PV Football in General.

I really didn't want to post this on the regular forum because I know nearly everybody on the team.

So, here goes. Our defense is probably the second best defense in the league behind Norton. I personally dont understand why those close to the program are blaming our defense for loses. Much like what happened last year after the Manassas Park Game. You hold Zach Terrell to 20 points and you should win, especially with our "great" offense. Here recently our offense, yes our offense hasn't showed up. I'm really at a loss as to what we are trying to do. PV ran the ball down the throats of Clintwood with Murphy in the I set and we scored a touchdown. Never again in that game was the formation used. On several 3rd and long as well as 4th and long situations we ran short passes that just left me scratching my head. Against Norton not once did we try to establish a power running game with our big power backs and that puzzles me. You dont go speed for speed when the team you are playing has more speed than you. I think Coach Robbins is a great coach, but this year has me puzzled. Now, I think he might just throw this season away and look towards next year. His play calling is something like I've never seen, where are the long streak plays of the last couple of years? I understand the personal is different but you have got to try then in long down situations. We are mid-way through the season and have no clue who our starting tailback is, and that to me is a problem. Either start Qualls or Pinkston and let them play. I'd now start Pinkston due to this season being a wash, at the beginning of the year I'd started Qualls and tried to make the playoffs. Our line is just not there, we have small in-experienced players who have never played before and they are getting eaten alive. So, to me the problem in Big Stone right now is our offense and our play calling. We dont know what we want to do. I'm just sick and tired of big games getting blamed on our defense. It really bothered me last year after the Manassas Park game. I personally thought we did pretty damn good to hold them to 20 points considering we didn't even watch tape on them or really even practice for the game. I'll be sore about that in my grave I suppose but that was a once in a lifetime opportunity that we let get away and it has carried over to this year. If we dont get this straighted out soon we may be in real trouble, there is only so much certain people can put up with and from what I hear from those in town the edge is seeping closer and closer. So, what do I think we should do from here on out? Leave the defense alone, maybe start subing in some other d-lineman to get experinece for next year so Ison and Jason dont have to play both ways. On offense play Pinkston at RB or FB and let grow out of his fumbling problems and possibly move Trey to QB over Mitchell, sometimes I think Cedric's ability gets him into trouble. We could put Ced at WR and have a dangerous Wideout combo of Lawson and Mitchell. I feel that Garrison could move the ball down the field, he's pretty accurate on his throws. Play every offensive lineman you have. This season is over and we need to find somebody who can block. I often wonder if the defenses are catching up to us much like they caught up to Spurrier. You blitz the hell out of us and we are in trouble. To run that spread game offense effectively imo you need to have 3 to 4 good wideouts and one great one. We dont have that right now, and thats not taking away from the players on the team at all. We need to go back to power football and have two wide recievers and play old school PV football. I talked to people before the season and said this was the worst PV team I've ever seen, sadly it is. That is saying a lot, considering this is the worst I've ever seen the LPD and we will only go 5-5 or 6-4 overall with two wins over winless teams. Changes need to made, I just hope we get it going in the right direction for next year. To the seniors of this years team, its a shame that you all are going out like this. The streak did have to end sometime though.

Personally I think you are being too critical of your team. We can always find fault when things go wrong and we don't win. Maybe you got beat by a better team.

As for this being the worst year for LPD football, I will definitely disagree with you on that. The league doesn't seem to have a D2 team that can compete for a state championship, but the D1 teams are pretty dang good. This may be the most balanced the league has been in many, many years from 1-6. Kelly and Coeburn have yet to prove themselves, but because there are few pushovers in the league, it has been tough on both these squads. Pound has their best team since 99, Burton has their best team in years, Appalachia has risen back towards the top, Clintwood is turning into a perennial power with the hiring of Rick Mullins as coach, and GC and PV are.....well...GC and PV, tradition wins 4 games a year for them.

Good to see you finally found your way over here.

There is no doubt in my mind that both C-Wood and Norton were the better teams. I just think we are still realing from last year. LPD is down imo. I dont see anybody competing for a state title, Norton will be the closest and I hope they win it, but WC is just to much imo.

with success comes great expectations. a bad year for pv is 7-3, 8-2, when most teams would consider that to be a very good year.

This year is a disaster then.

