DBWATCHDOG

With the 2 new player additions, DB has more talent than anyone in the big 8. There should be no reason not to be 10-0 this year, but playoffs will be another question. DB now has to travel that same road South had to for years and we saw what Maryville did to DB last year. Until the TSSAA restructures again, it will never "be the year". DB had those years with teams much better than this year and they never got past the first round.To get rid of the brain farts, you have to get rid of the source and he is still around for a few more years. It was interesting to see last night the number of DB players on the sideline are way down, go figure.

W1ldcat started the post as a joke and it continued that way until CAP and Bitzinbuc made some good points. You can make excuses for the losing season this year that the talent was down, but the Tribe faithful need to look at the root of the problem, coaching. There is a reason why Maryville has undefeated seasons, and not just the regular season. There is reason why they have state championships and only 10 loses in the last dozen years. COACHING! No team can just keep rebuilding every year and even move up a class and keep winning without great coaching. Maryville is an example of a good coach, not Clark. The football program is slowly going downhill in front of your eyes and too many PC fans are afraid to speak the truth. When Walton had seasons like this he was gone, so was Pugh. Look at the facts, not just playoff record -very few "transfers" into DB to play football for Clark, the number of players on the team is trending down as is QB club volunteers. There is a reason why Indian fans have high hopes after the 9th grade goes undefeated, Wagner! After playing for Wagner, the kids have no interest in Clark. Clark's offensive scheme is so elementary. Clark's use of playmakers becomes nonexistant come playoff time (Pappas '06 and Ashlon '08) to name just a few. Clark tried to brag that they made the playoffs this year???? He had to win one game against a coach that is a bigger joke than DB has. Open up your pocketbooks DB fans. It is going to take some $ to attract a good coach to DB by the time Clark destroys the program. By the time he is gone, there will only be one coach left with good experience and that will be Wagner. He is too smart to take the job after it is in the ditch. It is too bad Montgomery Bell didn't really want Clark! Clark was lucky this year not to get CS injured until the last game. If he were injured, that would have been 2-8 team and no playoff. Next year will be no better, 6-4. Players no longer think Clark walks on water, only the parents who started watching DB football when their son entered 9th grade. It took a while to figure out the problem in Knoxville, how long will it take for the 4000 at J Fred to figure it out? If you fans ever think you will get past the first round, it will be with a new coach.

Historic game. Never before have the 2 teams had so many loses when playing each other. Funny, just a few years ago DB faithful thought it was a joke for a 5 and 5 team to be playing in the playoffs. Not so now. No matter the outcome, DB faithful need to do their math no winning season this year. DB wins this one thanks to CS. Hopefully he will not reaggrevate that groin. If he does, DB needs to get on the bus FAST! Clark should have been trying to groom another QB weeks ago. This season was history weeks ago after his play calling. The best thing he could do the next 3 games is get PT for next year, BUT that has never been something Clark has been smart enough to do. This will be an ugly game, just like last week against DC. That looked like the first week, penalties, turnovers... Eastman must have spilt some strong chemicals in the water in '92 & '93, these guys couldnt beat any team from past years. Clark needs to send a cake to TSSAA for putting the beast of the East in such an easy conference with smaller schools. Thank goodness for Central and Volunteer.

If DB wins, surely they can win with class. Act like you have won a game before. If you are as good as you think you are, then why act so suprised? AND, don't get kicked out of the game for sportsmanship when you are winning! THAT is classless, maybe that is deserving of a letter to editor? One week you are on your backs kicking and crying because you lost and the next week you are taking cheap shots. As much of a rivalry as Skunk's boys had, they never got kicked out. If they had, the second kicking would have come from Skunk. Where is the DB pride? Wondering, did the DB coaches come up with the rumor tactic of pig flu? TN High is smarter than that. Win or lose, show some class.

