2009 LHAC Preview (Subject to change)

[Dfense wins games]

Does anyone think Richland is ready to compete? Rizzo is impressive(I don't care who you are or where your kids go to school, he is a beast), but not sure on their line situation to give hime some room. Ramires is a good fit and proved he can sling the ball around. I think they create match-up problems with a lot of teams. I'm not sure of their schedule, but I think they could go atleast .500 if they can find a way to play D instead of trying to out score people Texas Tech style...

[pittisit85]

i think the only way richland can win is to put up 35 points a game on a regular basis. ramires has shown the ability to sling the ball around with ease, why change? however on your rizzo comment the kid definetly has the size and he can get the yards on the ground whether they actually give him the ball enough to see some real improvement is in question. also watch out for jordan cinko to be a stud this year, i think he could be the feature back as well as one of the top recievers on ramires radar.

[lakersfan24]

Richland loses both of it's stud wide outs. Does anyone really think Cinko and Silvia, who both play backup quarterback, can step in and fill those wideout spots? IF Richland went to a more conventional offense running the ball and passing far less... with Rizzo they have a chance. Otherwise.. See ya next year, because you're not going to beat McCort @ the point after what happened there 2 years ago, and I don't think the Richland kids like playing FH very much at all, because it's gotten ugly as of late

[nLions1]

Theres nothing wrong with a passing offense that racks up points and huge yards. If anything Id say Richlands problem is their defense. Richland can clearly put points up on the board with the passing attack, I just dont think they have the defense to back up the high octane offense.

Points Against LHAC

Rich 243
CC 188*
FH 139*
BM 191*
CH 414
BED 319


Anybody see a pattern here? 3 of the top teams in the LHAC all held under 200 points against, and the others well above 200, close to 250 for Richland. Defense wins games, pure and simple.

*- Including playoffs.

[Dfense wins games]

I'm not sure of their schedule, but I think they could go atleast .500 if they can find a way to play D instead of trying to out score people Texas Tech style...

Agreed 100%. I think the Steelers had the best D in the league for two reasons. #1, players that fit into LeBeau's system perfectly. #2, a horrible offense which had trouble getting into the endzone. When defenses feel they need to step up to win games and actually have the potential to do such, they perform much better than when the offense can score easily.

Defense wins games, pure and simple.

[lakersfan24]

A big key for an offense to do well is to have long, methodical drives where they get their confidence slowly going through the defense.
A big key for any defense is to get 3 and outs, stops, and get the ball back to the offense. Thefore, they'd like to get on and off the field as quick as possible with a 3 and out.

When you pass that much and most of your drives are very short in time, or you go 3 and out, all you're doing is bringing your defense back onto the field instead of giving them a rest, and giving the offense the ball right back to get back into the comfort zone. Make the offense sit on the sidelines for 5 mins while you run the ball and then score IMO, less chance of a turnover via INT, and get a balanced attack. Otherwise not running the ball will always come back to bite you. That is my only point offensively. It's hard for any defense to play well when all you're offensive drives are 2 minutes and the other offense has the ball 20 times a game..

There's plenty of examples of this, this type of offense will work and put up scary stats at times, and at other times all it does is make the defense terrible.

[pats39]

Well DWG, hopefully your mccort graduate commrade who is the Defensive Coordinator really picks it up this year. Great guy, but you look at the past 4-5 seasons and the main problem has been his defense and it has not changed the least bit. Big plays given up consistently and they get ran all over. Hopefully this particular coach goes to a D seminar at the haven or something.

[Dfense wins games]

BM has only lost 2 regular season games the past 3 years, I think the defense is fine. Sure they may give up some points, but you can't argue the success.

[pats39]

Point taken, but i was referring to Richland's defensive coordinator, a mccort graduate.

[jgreen6578]

IM STILL WAITING FOR THE PREVIEW ON THE OTHER HALF OF THE LHAC. SOMEONE PLEASE DO THEM.