Panther Football future

[Pantherhead]

Lets get something going . South has been mediocre for most of this decade, Is a winning season enough for the panthers nowadays ,is wanting more a desire within the panther hierarchy? Lets Talk.

[Pantherhead]

Well If noone is interested in Bhss Football maybe thats the answer folks just arent interested in the Panthers anymore. A coach has to generate interest in playing football at south (for the kids)and he has to win to get the fans excited , Drew wood has been pretty consitent. (a good coach) But this years seniors beat this years center grove seniors two years ago and then this season we lost to them 56-14.......go figure i would have at least expected a game with them. Regardless of the Center Grove state title this year that they got lucky and won (two onsides recoveries in the last 3 mins= luck. if Carmel got the ball back either of those times the game is over carmel 's offense dominated all night long, but failed to get the ball back in cruch time to ice the game with a few first downs) anyways were talkinh south football. The fact that south failed to even give CG a game makes me look at the coaching staff , But like i said Drew Wood is a "good" coach and id rather have him than a loser even if we dont end up getting back to the top.

[Mike P.]

Coach Wood is an excellent coach. He has some new staff members who are going to majorly benefit the team. I watched other members of his staff mature to another level this year, and as a young staff matures, so will the program.

The last couple years injuries have played a part for some of our better players. The other issue is size. The lack of size (except Price) the last few years has been an issue. I know speed kills, but when you have kids like CG's guards who are 250+ running 4.6 & 4.7 in the 40 to lead the way for their D1 QB & RB, it is hard to compete.

Next years freshman class coming in from Jackson Creek is one of the better to come in since the 90's, the South faithful is going to have to bite their tongue the next year or two has these kids get up to speed. There in lies the problem, will the Alumni be patient, or will those with the pull (money) start putting the squeeze on J.R. to seek a replacement? Hopefully they will be patient.

[Big Z]

I think South football is fine. The fans were just very spoiled for a stretch of time while Coach Mo was still here. Since that time there have been a few bad coaches, but Wood is not one of them. He is a good coach, but not a great one. From what I know about the current program, I don't think he has that killer instinct to push South back to a top 3 program year in and year out. However, he does really care about the kids and makes them understand life lessons outside of football.

You can talk about injuries all you want, but that is a fact of life in sports. Also, injuries are prevented in the offseason workouts, so the fact that injuries have been a problem for the past two years, might say something about how hard the kids are working in the offseason. Not to say they don't have a good program, their attitudes may just suck. Also, you can talk about size and speed all you want, but they have ALWAYS been the same issues for South. We are never the biggest or fastest team in the state. Bottom line, the past two years South's D hasn't been able to stop anyone. They play too many gimmick schemes that don't work in high school football. There offense has been good, but relies too much on the passing game. They need to get back to some basics and be able to block and run consistently to be in ball games.

Also, I know nothing about this years incoming freshman class...so I will take Mike P's word that they are good. However, to compare them to the early 90's when South had one state championship team made up of I think 2 D1 scholarship players is definitely overlooking the classes from 1996-2000. Those classes had numerous D1 scholarship players at multiple positions and never lost a conference game. Also, you can add a state championship, state runner-up, and a regional championship. All of which have not been seen since.

[Pantherhead]

Big Z said:

I think South football is fine. The fans were just very spoiled for a stretch of time while Coach Mo was still here. Since that time there have been a few bad coaches, but Wood is not one of them. He is a good coach, but not a great one. From what I know about the current program, I don't think he has that killer instinct to push South back to a top 3 program year in and year out. However, he does really care about the kids and makes them understand life lessons outside of football.

You can talk about injuries all you want, but that is a fact of life in sports. Also, injuries are prevented in the offseason workouts, so the fact that injuries have been a problem for the past two years, might say something about how hard the kids are working in the offseason. Not to say they don't have a good program, their attitudes may just suck. Also, you can talk about size and speed all you want, but they have ALWAYS been the same issues for South. We are never the biggest or fastest team in the state. Bottom line, the past two years South's D hasn't been able to stop anyone. They play too many gimmick schemes that don't work in high school football. There offense has been good, but relies too much on the passing game. They need to get back to some basics and be able to block and run consistently to be in ball games.

Also, I know nothing about this years incoming freshman class...so I will take Mike P's word that they are good. However, to compare them to the early 90's when South had one state championship team made up of I think 2 D1 scholarship players is definitely overlooking the classes from 1996-2000. Those classes had numerous D1 scholarship players at multiple positions and never lost a conference game. Also, you can add a state championship, state runner-up, and a regional championship. All of which have not been seen since.