I was correct on my prediction of 7-3 or 6-4 season, just had my numbers reversed. Clark can say just rewrite the story for the paper about taking the blame, but thats not the same story he is saying in locker room. It is ugly. I guess his sports class really is more important that Trig and Physics! For all the milkmaids on here that change their opinion of Clark each week, I am consistent. No Dark Knight character here. In fact the only thing more consistent is how bad Clark gets each week and each year. You guys would still have Fulmer in Knoxville if you had a bigger checkbook. Sorry boys, running the same play 32 Tom Tom just is going to cut it. So, I guess our excuse for friday night was we lost to the number one ranked team in Washington County! Clark has the same pattern as Fulmer. Cary Daniels and KPT need to wake up. Field house, turf, passing camps, senoir trips, how about a coach? If this program continues being the joke it is quickly become over the past several years, dont expect Ryan to take it over. he is smarter than that. Post it on your fridge, Clark retires after next years 6-4 season. How many days until we take on a top ranked team from Hawkins County? I told you sevral years ago a storm was a coming in Knoxville and KPT. A 3-7 season may be the perfect storm to hit kingsport! Go Rebs!

Tough game for South with QB out, but with Clark coaching and calling the plays for DB, it will be about even.

Big game for GC. Vince Staten will have to dig deep to see when a DB team started 1-4. Always knew GC was not real smart, but you dont pick on the guy with the mic or a guy that buys his ink by the barrel. If they continue to look as stupid on the field this Friday night as last, GC might need to talk to Fred Walton about a radio job. The Lynn garden team knows to tell your RB to cover the ball coming out of the end zone, no fightn for xtra yards. If you only have 2 seconds left in the quarter, DONT try to get a play off, let the clock run out and regroup. Tired of the excuses, this team is not small, nor does the ranked teams mean much, we all know what ranked DB teams have done. Besides, we used to beat the ranked teams, remember Oak Ridge? This quality of teams has been coming, and I told you so several years ago. Kind of reminds me of another team about 100 miles west. Once again, DB is not the the headline team in the paper. 4 weeks and only 2 pics. The proof is in the pudding. GC's record the past 28 games is 19-9 with first round exits in the playoffs with 10-0 teams. Of the 19 wins more than half of the wins were aginst teams with losing records. GC retires in 2 years. Good luck DB!

SOS, play calling, can't tackle, need to wrap up, can't score from the 10, too slow, need a strength coach (the program is called BFS), no experience, one running back...everything will be fine. We have Central (1-30) in 2 weeks and the win column will start filling up. The tribe will be 8-2 or 7-3. The number of wins and losses are not as important as who the losses will be to. The games and season are so predictable. This team is very similar to a few years ago, slow and not very strong. The defensive backs are either small w/speed or slow w/size. The line on both sides appears to be weak. The team has little experience and that falls at the feet of GC for never subbing until the last 2 minutes. They do have a kicker walking the halls as well as some other football players that could help the team. They just dont see eye to eye with the mentality of GC, football is not first and the only thing in their life. IMO dont worry about last week or the outcome of the Clinton game. Take the experience of playing 2 good teams of equal or better talent and use it in the 2 big games later in the season. As CS goes, so goes the game and the season.

Tribe and Clark will be fine after a couple of weeks, they will be in conference. Nothing like playing a powerhouse Sullivan Central to get you a "W". Play your first team the entire game to build those stats. Looks like the number of players are down this year, time to make a new batch of Kool-Aid. PS- the new principal has her own Kool-Aid for Clark and he doesn't like the taste. Stay tuned...2 seasons and he retires.

GC (Gilligan Clark) had his only college D1 player off last years team transfer to him last summer and he had to work on his transripts too. He should have been working harder on getting the ball to him in a game that counts. Year after year, SOS. DB football and GC are like watching Gilligan's Island. Coach Gilligan will always find a way to blow it. 3 passes to to your best receiver in the playoff loss, and you really think he can get the ball to Steele? GC will work Chris to death. He will stay injured most of the season (I hope he doesn't) just like last year because GC will not use his bench. Chris stayed injured in track, he can not take the stupid call playing of DB football. If you wonder why Sylvester isnt %100 on football, just ask his brother. He played hurt many games, sometimes wanting to come out but the staff wouldn't take him out. GC bragged in the paper how hurt Chris was last year in a game, but still had him playing when the game was out of reach. A couple of teams will get DB this year, maybe more if Chris is out. Somebody needs to rescue DB football and Coach Gilligan. But we all know that will not happen until a few more years when he can get his son a scholarship. Any coach will figure out it is Chris run the ball and pass to Steele or Rusty, oops that was last year. Not enough speed,size or strength and same players playing the entire game and season, 8-2 with one of the rivals beating them. Playoffs? Does it matter, save yourself from the embarassment.

