goldeneagleeye10

I am so sorry, because I was under the impression that teaching blocking & tackling fell under the responsibilities of a Coach and his staff. If a Coach can not teach his team the fundamentals of the game...then maybe he is not a Coach at all.

I know a lot of people support Coach Eubanks, and believe that this was only a "rough year"...but explain to me the thought behind calling a double-reverse inside your own 10 late in the fourth quarter in a close game. Because that was a coaching decision, and it had nothing to do with the talent-level on the field.

I didn't say "keep it positive" I said "keep it clean"...Totally different. As long as we are not telling people they are not welcome to come to the game on Friday night, and telling people they should call them personally to handle CoachT arguments. We will be fine. Last time I checked Eubanks and his staff are part of IHS football, making them fair game on the message boards of CoachT. Any self-respecting coach is not going to be wasting his time patrolling CoachT, because as coaches they have all the information that we wish to know about our team. Time wasted on CoachT is time that could go into game-planning for the upcoming opponent, and I am sure that with the degree of competition these teams face every week that is time that can not afford to be wasted. 15 years??? Wow, I can honestly say I am impressed. What made you leave the H.S. system? Have you ever thought about lending you expertise to any of the local High schools? Because as many have talked about on these message boards "something is wrong with IHS football"...so how would you go about fixing it? (I am not a radical-head-case...I promise)

I would first like to say, that I am proud to be an Independence Eagle supporter no matter what. It has been a rough season, but tough times do not last. I know the numerous IHS supporters across CoachT love talking about their football team, so I started a new thread. Let us please keep this clean (this time). Any bickering, arguing, and cheap-shots concerning "suspected identities" needs to be kept to a bare minimum. CoachT is a forum for all to discuss Tennessee High School football, in all of its variations. Let us please keep it at that. So without further ado, I give you.... INDEPENDENCE FOOTBALL I do not care if you put Jesus himself under center. If he does not have a running game to support him and keep the defense honest. Besides keeping the defense honest, a running game sets-up the play-action-pass, which can make any QB look like Jesus himself. I have been disappointed that we have never even fully attempted to construct a running game. I personally feel that we have completely committed ourselves to the shot-gun with the spread since the very first scrimmage. Running the ball is one of the simplest forms of football. A solid ground game rotates around the very fundamentals of football. The running game is the foundation of any football program. Running the ball consists of 2 things- O-line- The O-line's ability to block is the key to a good running game (and football team). The O-line wins games, from "pee-wee" all the way to the NFL. Run Blocking is easily the simplest & most-fundamental exercise in all of football (it is just hitting). Anyone can be taught to effectively run-block. A good blocking scheme coupled with disciplined & trained (not "talented") young men can mask many things. Running backs- Any relatively athletic kid who is willing to endure more than his fair share of hits can play running back. The basic running plays are simple to teach and learn. Kids can be taught to receive a hand-off and hit the proper hole running at full speed. The other Principle of football is Tackling Tackling- After someone is taught to hit, they can be taught to tackle another human being. Athletes can be taught perfect form in making a tackle. It does not take a genius to teach this basic move After basic tackling has been mastered, young men can be taught the best approach angle, which will put them in the best position to makes high percentage tackles. A group of young men working together & executing the basics will over-achieve their own skill level. These are the very basics of Football. These are the first things any kid should be taught when they put on a pair of shoulder pads and a helmet for the first time. I am very disappointed that the kids at IHS have not been taught these skills. If the current staff at IHS can not teach these tactics, then I suggest we find some people who can. Or I fear that this will be the first in a long streak of 3-win seasons

Its gonna be a rough year for INDY, with losses to Centennial & Franklin already, this year has the potential to be horrific. INDY better get it together because with probable looses to Lincoln Co., Brentwood, & Ravenwood, this year could quickly become a 5-loss season. Which would bring up some interesting questions. Everyone rallies around the fan-base and the massive support surrounding the Eagles, but where was the aggresive atmosphere when Franklin spanked us, If INDY is such an imposing place to play, why were half the fans gone by the 3rd quarter? This season will be a crucial "litmus-test" for Coach Eubanks, He did a decent job last year (by riding out Smith's wave) but this year's team (and the years to come) will be Eubanks' legacy, and if that is the case it is not looking good. Last night signified a clean-sweep of INDY by the Franklin Rebels (Varsity/ JV/ Freshman) every level of football at IHS was destroyed by FHS, is that was INDY fans have to looks forward too? "circling the wagons"???? we will see who is on the band-wagon after INDY looses to every-single-region-rival (FHS, CHS, RHS, BHS), is this what Coach Eubanks has established at INDY...Is this INDY's future???