I understand what you are saying but thats not solving the problem there is only so much we can do as fans i mean alumni are just that "graduated and Gone" but cant stand to see us not even win the sectional once since mo left(center grove had never beaten us by more than 28 and they beat us by 42 this year, and we beat this same group two years ago?????). I like coach wood and for his sake i hope he doesnt get "replaced' i was looking right here on the HT online at the MCCSC salaries and he makes 73,000+ . Well i guess i just wont be as big of a fan. Its hard when you see things that the current staff either ignores of cant see at all. well good luck panthers.

[Mike P.]

Big Z said:

I think South football is fine. The fans were just very spoiled for a stretch of time while Coach Mo was still here. Since that time there have been a few bad coaches, but Wood is not one of them. He is a good coach, but not a great one. From what I know about the current program, I don't think he has that killer instinct to push South back to a top 3 program year in and year out. However, he does really care about the kids and makes them understand life lessons outside of football.

You can talk about injuries all you want, but that is a fact of life in sports. Also, injuries are prevented in the offseason workouts, so the fact that injuries have been a problem for the past two years, might say something about how hard the kids are working in the offseason. Not to say they don't have a good program, their attitudes may just suck. Also, you can talk about size and speed all you want, but they have ALWAYS been the same issues for South. We are never the biggest or fastest team in the state. Bottom line, the past two years South's D hasn't been able to stop anyone. They play too many gimmick schemes that don't work in high school football. There offense has been good, but relies too much on the passing game. They need to get back to some basics and be able to block and run consistently to be in ball games.

Also, I know nothing about this years incoming freshman class...so I will take Mike P's word that they are good. However, to compare them to the early 90's when South had one state championship team made up of I think 2 D1 scholarship players is definitely overlooking the classes from 1996-2000. Those classes had numerous D1 scholarship players at multiple positions and never lost a conference game. Also, you can add a state championship, state runner-up, and a regional championship. All of which have not been seen since.

Big Z,

There are many things in the works to help rebuild the program, and the desire to build them back to what we expected under Mo. As for size and speed, yes those are factors, and these teams the last few years were smaller than teams of the past. They relied on what their strengths were, but if you pay much attention, they ran the ball a lot more with Blackwell this year, especially behind Price.

As for the injuries, those were not conditioning injuries, and I agree, injuries happen and you deal with it, but it had a major effect on these teams. Your comment about their off season attitudes tells me you don't know much about the program. Their weight training program was very intense, they went through 7 on 7 camps, lineman camps, as well as other team camps. Instead of the traditional 2-A-Days this year, they went through 3-A-Day practice regiment to begin the season.

The incoming freshman class is solid, the Jackson Creek 8th graders were undefeated this last season. Also, I never said anything about being the best since the early 90's, I said best since the 90's, which accounts for the entire decade that had many undefeated freshman classes that delivered multiple sectional, regional & 2 state titles as well as the runner-up year.

[Big Z]

Mike P. said:

Big Z said:

I think South football is fine. The fans were just very spoiled for a stretch of time while Coach Mo was still here. Since that time there have been a few bad coaches, but Wood is not one of them. He is a good coach, but not a great one. From what I know about the current program, I don't think he has that killer instinct to push South back to a top 3 program year in and year out. However, he does really care about the kids and makes them understand life lessons outside of football.

You can talk about injuries all you want, but that is a fact of life in sports. Also, injuries are prevented in the offseason workouts, so the fact that injuries have been a problem for the past two years, might say something about how hard the kids are working in the offseason. Not to say they don't have a good program, their attitudes may just suck. Also, you can talk about size and speed all you want, but they have ALWAYS been the same issues for South. We are never the biggest or fastest team in the state. Bottom line, the past two years South's D hasn't been able to stop anyone. They play too many gimmick schemes that don't work in high school football. There offense has been good, but relies too much on the passing game. They need to get back to some basics and be able to block and run consistently to be in ball games.

Also, I know nothing about this years incoming freshman class...so I will take Mike P's word that they are good. However, to compare them to the early 90's when South had one state championship team made up of I think 2 D1 scholarship players is definitely overlooking the classes from 1996-2000. Those classes had numerous D1 scholarship players at multiple positions and never lost a conference game. Also, you can add a state championship, state runner-up, and a regional championship. All of which have not been seen since.

Big Z,

There are many things in the works to help rebuild the program, and the desire to build them back to what we expected under Mo. As for size and speed, yes those are factors, and these teams the last few years were smaller than teams of the past. They relied on what their strengths were, but if you pay much attention, they ran the ball a lot more with Blackwell this year, especially behind Price.

As for the injuries, those were not conditioning injuries, and I agree, injuries happen and you deal with it, but it had a major effect on these teams. Your comment about their off season attitudes tells me you don't know much about the program. Their weight training program was very intense, they went through 7 on 7 camps, lineman camps, as well as other team camps. Instead of the traditional 2-A-Days this year, they went through 3-A-Day practice regiment to begin the season.

