2011-2012 Official Wolves football thread |
2011-2012 Official Wolves football thread |
Jun 27 2011, 07:58 AM
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#1
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Spends WAY too much time at CBTL Group: Admin Posts: 16,460 Joined: 8-December 06 From: Michigan City, IN Member No.: 2 |
http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports/613986...ick-around.html
QUOTE Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. New football coach at Michigan City. Really excited about the gig. Sees unlimited potential in the “sleeping giant.” Plans to stick around and really build something at Ames Field. Sound familiar? Craig Buzea said all that in 2007 when he stunned Portage by leaving for the downtrodden Wolves. After three years and some significant progress, he left for Homewood-Flossmoor, and the program once again was in tatters. Eric Schreiber said all that last summer when he took over for Buzea. One season and one win later, he left to take the top job at Hammond High. Enter Michael Karpinski, Michigan City’s new head coach, who was approved last week by the school board. He’s really excited about the gig. He sees unlimited potential in the “sleeping giant.” He plans to stick around and really build something at Ames Field. And he means it. Honest. “I’m excited to add some stability,” he said. “I’m not planning on going anywhere. By no means am I looking at this as a stepping stone. I’m looking to build something here. I understand people have heard that before, but you don’t understand — my wife will kill me if we move again.” Indeed, Karpinski’s no nomad. He’s no football mercenary. Heck, he only went after this job because he lost his teaching job at Franklin Central during a reduction-in-force that gutted the school district. The 43-year-old spent the last eight years coaching at Franklin Central — a former powerhouse that won four state championships between 1980 and 1990, but has fallen on hard times lately. After six years as an assistant, he was the head coach the past two years, going 7-13 with a pair of close losses in sectional openers. Before that, Karpinski coached for six years at the University of Indianapolis, where he wound up after playing cornerback at Hillsdale College. Hillsdale is about 90 miles from his hometown of Hastings, Mich., where he was a high school quarterback. Moving to Michigan City brings him much closer to home — and gives him a teaching job and an exciting opportunity. “I just feel real blessed to be right here,” he said. The Wolves can only hope he sticks around and helps the moribund program (no conference or sectional titles since Rogers and Elston were consolidated in 1995) realize the potential it briefly showed under Buzea. After just four practices, Karpinski has been particularly impressed with the enthusiasm the players have for the game, for him and for his new system. It’s easy to assume that the Wolves would be jaded and cynical while dealing with yet another new coach making the same old promises. But Karpinski was thrilled to find that they’re not like that at all. “I sure haven’t noticed it,” he said. “They sure haven’t shown it if that’s the case. They’ve been working their tails off and have done everything I’ve asked of them. I’ve come in with a lot of enthusiasm, and they seem to have responded.” Karpinski made a good impression with his first practice. Rather than the usual morning workout, he brought his team to Ames Field — probably the coolest football stadium in the region — under the lights on Monday night. And while it took more than a half hour just to teach the kids how to warm up and break the huddle — “baby steps,” Karpinski said — things quickly came together. He introduced the players to his offense — a traditional power-I. Not as complicated as Buzea’s multiple-set spread offense, not as one-dimensional as Schreiber’s option. “It’s basic football,” Karpinski said. “In today’s game, it seems like a lot of coaches try to get too cute. We’re going to come out and run the football, be physical, and we’re really going to stress blocking and tackling — shoot, that’s usually what it comes down to. We’re going to play power football, fire off the ball and really be physical out there.” Karpinski insisted he’s not daunted by the enormity of the task, trying to wake up the sleeping giant. But he’s got his work cut out for him. The football program always has taken a backseat to basketball. And the relentless losing has made it even tougher to convince kids to come out for the team. Karpinski said he’s ready for all of that. He also said he’s not intimidated by the meatgrinder that is the Duneland Conference, a brutal schedule that makes rebuilding difficult — and painful. He knows the drill; at Franklin Central, he played state powers Lawrence Central, Pike and Columbus North every year. “I just know it’s an unbelievable conference, and I’m excited,” Karpinski said. “I’m ready for the challenge.” Heard that before, too, right? Every coach has said that. But the hard truth is nobody in the 16-year history of Michigan City High School has proven to be up to that challenge. Not for any extended period of time, at least. Will Karpinski be any different? He sure seems to think so. But, of course, it’s too early for anyone to tell. He won’t really get a feel for how well his new players can handle his system until they put on the pads in August. And the Wolves won’t really get a feel for Karpinski until they sweat their way through those two-a-days. But Karpinski feels good about what he has. And while he knows these kids and this community have been burned before, he hopes the feeling is mutual. “Kids are the same all over,” he said. “I think these kids are really looking for someone to step up and lead and fight for them. And I’m that guy.” |
Oct 3 2011, 08:24 AM
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#2
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Spends WAY too much time at CBTL Group: Admin Posts: 16,460 Joined: 8-December 06 From: Michigan City, IN Member No.: 2 |
City's defense was just incredible Friday night. It was too bad they couldn't pull it out on Senior Night.
