Ridley 1-3 - Springfield 4-0
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What schedule m Ridley or Springfield. Springfield still has Ridley GV Marple and Haverford left so going undefeated is going to take some doing. .
On the other hand , Ridley record is their record. With potential tough games left with Springfield UD, Pennridge and Interboro , they could be looking at a 5-7 losing record for the first time in over half a century. That will not sit well with the Ridley faithful regardless of the offense they are running.
On the other hand , Ridley record is their record. With potential tough games left with Springfield UD, Pennridge and Interboro , they could be looking at a 5-7 losing record for the first time in over half a century. That will not sit well with the Ridley faithful regardless of the offense they are running.
Foot:
Not only did they hire Wood but they brought Green over too and gave him a job in the school. So you would have to be a total idiot not to realize what offense they were going to run. I personally do not care what offense they run-but they have to run it right and win with it.
My gut ( meaning i have no inside info or anything) tells me that the administration was not convinced Wood would be around long term so they also hired his possible replacement ( Green) at the same time. Otherwise why hire him AND give him a job in the school. They made a bigger commiment to Green than they did Wood.
Not only did they hire Wood but they brought Green over too and gave him a job in the school. So you would have to be a total idiot not to realize what offense they were going to run. I personally do not care what offense they run-but they have to run it right and win with it.
My gut ( meaning i have no inside info or anything) tells me that the administration was not convinced Wood would be around long term so they also hired his possible replacement ( Green) at the same time. Otherwise why hire him AND give him a job in the school. They made a bigger commiment to Green than they did Wood.
Long way to go yet. Maybe the time for the Springfield-Ridley comparison thread would be after they play each other. I know the faithful is restless but is this Ridley team that talented? Especially offensively. Every adult would like to think that coaching plays a huge role and of all the sports football is probably the one most influenced by the coach but it comes down to players.
Whether it's Coach Brian, Coach Lombardi, Coach Green, Coach Saban, Coach Belichek give me the better players and I'll look like a better coach. I'd take Springfield's skill guys over Ridley's this year. While we are at it I'll take Garnet's, Marple's and Haverford's. You can argue scheme but Ridley not that dynamic on offensive side of the ball talent wise.
Flip the page and you could make the argument they may have the best defense in the league. Did a pretty credible job against differing styles of Haverford, Garnet and Marple. Holy cow. Wood and Green won a piece of the Central last year with a team I also didn't think was all that special talent wise. Thought it was a very good coaching job.
The facts are Springfield, Garnet, Marple, Haverford even Radnor are getting kids to play for them they never got before. Ever. Ridley, Strath Haven, etc getting same kids or maybe fewer. The Prep, Malvern, Haverford School going higher national profile and O'Hara, Bonner, Carroll now each under 1000 kids has resulted in new Central League where a lot of very good players are appearing that never would have been in that league even 5 to 10 years ago. Completely different landscape in Delco. Nobody going to win the Central every year anymore unless Garnet Valley doubles in enrollment or a program goes rogue with transfers, moves ins, a la North Penn. Heck we have already seen a little of that here and there in the Central.
Whether it's Coach Brian, Coach Lombardi, Coach Green, Coach Saban, Coach Belichek give me the better players and I'll look like a better coach. I'd take Springfield's skill guys over Ridley's this year. While we are at it I'll take Garnet's, Marple's and Haverford's. You can argue scheme but Ridley not that dynamic on offensive side of the ball talent wise.
Flip the page and you could make the argument they may have the best defense in the league. Did a pretty credible job against differing styles of Haverford, Garnet and Marple. Holy cow. Wood and Green won a piece of the Central last year with a team I also didn't think was all that special talent wise. Thought it was a very good coaching job.
The facts are Springfield, Garnet, Marple, Haverford even Radnor are getting kids to play for them they never got before. Ever. Ridley, Strath Haven, etc getting same kids or maybe fewer. The Prep, Malvern, Haverford School going higher national profile and O'Hara, Bonner, Carroll now each under 1000 kids has resulted in new Central League where a lot of very good players are appearing that never would have been in that league even 5 to 10 years ago. Completely different landscape in Delco. Nobody going to win the Central every year anymore unless Garnet Valley doubles in enrollment or a program goes rogue with transfers, moves ins, a la North Penn. Heck we have already seen a little of that here and there in the Central.