The incoming freshman class is solid, the Jackson Creek 8th graders were undefeated this last season. Also, I never said anything about being the best since the early 90's, I said best since the 90's, which accounts for the entire decade that had many undefeated freshman classes that delivered multiple sectional, regional & 2 state titles as well as the runner-up year.

You are correct that they ran the ball more this year with Blackwell. However, how effective was that? Did they control the clock in most games and keep their defense off the field? Did they ever have a game where they ran the ball more than they threw it? Also, I challenge you to go back and look at the starters over the last 10 years for South football before you say that only the past couple years, the teams have been smaller. The best defensive teams that South ever had were small but quick. They also had a solid defensive scheme that they stuck to year in and year out. They didn't try gimmicks of standing up at the line and mickey mouse schemes like that. South has always had a few larger guys like Aaron Price, surrounded by much smaller guys that will probably never play another down of football after high school. I agree with some of what you are saying to some extent. I still do not see eye to eye with you in terms of the offseason program. I was only throwing out guesses as to why we are not as physical as we once were. I have seen guys in the past the size of Blackwell that could lift more weight than Aaron Price. I think this difference falls back on the offseason lifting program. Regardless, we could go back and forth for a long time on these issues because I know neither of us will budge on our opinions. That makes for a good blog though. I do hope you are right about the team turning things around. To be honest though, I am not one of the fans who think they have been "horrible" the past few years. I have been realistic about where the team is and where they would be going. Wood inherited a program that was tarnished by McConnell and he has done a great job to get them competitive again. He also has embraced the traditions of South football again. Whether they get back to a state caliber level, will remain to be seen.

[Mike P.]

Big Z,

They have a long road to go to get there.

The reason I say what I do about the weight program the last couple years is I have watched my nephew go through it, and I know first hand that what they do is as intense if not more than when I was at South when Mo ran the program. They also attend more off season functions than we ever did under Mo.

The stand up defense was ignorant, and I was really happy to see it go. The defense this year was the same base defense and schemes that South used under Mo, just in case you didn't recognize it. The problem was personnel, they had a couple really solid players, but as a whole, the defense was not what it should have been.

I don't know the individual game break down but I do know on the season South attempted 234 passes for 2033 yards and 17 touchdowns. You can compare that to their 452 rushing attempts 2595 yards and 29 touchdowns. As you can see they chose to run the ball at an almost 2 to 1 rate.

[Dustin T.]

Has anyone taken a look at Jerry Bland with Edgewood. In my opinion it is amazing what he has been able to do with that program. This is a program who has many more problems than South. Not only are they undersized, but it is my understanding that they only had a roster of around 22. That puts alot of players on the field, both sides of the ball. This is not the first program that Coach Bland has turned around. Coach Bland is a Bloomington native, graduated from Bloomington South, and played for coach MO. I believe he could bring back Panther tradition and pride. I believe he could teach these kids alot about life. He can bring the killer attitude that it takes to be among the best year in and year out. He has been taught by one of the best. He is proving that he has what it takes to be a winner. I know that Edgewood can not compete with South, but that would be comparing apples to oranges. I will say that Edgewood was at the top of their class and I can not say the same about South. I don't know a lot about Coach Wood as a person, but I have seen his teams play. I think that he is a good coach, just not a great one. I have never been one to accept mediocrity. Look what it has done for I.U. over the years.

[Pantherhead]

Dustin T. said:

Has anyone taken a look at Jerry Bland with Edgewood. In my opinion it is amazing what he has been able to do with that program. This is a program who has many more problems than South. Not only are they undersized, but it is my understanding that they only had a roster of around 22. That puts alot of players on the field, both sides of the ball. This is not the first program that Coach Bland has turned around. Coach Bland is a Bloomington native, graduated from Bloomington South, and played for coach MO. I believe he could bring back Panther tradition and pride. I believe he could teach these kids alot about life. He can bring the killer attitude that it takes to be among the best year in and year out. He has been taught by one of the best. He is proving that he has what it takes to be a winner. I know that Edgewood can not compete with South, but that would be comparing apples to oranges. I will say that Edgewood was at the top of their class and I can not say the same about South. I don't know a lot about Coach Wood as a person, but I have seen his teams play. I think that he is a good coach, just not a great one. I have never been one to accept mediocrity. Look what it has done for I.U. over the years.

