, Stew Turner or a Drew Brenner to go up and "out athlete" a defender.

Remember when we were worried about his durability coming in to the season? He's not missed a snap due to injury has he? I give him a ton of credit.

RedRider1;1665078 wrote:I think Luke is much better than he was last year. Threw some real nice balls last week....imagine if he had a Sam Miller, Stew Turner or a Drew Brenner to go up and "out athlete" a defender.

Remember when we were worried about his durability coming in to the season? He's not missed a snap due to injury has he? I give him a ton of credit.

I do know that he has zero time to scan the field....usually getting hit before he could carry out a play fake. There is something to say about that too.

RedRider1;1665031 wrote:Can't have captains losing their cool & getting ejected (for arguing with a ref) when you're already thin. Seniors ought to know better.

This.

If you're a captain, you are on the team to provide, among other things, leadership. These are still high school kids, and they will make mistakes. I would hope it was simply a lapse in judgment from a kid that is, otherwise, not the sort to get himself kicked out.

As someone who never went there or played there, but who did grow up on the outskirts of Orrville, I honestly feel bad for the kids who ARE still giving it their all. I hope this doesn't disenfranchise them too much from going out next year, should they be underclassmen.

Orrville has a tradition of which they can be proud in football, but I can understand the frustration of seeing a once-dominant team having years like this. I hope they can make up ground next year ... start things going in the opposite direction. Regardless of all the banter between Orrville and the WCAL teams (and fans), they're still part of Wayne County high school football, and I still want to see them be respectable to those outside Wayne County. It's like a family. Brothers can bicker, fight, and poke fun at each other all day. But if one of them is getting picked on from outside the family, none of the others want to see it, and want to defend them.

I'm sure Orrville will eventually rebound. Schools with even a little pride and tradition that is known and remembered by the players, coaches, and/or fan base usually do. I just hope it's sooner than later.

O-Trap;1665133 wrote:This.

If you're a captain, you are on the team to provide, among other things, leadership. These are still high school kids, and they will make mistakes. I would hope it was simply a lapse in judgment from a kid that is, otherwise, not the sort to get himself kicked out.

As someone who never went there or played there, but who did grow up on the outskirts of Orrville, I honestly feel bad for the kids who ARE still giving it their all. I hope this doesn't disenfranchise them too much from going out next year, should they be underclassmen.

Orrville has a tradition of which they can be proud in football, but I can understand the frustration of seeing a once-dominant team having years like this. I hope they can make up ground next year ... start things going in the opposite direction. Regardless of all the banter between Orrville and the WCAL teams (and fans), they're still part of Wayne County high school football, and I still want to see them be respectable to those outside Wayne County. It's like a family. Brothers can bicker, fight, and poke fun at each other all day. But if one of them is getting picked on from outside the family, none of the others want to see it, and want to defend them.

I'm sure Orrville will eventually rebound. Schools with even a little pride and tradition that is known and remembered by the players, coaches, and/or fan base usually do. I just hope it's sooner than later.

THIS^
It will come back around, but it will not be next year unfortunately...unless we have some massive influx of football players or families moving to Orrville. I will continue to say it over and over...the OCC is not a good fit for us (at least not in football). We can't compete against the big schools, especially in the middle school. I know there has been some talks about getting into other leagues, forming a league, etc...but this HAS to happen in the VERY near future.

Old Rider;1665043 wrote:My point was that the coaches are being forced to play "youth" (frosh) that are not ready. It takes a rare athlete to come in as a frosh and "be ready" to play on Fridays. Most sophs usually see their time on special teams, unless they are that rare special athlete. It is absolutely the coaches job to prepare the kids and get them ready, but preparing a kid doesn't mean a thing with ZERO football ability! Coach can't play for them!

Especially in football.
In baseball, basketball, etc, you can bring a good frosh up and he can do his thing and not be much worse for wear. He can still showcase his talent as there is more individualism in those sports and he can still enjoy it. Take a frosh in football who is only playing because others are just hurt and it could do more harm than good. He can get all beat up, and really have nothing to show for his talent because it is such a big team game.

thavoice;1665153 wrote:Especially in football.
In baseball, basketball, etc, you can bring a good frosh up and he can do his thing and not be much worse for wear. He can still showcase his talent as there is more individualism in those sports and he can still enjoy it. Take a frosh in football who is only playing because others are just hurt and it could do more harm than good. He can get all beat up, and really have nothing to show for his talent because it is such a big team game.

Just think of the Auble & Barnhill kids....both are frosh with quite a bit of promise. They've seen plenty of playing time this year. At this time last year both (and every other freshman) had just finished up their 8th grade season.

That's quite a leap. They're taking their lumps now and hopefully it pays off if they stick with it.

RedRider1;1665159 wrote:Just think of the Auble & Barnhill kids....both are frosh with quite a bit of promise. They've seen plenty of playing time this year. At this time last year both (and every other freshman) had just finished up their 8th grade season.

That's quite a leap. They're taking their lumps now and hopefully it pays off if they stick with it.

Also hope the beating they take in the meantime doesn't wear them down physically too much. I remember that happening with a few kids that played around the time I played. They were studs as sophomores and even as juniors. But by the time they were seniors, their legs had taken too much damage, and they no longer had the athleticism they exhibited in years prior. Made up for it with instinct and experience, but would have been SO much better if they'd had fresh, healthy legs their senior year.

O-Trap;1665161 wrote:Also hope the beating they take in the meantime doesn't wear them down physically too much. I remember that happening with a few kids that played around the time I played. They were studs as sophomores and even as juniors. But by the time they were seniors, their legs had taken too much damage, and they no longer had the athleticism they exhibited in years prior. Made up for it with instinct and experience, but would have been SO much better if they'd had fresh, healthy legs their senior year.

If they were hurt their senior year I understand what you are saying but if you are saying they were not "fresh" give me a break. They were 18 year olds their legs are fresh two days after the last game.

rrfan;1665190 wrote:If they were hurt their senior year I understand what you are saying but if you are saying they were not "fresh" give me a break. They were 18 year olds their legs are fresh two days after the last game.

Sorry, I didn't mean "fresh" as in an absence of fatigue. I meant to indicate that their joints weren't functioning like a normal 18-year-old's joints because of damage they took as sophomores and juniors.

As someone who never went there or played there, but who did grow up on the outskirts of Orrville, I honestly feel bad for the kids who ARE still giving it their all. I hope this doesn't disenfranchise them too much from going out next year, should they be underclassmen.

Orrville has a tradition of which they can be proud in football, but I can understand the frustration of seeing a once-dominant team having years like this. I hope they can make up ground next year ... start things going in the opposite direction. Regardless of all the banter between Orrville and the WCAL teams (and fans), they're still part of Wayne County high school football, and I still want to see them be respectable to those outside Wayne County. It's like a family. Brothers can bicker, fight, and poke fun at each other all day. But if one of them is getting picked on from outside the family, none of the others want to see it, and want to defend them.

I'm sure Orrville will eventually rebound. Schools with even a little pride and tradition that is known and remembered by the players, coaches, and/or fan base usually do. I just hope it's sooner than later

Well said,

Being from Orrville and playing sports I would be the first to rub my fellow Wayne county schools but was also first to buy tickets when any of them would make a playoff run! At the end of the day some pretty good football gets played in Wayne county. Every public school is going to have their ups and downs but when one of us makes a run, we all kind of make a run! Sad times in the Ville right now and I also hope these young men that are being thrown to the wolves get harder from the experience and not let that pain limit their desire. Putting in work DOES always payoff, unfortunately a season may be in the books before it is realized. The business of making men that is...