Page 1 of 1

Re: DTs Dandy Dozen - 12 Questions for Region Football Fans

Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 4:19 am
by Richielikelionel37
Bill Marshall is a good coach. I would like to see more creativity on offense. But he has Valparaiso in the right direction long term. Valparaiso is a young team. 16-18 underclassmen are playing varsity. I just think they need to call more passing plays that way by the playoffs this quarterback has the experience he needs passing. They can’t just smash mouth run over every team. They better have some good plays saved for the Merrillville game.

Re: DTs Dandy Dozen - 12 Questions for Region Football Fans

Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 2:10 pm
by bluewolf219
Richielikelionel37 wrote:
Tue Sep 08, 2020 4:19 am
Bill Marshall is a good coach. I would like to see more creativity on offense. But he has Valparaiso in the right direction long term. Valparaiso is a young team. 16-18 underclassmen are playing varsity. I just think they need to call more passing plays that way by the playoffs this quarterback has the experience he needs passing. They can’t just smash mouth run over every team. They better have some good plays saved for the Merrillville game.
Smashmouth football is probably their best bet until they get to Indy...

Re: DTs Dandy Dozen - 12 Questions for Region Football Fans

Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2020 6:02 pm
by RollTribe
Good to see the ole friend DT's posts! My brief thoughts in bold.
DT. wrote:
Tue Sep 08, 2020 1:14 am
1. Highland defeated West Side by 3 TDs in their season opener. Is the Trojan program ready to take a step forward or should we expect to see the usual easy non con wins and then a 1-4 conference record? Does Coach K have the program ready to compete with Lowell , Hobart and Andrean on an annual basis?
No, and No.

2. Is there any chance that Hammond Central and Hammond Morton get invitations to join the NCC?
Very unlikely.

3. Are Griffith fans , supporters and the overall GHS football community wishing for a return to The NCC or are they glad with their new found status as the tallest midget in the GSSC?
I've gathered Griffith fans wish they were still in the NCC.

4. Is Noll going to return to full varsity status, and should they even attempt to given all the headwinds facing the program?

5. Is competitive Munster football a thing of the past. Given declining participataion and general lackluster interest in the program at best, and with Munster continuing to become a more minority medical based community, are current demographic trends basically sealing the Munstangs future fate?
Demographics aside, there's no real reason to believe Munster will be an annually competitive program any longer. Marsh left and it tanked.

6. Merrillville is playing 4A and 2A schools in non con action to open the season. While both are great, nostalgic rivalries, do Hobart and Andrean prepare the Pirates adequately for DAC play? Should MHS consider looking at opiut of area competition as they used to with Warren central?
Andrean and Hobart are both top 4 teams in the area this year, so yes, at least this year, those were great tests for Merrillville. At least as good as you'll find locally unless they want to make the mistake again of playing a team like Warren Central in the first couple weeks of the season.


7. Is the Crown Point program in a position to be damaged by the potential move of Andrean to Winfield?
No. Any kid from Crown Point that would go to a Winfield-based Andrean is already going to Andrean in Merrillville.


8. Is Phil Mason a lifer at Michigan City, or would he consider possibly either leaving the area for Indy or taking on a local rebuilding project like Munster or Lake Central?
He jumped when he saw a good career opportunity. Why wouldn't he do that again? That said, neither of these "rebuilding projects" appear to be good career opportunities that would be fruitful right away.

9. Bill Marshall is having more success at Valpo than Mark Hoffman did and has the program positioned for long term elite status. Did Marshall and his staff just get lucky and catch a big wave of talent, or is their something in his methods and overall coaching philosophy that have propelled the program to new heights?
Valpo has had D1 talent the last couple years. When this wave passes (or if it does), then we'll see what the coaching staff is really made of. Hats off so far though.

10. James Broyles has Kankakee Valley at 3-0 heading into games the next two weeks against North Newton and Munster. The Kougars should be 5-0 heading into a week 6 matchup with rival Lowell. Has KV turned the corner, or is the jury still out?
Their wins have been impressive, have to give them the credit so far.

11. Is Chesterton having any regrets over their decision to play Pioneer?
Pioneer is good, what would be the regret? I'm sure Chesterton got better by playing them despite them being a smaller school. Level of competition matters, the number next to the A doesn't.

12. What is the future of the EC Central football program. Its been all downhill for the Cardinals since the 2013 semi state season. ECC has a 5 game schedule this year, which includes 2 games against West Side and matchups with Bowman and River Forest. How can the program advance and progress with that kind of slate? ECC along with Hamm Central and Morton should all get invites to join the NCC.
Like most teams, they'll have great years (relatively speaking) and mostly bad years based on the flow of talent.