AMEN! Run Chris 35+ times a game. GC will play him when injured just like last year. Chris will be out of gas come playoff time. Look for GC to pass to Rusty 8-10 times a game. Play the 8 same players on each side of the ball including the infamous kick off team! Still need more than 2-3 players with speed and need more than a couple of big strong players. Until the staff can develope players properly in the off season it will be the same playbook, same results. It will not be that big of disapointment, KPT is used to it now. GC can start the State Champ chant now but it will be 7-3 or 8-2 next season with a first round exit. If CS is knocked out during the season, stick a fork in them.

I also saw in the Oak Ridge newspaper that they are NOT playing D-B next year in the regular season Week 0 D-B at Farragut Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 D-B at Tennessee High (got this from CoachT 2009 football schedules thread) Week 8 Week 9 D-B at Science Hill (got this from CoachT 2009 football schedules thread) Week 10 I think D-B has an AWAY games at South I think D-B has HOME games vs Crockett, Boone, Volunteer Not sure if D-B/Central is home or away 2 additional non-conference games...don't know who Even against a weaker conference GC will run Chris all season, playing him both ways and on special teams. Come Hilltopper game he will be worn out, possibly already injured. all good things come to an end again on DB's home field. They finally lose to hilltoppers and that prevents them from playoff game. But the good news is GC doesnt lose in the first round. With the new TSSAA schedule the TRIBE will roll, HA! GC stays around 2 more years to get his son a scholarship and then he hangs it up. By then Daniels will have enough people mad that GC gets AD job. DB will never make it as long as they keep the same coaches and KPT is content with a perfect season against weak teams. At least the band takes on tough competition and knows to change the music each year!

