Blount County Schools Football

[PhoosballPhan]

Well, another year of football has come and gone for WBHS and HHS. It is time to ask a few serious questions.

 

Both teams had dismal seasons. Please spare me the talk of injuries impacting the teams. These are my observations after watching both teams for a quite a few years.

 

The problems in the county school programs are deep. Far deeper than coaching. I have flamed Coach Russell pretty good here, but he and Coach Gregory have had to fight deep seated problems that plague each program. It has little to do with the alleged filching of players by MHS and AHS. It has to do with a mentality amoung the boys and parents of Blount County. Work ethic, a sense of commitment, teamwork, and humility (the ability to put team before self) are sorely missing. It is a tribute to those boys who do make commitments and honor them. However, their dedication is offset by the antics and stupidity of those players who are trouble-makers, in trouble with the law, and who only "show up" to wear a jersey on Friday night.

 

Even more, the parents of these boys sabotage not only the programs but their son's futures. They shout and fuss and blame everyone... except themselves. These boys who are troublesome are the same ones who disrupt practice, behave badly off the field, and have poor academic achievement in the classroom. They learn to blame everyone but themselves as well. It is always someone elses fault.

 

So, my questions:

 

1. Are the people in the county school systems serious about football?

 

2. If they are, why do their boys exhibit little in the way of serious commitment?

 

3. Are they willing to have their sons pushed by coaches to be better? Better players, better athletes, better men?

 

4. Are the boys emotionally tough enough to bear the criticism that comes with getting better?

 

5. Are all the problems with the coaching? How much can be blamed on coaches?

 

6. Finally, is any coach willing to cut the players who are the trouble-makers, no-shows for practice, and in trouble with the law? Will the parents and administrators support them if they do?

[Solomon]

Well, another year of football has come and gone for WBHS and HHS. It is time to ask a few serious questions.

 

Both teams had dismal seasons. Please spare me the talk of injuries impacting the teams. These are my observations after watching both teams for a quite a few years.

 

The problems in the county school programs are deep. Far deeper than coaching. I have flamed Coach Russell pretty good here, but he and Coach Gregory have had to fight deep seated problems that plague each program. It has little to do with the alleged filching of players by MHS and AHS. It has to do with a mentality amoung the boys and parents of Blount County. Work ethic, a sense of commitment, teamwork, and humility (the ability to put team before self) are sorely missing. It is a tribute to those boys who do make commitments and honor them. However, their dedication is offset by the antics and stupidity of those players who are trouble-makers, in trouble with the law, and who only "show up" to wear a jersey on Friday night.

 

Even more, the parents of these boys sabotage not only the programs but their son's futures. They shout and fuss and blame everyone... except themselves. These boys who are troublesome are the same ones who disrupt practice, behave badly off the field, and have poor academic achievement in the classroom. They learn to blame everyone but themselves as well. It is always someone elses fault.

 

So, my questions:

 

1. Are the people in the county school systems serious about football?

 

2. If they are, why do their boys exhibit little in the way of serious commitment?

 

3. Are they willing to have their sons pushed by coaches to be better? Better players, better athletes, better men?

 

4. Are the boys emotionally tough enough to bear the criticism that comes with getting better?

 

5. Are all the problems with the coaching? How much can be blamed on coaches?

 

6. Finally, is any coach willing to cut the players who are the trouble-makers, no-shows for practice, and in trouble with the law? Will the parents and administrators support them if they do?

 

That pretty much hits the nail on the head. It's all a mentality, and the people in charge either won't change it or face great pushback when they try to.

[GovMan]

Well, another year of football has come and gone for WBHS and HHS. It is time to ask a few serious questions.

 

Both teams had dismal seasons. Please spare me the talk of injuries impacting the teams. These are my observations after watching both teams for a quite a few years.

 

The problems in the county school programs are deep. Far deeper than coaching. I have flamed Coach Russell pretty good here, but he and Coach Gregory have had to fight deep seated problems that plague each program. It has little to do with the alleged filching of players by MHS and AHS. It has to do with a mentality amoung the boys and parents of Blount County. Work ethic, a sense of commitment, teamwork, and humility (the ability to put team before self) are sorely missing. It is a tribute to those boys who do make commitments and honor them. However, their dedication is offset by the antics and stupidity of those players who are trouble-makers, in trouble with the law, and who only "show up" to wear a jersey on Friday night.

 

Even more, the parents of these boys sabotage not only the programs but their son's futures. They shout and fuss and blame everyone... except themselves. These boys who are troublesome are the same ones who disrupt practice, behave badly off the field, and have poor academic achievement in the classroom. They learn to blame everyone but themselves as well. It is always someone elses fault.

