The Difference

[IndianFan]

Reflecting on the past two seasons and the amazing accomplishments made by the PN-G program in that time, the core reason is crystal clear. And the problem solution was no different than the frustrations vented by fans over the prior years. Practice like you need to play. Tackling and hitting. The potential was always there. It just required better training and preparation for Friday nights. Having a top DC and defense focused HC doesn't hurt either.

“This all started two years ago with a mentality, and the defense sets that mentality with how they play. It’s extremely fast and aggressive in practice,” Joseph said. “We had to convince our players that playing defense was cool. Our town has bought into the toughness side of things, and it’s made a huge difference in who we are and what we’ve been able to do.”
-PN-G Head Coach/Athletic Director Jeff Joseph

 

[Usedtocould]

Having good quality middle school freshman and JV crops helped
But I 100% agree
We went from a 90s Big 12 team to a Big 10 team overnight.

 

[Usedtocould]

If we were making a video game prototype team philosophically it couldn’t match what I think a football team should be much more (except for punt return lol)

 

[PNG NDN Fan]

“Offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships.” - Bear Bryant

Sorry I couldn’t resist

 

[bandkid]

“Offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships.” - Bear Bryant

Sorry I couldn’t resist

I will add that a good defense gives the crowd more reason to get involved in the game, too. A loud crowd when the defense is on the field increases the probability of a mistake by the opposing offense. The more faith the crowd has in the defense, the more likely the crowd is to deliver that distraction.

 

[NHSBulldogFan]

Reflecting on the past two seasons and the amazing accomplishments made by the PN-G program in that time, the core reason is crystal clear. And the problem solution was no different than the frustrations vented by fans over the prior years. Practice like you need to play. Tackling and hitting. The potential was always there. It just required better training and preparation for Friday nights. Having a top DC and defense focused HC doesn't hurt either.

“This all started two years ago with a mentality, and the defense sets that mentality with how they play. It’s extremely fast and aggressive in practice,” Joseph said. “We had to convince our players that playing defense was cool. Our town has bought into the toughness side of things, and it’s made a huge difference in who we are and what we’ve been able to do.”
-PN-G Head Coach/Athletic Director Jeff Joseph

I'll come at this from a different fan's prospective this last year 2023 was the most points Nederland has given up on defense ever...we did not tackle well some of our players looked lost out there at times we even had a Leon Lett moment in one of our games (he sat out the rest of the season after that i honestly felt awful for him) Make no mistake people in Nederland feel the same way about Monte Barrow as PN-G fans felt about Butch Troy but the results on the football field speak for themselves we are 6 games under 500 the last 5 years our issues stem from the same ones the plagued PN-G after 1977 the loss of good assistants replaced by ones who are average IMO. Ill close with this I have no doubt that Nederland will be back to where it was one of these years I'm just not sure it'll be with our current coaching staff as it stands right now

 

[CS]

Gotta give some credit to the gigantic Offensive Line. Without them we probably don't get those short yardage plays nearly every time and the RB's would have a tougher time finding holes.

 

[Usedtocould]

Gotta give some credit to the gigantic Offensive Line. Without them we probably don't get those short yardage plays nearly every time and the RB's would have a tougher time finding holes.

And doesn’t look like that trend will end any time soon.

 

[IndianFan]

PNG had had great offensive lines for years. But 2022-2023 have probably been as good as any ever was. Better defense has been the greatest difference maker.

 

[NDNTime]

I'll come at this from a different fan's prospective this last year 2023 was the most points Nederland has given up on defense ever...we did not tackle well some of our players looked lost out there at times we even had a Leon Lett moment in one of our games (he sat out the rest of the season after that i honestly felt awful for him) Make no mistake people in Nederland feel the same way about Monte Barrow as PN-G fans felt about Butch Troy but the results on the football field speak for themselves we are 6 games under 500 the last 5 years our issues stem from the same ones the plagued PN-G after 1977 the loss of good assistants replaced by ones who are average IMO. Ill close with this I have no doubt that Nederland will be back to where it was one of these years I'm just not sure it'll be with our current coaching staff as it stands right now

Well, you may get to find out sooner rather than later with Monte Barrow resigning/retiring. Ned should follow PNG's model and do a statewide, to hell with local politics, search to bring in the best proven young guy that's out there.

 

[bandkid]

I'll come at this from a different fan's prospective this last year 2023 was the most points Nederland has given up on defense ever...we did not tackle well some of our players looked lost out there at times we even had a Leon Lett moment in one of our games (he sat out the rest of the season after that i honestly felt awful for him) Make no mistake people in Nederland feel the same way about Monte Barrow as PN-G fans felt about Butch Troy but the results on the football field speak for themselves we are 6 games under 500 the last 5 years our issues stem from the same ones the plagued PN-G after 1977 the loss of good assistants replaced by ones who are average IMO. Ill close with this I have no doubt that Nederland will be back to where it was one of these years I'm just not sure it'll be with our current coaching staff as it stands right now

This post was well timed.

 

[bandkid]

PNG had had great offensive lines for years. But 2022-2023 have probably been as good as any ever was. Better defense has been the greatest difference maker.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say this year's offensive line was the best I can ever recall seeing at PN-G - and that's saying something, because there have been some outstanding offensive lines at PN-G.

I'll go out on a limb one more time and say that the 2024 Indian OL will be even better.

(No offense to my friends and family who played OL at PN-G in prior seasons.)

 

[1989NDN]

My question is do we have some young OL candidates in the 8th and 9th grade pipeline? 2024 and 2025 should be good for the PN-G OL. What about in the lower grades? Any up and coming OL stars? Thanks.

 

[prepballfan]

My question is do we have some young OL candidates in the 8th and 9th grade pipeline? 2024 and 2025 should be good for the PN-G OL. What about in the lower grades? Any up and coming OL stars? Thanks.

Simply. Yes.