topper79

Yes he did coach at ETSU and in my opinion did a remarkable job in keeping a team together and playing hard when they knew that the end of the program was coming. I agree. He's a good man as well as a good coach. I hope more kids in TN can learn about him as his program. have any linemen you know follow us @ our OL/DL blog @ http://unapproved website No but I will be sure to get the word out. Thanks

Yes he did coach at ETSU and in my opinion did a remarkable job in keeping a team together and playing hard when they knew that the end of the program was coming.

Brevard College is in Bevard NC Division II South Atlantic Conference (same as Carson Newman) 2009 record 7-4 Head Coach is Paul Hamilton

Joel Shrum 6'3" 285 OL Science Hill Brevard College

I can not remember his first name but his last name was Fox if I remember correctly.

Agreed. I saw one of the Toppers is going somewhere too. I didn't know if anyone from there would go but it is great to see some life in that aspect of the program too. I was hoping we would hear about something from Sumo from Crockett but nothing so far. Surely Sumo will go somewhere! He is a heck of a running back! I heard Janeway from Science Hill was going to an ivy league school and play ball. But, I haven't seen his dad to confirm that. I heard Greyson Janeway was going to sign with Centre College today and Joel Shrum will sign with Brevard College today as well.

But both of those players for instance, if they did want to get into coaching, would have a leg up on everyone because they could use contacts at the professional and college level to get into coaching. They wouldn't need to go down to the HS level if they had to. Teddy Gaines is on the coaching staff at Brevard College I believe.

You mean a draw play? Steve Spurrier's whole offense basically revolved around that concept when he was at Florida. He'd run the lead draw if the LBs and S were dropping off or he'd fake the lead draw and throw if they were coming up hard to stop it. Either way, the OL would just set up for pass protection to while the back would find the hole. Lots of teams block their draws like that. I don't see what's so shocking or unrealistic about this idea... No I mean a sweep or a direct hand off, if you saw it you would say as many have over the years that it is a mix up on the scheme. Most of the time they would be lined up with a single back and there was no fake, no read by the QB, just a direct hand off or pitch. If they were running a draw type play I would not question the blocking scheme. You mean an option play, like a zone read? That's WHY you run options: to run the ball without having to block 1 or 2 guys! Again, this is not an earth shattering concept... No option about it, again a direct hand off to either side or a sweep, if it was backside being unblocked a many times they could disrupt the play before it developed. (I kept waiting for a trap block to occur but it did not) Other times it was a called play to the side where the unblocked players were. There was no option in the offense so again no reads or option to read, the RB had the ball and it was up to him to get out of it. http://smartfootball.com/run-game/orego ... e#more-745 http://smartfootball.com/defending-spre ... eer-option http://smartfootball.com/run-game/the-z ... on#more-85 http://sky.prohosting.com/cbbrown/2005/ ... -read.html The offense was "practical." Smith proved that at Franklin, and he proved it when coaches from all around this part of the U.S. were hitting him up for information on the cool new ideas he was SUCCESSFULLY running there. Whatever Smith's downfall was at SH, it was not Xs and Os. Matter of opinion but I respect your comments. Now, the execution of it was bad, though. For whatever reason, their kids just were not prepared to play football. I think the results would've been the same in any system with fundamentals as bad as what SH has shown over the past few years. If your players don't know where to go, what to do, or even how to do it, then your team is going to struggle. That's usually the result of bad position coaching, but the head coach is ultimately the one who should be held accountable for everything, good or bad. Agree This is true, and I'll stop here. I don't know Smith personally. I wasn't at practices. I didn't watch every SH game. I don't know every detail of what was going on behind closed doors. All I'm saying is that people are looking at Smith like the guy was a clueless moron who had no clue what he was doing. That's just not right. You don't win championships or get invited to speak at coaching clnics across the southeast by being an idiot. I can't vouch for his personality or what really went down at SH, but a lot of stuff here makes me think he might have been the victim of broken promises and backstabbing assistants as well as his own hubris. I'm sure that SH promised him the world when they brought him in, but it sounds like, for whatever reason, he wasn't given the authority or resources to rebuild the program the way he wanted it once he got there. That happens to HS coaches all the time. I know plenty of coaches in other states who've lived through that firsthand, and it has nothing to do with talent, players, or the abilities of the head coach. But either way, what's done is done. I wish Smith well wherever he goes just as I wish the future coach of SH, whoever he is, a lot of success. Agree. Thanks for your comments

The OL coach was not a hold over but he was hired by Coach Smith and as far as questioning things in practice it is his job. Since you have coaching aspirations maybe you can tell us all how running plays can work when the blocking scheme calls for pocket protection? Maybe you can tell us all how ANY play can work when your play allows for one or sometime two players to go UNBLOCKED even when the players are pleading their case. All anyone had to do was sit in the stands for three years and you could see that the offense he had running around in his mind was not practical. The confusion that was evident for three years on offense leads to the frustration that must have boiled over. Bottom line is that unless you lived it day after day for three years then you can't really appreciate what the coaches and players had to deal with. Whats done is done and there is no use in rehashing everything but in the end the best decision was made. I look forward to seeing who the next coach will be and will continue to support the Toppers in any way I can.