Hi dustin . Yes i have thought about that possibilty. First off i will aggree with you about coach wood. people really respect him around the state, although the last thing a person wants is for people to start saying how great of a person they are. But thats the way they talk about him( sorry if your not a christian but drew wood says he is and heres a verse outta the holy bible that explains what im trying to say about how these networks of fbll coaches and /or players around the state that praise each other like they are in love with one onother, when the whole time they are doing exactly what jesus said not to do. Luke 6:26 King James Bible
Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets..) I think his charachter Program is ok, but it looks like he's being some kind of "Do Gooder" or something when all he needs to do is have good character himself and show that to the kids he's not here to be a daddy he's here to be a coach, and I question the need for such a program. Mo had good character when i played for him at south and he didnt have to have a program teaching it. Leaders lead by example . That being said i hope the best for coach wood and i dont think he is a great coach but he is a good one. I dont think that south could rightly get rid of a guy that hasnt had a losing season at the school his closest was a 5-5 season. As for former south players that were asked to coach here, Reed May was a all state reciever at south and he currently coaches at brownstown central and is having an excellent career there, he turned the job down when Mc connell left south. Im currently on the outs with south football i have a difficult time watching them lose to Center Grove by 42 points when we beat Center Grove two years ago when this years CG seniors were sophs and south's 34 seniors were also sophs. That shows how much better Center Grove got the last two years and how much worse south got, and this was coach woods fifth season, but at the same time we were 8-3(and we beat north and martinsville) so anyways again i hope all the best for south and thier football program and thier head coach and coaching staff. You Never know maybe Coach wood will win a state title here..........Its been done before.

[Dustin T.]

Pantherhead said:

Dustin T. said:

Has anyone taken a look at Jerry Bland with Edgewood. In my opinion it is amazing what he has been able to do with that program. This is a program who has many more problems than South. Not only are they undersized, but it is my understanding that they only had a roster of around 22. That puts alot of players on the field, both sides of the ball. This is not the first program that Coach Bland has turned around. Coach Bland is a Bloomington native, graduated from Bloomington South, and played for coach MO. I believe he could bring back Panther tradition and pride. I believe he could teach these kids alot about life. He can bring the killer attitude that it takes to be among the best year in and year out. He has been taught by one of the best. He is proving that he has what it takes to be a winner. I know that Edgewood can not compete with South, but that would be comparing apples to oranges. I will say that Edgewood was at the top of their class and I can not say the same about South. I don't know a lot about Coach Wood as a person, but I have seen his teams play. I think that he is a good coach, just not a great one. I have never been one to accept mediocrity. Look what it has done for I.U. over the years.

Hi dustin . Yes i have thought about that possibilty. First off i will aggree with you about coach wood. people really respect him around the state, although the last thing a person wants is for people to start saying how great of a person they are. But thats the way they talk about him( sorry if your not a christian but drew wood says he is and heres a verse outta the holy bible that explains what im trying to say about how these networks of fbll coaches and /or players around the state that praise each other like they are in love with one onother, when the whole time they are doing exactly what jesus said not to do. Luke 6:26 King James Bible
Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets..) I think his charachter Program is ok, but it looks like he's being some kind of "Do Gooder" or something when all he needs to do is have good character himself and show that to the kids he's not here to be a daddy he's here to be a coach, and I question the need for such a program. Mo had good character when i played for him at south and he didnt have to have a program teaching it. Leaders lead by example . That being said i hope the best for coach wood and i dont think he is a great coach but he is a good one. I dont think that south could rightly get rid of a guy that hasnt had a losing season at the school his closest was a 5-5 season. As for former south players that were asked to coach here, Reed May was a all state reciever at south and he currently coaches at brownstown central and is having an excellent career there, he turned the job down when Mc connell left south. Im currently on the outs with south football i have a difficult time watching them lose to Center Grove by 42 points when we beat Center Grove two years ago when this years CG seniors were sophs and south's 34 seniors were also sophs. That shows how much better Center Grove got the last two years and how much worse south got, and this was coach woods fifth season, but at the same time we were 8-3(and we beat north and martinsville) so anyways again i hope all the best for south and thier football program and thier head coach and coaching staff. You Never know maybe Coach wood will win a state title here..........Its been done before.

[Dustin T.]

yes it has been done before. but not with a mediocre coach.

[Pantherhead]

Dustin T. said:

yes it has been done before. but not with a mediocre coach.

Like i said Coach Wood is a "good" coach. I think it would be better to have a good coach than to take a risk getting rid of him when we dont know if a "better" coach would even take the job!Like i said Reed May an allstate player from south turned it down!!!!!! And like i said you cant rightly get rid of a guy who hasnt even had a losing season since he's been here. We'll just either have to wait this one out or get involved in some way to try to help out where we can. My guess though is that he will be here for awhile so its best to get behind him and support the guy if you are interested in being a fan. Its somewhat humbling when things are mediocre it helps you remember that its just a game.