The play was genius, BUT not Clark's play. It has been talked about at coaching camps for over a dozen years. It was used by a D-2 college team out west. The 2 parts that Clark did not follow were 1-put your toughest, meanest players in for the play. Be prepared for retaliation from the defense. In fact, you are told to put wrestlers in for the play if you have any on the team. Clark has a dozen including 61 and 66. Dont use #3 along with 2 more players to have to "hold" one player. 2nd part to kill time is on the kick off you "sneak" an extra player on to the field during the kick off. It is seldom noticed and it is only a 5 yard penalty for too many players on the field. Take the play or penalty and use more clock. Once again the team had more talent than the coaching staff. I have said all year Clark has 100 horses in the barn and he only rides one. When 32 came up lame it spelled defeat on Clark's playbook. Nobody could expect #15 to pull off the miracle. His self esteem had been destroyed by the great coaching staff of DB. In scrimages they would make him do push ups on the field after a play if he fumbled. NEVER once did he ever make another RB do that! Holt chewed 15 out after one play of not containing. How about the all american #14 or Clarks next door neighbor #66 when they NEVER conatined. That defensive coaching was sickening to watch. Lynn Garden and Boys Club coaches teach the DE the first rule is to contain. The real reason nobody could push the kid out of bounds on the kick off, let alone tackle, they were out of gas. Try wrestlinfg/exercising full speed for 60 seconds (the 2 punt plays) and then try to run 40 yards on the kick off! NO GAS in the tank. Clark played the same players and once again the season is over a good team. Next year very little experience since he never subs. THE ONLY WAY CLARK WILL EVER SEE THE TSSAA CHAMPIONSHIP IS BY BUYING A TICKET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Its not which team is playing but WHICH coach is coaching. Friday night Clark coached not to lose vs coaching to win. I've said all along this team has the athletes and talent to go deep, but after watching Clark at work in Hilltopper country, the tribe fans will be dissapointed again this year. Clark either needs to add another page to his playbook or if he has some more plays, turn the page. Basically 5 plays, handoff to #32, pass to 28 and 14, pass to the FB in the flats and an occasional handoff to the FB. No pass to #2 or #3. No counters. Just smash mouth football and they will only work so long. DB better hope the fullback is back, HE is the the one that makes the block for #32. And if you are going to play your QB on defense and return punts in prior games when the score is out of reach, then WHY would you not play him on the final drive, not just the final play! SH's final drive, Watson should have taken #1 out, moved Sylvester to corner (where he played the past 3 years) and put #10 as safety. Again, if you have #10 playing in the rain in the final minutes of Eliz. then put him in on THE BIGGEST defensive series of the season. As far as the LB play, sorry, playing LB is a big difference from playing in the paint on a basketball court. In fact, i'm not sure why he is on the kick off team, somebody on the team is faster than him. #15? They finally put #15 in with some speed on defense and he made a big sack. Friday night was a snapshot of why DB is a flop come playoffs. Not because of rankings or who they get matched to play, but because of coaching. Other than the toppers, their coaches, the radio announcers and every fan in the stadium, were the DB coaches the only people that didnt know there would be a fake punt!? The QB/punter allways went to one side, put an extra player on that side. Dont put anybody back to catch it, especially catching it around the 10 yd line! One last note, JV play does have some merrit. Last years team struggled every year at DB. The team 2 years ago ( the one that Clark flopped first round) they would beat teams as Fr and JV so bad they let the clock run and that was before the TSSAA rule. Typically, in about every sport, when the younger teams do good, they do good as seniors. With the 2 transfer players this year, this may be Clark's last real shot before he retires.

For some other players to get to play, somebody else must have been coaching and not the great GC. If GC were coaching he must be either reading Coach T or he is feeling the heat to try to play some other players should he lose in the next few weeks when it really counts. The fullback finally scored and GC finally tried other plays other than CS left, right, middle. Never went back to #9 or what has happened to #3. Even North HS Thursday night used a majority of it's extra players on special teams to rest the starters. #15 rips off another long run. Since Knox Bearden #15 has been nonexistant. GC could learn a few things from BAMA. Saban used everybody to wear down UT in the second half. They used players not even mentioned on the depth chart, 10 deep on WR's, 5 deep on TE's, and 4 tailbacks. Between GC's play calling, players being worn out come 4th quarter and #14 playing on every team, this team will have the unfortune of not going as far as they should. The heat in the kitchen just got turned up this week, he now plays a top team that not only determines the champion but also where they play in the playoffs. GC has not ever gone 2 years straight without winning the conference outright. As in the past, the combined record of the teams he beat this year is 35-47 and only 2 teams have winning records. A good team is not only deep in numbers, but uses them. The rubber meets the road one week early this year. In the past J City had folded their tents by week number 10, NOT THIS YEAR! A win this year by J City will be a bitter pill for GC. If he stubs his toe with this year's team, the undercurrent just got stronger and his Mayberry BS will not last forever. GC can fool some of you on here, but he is not fooling KPT. -coaches, former players, school board members and the list goes on. Friday night-Trick or Treat!

