marlow50

This game has been 15 years in the making. There are so many story lines I could type 20 pages worth of them...so I do not think it will be a blowout. From what I hear CC is fairly one dimensional on offense...which will hurt them against a well coached AC defense. It will NOT be a blowout though. I think AC wins it by around 17 points. This WILL be the largest crowd ever at L. Hope Dossett Stadium though in my opinion. CC's coaching staff has done a superb job over this decade getting the program to a level of respectibility. This will be a great game and a great gate...rivalries are good for everyone. I hope it can continually be a competitive one because iron sharpens iron. Best of luck to both teams and I pray everyone remains healthy in this one.

Samples does not have any head coaching experience. Terry would be great choice. I think the admin. made it clear they do not want a young coach. So the Prices will get passed again. Good luck to Lambert and AC.

Has York hired a coach yet?

I think he has worked plenty hard since his school days. The product on the field speaks for itself I think...heck look at the AC defenses while he was there and then the Oneida record last two years. I just don't like for people to be judged as he is...I can see what you are saying to a degree, but I think you are going a little overboard with it.

I certainly know that coach Burchfield is an Oneida person. I wasn't sure that it was him they were referring to earlier in the thread. They do indeed have solid people there, and being OHS alumni certainly helps...Oneida will be Oneida, they don't have a whole lot to worry about. It is a great place with good facilities, tradition, and support...they will be fine, and should attract many suiters.

Thanks for the info. How would the coaches react to an outsider...is their loyalty to Oneida or to Coach Lambert. I can see that is going to be hard to wear shoes similar to his at OHS...much less fill them.

How can you judge a man's character from some decision made 20+ years ago? Lots of people learn from decisions made in the past...if it was a mistake, then he learned from it and bacame a good coach. However, someone said it was because he learned he was going to be a father...changes one's whole life. Lambert will do well at AC...and your concern seems to be just the opposite of reality...kids play inspired football for him, he seems to be a great motivator.

It seems they are very hostile toward "outsiders" at Oneida. They may get a great coach from outside the program as well as inside...The Indians will likely be successful regardless of who the hire is. It is a great program, and Lambert certainly left it in better shape than he found it. Is Burchfield the same coach that has been at OHS for quite some time?

What does York return, how is the rising talent from the feeder programs, how are the underclassmen, and what type of numbers will they have? thank you, -interested observer

Coach lambert will do a fine job. He has a great way of dealing with players and will be a fresh breath for AC. Congrats and good luck to coach and AC.

A dig rout is ok, but in an offense that throws as little as you all say Halls does then it is very dangerous. Slant/Wheel is a much higher percentage throw...especially when combined with slant and outs to get the corner sitting on the out route...the out goes up...and uh oh...CB getting yelled at for giving up a ton of yardage...we love the slant combined with the wheel when used at the right time. Dig is good over top of a drag...that way the windows are open, and can stay open because the LB's are held in place by the shallow crosser in front of them...the dig is deadly vs. man...because the WR continues to run vs. man, all the way across the field if needed.

If you don't know if it is true you shouldn't be on here slandering people...You sir are what is bad about sports...you can hide behind things like, "I don't know if it's true...BUT". Come on. I have been friends with these men since we were in kindergarten; I know them as well if not better than anyone. I will not discuss their personal lives other than to say that what you have irresponsibly posted on a PUBLIC forum is a blatant lie. I can say, with confidence, that they do not party, nor even drink for that matter. You should be banned from this forum for such malicious slander. You have no class to post such a thing without firsthand knowledge or proof of said allegation. Again, if I had a daughter I would want her to marry one of them because they are class people with solid morals and a strong work-ethic. Am I saying they are perfect...no, but they are sure much closer than I am...and they choose to live the straight and narrow every day...it is sad that people like you get on a message board and hide behind an alias and slander people like them.

I wouldn't doubt it at all. At this point in the Spring the process has to be a little more rapid than normal. The time window is pretty narrow. I think by mid...no later than the end of April a decision should be made...IF Lambert doesn't take the job. It appears he is indeed the first option.

Gotcha!

You are right to a degree...but in their case the coach bailed on them. That was the main issue...and the uncertainty that goes along with an unstable program such as that one was at that time.

I am not sure where your information comes from but Samples has no HC experience. He is a good guy but has only been a position coach his whole career. If a position coach can assemble a good staff when/if he gets a HC job he could compensate for his lack of gameplanning and coordinating experience. It is just irregular to hire below the coordinator from within a staff.

There were only two people that approached this board in a manner that was... Less than civil. I made it clear that Lambert had the inside track, nor did I critcize him. I am an assistant coach in KY, and if our head coach resigned or retired I would consider it a slap in the face for someone not on staff to be hired. Now at a program that is struggling/going in the wrong direction it is expected that a new coach and staff will be brought in, but a succesful program usually sees a coordinator promoted to the top spot. Anybody besides Lambert will be an insult to this staff which IS responsible for the turnaround after the 4 - 6 year.

The major difference is this. Fulmer was forced out...Kerr was not. Tennessee had a very poor season last year...AC did not. The staff that was in place at UT was accountable for the poor season...the staff at AC has two seasons where they were on the verge of big things to their credit. Usually when a program has a head coach retire or resign that is in a stable/successful state the next HC comes from the existing staff. When a program is in trouble the whole program gets an enima and begins rebuilding with an outside coach. Those are of course broad generalizations, but they certainly apply to AC's particular situation.

