Middle Tennessee Football

It's going to be a good year for Spring Hill Football. Coach Scharsh has done a good job of righting the ship. He has pushed the players hard to improve their toughness and technique. He also has a good group of seniors to put on the field. Their offense was pretty potent last year. If the defense makes the same strides this year, they will surprise some teams. I expect them to be in every game this year and because of the extra year of work and toughness that the players have acquired... I expect them to win the close games this year. Will be a true contender for the district title... and a lock for the playoffs.

I think Columbia will have new life in this new region. They should compete for the region title easy. I think they will have as much talent as any other team. The good news is that some of those talented players have good football smarts as well. Goff and Belew to name a couple...

You are right. Giles has only gotten good recently. Giles County is 29-8 (2 trips to the semis) in three years under Coach O'Conner. and 5 of the 8 losses to David Lipscomb...

Cheatham County should find this schedule more to their liking. However, I do see some tough games. Smith County, Camden, and Greenbrier will be tough and well coached every year. But I would think it would beat playing David Lipscomb, Giles Co., and Marshall Co.

I think he does a pretty good job. Most of it is based on what the other coaches in the region think, but normally those coaches are right on. The results speak for themselves. He is not 100%, so don't get bent out of shape if you don't see your team. I'm sure he didn't have Oakland getting that good that quick!

howdoitknow is always in the "know"... a true student of the game/teams/personell. The kid (really a grown man in a 16yr olds body) he mentioned from Cheatham County (Tanner Owen) is a freak. He is gigantic, but not fat. He also moves well for a big guy. I also think he will just be a junior and that the man formerly known as Big Country (hdik) said he was #1 in his class with like a 4.0 I will be shocked if he doesn't end up as a D1 football player and surprised if he doesn't turn out to be an SEC caliber player.

Well said

Cookeville has a really good QB returning to lead them... they should be tough to beat.

Spring Hill looks poised to make some noise this year.

Blackman got to play a half of football tonight before lightening made them cancel the second half. The varsity played the first two quarters. Bob Jones was winning 20-0 at the half. I don't think it is fair to expect Blackman to look great after one spring training with the new staff. Also, Alabama football is tends to be better than Tennesse football. Only the upper tier teams in Tennessee can walk in to Alabama and compete with a 6A school like Bob Jones. Blackman is certainly not on that level, but they may be in the near future.

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Spring Hill is defenitely going to be a contender. Year one under the new staff they had a fine offense. However, the defense was not very good. After a year in the weight room getting more physical and another year getting coached up... the defense should be much improved. They will have a chance in every game this year.

Marshall County scrimmaged Lawrence County. I think it was pretty even. Lawrence County has some massive lineman.

Has Spring Hill done their spring practice yet?

Players and coaches at Spring Hill are really putting in the time. They will be a force this year.

Coach Thomas needs some help... hasn't had a ton of help since he has been there.

After one year with this new coaching staff, Oakland is one of the top ten programs in the state of tennessee. Why? Because Oakland already had a lot to work with... the players have always been there. They got a committment from the administration by making the right moves. The coaches work their butts off. The players listen and work their butts off. AND they are just getting started.... still hungry... not good for the competition!

I agree with you. Lewis County seems to be really upset about this new distict and I understand that when you look at the enrollment numbers it looks like a David and Goliath type of match up. But they really don't understand what football is like at Spring Hill, Page, Marshall County, and Giles County. All of these teams from the old Region 5 have coaches that have been there three years or less. They are not established programs with a long history of winning. They don't have a great football tradition that keeps a ton of guys coming out for football. Marshall County has not had more than 10 seniors each of the two years Coach Thomas has been there. They still have good athletes that would rather play basketball which is less demanding on them. Giles County has had the same problem under their new coach. I think Page had less than forty players on their team and virtually no lineman. That had offensive tackles that weighed barely 200lbs. Spring Hill has just now got moving in the right direction... don't know if enough excitment has been created to get their numbers up. I think Lewis County will dress as many players or more than all of these teams. Why? Because they have a more established coaching staff with a longer tradition of winning. Lewis County is still in real good shape no matter how much they try to pull the ole "Lou Holtz: we are so overmatched routine"!

Coach Smith had some good teams back in the day.

I think Giles deserves to be the favorite because of past performance and returning players, but I think there will be lots of good competition within the district. Marshall County and Page were both playoff teams last year. Spring Hill was greatly improved last year. They are working hard and getting coached... not to mention that they lost very few seniors. Spring Hill will be good. With the exception of East Hickman, I expect the 3A schools to be very competitive as well. Fairview beat Page two years ago and let one slip away this past year. Hickman County beat Marshall County two years ago and let one slip away this past year. Lewis County is one of the winningest programs around. I don't feel afraid for any of those teams. They will have a chance at winning every game. Now, Hickman and Lewis lost big, senior classes but the coaching staffs at both of those schools will have their boys ready. Fairview has the most coming back. Their coaching change might slow them down, but it might breathe new life into them too. It is going to be a good District to watch.

I don't think it would be much of a step out to say that the top three teams from this competition (Giles, Marshall Co., and Spring Hill) will be three of the best teams in the district. I would like to see how Lewis Co. and Fairview's lifting numbers would match up... I bet they would be over 7500lbs too! Those five teams are going to be good. Page and Hickman will still be above average even though they lost a lot because they both have good coaching staffs. East Hickman is in a tough situation... not a good forcast for them.

Mt. Pleasant is a solid 1A program. Coach Smith has done a great job there. The athletes are there in Maury County... just need some coaching. I think Spring Hill and Columbia are on the upswing too... we'll see.

Giles County has some strong boys. I think Marshall County will also do well, Coach Thomas stresses the weightroom. I also think Spring Hill will represent well Scharsh was at Riverdale at one time so he knows how a team should lift. Also, don't let Lewis County's enrollment fool you... they will represent too.

Coach Sharp is one of the best rual school coaches in the state (maybe the best). The people in Lewis County should feel lucky to have him. He and his staff do great things at a little, ole county school. I don't think I will be going to far out on a limb by saying that they will beat at least one (maybe 2 or 3) of the 4A teams in their district this year and they will not have a blowout loss if they do lose. The coaches do too good of a job preparing the players and the players work too hard to let that happen.

Offensive pass interference on 1st down (called a pass on 1st down... how stupid). Second and goal from the 25... not good. Mitchell wins! Congrats on the wins... good luck in the championship.