They are building a new stadium and have put together a fund raising committee to raise funds for a new field house. Coach Turner was at the last SH home game to watch a couple of SH players that are being recruited by CN and there was a lot of talk in the stands about him being the next coach. Rumors are all we will hear and at this point there is no official word that SS has been let go... Best of luck to Greenville this week-end!

Paul Overbay should receive consideration IMO (if there is a change) but I doubt he will as the grass is always greener...or it APPEARS to be. Happy Thanksgiving and good luck to Elizabethton and Sullivan South!

Yes I do have a son that played the last three season's and I have been supportive through the years as it does no one any good to talk about it during the season. I always told my son when he would come home frustrated about one thing or another that it is easy to be a leader during the good times but a true leader will continue to do his/her best when things are not going well. He has mentioned the younger classes quite a bit on tricitiessports.com and his interview after the Central game he stated that the 8th and 9th grade classes are loaded with talent. Basically he said that next year they will not be too good but the year after they will be "tough...Tough". I have attended games this year for each grade and I in no way downplay the talent we have in the program and congratulate each of the teams for the fine season. Overall it is the direction the program has taken that is most troublesome to me. Too many delay of game penalties because we can not get the play in on time, watching players searching their arm bands for the play and the ball being snapped and other things that come from the top. After three years I do not see a positive direction in the football program and I have been a season ticket holder back to the time that Bob May was the head coach so I have witnessed the good and bad through the years. Good Luck to your son and I will be there to support the Toppers no matter who is coaching the team.

Fluff. I hope for your sons sake there is a new head coach as he starts high school. At the risk of sounding like an old timer I would like to add that I had respect and a certain amount of fear of my head coach. He got more out of us than our talent should have allowed. Today I realize how much he taught me about life, not just football, but life and I am glad that I was able to tell him that before he passed away but it took me years to realize what he did for me. So like and love at this age should be replaced by respect and a certain amount of fear IMO. Before you all drink anymore of the Kool Aid that he is dishing out about the 8th and 9th grade talent level and his excuse being that he did not have the talent this year..... remember this years seniors had the same success as your teams did, they got derailed by a lack of coaching and discipline at the top. Good luck to your son and all the upcoming Toppers, work hard every day because the day you take off is the day your opponent gets a day ahead of you..... Are you referencing Coach Snake Evans? We played hard for 2 reasons: 1) for pride and the tradition (bring back the gold helmets and the true colors) that everyone knew about and 2) a respectful fear of the man on Monday. I didn't always like him, but I respected him, feared him and in the long haul loved him for what he made us into. I played one year for Coach Evans in football then Tommy Hundley who was also the type of Coach that understood the pride of being a Hilltopper. My benefit was that Coach Evans was still the track coach after he stopped coaching football so his mentoring continued. Under these men you gave your all and they played the best players at all times, if you were called on to play both ways (which most did) then it was EXPECTED that you would be in shape to do that. This does not happen under the current coach as he allows excuses and not only allows them but makes them. Why come out in the paper talking about all the talent that is years away? A good coach develops what they have and in high school you can be a great passing team for a few years, then maybe a running team for a few years, then a balanced attack but bottom line you use the talent you have. 30 to 40 years from now I dare say there will be few if any former Hilltoppers talking about the life lessons SS taught them or how he worked to bring out the best in them.

Fluff. I hope for your sons sake there is a new head coach as he starts high school. At the risk of sounding like an old timer I would like to add that I had respect and a certain amount of fear of my head coach. He got more out of us than our talent should have allowed. Today I realize how much he taught me about life, not just football, but life and I am glad that I was able to tell him that before he passed away but it took me years to realize what he did for me. So like and love at this age should be replaced by respect and a certain amount of fear IMO. Before you all drink anymore of the Kool Aid that he is dishing out about the 8th and 9th grade talent level and his excuse being that he did not have the talent this year..... remember this years seniors had the same success as your teams did, they got derailed by a lack of coaching and discipline at the top. Good luck to your son and all the upcoming Toppers, work hard every day because the day you take off is the day your opponent gets a day ahead of you.....

Well if I was Coach Smith I'd make sure the Banquet was sometime around....August. Banquet is tonight

have not heard if anything special is going on other than senior night . but will post if i find out anything. but i agree retire her in style I have not heard of anything special being planned for Friday night but as a former Topper and having two son's who have played for the Toppers at Memorial Stadium I agree something should be done for the final game. There is a great print that is for sale of the stadium which I would hope many former Toppers will buy now that we know the stadium will soon be a memory. This years team has had to fight through many issues but now is the time to dig deep and play up to the ability they have. Go Toppers!