 

So, my questions:

 

1. Are the people in the county school systems serious about football?

 

2. If they are, why do their boys exhibit little in the way of serious commitment?

 

3. Are they willing to have their sons pushed by coaches to be better? Better players, better athletes, better men?

 

4. Are the boys emotionally tough enough to bear the criticism that comes with getting better?

 

5. Are all the problems with the coaching? How much can be blamed on coaches?

 

6. Finally, is any coach willing to cut the players who are the trouble-makers, no-shows for practice, and in trouble with the law? Will the parents and administrators support them if they do?

 

In it's last three seasons, WB has gone 7-23 with the last two being identical 3-7 records. All of this on the heel's of arguably the best WB team ever in 2007 (8-4 ... 1 point loss to Maryville). If you include the 2007 team and then go back 9 more seasons (10 seasons total prior to the collapse) WB's record for those 10 years was 60-52. 8 play off appearances out of 10 seasons. 7 out of 10 seasons they had at least a .500 record for the season. While certainly not dominating, those 10 years represented a respectable football program who teams knew you had to "buckle it up against" and come ready to play.

 

Obviously, at least in my opinion, the collapse can be traced back to the whole coaching dilema that began with Coach Meadows' "leave of absence year" then continued through his reinstatement and then his decision to take the Catholic job just a couple of months later. There was then a coaching search that appeared to have landed the head coach from Rhea County, only to have him leave us at the altar in the 11th hour. Forced to scramble, the search committee landed on Coach Gregory--a real blessing that Coach Gregory was around to be in the picture. This coaching episode was emblematic I believe of what has been one of the ongoing problems for WB ... the only time we were ever able to maintain any long coaching tenure was with our first coach, Mike White, Senior, and unfortunately, he never had a winning season.

 

So the bottom line is there, YES, WB is capable of fielding a competitive football program, but we have to develop some long-term coaching tenure and we have to find a way to fill out staff with quality coaches. I believe we're moving in that direction.

 

Other things, from some of your questions:

 

I believe the majority of folks who support the program would expect our coaching staff to play the best players; to not be influenced nor intimidated by trouble-making parents; to not tolerate players who won't seriously commit to the program;

 

We would want the coaching staff to push our young men to be better players, better athletes, and better young men ... WITH AN EMPHASIS ON BETTER YOUNG MEN. Ultimately, that is going to be the most important thing.

 

And yes, I believe the bulk of the parents would most certainly support the coach cutting players that would not 'get with the program.' We would expect the coaches to be fair and to realize the value of giving a kid a second chance when that kid deserved it, but ultimately, if the coaches are doing the "right thing" ... parents will with the I believe.

 

As far as problems with the coaches. There's never been a high school team in the history of the world that some parents didn't have problems with the coaches. But overall, we have to realize that the coaches are doing what they do because they love our kids. They sure aren't getting paid enough. And certainly one of our problems in the County is we can't afford to pay our coaches anywhere near what other systems can pay. That will always be an impediment to our program. But I do believe that those folks who commit to coach owe it to the boys and to the school to do the absolute best job they can do. To study and learn and work every year to get better as coaches and as leaders of our young men.

 

At William Blount we need "full buy in" from our community. We need the grasshopper, pee wee, and midget programs that primarily funnel kids toward William Blount to get on board and support us fully. We need our middle school programs on the same page with us. We need--as always--to get out in the halls of our school and get kids out for football that need to be out there. I applaud Coach Gregory ... I know he is constantly doing this. And we need coaching stability ...along with a dose of patience as we realize that the program didn't get where it was overnight and it's not gonna get back to a play-off caliber football team overnight.

 

That's one man's view.

Edited October 31, 2010 by GovMan

[MONKEYBUTTFACE]

I believe that many (certainly not all)of the county fans/citizens etc., would rather marinate in their hatred ,envy and jealousy of AHS & MHS than concentrate on their own issues. I have heard and seen this for years. This is their "comfortable place", it is easier to blame and hate than to do something about it. I have seen these types at various games at various levels (coaches included) act without tact , class or the slightest modicum of respect for themselves or anyone else. ie at quite a few Parks and Rec games they stand in the back of the endzone and smoke or the entrance way or even , as I witnessed Saturday @ MHS during a few of the Superbowl games , in the wheelchair section. Come on people you want respect? , have some self respect and stop behaving like children and act like you have been there. I do not have a dog in this fight but I love to watch the kids play. I seen many games over the years and it always seems to be this way.