Re: DTs Dandy Dozen - 12 Questions for Region Football Fans

Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2020 6:00 am
by Richielikelionel37
bluewolf219 wrote:
Tue Sep 08, 2020 2:10 pm
Richielikelionel37 wrote:
Tue Sep 08, 2020 4:19 am
Bill Marshall is a good coach. I would like to see more creativity on offense. But he has Valparaiso in the right direction long term. Valparaiso is a young team. 16-18 underclassmen are playing varsity. I just think they need to call more passing plays that way by the playoffs this quarterback has the experience he needs passing. They can’t just smash mouth run over every team. They better have some good plays saved for the Merrillville game.
Smashmouth football is probably their best bet until they get to Indy...
I’m not sold on this team going to Indy. I’d say semi state for sure but The Fort Wayne team in semi state should be pretty tough this season.

Re: DTs Dandy Dozen - 12 Questions for Region Football Fans

Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2020 6:43 pm
by VikingNation
DT. wrote:
Tue Sep 08, 2020 1:14 am
1. Highland defeated West Side by 3 TDs in their season opener. Is the Trojan program ready to take a step forward or should we expect to see the usual easy non con wins and then a 1-4 conference record? Does Coach K have the program ready to compete with Lowell , Hobart and Andrean on an annual basis? No and No

2. Is there any chance that Hammond Central and Hammond Morton get invitations to join the NCC? I do not see that happening

3. Are Griffith fans , supporters and the overall GHS football community wishing for a return to The NCC or are they glad with their new found status as the tallest midget in the GSSC? I agree that I think fans wish they had stayed

4. Is Noll going to return to full varsity status, and should they even attempt to given all the headwinds facing the program? Who knows with BNI, I think it would be nice for those kids to be able to play

5. Is competitive Munster football a thing of the past. Given declining participataion and general lackluster interest in the program at best, and with Munster continuing to become a more minority medical based community, are current demographic trends basically sealing the Munstangs future fate? It will take time, a lot of their talent goes to Mount Carmel and other surrounding schools

6. Merrillville is playing 4A and 2A schools in non con action to open the season. While both are great, nostalgic rivalries, do Hobart and Andrean prepare the Pirates adequately for DAC play? Should MHS consider looking at opiut of area competition as they used to with Warren central?/

I think it is beneficial for all teams involved because yes Merrillville gets to play good area teams but playing a 6A team has proven, at least the last couple years, to better prepare Andrean and Hobart for the long term


7. Is the Crown Point program in a position to be damaged by the potential move of Andrean to Winfield?

Yes, moving out of Merrillville will save Andrean and will allow them to get more entrenched in not only Crown Point area but get Lowell kids as well

8. Is Phil Mason a lifer at Michigan City, or would he consider possibly either leaving the area for Indy or taking on a local rebuilding project like Munster or Lake Central?

Absolutely not, I could see him leaving MC after this year and joining Skinner at Andrean

9. Bill Marshall is having more success at Valpo than Mark Hoffman did and has the program positioned for long term elite status. Did Marshall and his staff just get lucky and catch a big wave of talent, or is their something in his methods and overall coaching philosophy that have propelled the program to new heights?

The staff there is really good but talent does come in waves, let's revisit in a year or 2

10. James Broyles has Kankakee Valley at 3-0 heading into games the next two weeks against North Newton and Munster. The Kougars should be 5-0 heading into a week 6 matchup with rival Lowell. Has KV turned the corner, or is the jury still out?

If KV beats Andrean or Hobart than we can start talking about them being for real

11. Is Chesterton having any regrets over their decision to play Pioneer?

I have watched this game twice and hats off to Pioneer for just being the better team that night. I don't think they regret it at all because some teams that have postseason success look back and say hey we need to come out with that fire or else we will have a repeat performance.


