Are you ready for some football?
Welcome to the official blog on high school football for the 2013 season.
During the off-season let’s talk about players, recruiting news, teams and everything about high school football.
During the season each week let’s talk about match-ups and how teams did. Let us know what player(s) stood out each week.
2,248 Responses
@Kmac
No, I hear you, but your point made me think of an old Buddy Ryan quote. After somebody pointed out that Ernest Jackson ran for 1000 yards the previous year, he deadpanned: ‘If you give a guy the ball a thousand times he’ll get a thousand yards.’ But, yeah, Coatesville apparently has had a long tradition of success and fun along the way. That’s the most important thing. As WIP’s Paul Jolovitz has said many times, ‘championships are great but there are more important things in life.’
PhillyBoy, Haters gonna Hate!!!! Comments like that one about Coatesville will just fuel that team to prove your wrong!Hope to see you In Late November early Dec “BIG FELLA”! GO Ville
@ SteveS
I posted an update on LaSalle’s second scrimmage on Saturday.
@SteveS
The LaSalle line is weak? Compared to what? Huck has 3 DL guys listed in his top players in the PCL. One of them in his top 5 college recruits. I am not too worried about the line. These guyshave the size and LaSalle has the coaching.
@17th & G
Franklin looks fine to me. The other LBs will probably determine what he gets to do. Burk and Dailey from the past few years had more freedom at MLB because of better OLBs and SS so they could not be the blocking focus. Until the others on this team can prove themselves I would expect a lot of double teams out on Franklin.
Coatesville thou lost there best all time receiver and quarterback return 8 starters on D. they have 3 D1 def.backs and 1 1aa back a d1 linebacker and 2 1aa linebackers and a all state d lineman from last year team.On O they AVG. 6’3 275 upfront with a all state back. a6’4 245 all state TE and a 6’3 190 4.5 40 WR.Yes if this team can stay healthy they will make another deep run.
@Rollie i am real suprise he got past Curry lol
Are you guys talking about Zaire Franklin? Senior Middle Linebacker?
If so, in my opinion, he’ll prove to be one of the best players in the state and a huge get for Syracuse. I’m really interested to see how he plays at tight end, I’ve heard he’s playing both ways this year.
@17th & G
Franklin looks ok. He can’t do it all and the younger players do need to step their game up. From the first scrimmage (and the only one I saw), the whole line is weak.
Can anyone post update on second scrimmage?
@Buddy
I will be at the LS / NP game this week and hope that NP surprises and makes it a game. As Joker1 put it – don’t underestimate the power of good coaching.
@Jake, by the way, is anyone up in D2 surprised Johnson was allowed to transfer to Coughlin?
I thought the only school allowed to accept athletic xfers was Meyers. Eugene (Geno) Lewis, Waseleski, DeGraffenreid, the Minichello bros…I’m sure I missed a few. Others…suspended. Maybe Meyers is just better than everyone else at filling out the correct shady paperwork. I’m sure all the transfers were academic in nature…other than the fact that all those guys listed above were either All-State or All-Scholastic.
@Phillyboy
You may be absolutely correct on Coatesville this season, and your certainly are right on their great season last year. I would only question the last line, “One nice year does not a program make”. Again you are correct in the remark, but Coatesville is tied for 15th with Ridley for all time wins with 644 of them; and one of only 30 teams in the state with over 600 victories. That is a nice body of work since 1903. Eleven of the teams above the Red Raiders started pre-1900 also. Just mentioning this, I enjoy all of the posts on EasternPAfootball.
@Huck
North Penn’s QB only played about half the games last year, Beck rotated QB’s. He’s strictly a pocket passer ( not much running ability). That’s tough in high school unless your o-line is stellar. Granted, Atkins returns, but then the talent drops dramatically.
@Joker
I catch every NP game, plus a few others ( like Pennridge/Springford last year). I have never been to a scrimmage. I don’t have time plus they tell very little.
I’ll be at PW Sat. nite, and I hope I leave with egg on my face ( i.e. a NP win)
@LaSalle guys
How does Franklin looks this year? I really like his game. I expect to hear good things from him this season.
I don’t know why everybody keeps talking up Coatesville. They had a real nice season last year. It was a great story, a great run. But they lost several of their better players to graduation. I think last year was a one year deal, a flash in the pan. One nice year does not a program make.
@ Buddy
So I’m now wondering how many games you actually watch any given year. Why all of your insight sounds good, you just keep referencing 3rd party information or you heard from people…etc…. The scrimmages are just a game for coaches to find out who can play and who can’t, maybe try a few things here and there but come away injury free.
