The 2022 Indiana High School Football Championship Game will be played on December 2nd at 8:00pm at Memorial Stadium in Evansville, Indiana. It is the end of an era for the Hoosiers who have seen the program fade out of relevance over the last decade. A win in this game could be a springboard to put some light back into their state’s football machine. The opponent is Clyde (81) who has been around for nearly a century and competing in football for 112 years. They are coming off a 3-A title where they defeated Dyer 96-0, Southside 81-6 and Greencastle 49-28 to capture their 2nd state title in program history. Unfortunately, with two titles don’t bring much glory as they are just 4-7 all time including 0-3 in games played under November conditions. The Clyde Knights have been playing organized football since 1908 and compete against teams from throughout West Virginia and North Carolina. They have had several periods of success but currently sit at 0-5 all time against teams from Indiana outside of the rare one game matchups (1909, 1922, 1938). The defeats came against Streator 42-0 (1909) and Batesville 66-0 (1922), Fort Wayne Northwestern 74-0 (1938) while they also lost at South Bend Central Catholic 20-17 (2008).
Indiana High School Football 2022 Online
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| Season: | Varsity Football 2022 |
| Team: | IHSAA |
| State: | Indiana |
| Live Stream: | Watch Online |
What We Know About The 2022 Hoosiers
This is going to be a John Cooper coached team that looks nothing like the team that dominated the early part of the decade. The Hoosiers start their season with a hard-fought 4-7 season that included losses to North Clay, Kokomo and North Hamilton but did get wins over Hilliard Davidson and Southport. They then got back on track in the playoffs with victories over Northridge, Murat and Gibson Southern. The Hoosiers are a team with a lot of talent but also a lot of questions at many positions: -Quarterback – Can Dylan Smith rebound after a subpar season? -Running Back – Can Landon Thomas get back to his past form and dominate? -Wide Receivers – Can Justin Edwards, Austin Brown and Carson Burd keep up? -Offensive Line – Can it improve from a subpar year? -Defensive Line – Can it get back to the dominant unit that was in the early 2000s?
Players to Watch For The Hoosiers
-QB Dylan Smith – He has some talent but has also had some bad moments in his career. Can he get his head together and put together a few solid years? -HB Landon Thomas – Can he get his career going and be a force on offense? -WR Justin Edwards – He was a key contributor on the Hoosiers run to the title game last season. Can he continue to contribute? -OL Carson Burd – He was a solid contributor at the guard position last season. Can he win a starting spot and anchor the right side? -DL T.J. Simmons – He was a key contributor in the Hoosier title game win over Gibson Southern. Can he continue to be a force in the Big 10 and beyond?
Game Analysis: Clyde vs. The 2022 Hoosiers
The Hoosiers and the Clyde Knights get a trip to the state title game for the first time since 2008. Clyde is led by head coach Tony Clay who has over 40 years of experience coaching football. He has been coaching for 113 years and is looking for his 9th state title and 2nd in four years. The Clyde Knights are led by senior QB Hayden Reed who has already committed to play for Northwestern. He has a lot of talent and a lot of experience. The Hoosiers and the Clyde Knights first played in 1914 and have competed against each other every year since, making it the series the most played rivalry in state history. The Hoosiers and the Clyde Knights first met in 1914 and have been playing each other every year since. The Knights lead the series 3-2 and have dominated the series recently with three straight wins over the Hoosiers. The Knights won the game in the 2008 championship 35-14 and have steamrolled the Hoosiers in the game in the years since. The last time the Hoosiers won was in 2006 when they defeated the Knights 28-17. This will be the last time the two teams meet before the Edgerie St. crowds at Memorial Stadium as the Hoosiers will be moving to their new venue in Evansville after the game.
Key Play To Victory: Running Game For Clyde – Can Indiana Do It?
The Hoosiers running game has been solid for the bulk of the season but has been inconsistent at times. They are hoping that Landon Thomas can get back to his past form and be a force after being held under 200 yards rushing in the win over Streator. The Knights run defense is not that great but it is a step up from the teams they are facing in the playoff. They have a few talented players like 6-foot-4, 210 pound LB Dalton Cummins who has 14 tackles this season and 4.5 tackles for loss. He also has 2 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery. Clyde will be bringing a run defense that ranks at or near the bottom in most categories. The Hoosiers should be able to get the ball on the ground and pound it at the Knights. If they can get the ground game going and control the clock, they should be able to control the game and get the job done.
Key Play To Victory: Defense Will Be Key – Can Clyde Stop Indiana?
It seems obvious that stopping the running game is essential to slowing down the Hoosiers. They run the ball more than any other team in the state so stopping the run will not only open up things on the outside but could also open up things with the play-action pass. Stopping Landon Thomas should be a priority as well as he is the key to many of the Hoosier offensive plays. He is a solid player and should not be too hard to stop if the defense plays disciplined and hard. The key to stopping the Clyde Knights will be stopping Hayden Reed. He is a talented senior who has been leading his team to victories for a few years now. He has a lot of talent and is also a hard worker who does not seem to shy away from the challenge of winning a state title. He is a confident player who has a lot of poise in the pocket which will be key if he is to be able to make plays against the Hoosiers.
Final Thoughts
The Hoosiers are a talented team that is coming off a rough 4-7 season. They were expected to be back in the playoffs but failed to get there. The Hoosiers will be back at Memorial Stadium in Evansville attempting to end a drought that has seen the team miss the playoffs since 2011. This game will be a great way to get back in the win column and hopefully build some momentum towards the future.
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