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YORKVILLE -- Buckeye Local's battle tour against the unbeatens of the OVAC continues this week as the Panthers hit the road south on Interstate 77 to face Caldwell.
Head coach Jim Hoover's club is coming off a tough 42-36 loss to Mid Ohio Valley League member Shenandoah (5-1), a game in which BL led 14-0 before allowing the visiting Zeps back into the game.
Buckeye did some things well, especially the consider the number of underclassmen on the field defensively by game's end. But Hoover is aiming to change the culture of his program. Moral victories are no longer acceptable in the Yorkville lockerroom. This team, this coaching staff's mission is wins.
"They were disappointed, us coaches were disappointed in how we played," Hoover said. "We were up 14-0 right off and then let is slip through our fingers. It's one we should have had. I told the guys you don't want to go through life, or season, with regrets, and that's one we'll regret.
"The kids know we're not in this for moral victories. That's been the culture. Some are satisfied with that, but that's what we have to change. We played hard, but didn't play well enough to win."
If the Panthers want to win this Friday at the Noble County Fairgrounds, they will have to do something few have been able to do against the 6-0 Redskins -- score.
Caldwell's defense has allowed only score in three separate games and owns three shutouts, yielding roughly 3.6 points per game. It's coming off a 56-8 drubbing of Conotton Valley on the Rockets home turf last week and is looking for more.
The Redskins defensive tackles are decent sized and mobile, as its the majority of their defense.
"They are 220, 230, right around there, and are pretty athletic," Hoover said of the interior of CHS' interior line. "They are a solid team. They are not real big overall -- we've definitely seen bigger teams -- but they have athletes all over the field at outside backer, corner. They are a solid football team."
You have to be doing something right to be 6-0 at this point, no matter the strength of schedule. But in fairness, Caldwell's victories thus far have come against teams with a combined 5-30 record.
Buckeye, despite coming in at 2-4, is likely more battle tested having faced teams with a combined mark of 23-13, including unbeatens in Barnesville and Union Local.
Hoover believes that may give his kids the mental edge.
"All of the pressure is on them," Hoover said. "In my opinion, we're the best team they've played thus far."
Buckeye must shut down the Redskins rushing attack featuring seniors Marshall Sayre (5-10, 195) and Tyce DeVolld, who came over from Shenandoah.
The quarterback is also a decent runner in junior Cale Bender and while the Redskins can and will pass the ball, they primarily run out of their various spread formations.
Stopping the run game is Buckeye's primary focus.
"They are a run first team, no question," Hoover said. "We have to be able to stop the run. If we make them pass, we can win."
Keeping Caldwell off the field will also be beneficial.
Buckeye has the size advantage along the interior and if the Panthers can lean on its lineman and grind out the clock with a run game featuring senior Trey Hoover, it will go a long way to making the defense's job easier.
Hoover rumbled for 141 yards against the Zeps while quarterback Skyler Ebright had 72 yards and four scores.