"IF", that is why DB continues to bite it come playoff time. Yes, other teams have figured out that GC is calling the plays and he IS NOT AN OFFENSIVE COACH. Maybe a line coach where he played, but not calling plays. Consider this, #9 caught his first pass this year Friday night, he was a target last year and made some nice catches. The fullback has not scored all year. GC very seldom uses the fullback unless for the pass play in the flats. It is 10 or 32 who runs the ball in the red zone. You think another team cant coach against that? Lets pad those stats for a few cetain players. The play is hand it off to CS over and over. Yes, he eventually breaks some, but come third and fourth round, (providing GC can get them that far) DB will be playing equal talent and the chances of breaking one will be fewer. Once again Friday night, as in past years, GC puts some kids in and guess what, THEY CAN PLAY TOO! There is plenty of talent standing on the sidelines that never get in. Why do you think they transfered to North and why do you think North has done so good? It is absolutly stupid that he does not use some other kids. #77 has played good the past several games and could easily come in to give somebody a breather on defense. #63 is a good LB and will flat hit, in fact he started one game but All American #14 has replaced everybody's playing time. #15 is a good running back and could come in to rest #32. #15 started against K Bearden and did a good job. GC has loaded the punt block team with So's to keep them from quiting like 16 seniors have done this year and they have not blocked a punt or returned a punt of any distance. That will kill DB come play off time. (the dropped ball 2 weeks ago was the punter, not DB) Every year there are some good seniors that should be playing. He has yet to get a second string kicker in the game, that will bite him next year and maybe this year if #16 were to get hurt on the field or in his soccer games. Bottom line, this team is as talented as some of GC's best teams. And once again 2 things will keep the the Tirbe fans from betting to Boro. One, playing the same kids the entire game. The raising of the four fingers for the fourth quarter was because DB owned the 4th. They would wear down teams and pound them in the fourth. Come playoff time DB will be the team that is out of gas come the 4th. Secondly as long as GC is calling the plays, get ready for basketball season. Give GC about 4 more years until he can retire ( remember his first years of teaching were in VA and they dont count) Plus he needs to make sure #14 is all state.

The only way DB loses this season will be the coaching. This team is loaded with talent in the skill positions and has some quickness to make up for size on the line. With the addition of the couple of transfers, they have it all. FYI-they will also be missing another LB this Friday because of a concussion. Fleming will be back in a few weeks and noseman back possibly for playoffs depending on how far they make it. Questionable if the partiers get to see action. Coaches do read this, they must. The great Clark has abandoned the true no huddle and no longer runs the shotgun when 1st down from the 2 and a score to win the game. However, he quits reading when he gets to the part about playing more players. Having your QB return punts when both tailbacks are injured on the sideline is just stupid! Running your best tailback in the 4th when injured, stupid. Playing your staters on EVERY special team, stupid. He has 80 plus players, even Fulmer knows to rest a player. He would have had more seniors to play this year if had he not run off 15 because they knew he would never sub, that is unless you are blood related. For years everybody has known this group was talented. They are talented in about every sport this year, male and female. Clark is just like Fulmer, win a big one every few years and they are the greatest. What are their records against real teams, teams with winning records. This could be the year, but somehow Clark will mess it up again. My bet, playing kids too long when game is won. There will be a key injury and no back up experience. Enjoy this season, it will get ugly the next few years. Tn H will remember Sylvester still in the running a touchdown with less than 3 minutes to go.

I dont have a dog in this hunt, did, but not now. So I can speak to issues that were then and I see them continueing. DB has several good baseball players walking the halls this year but chose not to play for Ritz for various reasons, but primarily they relate back to Ritz. Their is a pattern of only having a few seniors on the team every 2 out of 3 years. Once Ritz makes his line up, he never shows any interest in the other kids. The boys know that and just stop playing baseball. That same apathy (storm) is slowly creeping into the football program. For GC, having a 100+ kids out for football is purely a numbers game. He is smart enough to know where his bread is getting buttered. It was good to have "hundreds" of parents be in his corner 7 years ago when there were rumors of him leaving. Having that many kids means he has that many more parents to help the QB club which means more money for the club which means more perks for the players which means more player sticking it out. More players fuels his arguement for a bigger budget not to mention fueling an ego. Times have changed since a dozen years ago when he started. Kids are not buying his "get a look" Mayberry bs and spending 6 months busting it to only stand on the sideline. Take away some perks, especially for the Seniors, you can bet they would not be out there to just belong to a team. For some of those kids, they have never been to a college football game, let alone a bowl game in Atlanta. They have put in 3 years and figure they might as well stick around for the gravy. But take it away, (strong rumor they about lost it this year) you would have kids taking advantage of the many options of doing other things after school. They can be part of a team at Pals, make money, not get injured and humiliated every Friday night not ever playing a second. Like it or not, I have been right most of the time on here and I'm right again. I think the apathy at the spring race and calling us past parents to help volunteer is one example. If he is competing for numbers with the band (and money), keep the clock running, he will get slaughtered. PS I watched the race from home on TV.