I agree the good teams can re-load quickly, but to draw championship conclusions now by certain teams without big time returners is crazy. If anyone should be atop you chat list it’s Coatsville. I never saw them play but the went to Hershey and return a pile of talent.
Never under estimate the power of good coaching.
I’m curious enough about how bad NP is that I’m going to PW to watch.
Thanks Jake!
@ Jive
Thanks, will do..
@ 17th & G,
You very well might be right. I find your comments insightful and reasonable, we must be around same age… unlike the Kool-Aide drinking Prepsters of the Brooks-present era!!
Don’t know anything about Dallas-Jesuit this year, game is a wildcard. It seems that Bosco is now the 3rd best team in the Paramus-Bergen-North region having slipped behind PC and BC(slightly). Yet they’re the three best in the state and would arguably be 1-2-3 in PA. I would not have wanted to line up against Bosco the previous 5 years!!
This being said, seems all the h.s. ‘pundits’ and ‘experts’ including this site still believe Prep has enough there to justify the top ranking in the region and state. I just don’t see the “grunts” being better than last year. IMHO.
Not having captured a PCL title in almost 10 years, I can understand the excitement….but remember 6 of the last 7 titles(Roman ’07) reside in Wyndmoor NOT, I repeat, NOT because of a plethora of D1 talent!
Buddy, I’m not an expert on NP, but they do return the QB and Atkins. There might be a few others. But they always have one component going for them year in and year out. And that’s the size of the school. Always potential for a solid class to come rolling through. Additionally, they may be on par with last year or even little down, but their league won’t be as tough. Pennridge and CB South could be down even more. A 7-0 league record from NP would not surprise me in the least.
D1 guys love to point to that D12 title game as a bye week for the PCL, but it is no more a bye week then some of the RD 1 D1 games. Each team has to win 4 games and in most years the beaten opponents are comparable.
@Rollie Johnson is enrolled at Coughlin and is currently on the roster
North Penn lost everyone of note from last year with no returning “proven” talent. Not that they don’t have potential play makers, but it’s unknown. They were 6 & 4 last year with a team that was superior to this years squad (according to most followers). Maybe Beck has a couple of diamonds in the rough, I hope so.
If Prep gets out of the PCL Championship ( usually against LaSalle), they have merely a semi-tough game , usually against the D11 rep, before the Eastern Final. I think it’s tougher winning the D1 crown then down in the other bracket. But then I am a bit bias I suppose.
@ Buddy
Sounds like you’re hedging a little bit in regards to North Penn. I remember they throttled Bethlehem Liberty in the ’09 opener when Liberty was highly ranked. Maybe they’re laying low and will come out like gang busters.
Buddy,
I’m kind of curious, but why do you think NP will be way down? I’m not agreeing or disagreeing because I don’t know. Just wondering if you have some inside info.
Yea, making the playoffs shouldn’t be a problem for SJP in most years, but getting out of those playoffs and into a district title can be. Typically, the winner of the PCL 4A has to beat one really good team and sometimes another strong team.
@ Huck
Your right. Playing in the PCL, all Prep has to do is make the playoffs, which isn’t too difficult considering 4 teams ( I believe) make it. That shouldn’t be too hard any year.
@ Steve
North Penn is really down this year, I see them 5 and 5.. Because of their coach, LaSalle is never that down. Game may not even be close ( unfortunately).
@17th
I agree, I see Prep 1-2 starting. MAYBE they can beat Dallas, but not Bosco. Unfortunately again, they’ll handle North Penn rather easily.
P.S.
To the North Penn football team………. prove me wrong please!
@trad & mules i heard the same thing about the suspended players, but talked to a parent of a player who told me that not true .Pittston was ranked 4th in the wvc not d2 by the coaches.Talked to some Dunmore people that told me Dunmore beat Pittston up pretty good in their scrimmag, but like i said before talk over we find out Fri night
ps i like Abington by 20
@17th & G
Great insight. And I agree on the 1-2.
I am curious how the team will hold up with all the pressure of travelling and being ranked #1. And let’s not forget school starting since the academics are still very important.
@Buddy
Why do think LS/NP will not be that good of a game?
Buddy, if SJP were in D1 then chances are that their schedule wouldn’t be so ambitious because of the power points system. A positive the PCL teams is they can d he duke whomever they please and still have chance at states. All they have to do is make their league playoffs to have a chance.
Also, SJP doesn’t play Imhotep, but they do play Wood in a 3A/4A crossover game.