BTaylorMom

 Hi boys! Little update on BTaylor... It was a lonely afternoon on the Emory & Henry campus. The colorful turf at Fred Selfe Stadium was covered in a chilled blanket of snow. The students were away on holiday break and only a handful people were inside the King Center. As usual, Don Montgomery was hard at work in his cozy office with a notepad and telephone. Over the past few weeks, the E&H football coach has taken a comprehensive examination of his program. With the help of a small but loyal crew of assistant coaches, the ambitious Montgomery is determined to restore the glory of a storied program which once ruled the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. E&H fans had visions of a championship after the Wasps began the 2010 season with four straight victories against non-conference foes. Thanks in part to injuries and defensive breakdowns, E&H experienced five consecutive ODAC losses before closing the season in style with a 27-3 win against conference rival Guilford. Since replacing Lou Wacker as the E&H boss in 2005, Montgomery has led the Wasps to three winning seasons. But there has been some grumbling among E&H fans and alumni who feel the Wasps should be contending for the playoffs instead of posting .500 records. “If they think they are impatient, then they should spend a couple days at my house,†said Montgomery, referring to his detractors. “If I could just snap my fingers and help our team win a conference championship, I would do it. I want that in the worst way.†Selling job On the Monday after Thanksgiving, the E&H coaches began the grueling task of recruiting. Along with canvassing Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, Montgomery and company have mined fertile areas such as Atlanta, Knoxville, Jacksonville, Fla., Columbia, S.C., and northern Virginia. “By December 18, we probably had visited 500 schools,†Montgomery said. For major college football coaches and fans, the first Wednesday in February is vital. Boosted by the glare of ESPN cameras, National Signing Day has become a phenomenon where dreams are realized. Meanwhile, the recruiting process in the non-scholarship world of Division III requires a mix of salesmanship and perseverance. Some athletes prefer the focus on academics in Division III, while others are simply eager for the opportunity to play. “In Division III, I don’t think you can specify exactly what you are looking for,†Montgomery said. “We’re looking to recruit any athlete that catches our attention and has good grades.†The Wasps must replace three receivers, plus add depth in the secondary and line corps. Of course, the biggest loss is at running back where E&H must somehow compensate for the graduation of record-setting folk hero Caleb Jennings. The Wasps never recovered this season after Jennings suffered an ankle injury in the sixth game at Washington & Lee. The loss of Jennings was compounded when reserve tailbacks William Pearl, Adam Pugh and Marquis Young suffered injuries. With the dynamic Jennings on the sidelines, the Wasps were forced to improvise on offense. “Caleb is gone. But I’m not going to sit around and say that we can’t win football games because of that,†Montgomery said. “We’ve got to find another way to feel comfortable with somebody else running the ball.†Jennings displayed his elusive moves and quickness in a recent small college all-star game held in Minnesota. “I don’t think Caleb’s ankle was 100 percent, but he still had two really good punt returns,†Montgomery said. “Caleb has been in Minnesota training since that game, and we’re hoping to get him in tryout camps in Virginia Tech and Tennessee.†Retooling The ODAC has increasingly become a pass-happy league, where the offensive emphasis is on timing and precision instead of brawn. Montgomery hinted that the E&H offense will have a more up-tempo look for 2011. “It’s going to be adjusted in a way that will reflect a little bit of spark to our kids,†Montgomery said. “I’m not at liberty to tell you what we are going to do, but the changes will be pretty noticeable beginning this spring. Maybe we haven’t been exciting enough.†The emergence of quarterback Dustin Beck was one of the highlights for the Wasps in 2010. After serving as an apprentice during his first two seasons at E&H, the steady Beck passed for 1,753 yards and 10 scores while completing 62 percent of his throws. “The season was good from an individual standpoint, but that isn’t what football is about,†said Beck, who earned honorable mention All-ODAC honors. “I’ll never be a person to make excuses nor allow a teammate to make any, but we had a lot of adversity to overcome. We progressed and became better as a whole.†Beck said the Wasps are eager to build off the season-ending 27-3 victory over Guilford, which featured a command performance from Jennings. “We will prepare for this season with a chip on our shoulder. The weight room is top priority until spring practice,†Beck said. Offensive line and strength coach John Bear has left the program, but Montgomery said the remainder of the coaching staff will return intact next season. The E&H strength and speed programs will be revamped. “What we’re doing on offense, defense and special teams is being heavily analyzed,†Montgomery said. “Whenever you are not as successful as you’d like to be, then you go back and see what adjustments need to be made.†Big picture E&H fans have reason to be optimistic for next season. Linebacker Shane Wicks, who led the Wasps with 100 tackles two years ago, has decided to transfer back to E&H after playing at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise this past season. Also returning will be first-team All-ODAC defensive back Daniel Woods along with second-team All-ODAC picks Daniel Preston (defensive end), Matt Turchin (kicker) and T.J. Frazier (punter). E&H should also benefit from a junior varsity team that did not lose a game in 2010. Former Sullivan South standout Bobby Taylor, a 5-foot-7 strongman with quickness, was the star of the JV team as a freshman. The good news also extends to the classroom, where Montgomery said nearly 60 percent of his players have recorded grade-point averages of 3.0 or better. Montgomery has maintained his busy schedule despite recently tearing his quadriceps tendon in a fall at his home. A surgical procedure left Montgomery with 100 stitches and 12 screws in his left leg. Montgomery was unable to attend the Dec. 18 NCAA Division III national championship game between Mount Union and Wisconsin-Whitewater in Salem, Va. “The accident happened a week before the Mount Union game, and that pretty much took my vacation,†said Montgomery, who served as an assistant coach at Mount Union for 27 years. As the recruiting process continues, Montgomery said he embraces the challenge of steering the E&H program back to championship contention. “Whenever you are not as successful as you’d like to be, you go back to your plan and see what adjustments need to be made,†Montgomery said. “All I know is that I work for a great school that has a great alumni base. “We haven’t failed on effort and we haven’t failed on knowledge. We just need a little pat on the back from Dr. Luck to help get our confidence and swagger back.† agregory@bristolnews.com | Twitter: @Greg_BHCSports | (276) 645-2544. Â

