IUP Football 2021

[Fightingscot82]

He just made All-State 1st Team Class 4A DB as of this morning.

It seems all the D3's came calling first and then all the D2's followed.

Whatever the case may be ... his stock is pretty hot right now down here in the bus leagues.

I wonder about the midwest connection. Chicago & greater Grand Rapids schools aren't necessarily recruiting SEPA.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I wonder about the midwest connection. Chicago & greater Grand Rapids schools aren't necessarily recruiting SEPA.

No doubt a connection. No kid in SEPA has ever even heard of Grand Valley State.

Even most D2 transfers ... I enjoy finding the link. There's almost always a connection somewhere.

Joe Lombardi's network is insane. Lutz seems to have some really good pipelines, too.

[IUPNation]

IUP has offered Terrance Glenn (McKeesport). Good size at 6'4" 210 lbs. QB/TE.

McKeesport is a football factory -- and IUP should own it. One of IUP's chief recruiters is an alumni and involved in the community.

[iupgroundhog]

What's interesting about McKeesport is as the town declined and people moved out to the surrounding perimeter, it benefitted Woodland Hills but not East Allegheny or South Allegheny. You rarely hear about their football teams doing much or any particularly great players coming from there.

Interesting article. McKeesport has produced more NFL players than any school in the PIAA.

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...s/202010140079

[IUPbigINDIANS]

It's not dying. It's dead. Yet, the show goes on. It's a rough place.

I'd take as many football players as you can get from McKeesport most years. Those kids just play different. Fearless. Tough.

[Fightingscot82]

Interesting article. McKeesport has produced more NFL players than any school in the PIAA.

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...s/202010140079

I wonder if Gronk counts for Woodland Hills. I'd be interested to see the numbers starting maybe 1995 or even 2000. Its gotta be Aliquippa.

But the WPIAL is shifting. The old guard "town" schools are fading or at best flash in the pan. Rural schools too unless they are exurb rural like Seneca Valley or Knoch. The outer ring suburban schools seem to have greater longevity and I'm seeing more suburban school kids with D2 offers. Old guard suburban districts like North Hills, Penn Hills, and Shaler may never be what they once were. City League is absolutely decimated from consolidation and charter schools. They shouldn't have their own PIAA district anymore.

[Fightingscot82]

It's not dying. It's dead. Yet, the show goes on. It's a rough place.

I'd take as many football players as you can get from McKeesport most years. Those kids just play different. Fearless. Tough.

Agree. McKeesport is thriving at the same degree as Chester or Youngstown. Growing up in the North Hills, I had never been through the area. The only time we ever played Woodland Hills was in the playoffs and I can only remember it being at Three Rivers. A few years ago we were going to a wedding and took a detour through downtown McKeesport. It reminded me of Youngstown and Beaver Falls. You can't drive through those places without imagining what once was. I don't think SEPA or NEPA has towns devastated like these.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I wonder if Gronk counts for Woodland Hills. I'd be interested to see the numbers starting maybe 1995 or even 2000. Its gotta be Aliquippa.

But the WPIAL is shifting. The old guard "town" schools are fading or at best flash in the pan. Rural schools too unless they are exurb rural like Seneca Valley or Knoch. The outer ring suburban schools seem to have greater longevity and I'm seeing more suburban school kids with D2 offers. Old guard suburban districts like North Hills, Penn Hills, and Shaler may never be what they once were. City League is absolutely decimated from consolidation and charter schools. They shouldn't have their own PIAA district anymore.

That's probably a thread in itself. One of the biggest challenges in many of those beat up 'town' schools is just getting kids to play (and stay) on the team. Those kids grow up much, much differently than those in the posh Pine-Richland's of the world. Growing up in Rankin is a whole lot different than growing up in Wexford. George Novak (legendary coach at Woodland Hills) used to say the toughest part of his job was making sure kids showed up to practice -- and went straight home afterward. He actually played cab driver for years to make sure his players stayed out of the trouble that looms after dark.

You take Valley High School in New Kensington ... once a legit powerhouse. Today, it can barely field a team. Trust me, if Valley could ever get its best athletes to consistently play football and basketball, they'd be a monster again in short order.

Lots of factors involved. Football isn't perceived as the 'it' thing as much anymore like it was up in to the late 90s. My alma mater probably has just as good a team in the stands every Friday night than it does on the field.

And, as things have indeed shifted, the rich keep getting richer. The 'town' programs keep losing players transferring to the PR's, Central Catholic's and NA's of the WPIAL. It's almost out of control.