How many seniors did PV graduate last year. Reality guys. No one graduates 18 and just reloads no more. It don't happen. And many questioned Appy after 2002. Well your seeing it at the Division 2 level now.
I will agree state wide im not sure who has a shot from the LPD. Burton has the speed on defense to made a difference, i've not seen what the Division 2 teams up the road have.
But William Campbell will be a force in Division 1. Their almost back to the team they had in 2002.
But honestly this is some of the best all around football i have seen. Teams that have been powers lately are facing rebuilding. Yes rebuilding. I know that is hard for a few.
But hey guys face it numbers and not playing younger kids in run away games are hurting some of the bigger teams.
I will say this and i don't care who likes it.
PV is down due to their lack of playing kids, over the last 4 yrs. Yes the may of played some but honestly some games some of the kids playing today could of been seeing a lot of playing time.
And Phil doesn't need to blame his young kids. Cedric is a good QB just young and Pinkston. Well he is young also. I was astounded to say the least, by Phil's comments on the fumbles. Hey true freshmen starting at the Varsity level. Reality and wake up call. Their gonna make mistakes. We Appy went through it last year. Yet we graduate 8-9 and it hurts us. Imagine 18 or so at the Div. 2 level.
I think it's time a few face it. No more will you graduate 18 seniors and not have at least a year of growing pains, and if your Division 1 that could be 2-3 years of getting back to where you were.
Man don't be so critical of PV. Thing about it is we have all faced it before, and now the bigger schools are having to do the same, when they graduate these huge numbers.
Their just going through what others have.
The sun will shine again. But reality if anything we need some rain in the Gap. Big Cherry is running way to low........ [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

I'll give you some comments here that I don't like to give on the other board as well and some other stats.

At the half, PV was getting good balance, they had 80 yards passing, 77 yards rushing by my totals (subject to change of a few yards by spotting, quick adding). Clintwood had 151 yards rushing and like 17 passing. So while PV was getting a good balance, Clintwood was doing a good job of ball control and keeping the ball and thus wearing them out a bit. Second half, we held PV to 1 first down and 30-35 yards of offense. What caused this? Well Clintwood played hungrier and more confident than a lot of games. The last play of the half was almost a snapshot of several past Clintwood/PV games. Game is close, nip and tuck, and PV would manage to break a kickoff or get a turnover and score in the last minute of the half. It has happened more times than I care to remember, and Clintwood would go in broken. They always seemed to battle in the second half, but a little piece of their heart normally was taken out. Not saying we hadn't stepped up at other times and managed to have a shot, but you can't give up a score like that and not have a bit of affect, nor can you miss one. Clintwood had 1 pass that could have been picked, should have been. PV had 2 in pretty close proximity to the end zone, both or at least one of which could have easily been 6 the other way, but it didn't happen. Trust me, as a Clintwood fan, each one of those was a knife in your heart. Fourth and ten, PV throws a short pass, instead of making tackle, get ball, we sell for the pick. Missed and he was on an island, so Lawson shot down the sidelines for 20 or so, it was a concern. Anyhow, back to what I was saying, you are right in some regards, as Phil is still trying to run to much spreading without the receivers he had. It's great when you have 5 guys who are all capable of not only catching the ball but breaking tackles and making those little 3-4 yards plays, 20+.

Anyhow to me, Clintwood normally shoots themselves in the foot, the bad play or the let up right before the half, in my opinion, we lose most of the games to PV due to our mistakes, last night, we didn't. If we had committed a turnover or 2, gave PV some short field like normal, the game probably would have had a different dynamic. I wouldn't worry so much yet though.

there is nothing worse in this world, then "It was so different when I played" PV is struggling with an unordinary amount of youth plain and simple. Its just magnified because it is Powell Valley.
You have stronger years and you have weaker years in each school, division and area. The LPD is no different.

You have to remember how young this team is. The cubbard is not bare in Viking Town. These players are EXTREMELY talented. They just need some experience. The wins will come but they will take some licks this year. This is just part of football.

Exactly. When you start a sophomore at QB and a freshman as your main I back. That right there is a lot of youth and a young bunch of linemen.
And it is magnified because it is PV, just as it was earlier, when Richlands knocked of GC.
Guys it's football. And it's those days. PV is not dead, just young and any young team is going to go through that stretch, well it gets a little hard to watch.
And honestly that is why some teams get some of their skill players to try to hold back. So this doesn't become a major rebuilding. To me that is the only part in sports where holding back has an advantage, experience at the skill positions.
And no please don't turn this into a hold back issue, i just added it to show why some schools do it, and especially the smaller teams and schools.
But when they PV begin to hit on all cylinders, that is when it gets to be the best of days.
Hang in there guys and if anything. Encourage the players on here, don't say negative things.
I know some get disgusted with me for posting things. But you have to let a team know, yeah were looking and not just at the flaws or mistakes.
Give them time this is just like a child crawling before it walks. In time it will take right off, no major falls and very little stumbling.... [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

I dont think people are giving Rick Mullins enough credit for this. Rick Mullins is one of the top 3 offensive coordinators in region d or region c in my opinion. He knows football flat out.

