The Green Machine

So what is going on in Centerville, is there a timeline? What is the community support around there like? Are there should be football players in the halls? Why are they struggling to get htings going there? Someone mentioned administrative troubles?

are there any names being heard around manchester for this job?

What is going to happen with the coaching staff, Is Pratt still stepping down at the end of the season? Is there anyone on staff that is likely to step in to it?

I heard lots of talk when Counce was hired that his discipline on the Patriots would be noticable. I never noticed a Gaddis team having to run players out on the field right before kick off as I did the other night with the Patriots on several special teams. Players were either not paying attention or the coaches were not subbing for injuries properly, either way it looked disorganized. Most coaches meet with kickoff and kickoff return teams prior to taking the field on the sidleine, would be a good idea to count the players at that time. Aside from the diorganization, I was somewhat surprised by the Patriots, they looked better than they did in the jamboree and scrimmages. Defense looked solid, momentum was taken from them several times on fumbled punts. If the defense is on the field all night, they are going to give up some plays. How many times did Henry County get a stop and either on the punt or the next couple of plays the ball was given back to Liberty? I am sure that the Patriots will recover, lets just hope it is sooner than later.

wingman, I would say that you are absolutely correct, which is my point exactly, Adams could have made the change as well, from my understanding Thompson had no say and Adams had his choice.

hchs for life, you are a very sensitive poster, By paying respects to a coach that is leaving is not trying to make people feel sorry for anything. I am not trying to make anything sad, Hodge leaving is a big loss. He was an excellent coach, you have lots of positives to say about Counce, I have said nothing negative about Counce, just paying a compliment to coach Hodge who was a big part of the Patriots success over the past few years. It seems like to me for life that if anyone is payed a compliment on this board other than Counce, you get your panties in a wad. Me paying Hodge a compliment, is not an insult or attack on anyone, I am not trying to stir anything, I am discussing what players have told me. That would be HCHS players.

Confusion is to be expected, however, it will effect the confidence of the players if the coaches are the ones confused on the practice field. Gaddis and the staff may have been confused too, I can not remember that. Players told me that Snow and Counce did were not on the same page on the field. THere should not be confusion on the field by the coaches. That confusion should be taken care of in the coaches office.

I am not sure about the coaches that came in with Counce, but Hodge is a big loss for the Patriot coaching staff, he was part of the turn around of the program, also I hear that the long time D-line coach for the Patriots has been moved to the offensive side of the ball to make room for the new coach's man. From everythign I understand, Reggie Thompson has been an excellent D-line coach for the best part of ten years at Henry County and the Defense is not changing. The man replacing Thompson has coached the offensive line before however Thompson has not. The program will experience success however, in talking with players, there has been some confusion on the practice field already between coaches on the staff. I might add that this confusion was between new staff members, (the OC and the new head coach).

I heard today that the job had been offered and accepted James Counce. I am not sure if it is true or not. Anybody else hearing this?

I read where someone mentioned James Counce Jr., I am hearing James Counce Sr. is in the running. The new director of schools was the principal at Dyersburg when Counce was there, and if Sam Miles is making the decision who the new coach will be, Counce Sr. will take a second stint in Paris.

As I am positive that my last post will be disputed, over the last 3 season, in 06 the Patriots lost their final 6 games, in 07 the Patriots lost 7 of their las 12, and last season the Patriots lost 2 of their last 3, that is a record of 7-15 in late season, I am sure that Coach Wilkins would agree that they should have won many of those games.

This is the year for the Patriots to shine, to hear Coach Wilkins talk, one would think that they are the top team in the state and everyone already knows that. He has got a team with a very good post player, a very good guard and some very solid role players. Wilins has made the Patriots a very good defensive team with a hap hazard style of offense which has led to some inconsistencies over the past few years, with the offensive weapons he has, will the Patriots be able to settle down and get good shots when needed. I think Wilkins has done an excellent job getting the program headed in the right direction but has been very ineffective in the post season, not sure of the post season record but it is like 2-4 and after one fo the best regular seasons in school history last year, the Patriots blew a 25 point lead in the second half agains Springield to lose their final 2 games. It has been a trend for the Patriots to peak early and fade late and I hope this season the Patriots find a way to play better in the tournaments.

Yes last season for the Patriots ended sooner than even I expected. The discipline issue was not from the coach, it was fromt he administration.

It will indeed be tyhe game of the week, and everyone will be talking about how Henry County just was not as good as advertised on Saturday. Brighton is leading the region right now and will not surrender the lead this season. If Henry county can go on t he road and win in the playoffs, they will most llikely get another oppurtunity against Brighton at Brighton in the 3rd round. Just so you know, I am unbiased, I am not a Brighton fan, I am jsut a football fan. If you think I am so far off base, then how about the Red Warrior, and his comments about all the areas that the Cardinals are better than the Patriots, I am basically agreeing with him and I have no idea what I am talking about. Brighton shut down Hardin County and their high powered offense and tehy will shut down the Patriot offense.

I have seen both teams play and Brighton is the best of the two. Brighton is faster, more physical, better tacklers, and they play with more heart. Brighton is the most improved team that I have seen in one years time. They will run the ball up and down the field on HC, when they get bored with that, they will pass it up and down the field. On the bright side for Henry County, they should finish their season with a big game with Hardin County for the 2 spot. Brighton is in a league of their own right now, Melrose will have problems stopping them, I look for Brighton to be the one that ends Maryville's streak.