Every experience I have had with GT has been a good one. He is a class act, and did a great job in the Border Bowl two years ago. His eyes may be on the AD job if AC's AD does indeed retire. Tough for them to lose such class people to retirement, but it is also exciting to be able to continue to build on what they have established. GT would certainly be a good CEO/face of the program type guy...if named the new HC. The three talked about so far...Justin Price, Tony Lambert, and Gary Terry would all be great fits for AC because of their deep connections to the program. It just seems like it would be a hard sell to get people to embrace an "outsider" as the new head coach...especially when there are so many HIGHLY QUALIFIED candidates right in the "Larry Kerr coaching family". He has developed one heck of a coaching tree. The current staff has many options, and obviously there are many that were coaches or players at AC that are elsewhere. Again...I am a fan of loyalty and it is obvious that there are people on staff that would like to spend their whole careers at AC. I hope the administration goes in the direction best for the future of AC...and hires someone connected to the program.

Once again my OPINION is that Lambert has deeper roots than before. I thought his son was a jr. My mistake. I have no personal interest In this but I think justin is the best fit if lambert does not take the job. As I said outside of the prices being my friends they really are good people and football coaches. And NOBODY can deny that!

Alright, here we go. As we get personal I guess I must explain. Everybody always seems to think people have hidden agendas when they offer heart-felt opinion. I am simply a fan of theirs because I know I would want my children...if I had any...to play for them. Aside from good football coaches they are sincerely good people. I think the job is Lambert's if he wants it as well, but the difference is, this time around his family is older and his Oneida roots are a little deeper. He has a son in high school and two other children in the system, if I am not mistaken. I had no idea about Samples having that job...throws a little more information my way. How successful was he there? Why did he leave? Once again I will say I am a person that is about loyalty. I loved the Fulmer years. I see a football program as a body of work, not what have you done for me lately. That is another personal plus for JP...being an AC person that wants to be at AC. Now for the family issue. That is all about AAU basketball, some kids from AC play for them, and since you know so much about my family you are well aware of my situation in KY...our roots here are planted pretty deeply, much like Lambert at Oneida. That is also another perspective I have; I simply could not turn away from what we have here to coach football at AC...much like Lambert again. The main difference is that he would have a managable commute. What would that do to his children left back at Oneida? The community may not be too happy to lose a coach that has made OHS a competitor for state titles again, to a "better deal" at AC.

I am certainly a friend, but I also said Tony was the best option...he is simply in a great situation up in Oneida, thus, I don't think he'd leave. I live in KY...no chance I'd coach in TN...sorry to "burst your bubble" on that one. I sincerely think that would be the best move for AC this late in the game. A head coaching search this late in the year is tough. I personally prefer loyalty as well. AC would benefit from having a successful alumni lead their program. I wasn't knocking anyone either, but from my own coaching experience, I realize that a position coach...which I am, is not ready for the jump to HC. A coordinator is MORE able to make the transition...that is a fact. Oh and I'd guess Boxers! Come on man that is off the wall.

Kerr should be congratulated and thanked for the many years of molding young men...his record speaks for itself. He is a good man, and was a good coach. The TN football scene will not be the same without him. You will be missed coach. How could Samples be ahead of Justin Price? JP is a VERY knowledgable coach. He is an AC guy, and when...not to mention names...Scott Co. coach...turned Kerr down multiple times for the OC job JP was happy to take it. In fact, it was his dream job second to becoming the HC. He graduated from AC...it was the only place he ever talked about wanting to coach coming out of college. Justin is also a model young man...Church on Sundays, good worker etc. I could not imagine having a better role model for young players than he is, when so many people his age are into the party scene. Justin would spend his whole career at AC if given the chance. Samples is currently coaching below JP, how could he stay on staff if jumped by an assistant...my instincts tell me he would leave if Samples got the job. I know loyalty seems to be worth very little these days...ala Fulmer firing. But, Justin is a Mav for life if hired as the HC. I see Samples as another coach out there looking for a "better deal". Where is his loyalty? Could he be a long term coach...I doubt that. If AC is looking for stability and professionalism one could not favor an outsider over an AC grad when the AC grad has so much ability and promise. Samples has very little experience...he coaches a position...thus he does not face the problems and decisions that go along with game planning, program planning that a coordinator does. That is why people in coaching RARELY make the jump from position coach to Head Coach...just doesn't lend the "Quality Experience" needed to become a HC. Being a coordinator certainly prepares one to be a HC, since the responsibility is so similar. Lambert would be a good hire, but a young coach such as Justin could continue the improvement that was apparent when he and Matt came on board...look at the turnaround they made. 5-5, 4-6, Prices hired and they go 8-4 twice I think...with a heartbreaking loss to the eventual state champs last year, and a loss to state champ Fulton the year before. Also Lambert has children in Oneida...his family is from there...that would be a tough move for him. AC would benefit from hiring a guy that the kids can relate to/respect. The numbers would likely improve, and there is no doubt they would assemble a solid staff. If AC loses either of the Prices they are losing their future I think...Matt and Justin are the face of the Program now, and they should embrace Justin as the new HC.

I think AC has improved quite a bit since this game. The Fulton Offense was clicking in a way they haven't since. AC should put up some points, but the big question mark is if the defense can show up. IF they do they have a great shot to win the game...if they do not they may give up 30+ to a talented Fulton offense. IF AC pressures the QB Fulton will have a tough time like they did against Catholic...if they do not he will pick them apart...the game hinges upon the play of the front 7 and how often they can get in the face of the QB.

How do these work? Do the teams with winning records that do not make the playoffs play these games? Who decides when/where etc?