Cactus Jack

Heard this weekend that the scrimmage scheduled for May 16 at Rhea County has been cancelled per Rhea County. They probably have the same issues in the spring a lot of teams have, guys in track and baseball and some injuries.

I think so too. He seems organized, has a plan and knows what the strengths and weaknesses are. Oak Ridge since 2005 has had some good teams and a few down years too. I felt like each team during that era was missing a piece somewhere, whether it was the lines, secondary, quarterback etc. each year they were missing one or more of these pieces, 2005 was the last team that had the complete package. I think Coach Rang will be able to put players in the right positions for success. I know he well realizes the value of the weight room in all positions, but especially the lines. He also said he will develop quarterbacks and I like that. I think he has a good group to start with this season, but it may take a couple of seasons to get them where they should be, Some good news is more and more students are enrolling in Oak Ridge schools to the point where they may have to build a new elementary school and surely among those are a few football players. Looking forward to the season.

I can remember the Gallatin vs Oak Ridge games of the 80s and 90s, great games! I would like to see Gallatin be good again.

Best of luck to Bryson, one of the best coaches I have been around,

They did post on OR Football Site that spring practice will start April 26 and have 9 practices from then until May 16. There will be a scrimmage on May 16 AT Rhea County at 6 PM it said. OR Football does have a lot of guys running track and playing baseball so they may not be available for the practices and the scrimmage. Rhea County was a young team last year and when we played them in the playoffs last November, there were a lot of their players out injured.

I haven't heard much, but I know Coach Ayers went to UT as a GA and Coach Karnes went back to Halls, where he was when he came over here with Cummings, I have heard a couple more have either left or not invited back, but just rumors, no announcement has been made. Coach Rang has completed his staff as far as I know, but won't know for sure until Spring Practice starts around May 1st, Looking forward to that to see how the turnout is in numbers and who looks good. I hear there may be a spring scrimmage if it can be set up (we haven't had a spring scrimmage in a couple of years so that will be a good thing this spring).

The Head Coaching job at Tuscola was filled last week

The Job has been filled.

I heard that the other day, he really will be missed. He kept the OR posts hot,

I met Coach Rang the other night at the basketball game and my first impression was very favorable. I think he is going to win at Oak Ridge and be here for a while. He is the next generation coach that Oak Ridge needs.

Two coaches from the Cummings staff have moved on to new jobs elsewhere, so there are at least two openings on the staff.

Wine and Cheese at halftime

I might mention a Head Coaching opening at Tuscola High School in Waynesville NC. NC Class 3A School, good tradition and community support just an FYI for those who are looking.

I might mention a Head Coaching opening at Tuscola High School in Waynesville NC. NC Class 3A School, good tradition and community support just an FYI for those who are looking.

I like that too, I really hated that DB wasn't on the schedule for 23 and 24. Its one of the best rivalry games in East Tennessee and has been pretty even, with win streaks for both teams. If we get that going in 2025 again, OR should be back up to speed.

One thing I liked what Coach Rang said is he wants to develop quarterbacks, which I think OR has fallen short on in previous years.

Sounds like a good fit to me. He is a winner wherever he went, I like the fact that he is young enough to relate to the players and has the energy to coach at this level, in fact, Coach Rang is the same age that Coach Gaddis was when he came to OR back in 1988. It sounds like Coach Gaddis and Co did a thorough search and interview process this time. Coach Rang will have some good staff there and will have some good players left over from 2022. He inherits a pretty strange schedule, but the wins are in there. Good luck to him!!

Call out to the machine shops at the plant, ask for rumor control and they will tell you what they heard!!

Farragut is a good opener for them. Beware of all the Lexus and BMWs on Kingston Pike.

Latest I heard was 55 applied, 22 got a 1st interview, and this week second interviews are being conducted. No names mentioned, but the new coach is expected to be named by Feb 1.

I understand the job bid for the OR Head Coach came down on the TSSAA Site today, There will be interviews this coming week and I understand the word is that a coach will be named by January 15th. That being said, I have no idea who it is going to be.

Heard anything??? Sounds like the old days at Y12 in the work areas!!

I wish we still had Long Johns I miss my Sunday afternoon North Atlantic Cod

Well, sad to say that Oak Ridge may not be on the DB schedule this year. Apparently, dates didn't line up after Region games were set up by the T$$AA, I think it is one of the best series in East Tennessee and DB has had the upper hand the past few years, but it always goes in cycles. Maybe OR will see DB again in 2025. Good luck to the Indians next season.

Miner has the defensive staff that was here at OR in 2021 at HVA now. I think he will remain there and try to build that program up. I understand his freshman and JV teams were pretty good this season and he is working on things like facilities, fund raising and getting more kids out. He took over a pretty down program over there, I think he is a great fit there. As far as he and OR go, I think he would be better off waiting until the next coaching change if he wanted to come back, which hopefully will be a couple of years down the road after a successful run for the next guy they hire.