Have not heard of anything either but it would not be surprising to see something different added as SH does seem to try different formations and plays quite often and like most everything else some work, some don't. Looking forward to a good game Friday. I love the crowds and atmosphere compared to what we had to deal with playing in the Big East. Go Toppers

The game I watched Friday night the DC D Ends had very little sucess against SH but the nose guard (#74 if I remember correctly) had his way up the middle. Adjustments were made to help out with #74 and DC had no answer for the Toppers after that adjustment was made. You were not "cheated" out of anything as SH has nothing to do with the refs, same as any other school so quit whining and get ready to play this week. Do you know if the picture in the Press was his first foot down or his second? I would need to see the film for sure but remember the Press probably sold alot more papers because they used that picture. (but again I don't know for sure nor do you unless you have watched the film and it's doubtful that it captured the line clear enough to tell) Are you trying to be funny with your spelling like starsandbars? You honestly believe the Press sold more copies because of that picture? The kid who caught the ball in the endzone only put one foot down and that was the foot shown in the picture. I'm tired of talking/hearing about it. It's done. Crockett lost. Now on to this week's game. I expect it to be another close game. The Hill only took one shot down the field against Crockett. They had long drives....short passes all the way down the field with a mix of a few runs. The more plays it takes to get down the field equals a better chance at turning the ball over. I expect an opportunistic Boone D to be the difference in this game. If Boone makes some plays they win. If the Hill protects the ball they win. Its just like every game, it comes down to tackling and turnovers. Give the guy a break on his spelling. He is a Crockett fan you know. I am not sure of either but the buzz happened quick and everyone started talking about the picture, saying "go buy a copy or look online". There are some pictures on either tricitiessports or the sciencehillsports websites that were not as clear on the feet but the series of photos suggested that there may be more to it then the JCPress showed as it shows a series of shots on the play. I agree it's over and unfortunate that the is so much talk about one play in a game that was hard fought. Crockett has much to look forward to for the rest of the season if they continue to play hard and I wish them luck.

The game I watched Friday night the DC D Ends had very little sucess against SH but the nose guard (#74 if I remember correctly) had his way up the middle. Adjustments were made to help out with #74 and DC had no answer for the Toppers after that adjustment was made. You were not "cheated" out of anything as SH has nothing to do with the refs, same as any other school so quit whining and get ready to play this week. Do you know if the picture in the Press was his first foot down or his second? I would need to see the film for sure but remember the Press probably sold alot more papers because they used that picture. (but again I don't know for sure nor do you unless you have watched the film and it's doubtful that it captured the line clear enough to tell) Are you trying to be funny with your spelling like starsandbars?

IMO on offense we kill momentum by changing plays at the last minute too many times, the defensive coaches we face can not be that good as to set up in the correct D that SH has to check off so many times. The defense has yet to adjust to teams running the ball right at us. An undersized line is good for quickness but not so good when the game is geared towards physical, up the gut running which is what SH is getting a heavy dose of. Why not try a 4 or 5 man front just to see if it will make a difference? If not they can always revert back. There is a lot of size on the team and quite frankly I think the linebackers would be even better if they did not have to fight off so many O linemen. The kids continue to play hard and don't quit so while discussions can happen on the X' and O's credit has to be given to the players for their never give up attitude. (which is part of coaching as well) Good Luck to the Toppers this week!

Friday will be a real surprise for you if you think that SH is not a physical football team. Go Toppers....

The JC Press said it was the early 80's when they last played each other as conference foes......but then they said they really did not know for sure. I guess the answer to this question is "late 70's to early 80's.....they think" Looking forward to Friday night, Go Toppers!

SH and DC were still playing each other in the early 80's but I don't know when the change in conference happened so the true answer is still unknown. Who wins this game? I pick SH but unless the defense steps it up against the run it will be another shoot out so IMO the Toppers should get the ball first if they win the toss. Coach Overbay will have had two weeks to prepare for the run attack so I look forward to seeing what happens there. (if they come out with the same plan as they had at TH then it could be a LONG night.) Go Toppers!

The Toppers have solid players in many key positions but also have some young players in key positions. Defensively they will attack you on every play but sometimes being agressive leads to a big play or two but they always seemed to rebound. The defense comes with a game plan and adjusts to what is needed as the game progresses. Offensively they have some good players but a few have struggled so far this season but they don't give up. IMO they try to change too many plays at the line of scrimmage which adds to the struggles, Plays are changed many times even if the D has not but again the coaches know what play has been called not the fans. (but I still don't think every team we face is setting up the correct defense as many times as we check off) All in all I say if they play as well as they can SH will win this game but I don't look for a blow out from either team regardless of who wins. SH 17-13

Science Hill plays more like a team than they have the last two years. No one is waiting for the "star" to make a big play rather they are all working hard to do their part. The defense is young but as they showed Friday night they will never quit and the coaches do a good job in making adjustments. The offense looks good at times and not so good at other times but when they put it all together they will be hard to beat. This is Elizabethton which is always a close hard fought game so I will predict SH 20 Elizabethton 17.