Random Thoughts: football and more

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

This week’s installment of Random Thoughts centers around an upcoming scrimmage, the return of the Monday Mailbag, college football preseason rankings, later kickoffs and Shedeur Sanders and the Browns.

Friday night

Friday’s annual football scrimmage between Van Wert and Crestview – at Crestview – will begin at 6 p.m. The varsity is expected to play the first two quarters, followed by junior varsity action during the remaining two quarters.

It’s the final preseason tune-up for both teams before the regular season. Both teams will start the new season on the road, with Van Wert at Bryan and Crestview at Parkway August 23. Look for previews of both teams on next Wednesday’s Sports page, followed by the return of Pigskin Pick’Em the next day.

Monday Mailbag

The Monday Mailbag is back next Monday, August 18. If you have questions about local, college or pro sports, feel free to email them to sports@thevwindependent.com, and please state if you want your name and town mentioned, or if you’d like to remain anonymous. A friendly reminder – emails that include derogatory remarks about high school athletes or coaches will be deleted.

Ranking

Ohio State is ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press preseason Top 25 poll, which was released on Monday.

Some fans are grumbling the Buckeyes should be ranked No. 1 or at least No. 2, simply because they’re defending national champions. It doesn’t work like that and to share an unpopular opinion, No. 3 may be too high, at least to start. Yes, Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs are back, the best wide receiver and the best safety in college football, but there are a lot of other holes to fill. I’m not saying there will be a huge drop off, but until the questions are answered – Julian Sayin at quarterback and a new defensive line – we won’t know exactly how Ohio State stacks up. I suppose the same can be said about No. 1 Texas. Sometimes I wish the first poll wouldn’t come out until after the first three games.

Back in the day…

Who remembers 7:30 p.m. Friday night school kickoffs? Who remembers 8 p.m. kickoffs? Were those a thing here? Back in the day, football was much more run oriented and the games moved much faster. If games kicked off at 7:30 or 8 p.m. now, it could be 11 p.m. or after by the time some of them ended. Run or pass oriented, I prefer the 7 p.m. kickoffs. 

Sanders

Browns fans need to pump the brakes on Shedeur Sanders, who by most accounts, had an above average preseason game against Carolina last Friday.

It’s encouraging that he looked fairly solid against the Panthers but it’s a little early to crown him as the starter of a Super Bowl-bound team. Remember, Carolina ran a very basic defense against Cleveland, nothing exotic, nothing fancy. Regardless, Sanders did far more positive things than negative things. Yes, he made a couple of mistakes, which is to be expected.

Cleveland fans are so hungry for a franchise quarterback and who knows – Sanders may turn out to be the guy. Time will tell. In the meantime, Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel need to take snaps in the remaining two preseason games. I would imagine Joe Flacco will as well, probably in the next game.

Personally, I hope Sanders or Gabriel or even Pickett proves worthy of being the long term starter. The Browns have two first round picks next year and it would be nice to not have to use one or bundle both to pick yet another quarterback.

As always, if you have thoughts about any of the above subjects, feel free to email me at sports@thevwindependent.com.