[Lancer '65]

Football season fast approaches. What are your thoughts regarding the teams and their chances? Will it be another Title for the Southview Cougars or will someone replace them? Lots of new coaches also..... What are your thoughts?

[rmolin73]

Lancer '65 as long as they all stay healthy I think it will be another title for the Cougars. They return alot form last year as well as a few that will fill holes left by graduation. My thoughts.

1. Southview- return alot on offense with a few added additions. They have the athletes to make a run in the post season if they're on the field.

2. Anthony Wayne-most teams have difficulties stopping the wing-t AW is always very disciplined

3. Maumee- hit hard by graduation Eric Long will have to carry the load.

4. Bowling Green- showed promise last year beating Perrysburg and playing Southview close. The new coach hopefully will restore the program at BG.

5. Springfield-this is the biggest question mark for the season they have the athletes but just seem to have not been able to put things together. Breaking in a new coach won't help either. They have the potential to be in the top 3.

6. Perrysburg-What I saw last year in their offense was just plain horrible as well as a horrible JV not sure whats going on at Perrysburg.

7. Northview-Same as above but worse

8. Rossford-I love their tenacity but I know they are glad this is their last year in the NLL.

[BG Warthog]

Originally Posted by rmolin73

4. Bowling Green- showed promise last year beating Perrysburg and playing Southview close. The new coach hopefully will restore the program at BG.

I have been nothing but impressed with the way Coach Aungst is running the program so far. Seems like a lot more focus on team, community, dedication, pride. But I think BG may be a little short on talent this season. A couple kids who could have been two way starters on the line aren't playing this year due to previous injuries. But the numbers look to be up overall with several upperclassman playing football for the first time. I'm seeing good things on the horizon for BG, just might not translate into more wins right away this season.

[Lancer '65]

rmolin is usually very accurate in his predictions, at least he was last season and I would concur that to me, the Cougars have to be favored as a gesture of respect for what Coach Mayzes and his staff and team have accomplished over the last several seasons. I like his AW pick also because those guys play very disciplined hard-nosed football every year. I think that right now we can bunch the next four teams together and whoever comes to play every night will be third. Northview and Rossford are probably placed about right, although something inside me hopes that the Bulldogs can escape the cellar and win a couple in the league in their NLL "swansong".

I will miss Rossford in the league. They are great people and their kids may be out-manned at times, but they will battle you. I respect that. I will submit a place by place prediction a little later. I've been a little bit out of the loop since I am a retired person now.

[NLLBEST]

Any thoughts?
My Pre-season order:
1. Southview - returns many players including gant, pickney, bowers and bader to lead the offense. Even if they struggle i cant see them winning less then 7 games. (7-0)
2. Maumee - Only return roughly 3 players on each side of the ball but they have a few athletes and big underclassmen to fill roles. I see their season ranging from possibly 6-4 all the way to 8-2. (5-2)
3a. P-Burg - Returns most of there team from last year but lose 2 of their top outside players. And i cant see them topping SV or Maumee this season. Probably 6-4 or 7-3. (4-3)
3b. A-W - They return rb, slot and i believe 2 linemen on o. D returns roughly 5 starters. Loss of schwerer and the qb bridges will hurt a little but more importantly they lose atleast 2 starting lineman. Prediction 7-3 (4-3)
5. Springfield - Return grogg and alexander in the backfield and should get some running room from Williams. Loss of their coach will be tough and they lost a couple inside on each side of the ball. About 5-5 or 6-4 (3-4)
5b. BG - Return cunningham and batt and will most lkely look to power most teams. I could see them going 4-6 to 6-4 (3-4)
And for year number 3 lastly
7. Northview 2-8 (1-6) and 8. Rossford hopefully 1-9 (0-7)

[NLLBEST]

Honestly I think the problem perrysburg has starts in the wieght room. I think with so many teams losing players to graduation this season is a lot more of a toss up in my eyes then the past few. Not really sure who may step up.

[rmolin73]

It has to be something because as big as their JV was last year Southview completely dominated them. Trust me Southview's 2012 class is unreal with Gant leading the way. But in all actuality the class of 2012 in NWO is pretty ridiculous.

