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TORONTO -- The Toronto football team is looking to get back on track this week against Oak Glen.
The Red Knights and Golden Bears are set to play at 7 p.m. tonight at Clarke Hinkle Field.
Toronto and Oak Glen enter this week's matchup coming off losses. Newcomerstown defeated Toronto, 34-6, Friday night on the road, while Edison beat Oak Glen, 51-6, on the road.
"I take full responsibility for Friday night," first-year Toronto (3-1) head coach Jaret Aubiel said. "I have to do a better job of making sure our kids our prepared. We have to clean up some things at practice. I have to come up with a better gameplan. As the head coach, I take full responsibility for the loss."
The loss to the Trojans was the Red Knights first of the season. The loss to the Wildcats dropped the Golden Bears to 0-3.
"It was one of those deals where we started really well," Oak Glen head coach Doug Taylor said about his team's loss to Edison. "We were able to get a leg up on them, We were able to score, and then we get an interception on their first drive. We were in the game in the first half. I don't think we were playing bad.
"Edison jumped out of a stack and into a 4-3, and we never reacted to it.
"It was close in the first half, but they were able to score a late touchdown. It should have been 13-6 at halftime. We had a 4th-and-6, and we went for it. We bungled the snap, and the next thing we knew we were down by two scores.
"Edison is really athletic. They are not big, but they are athletic.
"In the third, we were down by 30. I told the guys that it wasn't a punishment, but it is a long season, so I put the JVs to finish the game. We have to regroup."
The boys from the Gem City opened with three straight wins as Toronto defeated East Canton, 41-0, on the road in the opener, Lowellville, 57-26, and Weir, 50-0, on the road inside Jimmy Carey Stadium.
This season, Oak Glen has lost to Weir, 40-21, at home, and 28-0 to St. Marys on the road before falling to Edison last week.
"Toronto is probably the best team we have faced all year," Taylor said. "They have size. They have skill. They're athletic. They can throw. They can run. They are active on defense. They are the best team we have played all year."
With the game being on Thursday, the two team's have less time to prepare for the game.
"We practiced harder today," Aubiel said. "Monday is normally like a walkthrough, but today it was a mix of a walkthrough and a full practice."
The game is Oak Glen's second game on a Thursday this season. The Golden Bears took on the Red Riders on a Thursday night to open the season.
"We practiced special teams on Monday along with some offense and defense," Taylor said. "We worked on some offense and defense Tuesday. Wednesday is going to be a walkthrough, and Thursday is the game.
"We're going to get time off after the game. We do not play again until the following Saturday. We will have nine days off.
"I am not sure if we are going to have our quarterback this week. He is dealing with a health issue. We may have to play Glenn Adams at quarterback."
The Golden Bears primarily run the football on offense.
"Oak Glen's offense presents a lot of problems," Aubiel said. "They have been running that Wing-T for a few years. They are good at what they do. The Wing-T is tough to simulate in practice. Hopefully, I can get the guys prepared this week."
Toronto was hurt by big plays in its loss to Newcomerstown last week.
"Newcomerstown runs the wishbone with double tight ends," Taylor said. "They run that wishbone, and they slip the tight ends out. Watching the film, Toronto gave up some big plays. They didn't have really long drives.
"They gave up some pass plays. They were concerned about the run. Newcomerstown ran double tight with a fullhouse backfield. They slipped guys out, and they were able to get guys open. They used some different formations, and that helped."
Toronto only allowed 26 points through the first three weeks before giving up 34 points in last week's loss to Newcomerstown.
"They'are active," Taylor said. "They will have eight or nine guys in the box. Their linebackers are pretty active.
"They don't get frustrated. If they give up a big play, they come right back and play even harder. They are hard-nosed. I am impressed with their defense.
"They do not give up a lot of big plays. If they do, they come back at you even harder. They are really good on defense. They are going to give us a challenge by stacking the box.
"We are going to have to know our assignments. We are going to have to see what we can do. They force you to block 1-on-1. We like to use multiple blocks."
The Golden Bears are going to need to run the football to have success against the Red Knights.
"We are who we are," Taylor said. "If we are going to have success, we have to win the time of possession battle. We are going to have to keep their offense off the field. We are going to have to grind it out. We are going to have to stay in front of the chains. We are going to have to score points."
Oak Glen's offensive line has done a good job of opening up holes for their running backs this season.
"It is going to be a challenge up front," Aubiel said. "They want to run the football. They're going to be physical, and we have to match their phyicality."
The boys from Hancock County have allowed at least 28 points in all three games this season, while allowing 40 or more points twice.
"Defensively, they run a 3-3, but sometimes they will run a 3-5," Aubiel said. "Sometimes, they will have four guys up front. That scheme can cause a lot of problems. Hopefully, we are ready to go."
The Red Knights are looking to bounce back after last week's loss.
"We have to play our game," Aubiel said. "We want to get back on the right track. We want to be fundamentally sound, and we want to play mistake free football."
For the Golden Bears, their offense will need to help out their defense.
"For us to be successful, we are going to have to keep their offense off the field," Taylor said. "We are going to have to maintain drives. We are going to have to keep possession of the football. We have to finish drives. We cannot have turnovers.
"We have to get our running offense like we had it against Weir. We cannot get behind the sticks due to a missed block or a bad snap. We have to keep on our blocks.
"If we do those things, we can keep ourselves in the ballgame. I'm not saying it is going to happen, but if we do those things, we will give ourselves a shot."
The Red Knights are looking forward to playing at home.
"It is nice to be playing at home," Aubiel said. "Our next four games are at home. Playing at home is good for the fans, and it is good for the kids. We love the atmosphere of Clarke Hinkle Field. Hopefully, we can make all of our fans proud."
Toronto enters the game in fifth place in the Ohio Division VI, Region 21 rankings.
The Red Knights defeated the Golden Bears, 41-21, last season on the road.