Give PV two years, and they will do no worse then 9-1

Your right Moon. Phil isn't gonna give up a win without his team getting beat. Right now i think him and the staff are still feeling out this young group. But the playoffs still loom large and i don't see no one beating PV without a playing a solid game. Clintwood and Burton had to do that.
Beating a team like PV and GC is a good accomplishment any time, one reason because they have solid programs. And i will add Appy to that on the Div. 1 side, most teams in the Division always referred to Appy when it was getting out of the region.
Only thing i will say guys no matter who your team is. When their going through times like these, well stick by them as best you can. I know how frustrating it can get. One reason i like this side of the forum. We can talk about items like this.
Last two years before this year in Dawg land. Well they have been some long years. But i always tried to find something positive to say, and sometimes i vented, but i realized that didn't always help, sometimes it does, but today kids and critcism don't go together to well.

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Only thing i will say guys no matter who your team is. When their going through times like these, well stick by them as best you can.

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That's why I commend the folks on here who made it to the game friday. That was the smallest PV crowd I can remember seeing at a CW game. I hope the folks weren't jumping ship after going 3-2.

Bak to an earlier post, I did something. Power I vs Spread.
With the exeception of Norton this year, the spread is the mopst effective offense to use in our area. Why? because of the lack of 1. speed. 2. talent. 3. other offenses used by other teams.
Highschool secondaries, especially in the LPD and Region D are pretty much a joke. I watch football games every friday in the LPD and you see the same dive right and dive left, a play action pass for this and that. 90% of the secondaries are last options for their defense, its to tackle someone if they break a big run. Powell Valley is best suited for this, granted it played into Burtons hands THIS YEAR as Burton is very talented and quick. But that is the exception, even with a great win and well deserved by the Clintwood Greenwave, who are a better team the Powell Valley is right now, I would not have went away from the spread. To much lack of skill in secondary positions in the LPD, to much lack of overall speed in the LPD not to use the spread, it amazes me to see teams just throw this out of the window. Wing T, Power I, etc. Is great if you have the big line and bulky backs, but it can be stopped by using big linemen, decent linebackers, etc. If you know what is coming its just a matter of sticking to your assignments. (And I dont want to here "Well it use to work for Powell Valley" yeah, so did it with anyone who has a running back(s) that get paid to play football now)

If this is the fall of Rome we are seeing for Powell Valley, then so be it. I dont believe anyone thinks that. The spread was not so well executed by those "who did it so well last year" when they had to learn it just a few short years ago.

That's one thing that kills me about fans...Boy when your winning you have all their support but when your losing they never show up...If your a true fan you'll be there through it all no matter what they do...I know I'll be there through thick and thin no matter what...I also heard that PV didn't have that big of a crowd at the game...That right there is pityful from their fans...But if they were 5-0 they would have packed the stands...One thing I can't stand is a fair weather fan...Stick behind these young men no matter if they win or lose people.

That's the truth Tob! [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

I have seen PV, on more than one occasion, have a young but talented team that took some licks and then won back to back State Titles. If anybody has given up on them you are dead wrong.

I'll give you a phrase i've heard from several coaches, Riggs, Fry, Cummins, Turner, Robbins, Colobro.
Passing wins games. But running the ball wins championships.
Look back and see who has won the titles.
Teams that can mix the pass with the run. But basically win by running the ball.
That is something i come to realize from coaches who are legends.

Very good post, and very very true.

the vikes will be fine, they will still make the playoffs this year

Sadly I wasn't able to make the game against Cwood on Friday, but I'm by no means a fair weather fan, just circumstances! I sure hope others aren't giving up on the Boys in Blue. I agree-it drives me crazy when people give up on a team that isn't delivering a near perfect season. We'll be back that's for sure! And we still have a lot of games left and those guys deserve our support because I'm sure they're playing with their whole hearts out on the field. Support them, don't tear them down.

There is still a lot of games left to determine who goes to playoffs

PV has Kelly, GC, Coeburn and Appy
Clintwood has GC, Kelly, Norton and Pound
Gate City has Kelly, Clintwood, PV, Appy, Burton
Haysi has Betsy Lane, Lee, Hurley, Letcher, Ervinton, and Grundy
Honaker has Twin Valley, Virginia (High I assume?), Hurley and Tazwell

4 of those 5 appear to be able to go, which one slips up and doesn't get there is the question.

Right now i don't even look at the playoff picture. There is so many if's and butts it isn't funny. One off night the rest of the schedule for most and some body will be setting at home. And probably a good team at that. I know i seen it happen to the Wave on more than one occassion over they years. And then to Honaker also.