Let me clear this whole "Farragut" vs "Franklin" thing up for all of you. The Farragut Admirals, Dobyns-Bennet, Ootlewah, get way more respect than they should be credited. Every year these teams get "top 10" during the regular season. But by the time, the play-offs roll around, you never get a chance to see any of these teams play in Murfreesburo. Face it, Regions 1&2 are like the pac-10 of TN high school football. The second those "over-rated" teams run into, Franklin, Brentwood, Ravenwood, Independence, Hunters Lane, Riverdale, Siegal, Oakland, Smyrna the result is simple they lose. When was the last time any Region 1 or 2 team made a bid for the State Title, because as far as I can tell the State Championships have been dominated by the Mid-state teams, because it is a different quality of football down here (Regions 4,5,6)

Friday is here! Game-day is here! It is Football Time in TENNESSEE!!! For those of you all who dont realize the magnitude of tonight's game, let me get-you-up-to-speed. Franklin comes to INDY tonight without a single blemish on their record. Franklin rolls into IHS looking to improve to 5-0 (which would set up a stellar match-up against Brentwood) Independence defends their home-field with their backs up against the wall. The eagles are hoping to bounce-back from a dissapointing loss to Centennial (which has CHS getting "jumpy" and talking about the playoffs) After last year Independence is searching to establish themselves as a constant threat in a powerful region, but it feels like everyone is doubting the chances of that happening this year. Both teams have been in this position before, Franklin has dominated the first half of the season, and then went sliding down a slippery slope, but at the same time Franklin has dropped big-time match-ups in the early season, and converted a few criticle games to set themselves up going into the play-offs IHS has experienced the same up-and-downs, The eagles first spread their wings by unexpectedly knocking of a few gaints out in the early fall months, but then crashed-and-burned against RHS and BHS near the end. Last year Indy came out of the gate stumbling around and looking for the light switch (starting out 1-3) but somehow, The Eagles pulled the season together, and became "the" team to beat. Both teams have been the common denominator in the upswings and down-swings of their region 6 counterparts, its almost scary to think that somehow these two teams' destiny seem to be intertwined (a perverbial ying-and-yang) Franklin marches (I like that choice of words Huskergymnast33) through the front gates of Independence blood-lusting for revenge, but the Rebels march into a rabid environment, The fanatics will be out in full force (on both sides) to witness the possible turning-point in their season. The Eagles strap on their helmets, aspiring to protect the nest, and set the standard for the "young eaglettes" awaiting to join the battle over the next few years. Many questions will be answered tomorrow/ today (depends on when you read this) Will Franklin march through Indy, and set their eyes on Brentwood, or will Heckman be able to re-live last November (and beat the unbeatable) Will Franklin be able to draw first blood, and deliver the first knock-out blow? Or will Independence celebrate past accomplishments amoungst new ones Bring your best Franklin, Becasue your best dont/wont/ cant play at INDY

We may have lost two dominant receivers, but its all relative, because can anyone deny that Franklin lost two solid members out of their very own secondary. With Anderson and Hampton (both all-region) gone, who has stepped up to the plate to fill their roles, because from what I have seen no one in Franklin's secondary is of the same caliber as those two, and even with those two studs playing on Franklin's side of the ball, Heckman was able to pick-franklin-apart last November. According to my level of reasoning, Heckman is now equipped with a new set of "three" recievers, and Franklin has not been able to establish "one" shut-down corner, Now I am not a betting-man but I would take 3-1 odds anyday. The only possible speed-bump for IHS' passing game is #3, but even his play is shaky at best, one week he looks decent against Hillsboro, and then a few weeks later he gets burned a few times during the McgGavock game (if you go back and review the film you will see that there were numerous blown coverages) Once again it seems, that #3 has the same identity-crisis that Franklin's Defense appears b going through (first 2 games VS last two games) I fully agree that Franklin's Linebacking core is amazing against the Run, and if IHS can keep the front-7 honest, and force FHS to match up on the outside with INDY's passing game. I believe that the Eagles will take to the air, and force Franklin into a shoot-out (so I hope Nichols can keep it perfect) Dont get me wrong, the Franklin defense has given the illusion of being incredible (but INDY has handled the incredible before), Coach Web must be one heckuva seem-tress, because he has sown & pieced a manageable excuse of a defense. This weekend the "patch-work" starts to fray, the string is going to dissolve, and when Heckman and his crew begin to punish FHS's "curtain" the clothe is going to rupture, and the only thing left standing will be IHS (once again)

