[Eric Frantz]

Jason Hall is back for his third season as the Massillon coach. He has six starters back on offense and five on defense from last year’s squad that won three playoff games before falling to Cleveland Glenville 31-17 in a state semifinal. What's in store for the roar this year?

COMPLETE PREVIEW

[Cats44]

First, a late change to the Tigers schedule.

Week Nine will feature a game with Avon Grove, a Class AAAA suburban program from the Philadelphia area. Avon Grove went 11-2 last season, falling in the District semis. They like to pound the ball, having THREE 1000 yd rushers last season, one of which returns for 2010.

Massillon certainly has a ton of 'name' players returning at the skill positions.

Four kids who started at the RB spot at some point last year, both starting fullbacks, and the two premier WRs in Smith and Olack. Three of the four starting LBs return. The cornerback position also looks like it will be strong.

But the Tigers have to replace both All State safeties from last year, most of the O line...and, of course, find a QB to run the show. The QB position is the most problematic, as the competition includes three kids who have never thrown a pass at the varsity level. Two are sophs, and no soph QB in the past sixty years has ever started successfully at Massillon.

The Tigers appear to be on the smallish side, but will be as fast as anybody they face in the regular season.

The schedule is challenging, with early road trips to Canton Glen Oak and Mentor, and a stretch run of Steubenville, Warren Harding, Avon Grove, and McKinley.

Any talk of a Massillon season would not be complete without a mention of THE rivalry...and McKinley is loaded for bear, or should we say, Tiger. The Bulldogs are absolutely loaded, and IMO are the favorites in the region.

The biggest off season loss for Massillon was not a player, but a coach. Offensive coordinator/QB coach Alex wood, who is a former NFL OC, left for Miami (Oh). Coach Hall will return to running the offense this year. On the defensive side of the coaching staff, veteran coach Spider Miller has taken over the DB duties after head coaching stints at both Perry and McKinley. While not having had a lot of success as a head coach, Spider is recognized as a superb assistant coach.

The folks in Tigertown are excited, as always, to see what the new season brings.

[crimson_n_black]

Cats, improved over last years team ?

[Cats44]

C&B: Its an older and more experienced team than last years edition. Its faster than last years edition.

But its a lot smaller up front on both sides, and it has to replace three All State players...and I dont like the QB situation.

That doesnt mean that the QBs arent talented, but I see an inexperienced QB vs the schemes that coaches like Reno, Trivisanno (Mentor), Garcia (Glen Oak), and Johnson (McK) are gonna throw at him...and I shudder.

And I really dont like sophomore QBs, but so far a soph looks to be the leader in the QB race. I look at all the great QBs that Massillon has had over the past seventy years, guys like Sparma, Franklin, Offenbecher, Dewitz, and Zwick...and only Sparma played much as a soph as part of a rotation. (Zwick started at Orrville) The others didnt see the field....and every one of them was a Big Ten QB later on.