GG
We've had this discussion before and there is no right or wrong. But Ridley did not win all those games the past 50 years simply becuase they had more talent than every team in the league year in year out. They were never the biggest team , fastest team that beat you with a lot of college talent ( D1, 2 or 3). They won because they out schemed you , out played you and out coached you. I'm not seeing that much now with this regime or so much with the prior one either. Regardless of the talent levels , both the Marple and Haverfird games were there fit the taking. And in prior generations Ridley would have figured out a way to win at least one , if not both games.
I think they match up well with Springfield, but the reality is the game means nothing to Ridley. It's the middle of September and they are just playing out the string. And I'm not saying the coach should be let go. It's just high school football. I'm thinking either last year was a fluke year or this year is a fluke year and next year will Tilt the scale one way or the other.
We've had this discussion before and there is no right or wrong. But Ridley did not win all those games the past 50 years simply becuase they had more talent than every team in the league year in year out. They were never the biggest team , fastest team that beat you with a lot of college talent ( D1, 2 or 3). They won because they out schemed you , out played you and out coached you. I'm not seeing that much now with this regime or so much with the prior one either. Regardless of the talent levels , both the Marple and Haverfird games were there fit the taking. And in prior generations Ridley would have figured out a way to win at least one , if not both games.
I think they match up well with Springfield, but the reality is the game means nothing to Ridley. It's the middle of September and they are just playing out the string. And I'm not saying the coach should be let go. It's just high school football. I'm thinking either last year was a fluke year or this year is a fluke year and next year will Tilt the scale one way or the other.
Speed
Coach Lennox proved your point. After only one win over Ridley in over thirty years coach Lennox made Interboro a great battle every thanksgiving. Game is now a toss up year in and out due to coaching.
Both programs have some talent. Maybe not D1 level most years but young athletes with toughness giving everything, under very well coachef staffs.
Interboro always had the kids but it took a very good staff to get them over the top.
McNic and Waller are hard to replace. Very special coaches and they are missed.
Coach Lennox proved your point. After only one win over Ridley in over thirty years coach Lennox made Interboro a great battle every thanksgiving. Game is now a toss up year in and out due to coaching.
Both programs have some talent. Maybe not D1 level most years but young athletes with toughness giving everything, under very well coachef staffs.
Interboro always had the kids but it took a very good staff to get them over the top.
McNic and Waller are hard to replace. Very special coaches and they are missed.
A few facts about this years Ridley team. They graduated some 30 + seniors from last year and have only a handful of seniors in this years group. Some of which do not play or are playing varsity for the first time. It is the class that was lost as sophomores under the previous group. Most of the talent can be found in the 9th and 10th grade classes with some juniors that have really bought in. Everyone around the program knew this year was going to be difficult between the talent and the early season schedule. I think that at best an honest hope was 2-2 out of the first 4. With that being said it really hurts that they were in both Haverford and Marple with a chance to win it only to watch them slip away. Wood actually has the D playing great. They have looked really good, and at times have been dominate. What they did last week against Marple with a new secondary was impressive. Offensively not so much. Could be scheme or talent. Personally I think it is a little of both.
He is an excellent offensive coach. No one has ever argued that. Not sure if beating Ridley once in OT constitutes taking it to them.
Green:
As said above, i think next year is the year he has to prove something. Either year 1 was a fluke or this year is the fluke ( I hope) and next year they either bounce back or remain mediocre.
The problem next year is many of their top players this year are also seniors( not unusual in most programs). They lose the QB, 2 top RB, 4/5 OLine, most of the DLine and their 2 top LB. So its not like they are taking a hit this year with a young team. I think they lose as many senior starters this year as last year.
As said above, i think next year is the year he has to prove something. Either year 1 was a fluke or this year is the fluke ( I hope) and next year they either bounce back or remain mediocre.
The problem next year is many of their top players this year are also seniors( not unusual in most programs). They lose the QB, 2 top RB, 4/5 OLine, most of the DLine and their 2 top LB. So its not like they are taking a hit this year with a young team. I think they lose as many senior starters this year as last year.
Speed I agree they didn't win games on talent alone. They out coached people every week. Joe McNicholas was a great coach. Ahead of his time. That is obvious and a fact. They also always did the best job of keeping kids in district and were more talented then most Central League teams year in year out.
Additionally the other schools programs absolutely stunk out loud and were a complete afterthought. Ridley had great coaching top to bottom and then on a weekly basis would undress some guy who was a gym teacher in the building who fancied himself a coach or was looking for the extra bucks or a bump in pension. The coaching net that was cast was who is in the building at just about every other Central League school. Hell some guys coached three sports. The programs were an embarrassment that people avoided. The league was a joke outside of Ridley who was outstanding.
