Memory Lane: 1991 Oak Ridge Wildcats (25-year anniversary)

[Runswithknife]

Nope, not when you have a back like Summers. So now the question remains: should Summers have won Mr. Football instead of Todd Helton? You could probably argue either way and be right.

no. Summers was a great back. But it is not even close . Helton could have been a great college QB if he had wanted to.

[GWAVE1]

no. Summers was a great back. But it is not even close . Helton could have been a great college QB if he had wanted to.

That Oak Ridge/Central game in the playoffs has to be in the top 10 all time for this state.

[AlcoaBasketball]

no. Summers was a great back. But it is not even close . Helton could have been a great college QB if he had wanted to.

I see. Helton was solid in the time he did play football at UT. Thanks for clearing that up.

[AlcoaBasketball]

That Oak Ridge/Central game in the playoffs has to be in the top 10 all time for this state.

That and Alcoa-Maryville 2010 rank right up there. To be honest, between those 2 games I'd have to say the OR-Central game was better. I have to rank a state playoff semifinal ahead of a regular season game (much more at stake). One could argue that the OR-Central semifinal game WAS the Class AAA state championship (even though we'll never know how Central-Gallatin would've turned out).

[SweetScience]

no. Summers was a great back. But it is not even close . Helton could have been a great college QB if he had wanted to.

Lol not even close? He was 2-0 against Helton in both of their SR years and both wins coming on Heltons home turf. 5 TDs 230+ yards rushing, and not to mention 20 tackles from the LB position in one of the best games in TN HS football history AND won the state championship and it's not even close? Lol you're nuts. Yes, he was snubbed. I don't know how much more a kid could prove. Edited May 29, 2016 by SweetScience

[SweetScience]

That Oak Ridge/Central game in the playoffs has to be in the top 10 all time for this state.

I'm not exaggerating one bit when I say this. It was one of if not the best football games I have ever seen at ANY level, period. 2 All Americans in Helton/Summers, #1 against #2 in the state, 8000+ fans, for a trip to the championship, and decided by 1 point on a blocked xp in OT? Doesn't get much better. I remember my dad was hugging and kissing on the cheek anybody he could get his hands on, including people we had never met lol I'll never forget that game until I die, unless God decides that I get Alzheimer's someday and lose all memory and recollection. That's about the only way I will. It was unbelievable. Nowadays they're lucky to get 8000 at the state title game. I think OR/Gallatin in 91 still holds the record for largest championship game crowd. 26000+. Vanderbilt stadium was about half full.

Edited May 29, 2016 by SweetScience

[Runswithknife]

Lol not even close? He was 2-0 against Helton in both of their SR years and both wins coming on Heltons home turf. 5 TDs 230+ yards rushing, and not to mention 20 tackles from the LB position in one of the best games in TN HS football history AND won the state championship and it's not even close? Lol you're nuts. Yes, he was snubbed. I don't know how much more a kid could prove.

not even close. Summers had a supporting cast that has never been matched – the closest thing was 2005. This is the first time I've ever heard anyone question Todd Helton's athletic ability.

[SweetScience]

not even close. Summers had a supporting cast that has never been matched – the closest thing was 2005. This is the first time I've ever heard anyone question Todd Helton's athletic ability.

And Central didn't have a great supporting cast? Get real! lol Nobody ever questioned his athletic ability. I still to this very day tell people he was the best HS QB I have ever seen. Both were tremendous, but when it's that close you have to go with who got the ring and head to head record. Summers without a doubt wins it when you look at it from that standpoint. Central had a great TEAM, Todd wasn't all they had from any stretch of the imagination.

[Runswithknife]

And Central didn't have a great supporting cast? Get real! lol Nobody ever questioned his athletic ability. I still to this very day tell people he was the best HS QB I have ever seen. Both were tremendous, but when it's that close you have to go with who got the ring and head to head record. Summers without a doubt wins it when you look at it from that standpoint. Central had a great TEAM, Todd wasn't all they had from any stretch of the imagination.

make no mistake about it, central had a very good team. We had a better one. it's pretty easy to compare the two( Helton /summers) in high school football.It's even easier to compare the two after high school football. Todd -Hall of Fame, in baseball and could In be Hall of Fame in the NFL he wanted to be.Again, I saw them close up Edited May 29, 2016 by Runswithknife

[BarneySox2007]

I miss the day's of Knox Central not being the power they once were but I'm very glad to see Oak Ridge returning back to it's glory day's and hope they go all the way this year.

[SweetScience]

make no mistake about it, central had a very good team. We had a better one. it's pretty easy to compare the two( Helton /summers) in high school football.It's even easier to compare the two after high school football. Todd -Hall of Fame, in baseball and could In be Hall of Fame in the NFL he wanted to be.Again, I saw them close up

Nobody is talking about who the better College football and baseball player was. This is about who deserved the 1991 Mr. Football from what they accomplished that year, along with what their teams accomplished because of them. 230 + yards rushing, 5 Touchdowns, and 20 tackles at Linebacker in the same game is hard to argue against, along with being 2-0 against said person and winning the state title. Running Back & LB (arguably 2 of  the most physically taxing positions on the football field) and you do what he did in that game? Imagine how many hits he gave and received that game? I just don't see how you can say Helton deserved it after that. But, he was tremendous, no doubt. BTW, Summers was a pretty good baseball player as well, and was drafted by the Florida Marlins.

[Runswithknife]

Nobody is talking about who the better College football and baseball player was. This is about who deserved the 1991 Mr. Football from what they accomplished that year, along with what their teams accomplished because of them. 230 + yards rushing, 5 Touchdowns, and 20 tackles at Linebacker in the same game is hard to argue against, along with being 2-0 against said person and winning the state title. Running Back & LB (arguably 2 of the most physically taxing positions on the football field) and you do what he did in that game? Imagine how many hits he gave and received that game? I just don't see how you can say Helton deserved it after that. But, he was tremendous, no doubt. BTW, Summers was a pretty good baseball player as well, drafted by the Florida Marlins.

I don't care how many yards Summers had. Todd Helton deserved to win Mr. Football. I can probably pull up his stats if you'd like.. And it looks like the committee agreed with me. By the way, how did Summers do with the Marlins? Edited May 29, 2016 by Runswithknife