If each of you could please attend my yoga class Thursday at 11:00, I think I can include some exorcism and you will be relieved of this gibberish talk. Some namaste and a shot of shine is in need here. Plus, everyone could find out who Waco baby is- he never misses my yoga class. Love, Mom with the Om

I'll have to let the proud papa answer that in appropriate coach T football stats...he's doing great, lots of JV play time and the yellow and blue really compliment his eyes. The yellow pants tend to make his butt look big, but he doesn't seem concerned. My football updates come out in narrative form, so Pops of # 22- I default to you on this...

Great teachers and supportive community of KCS and South we give gratitude to. BT got the best people from both that believed in him. What a blessing!

...who wants to break it to him that living your life on Facebook or CoachT does not make you a Master of Social Work?

The FAKE one he's attending is expensive enough. I'm sure your college gave you a REAL deal as an ESL major on a SPED scholarship. Should we break it to him yet that University of Phoenix is online and only a place in his head? No wonder he was such a big star on their football team... It was Madden games on his PS.

[quote name='werdb2' timestamp= compusatman, on 04 October 2010 - 04:35 PM, said: What's up Otis? Did you play ball in high school? College? Sure did BOTH,got Proof to. Did you skip grammar school ?

Now Jack! Quit messin with these folks and move on to friends your own size that understand and love your disability. People are beginning to speak of sports and all types of athleticky topics on the other threads! Move along before they get to football or something out of our control. Catch an OM breathe and find your zen, my pooky-bear! Remember your blood pressure and all...

After Tai Chi class last week, Waco and I were sharing a hookah and discussing this very topic. We determined that there may be some overthinking involved and the answer is to simplify. Instead of a numerical and letter system, we came up with a two leveled category that would be easier to follow. See below for details. We are still in the hammering out process so your input would be heard but probably not considered (if you know how me or Waco work). 2011 Northeast Tennesseee Conference Alignment: I. Big Dogs 2. Dogs Under the Porch Basic Defining Categories: * If your team has won any sort of championship that is archived on a stone wall - you may start out as a Big Dog *If you have over 5 fans that you can dress up and drag to the game (under influence or duress is acceptable)- you may start out as a Big Dog *If you have a winning coach that you clearly stole from another team in the area-you must start out under the porch for 3 years *If you have a losing coach and gift him to another team- you get 3 years of immunity as a Big Dog *If your team has multicolored players, fans, coaches, or concession workers- you qualify as a Big Dog *If your team does not have at least one farm boy on the team - you are Under the Porch *If you have a fancy new stadium but no team to show for it- you must stay Under the Porch In the obviously fair system, TSSAA will only allow Waco and myself to add, delete, or change any rules. Big Dogs will play Big Dogs and Under the Porchers will play Under the Porch until they can play with the Big Dogs. Status can only be determined my me & Waco and we can only do that when we are not busy and somewhat sober. Do not tell us when that occurs, we will tell you. You are, again, welcome to make suggestions for us to consider but do so only at your own risk. Anything you say or do can and problably will be used for your own personal public humility or our own entertainment. These rules do not apply in Yoganda, Maui, Darmstadt, or Tallahassee.

Most importantly, will Waco host the after-game party again? Let's get the fun established first. OM!

Just grabbed my rebel yoga shirt - forgot it says Judo Jaw on the back - laughed very hard -good times!! Go Rebs!! Karma is real...

Bobby Taylor from Sullivan south- Emory & Henry in VA Great school and good fit for him- it is important to fit the college to the kid too