The big gripe about playing time comes when GC is up 45-0 in the 3rd quarter and he still has the first string in. GC has made the comment after last season he thought was going to have to sell insurance and he wasnt a very good insuarance man. At the HS level like DB you have several players that are stand outs, they go on to play with scholarships. Then you have the next 10-25 players that are about equal,then you have the next 25 players that in time can play and the last 25 are out just to be a member of a team. When DB had their best teams they had very few that played both ways, let alone the entire game including special teams. GC could take a page from Coach Morgan's book and sub. Run the other team, see who is tired come the 4th quarter. You can not tell me subbing a couple of players for a couple of plays and give a guy a breather would not make a difference. Have that WR run that DB deep every play no matter a pass play or not. Rest that lineman (off. or def.)for a play. DB has several boys that can play that defensive front. Rotate them! With 100 boys DB does not have to play a kid on offense and turn right around and put him on defense. I agree, this is not upward football, BUT unless GC changes somethings I see some downward football ahead. This team can hold their own next season, but I predict some storms ahead after this season. The trend of not playing boys has already hit the ranks of the QB club. I heard they cant get parents to volunteer and had to get prior player's parents to help at the race. Wonder why? Take away all the perks these boys get and see how many stay out for football. GC knows that. He knows there are too many options for kids to do today other than practice football for 6 months and not get to play. That carrot the QB club dangles keeps that number big and that makes GC look good. There is a storm a coming, the same that hit Ritz this year.

So much for "1-2 still playing soccer".

The horse from last year, Sensabaugh, is still in track. A couple of other runners that should see some playing time are Steele and Hoover. The baseball season is over but my understanding the players have the option of coming to football. The starting QB (Crawford) was the starting SS. 3-4 other baseball players should see some playing time next year too. There is even 1 or 2 playing soccer. A couple of starters are recovering from injuries and are not out for practice. IMO, you should see 14-16 starters with plenty of talent in a lot of the 2nd string positions. This team should be better than last, but not sure as good as 2 years ago. Not playing many players last year, it looks like they are trying guys at some different positions. The scrimmage will be good an experiment.

Hope it will last the 10 years they say it will. The real "turf war" will not start between who gets to use the field and how often. Most turfs dont get the use that this stadium gets every day and night. Between high school teams, middle school teams, bands and concerts this will be a real test.

The second half of the season only got better because they started a semi huddle with the lineman. The huddle provides so much to a high school team. They can communicate to each other if they dont know the play and they can also communicate who needs help blocking somebody. Unlike college and pro, high school teams dont get the practice time to perfect a no huddle. The no huddle provides so many opportunities for mistakes and that is exactly what we saw last year. If you talk to a kid from last year they always had several players not knowing what to do on the play. That was what led to the delay penalties. Quite honestly, the offense got pretty simple the second half, Chris to the right, Chris to the left. A good defense will stack the line on DB and make them throw. They need to find some receivers to help keep the defense honest.

Sylvester will be the go to, Throp-good nose for the football, Hoover-the go to if a fight breaks out (wrestler), Both Throp and Hoover can catch if thrown to. Doran- best for the team to work on consistent punting. Sensabaugh in the backfield with Lawson at FB. Crawford's speed and arm to Sylvester will make this team much better than last year. Dont forget Templeton at TE. He made a couple of big catches last year. Strong kid. Edwards will probably never get use to catching a football and getting FOULED.

They should be. Several returning starters. Both very good DEs will be back and 2 O lineman. And so is the backfield. Could have some question on LB's and Def secondary as well as receivers. The curent Jr class is more talented than the Sr class. You can find as many Jrs starting in ALL of the sports as Srs. Glad to see DB playing you all. Sets the bar for both schools for the rest of the season.