[Lancer '65]

I think I started this thread too early and I will happily jump on NLLBEST's new attempt to stir some interest in the NLL. I see the Cougars at the top with too much talent and tradition to slip up, but there are some teams that seem to have some potential to at least give the Cougars a few tense moments. Here is the way I see it...

1. Sylvania Southview....Until someone shows they can play even with this team in 2010

2-3 Anthony Wayne...You can actually put them in a virtual dead heat with Maumee. Both teams are pretty solid every year and that AW offense isn't all that common and they run it to perfection. Both teams have a good coaching staff and usually bring numbers as another advantage.

4. Right now, without having seen anyone and no scrimmages as yet, I would say that the league has reached sort of a parity and BG, Springfield and Perrysburg are all jammed together for the 4 spot. The team that comes to play will beat out the other two here. At this point, I would rate them in the order I listed here for the 4-5-6 spots. BG has numbers from what I'm hearing and they have some new kids that don't look too bad. Springfield will have to deal with a little bit of coaching "musical chairs" this season and Perrysburg seems to be in a downturn after some very nice seasons recently.

Sylvania Northview will probably be 7th unless one or two of that group ahead isn't what I expected. That brings us to the Bulldogs and I wish I could say they will win the whole thing and go out of the league in a blaze of glory, but this is 2010, not 1970 and the Bulldogs will have to have a miracle or two to even win 2 league games. That won't stop them from battling hard every Friday night because that is the way those kids always are. I will miss the Bulldogs. There are some great people who have graced the athletic stage over there and may they win some Titles in their new league.

This represents a prediction with a little more information than I had initially.

[safety27]

It is my understanding that Batt, from BG, has moved...does anyone know for sure?

[Titanic Bulldog]

Does anyone know how many kids Rossford has out in the top three classes this year? Also, who has the inside track at quarterback for the Bulldogs?

[rmolin73]

Please post scrimmage information if you have it.

Southview @ Whitmer Aug. 13

Defiance @ Southview Aug. 20

[BG Warthog]

Originally Posted by safety27

It is my understanding that Batt, from BG, has moved...does anyone know for sure?

Not true. Batt is still in BG and is playing football. I think he picked off two passes in the 7 on 7 vs Leipsic last night. (Leipsic has a D-1 prospect at QB, Nadler, 6'6", 200 lbs.)

[Lancer '65]

It sounds like the Bobcats may have a little something brewing. I realize that Batt is only one player but a few more new faces to compliment him and who knows? Isn't the pre-season wonderful! Everyone is 0-0 and hope springs eternal!

[D Bialorucki]

With this power back what will BG be running on offense this season?

[Lancer '65]

When BG has the people, at least back in the days when they were going to the playoffs pretty regularly, they really liked to open things up and throw the ball to receivers all over the field. That's been quite awhile ago but the current staff has some people that were in BG back then, so....who knows? I haven't seen them or even been around their program at all coming into this season. I do remember watching them in those days and they always had a quality quarterback and at least one tough running back to keep defenses honest. Of course back then not too many teams could defend that West Coast type offense that had about 5 receivers instead of 1 option. I don't have any idea who their quarterback is and if he can even throw the ball effectively, so I would expect the Bobcats to play it pretty close to the vest, try and avoid turnovers and count on their defense to keep them in games. So in a nutshell, I really don't know at this point but I hear they are working hard and will battle.

[BG Warthog]

Lancer, I think you nailed it with "play it close to the vest, avoid TOs, keep it close". I won't go into any details, lest I be chastised here again for giving away team secrets, but I wouldn't expect to see a wide open, throw it every down type offense from BG this season.

[NLLRAM]

ttt

[dappling]

I respect Southview. However, a lot depends on who is calling the plays for them. Mayzes default (if he is calling the plays) is a power I w/unbalanced line. Should be interesting.

[rmolin73]

Time will tell maybe at Whitmer but I know one thing whatever offense Southview runs they have the weapons to be very explosive. The power I is a thing of the past in Sylvania. The are a spread team and I don't foresee any changes. But like I said with their backfield the I formation would be phenomenal as well.

[Lancer '65]

I really respect what the Cougars have done for our league over the last decade, but I think it would be terrific if this year we could have a wide-open race with anyone of five or six teams capable of winning the title. I realize that it probably won't be that way, but what a great season that would be. I know that as I write this the rest of the NLL is plotting how they can make the gap between themselves and Southview get smaller.