I see itsupanditsgood posted his list of stats, "I see you stats, and I raise you..." First two games-Hillsboro & McCallie Franklin Allowed 63 points Last two games- Ravenwood & McGavock Franklin Allowed 6 points We obviously can see both extreme ends of the spectrum, so it just comes down to which stat you wanna stand-by. I have heard/ seen countless FHS supporters stand-behind their unbelievable defense (I would hope any self-respecting team to hold McGavock to minimal points) I would like to explain the perplexing conundrum posted above. FHS shut down RHS because Ravenwood was a "one-dimensional" offense, AKA the raptors dont have enough offensive threats on the field. If you watch the last quarter of the hillsboro game, you begin to see a problem. Hillsboro didnt start slinging the ball down-field until late in the game (it took HHS entirely too long to discover the right plan of attack), and when HHS realized that Franklin had to respect 3 three down-field threats, and Eric Gordon coming out of the backround, they finally solved the equation (a little to late) Hillsboro was able to saturate the field with offensive threats, and therefor they were able to spread Franklin too thin. Because contrary to common belief Franklin's defense isnt the "end-all-be-all" in the state (I dont care about coaches, both teams are well coached we all know that) IHS has the ability to spread the football field with talented athletes/ proven-play-makers, and we will finally see is Franklin can hold-back-the-flood-gates for more than one quarter. INDY can come out in a 3-receiver set (Boatman, Williams, Standard) with Smith coming hard out of the backfield, Heckman destroyed FHS last year in the playoff (when it counted) as a sophmore. INDY has the abilty to score from any angle on the field at any time, meaning that this game could quickly become a shoot-out. The only remaining question is..."what FHS defense shows up this Friday? The Defense that allowed 3 points per-game (average) or the defense that allowed 31.5 points per-game (average)?" And Considering that Franklin has never been able to get-it-done on Declaration way, that coupled against a QB who has put the "final nail in the coffin" before and this time he has a better wide receiving corps (as a whole) (and Heckman doesnt need too awful much time to slaughter a defense) I hope Franklin can hold on for 4 whole quarters of Hillsboro's 4th quarter. I said it once and I'll say it again, BRING YOUR BEST...BECAUSE YOUR BEST DON'T BRING IT TO INDEPENDENCE

SHEER DOMINANCE??? LAND-SLIDE??? BLOW OUT???, yep we must be playing Franklin And if the current IHS players cant remember TJ, and team leadership is a forgotten virtue. Ask the varsity FHS players if they can remember the last time they beat the eagles at INDY, or better yet if they have a good memory about coming down Independence Lane. Franklin has never left IHS as winners, allow me to open up old wounds... Franklin Rebels 17 And YOUR INDEPENDENCE EAGLES 23!!! it gets better... Franklin Rebels 14 AND YOUR INDEPENDENCE EAGLES 17!!! FRANKLIN IS GOING HOME...AND NEXT WEEK INDEPENDENCE IS TRAVELING TO MEMPHIS Independence seems to be Franklin's kryptonite (enough said...try to prove me wrong) Maybe that is why Franklin's hot-shot-all-region-prospects seem like they can never "make-the-play" when it counts. So riddle me this Franklin, "which star will choke under the spotlights this week? (Nichols, Ford, Lee, Eaton, Gordon, Nathan, Sellers, Stranes). Last year Franklin came into IHS with the R-back combo of Steele/ Lee (which was un-stoppable as everyone else said) and Indy's R-Backs lined up at D-lineman, and stopped the unstoppable. Think about that Franklin...two Running backs destroyed your line last year. which was loaded with all-region studs (Cathey) You mean to tell me that the "jackson 5" is the new great-wall-of-china (so who is touching lil' boys?) BigDogDaddy needs to proofread his posts, did he really mean to say that #67 is better than Cathy last year (seems like a down-grade...but maybe we are not watching the same game) Maybe this week Heckman & Smith will line up as D-ends and embarrass Franklin's O-line once again. Bring you best Franklin, because your best cant play at Independence

Let me tell you what Independence High School is about, because it seems like some people have forgotten and are in need of a history lesson. 2006- Independence's first class of seniors had to suffer the loss of their friend & teammate Tommy, Independence entered the 06' season with two big wins against Page, Hillwood, and Centennial before the Franklin game. Franklin was the powerhouse team that they have always been "called", they entered IHS with a flawless record of 4-0 (starting to sound familiar?), Franklin was the favored team, that nobody could possibly imagine being stopped. Independence banded together and beat the unbeatable, reducing their record to 4-1 2007- IHS went into 07' after losing their head coach, and feeling betrayed about the whole experience, this loss was followed by Independence going to Franklin and receiving an absolute spanking. But once again Indy circled the wagons, and pulled it together. After taking down Ravenwood & Brentwood, Coach Uebanks said it best, "the one game we really wish we could have back would be Franklin". Coach Uebanks and the rest of the team got their wish. Coach Uebanks out-schemed Clayton & Webb, by using his players in new and interesting methods (Pettigrew & Consiglio as D-Tackles). Indy played as a team, and sent Franklin Home. 2008- Independence has suffered the loss of alot of players in key positions, IHS followed those losses with an unexpected loss to CHS, and even though Indy has proven resolve...once again everyone is counting us out against Franklin And now we are on the doorstep of 08's showdown, And everyone (including Indy's every own) has forgotten what IHS stands for. Indy plays as a team, we dont even elect "team captains we march out on that field as a team, and we do not start pointing the finger when life gets a little rough (remember that EagleSRdad07) Playing Independence means you have to put up with gold & white fans packing the house, and for Franklin it seems to mean leaving the stadium hearing chants of "WE BEAT FRANKLIN"....Franklin has never beat Indy at Independence High School