As far as the "filching" goes , you can't parents or their children for wanting to be apart of something anywhere that there is at least a winning attitude. If you want what those programs have you are going to have to stop whining and complaining and get your crap together.

[Red Rebels]

I don't think WB is that far away from making the playoffs. If they would have won the two close ones, I think they would be in. I think they are better than a few of the 6A playoff teams. One thing about WB, they have ALWAYS played a tough schedule. Keep working hard G-Men.

[tpoole12]

I really don't know where to start on this topic. There is alot to be said but I really don't think alot of my opinions are worth the time it would take to explain. In short almost all the problems go back to Meadows actions. Don't get me wrong, I don't blame Meadows for taking the Catholic job. He probably doubled his salary and inherited a program with all the bells and whistles in place. I would think him insane if he hadn't taken the offer. Meadows took a year off and left his staff. Ritchie Wilhite took the program. Ritchie is a great defensive coach. He was honored as such at the state level in 2007. He has made a great difference in the Lenior City program in a very short time. When he took over as head coach at WB he immediatly changed sides of the ball. Both sides of the ball suffered. Still even with a plague of injuries after graduating 23 seniors the year before, replacing eighteen starters and losing one of the most dynamic players I've ever watched (Darren Garner) the week before the jamboree he still managed to be competitive. If a few breaks would have went their way they could have made playoffs. Toward the end of season Coach Meadows started showing up again on Friday nights. It was obvious that he planned to return for 2009 though I heard rumors that he had feelers out for other jobs in the area. I don't know what happened between him and Ritchie but Ritchie was sent packing. Meadows brought Gregory in to be Defensive coordinator. Meadows held spring practice and the team looked good. Just as the school year was winding down Catholic offered Meadows the job and when all was said and done we were left with Gregory as head coach. I supported the hire at the time not because I thought he was a good coach but because I didn't want to see another group of players at some other school devasted the way my son and his team mates were after Meadows departure. He seemed to be saying all the right things but his decision to change the whole offensive system with only a few weeks of practice before season began made me wonder. During this time myself and others were working on the football locker room. It was way over due for a facelift. While working one day I found a playbook laying in the parking lot. I looked it over and when coach came in the dressing room I gave it to him. We talked about it for a while and I told him that from what I saw his passing plays ran out of the same sets as his base running game and that should give him the ability to ajust to what the defense was doing. It was at that time that he looked me in the eye and spoke the words that I will never forget.. "oh we don't let the defense dictate what we do on offense.." I knew at that very moment that he and I have very different philosphies about football. Watching my son and his team mates play last season was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I do not like the system that Gregory runs. You can win playing that style of football but you have to have the atheletes. He took a spread team returning eighteen starters and tried to run a wing / veer scheme thats been ineffective for two seasons. That style of football has been replaced and without some type of passing game to keep the defense honest it's destined to fail. I favor a spread type system in high school for the following reason. A dynamic offense will get players out of the halls on on the field because alot of people get to touch the ball alot! I won't comment any further on the system that he's running. That may be all he knows. Still, someone stated earlier that coaches owe it to the players to get better as coaches. I agree. Though I don't have a dog in the hunt. I'd still by willing to donate my own money for the coaches to go and learn how to become better coaches.

 

Many opinions from alot of posts preceding mine are on target. I think many miss the mark. I'm sure many will not agree with me here. I hope Gregory can right the ship at WB. There has been to much turnover there in the last decade. I was a fan before I became a band parent ten years ago. As soon as my band tenure was over my son became a player there. There has been six head coaches in recent memory. No program can survive that kind of turmoil. Some posts have questioned the dedication of the players. I think any group of players that stuck with the game through that have proved their dedication.

 

I wish the Govs well but it will require some changes in attitude by the administration, coaches, and some of the players to fix the problems at WB. If this is going to happen it will have to start with the Athletic Director and work its way down. After the Farragut game in 2009 I told him at the foot of the bleachers that he needed to get an offensive coach and that if he didn't get rid of that wing stuff he would run the program into the ground. I still feel that way but hope that Brewer, Gregory and staff will find a system that is better suited to the game we see today.

 

I'll shut up now. There is much more that could be said but I've said enough already. Good luck to the Govenors..............

 

tpoole12

[lowkee]

In it's last three seasons, WB has gone 7-23 with the last two being identical 3-7 records. All of this on the heel's of arguably the best WB team ever in 2007 (8-4 ... 1 point loss to Maryville). If you include the 2007 team and then go back 9 more seasons (10 seasons total prior to the collapse) WB's record for those 10 years was 60-52. 8 play off appearances out of 10 seasons. 7 out of 10 seasons they had at least a .500 record for the season. While certainly not dominating, those 10 years represented a respectable football program who teams knew you had to "buckle it up against" and come ready to play.