Penn Hills, Woodland Hills, McKeesport, Valley, Shaler ... will always have several great athletes. Will the days of having a full roster worth come back again ... hard to say. It would take a George Novak type to really become a part of the community and push kids to get back on the team.

[Fightingscot82]

[/B]


That's probably a thread in itself. One of the biggest challenges in many of those beat up 'town' schools is just getting kids to play (and stay) on the team. Those kids grow up much, much differently than those in the posh Pine-Richland's of the world. Growing up in Rankin is a whole lot different than growing up in Wexford. George Novak (legendary coach at Woodland Hills) used to say the toughest part of his job was making sure kids showed up to practice -- and went straight home afterward. He actually played cab driver for years to make sure his players stayed out of the trouble that looms after dark.

You take Valley High School in New Kensington ... once a legit powerhouse. Today, it can barely field a team. Trust me, if Valley could ever get its best athletes to consistently play football and basketball, they'd be a monster again in short order.

Lots of factors involved. Football isn't perceived as the 'it' thing as much anymore like it was up in to the late 90s. My alma mater probably has just as good a team in the stands every Friday night than it does on the field.

And, as things have indeed shifted, the rich keep getting richer. The 'town' programs keep losing players transferring to the PR's, Central Catholic's and NA's of the WPIAL. It's almost out of control.

Penn Hills, Woodland Hills, McKeesport, Valley, Shaler ... will always have several great athletes. Will the days of having a full roster worth come back again ... hard to say. It would take a George Novak type to really become a part of the community and push kids to get back on the team.

I grew up in North Allegheny and one thing that I recognize is the size of the district allowed for multiple strong youth football programs plus there are *three* middle schools to develop players for the 9th grade team and eventually the varsity team. The overall size is a big factor, too. The only school districts in the WPIAL with more students are Pittsburgh city schools and Butler. Almost 3,000 kids in grades 9-12 gives you a lot to choose from. And that's all before you consider that its an attractive place for the McMansion crowd (likely to include kids of noteworthy football coaches & players). When my wife and I moved back to Pittsburgh we lived in Northgate (Bellevue & Avalon) for a while. Single A. Two square miles of two old inner ring river town suburbs. There's not a strong youth football league to feed into the school teams. Its more of a town you move from rather than a town you move to. That turnover hurts, especially when you're that small. Plus the district is a mess. The light stands on the grass football field were deemed unsafe a few years ago and the district didn't have the money to replace them so they had to move games to Saturday or rent the field at North Park. The last noteworthy college football player from Northgate? IUP nemesis Jon Girvin.

[iupgroundhog]

A few years ago we were going to a wedding and took a detour through downtown McKeesport. It reminded me of Youngstown and Beaver Falls. You can't drive through those places without imagining what once was. I don't think SEPA or NEPA has towns devastated like these.

No, nothing like it. Although there are places in NEPA (Wilkes Barre and Scranton) that come close. Nothing like those "burned out" places around Pgh. exist in SEPA. For example, Coatesville - while poor in the urban core - has a dynamic economy all around it and even in parts of Coatesville proper.

You mentioned Chester. Now that's another story. It's a poor place and always will be. On the other hand, if you go to Chester there is bustling commerce. It's not the burned-out/vacant thing you have in Western PA.

[IUPNation]

Agree. McKeesport is thriving at the same degree as Chester or Youngstown. Growing up in the North Hills, I had never been through the area. The only time we ever played Woodland Hills was in the playoffs and I can only remember it being at Three Rivers. A few years ago we were going to a wedding and took a detour through downtown McKeesport. It reminded me of Youngstown and Beaver Falls. You can't drive through those places without imagining what once was. I don't think SEPA or NEPA has towns devastated like these.

[Ballin51]

IUPNation is Medlar Dr consider bad area n is that owned by slum lords? They are doubling the late charges to al.ost the actual rent.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

IUP has offered WR/LB Nick Maher (North Catholic).

I'd say slim chances they get him. Pitt, PSU and WVU reportedly offering PWO.

[IUPalum]

IUP has offered WR/LB Nick Maher (North Catholic).

I'd say slim chances they get him. Pitt, PSU and WVU reportedly offering PWO.

That's interesting...

[IUPbigINDIANS]

That's interesting...

Bucknell just offered. He won't be a D2 guy. Maybe in a year ir so if it doesn't work out.