STEUBENVILLE — The Big Red football team will not be taking the field this week.

It was announced over the weekend that this week’s opponent, Dunbar from the Washington, D.C. area, would not be making the trip to Steubenville due to a scheduling conflict.

While not an ideal situation, it does give Big Red a chance to regroup after dropping its first two games to two very good football teams. Those opponents were Division III state runner up Youngstown Usuline and defending Division IV state champion Indian Valley.

“We’ve just got to make the best of it,” veteran Big Red head coach Reno Saccoccia said of not having a game this week. “There’s no excuses. We lost to two good football teams, I think both of them are going to be in the final four again. We’re going to keep working.”

The focus for his team is using the extra practice time between games to get better.

“For us to bounce back, it takes four parts,” Saccoccia said. “It takes the coaches to continue to work hard and demand that from the players. It takes the players to be self-demanding. It takes parents to be positive. And it takes our fans, our Big Red Nation, to remain the Big Red Nation and not run out on us.”

Big Red will return to the field next week when another Youngstown team — Cardinal Mooney — comes to Harding Stadium, but right now the focus is inward.

“We’re just working on ourselves this week,” Saccoccia said. “We’re trying to get better at every phase of the game this week. The next week, we’ll work on Mooney, but this week we’re working on ourselves and getting better.”

The Big Red athletic departent announced earlier this week that refunds are available for this week for those who have season tickets which included the canceled game.

Those seeking to get a refund can contact Becca Boring in the Steubenville High School ticket office at the new STEM building through Friday.

The office hours are 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

The deadline to request a refund is 3 p.m. on Friday. Those with tickets can also choose not to request a refund and have the portion considered a donation to the athletic department.

“We need Big Red Nation to stick with us and keep pulling for us,” Saccoccia said.