12. What is the future of the EC Central football program. Its been all downhill for the Cardinals since the 2013 semi state season. ECC has a 5 game schedule this year, which includes 2 games against West Side and matchups with Bowman and River Forest. How can the program advance and progress with that kind of slate? ECC along with Hamm Central and Morton should all get invites to join the NCC.
EC is pretty young so maybe they can build towards more success in the future

Re: DTs Dandy Dozen - 12 Questions for Region Football Fans

Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2020 4:25 am
by bluewolf219
Richielikelionel37 wrote:
Thu Sep 10, 2020 6:00 am
bluewolf219 wrote:
Tue Sep 08, 2020 2:10 pm
Richielikelionel37 wrote:
Tue Sep 08, 2020 4:19 am
Bill Marshall is a good coach. I would like to see more creativity on offense. But he has Valparaiso in the right direction long term. Valparaiso is a young team. 16-18 underclassmen are playing varsity. I just think they need to call more passing plays that way by the playoffs this quarterback has the experience he needs passing. They can’t just smash mouth run over every team. They better have some good plays saved for the Merrillville game.
Smashmouth football is probably their best bet until they get to Indy...
I’m not sold on this team going to Indy. I’d say semi state for sure but The Fort Wayne team in semi state should be pretty tough this season.
That’s fair, but once that QB went down a power run/ball control offense became their best option, in my opinion. I’m assuming they’d play Cathedral in Indy, and running over them just isn’t realistic.

Re: DTs Dandy Dozen - 12 Questions for Region Football Fans

Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2020 12:45 pm
by VikingNation
bluewolf219 wrote:
Fri Sep 11, 2020 4:25 am
Richielikelionel37 wrote:
Thu Sep 10, 2020 6:00 am
bluewolf219 wrote:
Tue Sep 08, 2020 2:10 pm


Smashmouth football is probably their best bet until they get to Indy...
I’m not sold on this team going to Indy. I’d say semi state for sure but The Fort Wayne team in semi state should be pretty tough this season.
That’s fair, but once that QB went down a power run/ball control offense became their best option, in my opinion. I’m assuming they’d play Cathedral in Indy, and running over them just isn’t realistic.
Is Grimes done for the year officially ?

Re: DTs Dandy Dozen - 12 Questions for Region Football Fans

Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2020 10:35 pm
by bluewolf219
VikingNation wrote:
Fri Sep 11, 2020 12:45 pm
bluewolf219 wrote:
Fri Sep 11, 2020 4:25 am
Richielikelionel37 wrote:
Thu Sep 10, 2020 6:00 am


I’m not sold on this team going to Indy. I’d say semi state for sure but The Fort Wayne team in semi state should be pretty tough this season.
That’s fair, but once that QB went down a power run/ball control offense became their best option, in my opinion. I’m assuming they’d play Cathedral in Indy, and running over them just isn’t realistic.
Is Grimes done for the year officially ?
Looking back I probably shouldn’t have said that. I do recall seeing it was an ACL that night somewhere, but if that was the case they probably would’ve said he’s out for the year.

My apologies for speaking out of turn.

Re: DTs Dandy Dozen - 12 Questions for Region Football Fans

Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2020 11:21 am
by Ratball
1. No. Highland stinks.
2. I doubt it, and frankly I hope not. Football and basketball might make sense. Thinking if watching those schools having to play Andrean in baseball, or Munster in softball.....it’s a loser for the current schools in that conference. Hanover is best fit for NCC right now. But they won’t move.
3. Griffith pretty much irrelevant in all sports any more.
4. They are trying. They are at least in a cruddy football conference. Getting a Lake Station or a Wheeler on your schedule gives you a chance to rebuild. Idk if it will ever happen though.
5. Munster will be back at some point. But, yeah, definitely at a low point for sure.
6. Unless they travel, got any better teams in the area for them to play. Schedules were probably set a year or two ago. Merrillville would regularly lose to Andrean and/or Hobart in years past, so not a stretch to schedule them. No one knew that the Pirates were gonna be studs the last two years. And when they did travel to Warren Central, didn’t they regularly get whomped?
7. CP football a lot like LC football. They just underachieve. I don’t think Andrean is moving anyways.
8. Not sure where Phil lives, but unless someone floated a big paycheck in front of his face, why would he want to take on a rebuilding project? He has achieved enough to not want to go back to the bottom of the barrel.
9. They got lucky with a lot if talent.
10. KV much improved, but Hobart and Andrean should defeat them. Lowell should be their measuring stick this year. Consider it a great season if they can beat Lowell.
11. Nah. Pioneer is a good team. It is embarrassing to lose to them, but at least it was a really good 1A/2A team.
12. Not sure where to go for ECC football, but have to wholeheartedly disagree that those schools should be invited to the NCC. I guarantee you Dave Pishkur doesn’t want to waste 6 games a year playing awful competition. And most girls sports, they are awful. An occasional good basketball team doesn’t warrant the invite in my opinion. KV doesn’t want to regularly travel to Hammond/EC three times a season, etc. Both logistics and competition wise across ALL sports, it doesn’t make any sense.