 

Obviously, at least in my opinion, the collapse can be traced back to the whole coaching dilema that began with Coach Meadows' "leave of absence year" then continued through his reinstatement and then his decision to take the Catholic job just a couple of months later. There was then a coaching search that appeared to have landed the head coach from Rhea County, only to have him leave us at the altar in the 11th hour. Forced to scramble, the search committee landed on Coach Gregory--a real blessing that Coach Gregory was around to be in the picture. This coaching episode was emblematic I believe of what has been one of the ongoing problems for WB ... the only time we were ever able to maintain any long coaching tenure was with our first coach, Mike White, Senior, and unfortunately, he never had a winning season.

 

So the bottom line is there, YES, WB is capable of fielding a competitive football program, but we have to develop some long-term coaching tenure and we have to find a way to fill out staff with quality coaches. I believe we're moving in that direction.

 

Other things, from some of your questions:

 

I believe the majority of folks who support the program would expect our coaching staff to play the best players; to not be influenced nor intimidated by trouble-making parents; to not tolerate players who won't seriously commit to the program;

 

We would want the coaching staff to push our young men to be better players, better athletes, and better young men ... WITH AN EMPHASIS ON BETTER YOUNG MEN. Ultimately, that is going to be the most important thing.

 

And yes, I believe the bulk of the parents would most certainly support the coach cutting players that would not 'get with the program.' We would expect the coaches to be fair and to realize the value of giving a kid a second chance when that kid deserved it, but ultimately, if the coaches are doing the "right thing" ... parents will with the I believe.

 

As far as problems with the coaches. There's never been a high school team in the history of the world that some parents didn't have problems with the coaches. But overall, we have to realize that the coaches are doing what they do because they love our kids. They sure aren't getting paid enough. And certainly one of our problems in the County is we can't afford to pay our coaches anywhere near what other systems can pay. That will always be an impediment to our program. But I do believe that those folks who commit to coach owe it to the boys and to the school to do the absolute best job they can do. To study and learn and work every year to get better as coaches and as leaders of our young men.

 

At William Blount we need "full buy in" from our community. We need the grasshopper, pee wee, and midget programs that primarily funnel kids toward William Blount to get on board and support us fully. We need our middle school programs on the same page with us. We need--as always--to get out in the halls of our school and get kids out for football that need to be out there. I applaud Coach Gregory ... I know he is constantly doing this. And we need coaching stability ...along with a dose of patience as we realize that the program didn't get where it was overnight and it's not gonna get back to a play-off caliber football team overnight.

 

That's one man's view.

I have read this as well as others. I could type forever on this subject myself, but it would be useless. This post relates what I would have said myself. Coach G is doing a great job. He does nee d the support of the community and time to allow the fallout from past coaches to fade. GOV MAN, one man's view is another ---- Go GOVS!!!

[GovMan]

I have read this as well as others. I could type forever on this subject myself, but it would be useless. This post relates what I would have said myself. Coach G is doing a great job. He does nee d the support of the community and time to allow the fallout from past coaches to fade. GOV MAN, one man's view is another ---- Go GOVS!!!

 

Lowkee,

 

IF you are who I think you are ... KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. I'm predicting play-offs next year. No pressure.

[jackinthebox]

I believe that WB should have hired and up and coming coach by the name of Mike White. Mike has been under the watchful eye of George Quarles for years and I believe Mike could have brought stability to the program. Not sure if Mike was ever looked at after Meadows but why wouldnt he have? Mike could have brought in his brother Nick and I believe kept the program going strong. I know nothing about Gregory and he may be a great man, but why not have given Mike a chance?

[lowkee]

I believe that WB should have hired and up and coming coach by the name of Mike White. Mike has been under the watchful eye of George Quarles for years and I believe Mike could have brought stability to the program. Not sure if Mike was ever looked at after Meadows but why wouldnt he have? Mike could have brought in his brother Nick and I believe kept the program going strong. I know nothing about Gregory and he may be a great man, but why not have given Mike a chance?

Did he even apply for the job? I don't know but he would be hard to hire if he did not.

[GovMan]

Did he even apply for the job? I don't know but he would be hard to hire if he did not.

 

I do not believe he ever applied ... but I do believe the job was discussed with him at one point in time.

[lowkee]

I do not believe he ever applied ... but I do believe the job was discussed with him at one point in time.

Thanks for the info, did not know.