http://heraldargus.com/articles/2011/10/01...71114350978.txt QUOTE Wolves’ defense great, not enough Michigan City defenders Marcellus Willis (diving), Java Oliver (44) and Giorgio Karallas (28) converge on Portage’s Rashaan Coleman during Friday’s game at Ames Field. Photo by Robb Quinn By Adam Parkhouse Staff Writer 1-866-362-2167, Ext. 13869 sports@heraldargus.com Published: Saturday, October 1, 2011 5:06 PM CDT MICHIGAN CITY — Michael Karpinski was faced with a decision early in the fourth quarter. With his team leading by one point, the Michigan City football coach had to determine whether a run or pass was best on third-and-13. The Wolves opted for a pass, and the result changed the course of the game. Portage’s Jordan Nieto stripped City quarterback Joel Hirsch of the ball and returned the ball to City’s 3-yard-line. Seconds later, Portage scored what turned out to be the game-winning touchdowns as City dropped a heartbreaker, 12-7, on Senior Night at Ames Field. “That’s where I’ll second-guess myself a bit,” Karpinski said. “Maybe we should have ran the football, but I didn’t expect our QB to get stripped and for them to return it 40 yards.” City’s defense was stellar Friday, limiting Portage to 59 yards of total offense. Unfortunately for the Wolves, the Indians’ two scoring drives were just 7 and 3 yards, respectively. In the first quarter, City was forced to punt from its own 5-yard line. Dan Lemon’s kick went just to the 30, and Rashaan Coleman returned it 23 yards to the 7. The Wolves drove the Indians back 7 yards on the next two plays, but Coleman finally hooked up with Cody Maldanado for a 14-yard touchdown strike and the Indians led 6-0 after City blocked the extra point. Afterward, City’s defense continued to stand tall. Marcellus Willis came up with an interception with 10:10 to play in the first half and, finally, with 4:43 to go, City got a break. The Indians were forced to punt, but a bad snap sent punter T.J. Skelton chasing the ball 33 yards in the wrong direction, where he was tackled. City took over at the Portage 18. A few plays later, Rashem Bell found the end zone on an option play from 7 yards out. Erik Stevenson’s extra point made it 7-6 City. That score held until the fourth quarter. City’s offensive struggles set the table for Nieto’s fumble and return at the 8:44 mark of the fourth. On the next play, Coleman scored from 3 yards out and the Indians led 12-7 after City stuffed the two-point try. In fact, City’s stagnant running game got quite a lift from Catchings and Jalen Lewis, who combined to gain 96 yards on 18 carries. |
Oct 3 2011, 09:28 AM
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 321 Joined: 24-February 10 Member No.: 999 |
City's defense was just incredible Friday night. It was too bad they couldn't pull it out on Senior Night. http://heraldargus.com/articles/2011/10/01...71114350978.txt If the O-Line improved this week(???) and the defense was stellar what seems to be the issue. The skill players aren't up to speed? Conservative play calling? I mean Crown Point and Lake Central both spanked Portage and it isn't like the Indians have been posting shut outs! Why does it take 7 games to find a senior running back who runs hard when he runs straight ahead? You can say what you want about the lines and that may or may not be true but go back in history and the only time MC posted winning records they were led by backs who could run with the football not just backs who posted good track times. Adam Harmon, Ryan Fics, Javan Lee and Jackson/Spicer all could carry the ball. You currently have guys on the roster who can't push a pile to save their life. It wasn't the QB(Rodney Washington) as he couldn't win the sectional games his junior/senior year when the opportunity presented itself. It wasn't the line as they had Pryblla and Issac??? |
Oct 3 2011, 12:12 PM
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#4
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Member Group: Members Posts: 96 Joined: 4-January 10 Member No.: 980 |
If the O-Line improved this week(???) and the defense was stellar what seems to be the issue. The skill players aren't up to speed? Conservative play calling? I mean Crown Point and Lake Central both spanked Portage and it isn't like the Indians have been posting shut outs! Why does it take 7 games to find a senior running back who runs hard when he runs straight ahead? You can say what you want about the lines and that may or may not be true but go back in history and the only time MC posted winning records they were led by backs who could run with the football not just backs who posted good track times. Adam Harmon, Ryan Fics, Javan Lee and Jackson/Spicer all could carry the ball. You currently have guys on the roster who can't push a pile to save their life. It wasn't the QB(Rodney Washington) as he couldn't win the sectional games his junior/senior year when the opportunity presented itself. It wasn't the line as they had Pryblla and Issac??? In Ryan Fics class, City had one heck of an offensive line. Three or four kids went to college in that group. So Yes Ficks was a great runner, but he also had great holes. You also bring up Pryblla and Issac. Prybilla only played a couple of games because of an illness that he had that year. But, City still had a great O Line with Issac, Hirsch, and Clausan. These teams that you mentioned all had great backs running the ball, but they also had above average blockers in front of them that had the been in a blocking system for more than just one year. Yes this does make a difference since your blocking schemes change from team to team because of how their defense is set up. The more comfortable and on the same page you are the more sucsessfu you are going to be. Summer is spent learning what the plays are and getting them down. week to week is what is a team going to try and counter what you do and how do you counter what they want to do. |
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