Strath Haven hires Clancy and brings him in the building and the sea changes. Better coaches hired into the league. Actual coaches. The programs actually become a viable option to kids who want to play football. Archdiocese school model implodes, private schools ramp programs up to where they only want the elite of the elite, and the Gallaghers, Gickings, Brittons, Riccis of the world all begin to get players they never would have had before.
Some of these teams have never had this type of talent. Especially skill talent. Case in point. In 25 years Joe Gallagher has had exactly zero Division 1 players. He has at least two on the team right now. Maybe a third. Marple has never had what they have right now.
So while I have great respect for what Ridley accomplished in the past they are now playing in a league with way better programs, coaches and players. This year's versions of Haverford, Garnet Valley, Marple back to back to back is pretty brutal. When has any Central League team had three tougher ones in a row in past 35 years? I actually think Wood has done a very credible job with what he has and with a bounce or two could have wins over Haverford and Marple teams that have a good deal more than him in my opinion. The McNicholas days aren't coming back. That league doesn't exist anymore.
Additionally the other schools programs absolutely stunk out loud and were a complete afterthought. Ridley had great coaching top to bottom and then on a weekly basis would undress some guy who was a gym teacher in the building who fancied himself a coach or was looking for the extra bucks or a bump in pension. The coaching net that was cast was who is in the building at just about every other Central League school. Hell some guys coached three sports. The programs were an embarrassment that people avoided. The league was a joke outside of Ridley who was outstanding.
Strath Haven hires Clancy and brings him in the building and the sea changes. Better coaches hired into the league. Actual coaches. The programs actually become a viable option to kids who want to play football. Archdiocese school model implodes, private schools ramp programs up to where they only want the elite of the elite, and the Gallaghers, Gickings, Brittons, Riccis of the world all begin to get players they never would have had before.
Some of these teams have never had this type of talent. Especially skill talent. Case in point. In 25 years Joe Gallagher has had exactly zero Division 1 players. He has at least two on the team right now. Maybe a third. Marple has never had what they have right now.
So while I have great respect for what Ridley accomplished in the past they are now playing in a league with way better programs, coaches and players. This year's versions of Haverford, Garnet Valley, Marple back to back to back is pretty brutal. When has any Central League team had three tougher ones in a row in past 35 years? I actually think Wood has done a very credible job with what he has and with a bounce or two could have wins over Haverford and Marple teams that have a good deal more than him in my opinion. The McNicholas days aren't coming back. That league doesn't exist anymore.
Speed -
They do lose a number of starters. However, the quality of those starters is not comparable to what they lost the year before. The drop off will not be as great I would argue that in some cases the backups playing at JV and 9th are close to being equal. They have more talent but just aren't physically there yet. They are winning at those levels which should speak for the future. As for conversations about Thompson, it's irrelevant, I was told he never applied.
They do lose a number of starters. However, the quality of those starters is not comparable to what they lost the year before. The drop off will not be as great I would argue that in some cases the backups playing at JV and 9th are close to being equal. They have more talent but just aren't physically there yet. They are winning at those levels which should speak for the future. As for conversations about Thompson, it's irrelevant, I was told he never applied.
Joe my point exactly. The two examples you cite at Haverford are 65 years old. So it took Haverford a short 45 years or so to have a modicum of consistent success in the Central League. The league was putrid for swaths of time.
Lets make something very clear, last year had nothing to do with Decker. You can say his assistant(s), but he was a non factor. It had everything to do with a new defensive scheme, and the right parts to fit the new offense. Also with having 30+ seniors, they had instant leadership (Gricco, Anderson, etc...). This years team is undisciplined (penalties), soft (tackling, special teams, and trench work), uncoachable (self explanatory), and lacking in leadership. Ive never seen a Ridley team do more talking on the field than I have the last 4 games. Past Ridley teams always let their play do the talking, whether they won or lost. Where Coach Wood and his staff have dropped the ball, is where they were strongest last year, discipline. It shows on the field, and in the stat sheets. Its time to look forward to next year and play the Juniors and Sophs ASAP. This senior class is an embarrassment on and off the field (there are a handful that arent). Had a couple ex Ridley players come to the game on Friday night. Lets just say they were disgusted and left at halftime. The exact words were "This team is soft, this isnt Ridley Football"... If your looking to fix this problem, re-instill the discipline that made them relevant last year. Hold kids accountable again, make spots earned not given, and lets get back to Ridley football.
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