Wildmanfan

Will the coaches agree to run the clock the seconfd half? Will the DARKSIDE defense have another shutout? I hope so. On offense I would also like to see a 50/50 run and pass game. Oak Ridge needs to build some confidence in the receiving corps. There are some receivers who run very good routes and in my opnion a little confidence in their abilities would go a long ways. I have watched them in practice and pregame and they CAN catch teh ball. Oak Ridge needs a dependable passing game to win the big one. Wouldnt it be great if every kid on the team lettered. I really hope Coach Stevens doesnt concern himself too much with running up the score and does what he has to do to put them in a position to finally take OR to the championship. I think he will I hope it is a safe game and no one on either side gets injured.

Stanton played everyone. I thought I saw cheerleaders and booster club moms on the field in the third and fourth quarter. Just kidding that would not be fair to the kids that played . On most teams the third and fourth team wouldnt see the field on Fridays but they did last night and not only did they play but finished off a dejected Clinton team by simply playing to the best of their ability. Like the guy said earlier the score could have easily been 100 points. We will see how Oak Ridge does aganist a good team in a couple weeks Roll Cats Roll

The Oak Ridge offense did their job and did it well. But the Defense showed they are worthy of their own name in the tradition of great defenses. Welcome to the DARK SIDE DEFENSE

Oak Ridge has talent speed and size. They have a very good coach. Timing and execution was the difference aganist Maryville thats all. When it came to timing and execution Maryville did those things better than Oak Ridge. I do not make excusses for Oak Ridge when they get beat. If scrimmages were a winning or loosing affair seems to me the scoreboard would have been on. The only way to loose a scrimmage is not to learn and work on the things you did poorly.l Timing and execution is going to come together on its own with time. I cant imagine what is going to be said when we travel to Kingsport in week three if we happen to get beat. Personally of course I want to see the kids win that game, nothing would please me more than for them to go undefeated. ( which could easily happen) But if we do loose I will not be discourged as long as the team gets better each week. By the time we get into the meat of our REGION schedule we will be hitting on all cylinders. You can quote me on that. The region championship first then the playoffs is the road to the championship. We will not know if we are poised for a championship run until week 7. If the cowboys, SD or the owls spank us then and only then will it be time to start worrying about the system, coach, or players. Just my humble opnion

One thing that was different about the format that may have been tough for a running team to score was that after a team made it inside the 20 yard line both teams only had one play to score then the officals would turn them around and head back the other way. Scrimmage games are for finding the positives and looking for areas that need work. The game was a success for both teams in that reguard.

With all due respect my fellow Oak Ridger the region may come down to the final game but Faragut will not be there It will be the Owls and/or Trojans if any one. I probably would not be this hard on faragut had they (not all but most) not talked so much after our regular season game. And all he talk before the playoff game. P.S. when I say they and them I am not in anyway talking about the players or coaches. I am talking about some of the crazy fans including me that use this message board.

They are destined for 4th in the region and a first round trip to Kingsport.

Maryville looked very good. They are a well coached program with some very good talent. They looked sharp. They played a lot of players and showed some depth. Execution and timing was the difference in the scrimmage. New offense, new defense, new coach. I am not hitting the button. Tank made a very good point about Oak Ridges schedule. And anyone underestimating the secondary should be ashamed lol. The whole secondary scheme has changed. Their assingments and responsibilities are totally different than last year. The scheme they ran last year was the same they had been running since the seventh grade. With exception to Bingham the guys that play back there have been starting there together since the seventh grade. Although Coffee was the only one that started varsity their sophmore year. So go ahead and underestimate them. Once the thinking ends and the reactions begin they will live up to every word of praise they have been given. Thats a promise from the good hands people. Parris was nursing a very very sore hip and the starting secondary was not in the game at the same time very much at all. As long as there is improvment week to week The Cats will be peaking at exactly the right time.

There ya go I love facts instead of rumors. Thank You tandjtrent!

Dont look for the cats to be real impressive this soon. I dont mean that in a bad way just that a new Offense a new Defense and new coach means there is a lot of sorting out to do. Dont abandon the ship though steady improvment is what I am looking for personally. Judging the cats by some passing league and a scrimmage or two is a mistake. When the rubber meets the road in week one underestimating the cats will be a mistake.

I can read between the lines. Gaddis dressed a lot of players. Personally I think its crazy to dress that many players. When you have that many a large percentage are kids that just want to wear the jersey to school on Fridays. Football is a game you cant play if you dont have the heart and soul to do it. The amount of time spent in practice and weights is tenfold the amount of time you spend in front of a crowd playing a game. I think you should put say 30 jerseys in the middle of the gym floor and send as many as you want in there and the 30 that come back with a jersey make up the team. ROLL CATS ROLL

being from Oak Ridge I have to say Dobyns Bennet. Classy bunch up there

About the giving and taking a hit question. Just because a defensive player is making the tackle the offensive man can without doubt be the giver and the d man be the taker. lol

I wanted to start this thread in the spirit of good sportsmanship. How much is there to prove in a scrimmage game. Are there bragging rights involved? Last year was a 10 on offense 10 plays on D. I personally would like to see a more game like structure. Anyway I am looking foward to it and looking foward to seeing the great fans of Maryville and Oak Ridge together. Good Luck Roll Cats Roll

Anyone underestimating the Owls this year is gonna be making a big mistake.

Lots of choices and the season hasn't started but If your interested in opnions Spencer Gulmire from Oak Ridge is my Pick. He is gonna be smashing rushing records at a school with a long tradition of great backs. Pound for Pound the toughest kid around.The second one I wouldnt be dissapointed to see is Gaston Miller he is a different kind of running back but you cant deny his talent either. Look for some kids that we havent heard much about come to the front as well. I was a lineman in school so who ever it is, is gonna have some big guys to thank!

I am glad it didnt happen either, Dont take my comments and make them more than they are. Just give them a chance. Everybody in Oak ridge knows what happens when expectations arent met. I guess I really dont know football that well cause I cannot figure out where you coming from or what your so upset about. Were you happy making it to the semis the last two years because we couldnt throw the ball. I thought I was gonna fall over when I heard Oak Ridge has been lining up in the shotgun formation. I am tellin ya the records will fall and Oak Ridge will continue to be a powerhouse in the state. I would like to know why your so upset cause I truly do have a lot of respect for the running backs and value a real football minds' perspective. ROLL CATS

Not taking anything away from central they looked very sharp. Take nothing away from the Helton Kid . I think he could hit a dime from the 50. But let me say this, put some pads on these OR players turn them loose and let some of those guys get their mouths smashed a time or two and see what happens. The format stinks two, granted its the same for every team but the helton kids isnt tall enough to see over his own lineman. They have to run him to one side or the other to see downfield in a real game. 4 full seconds to throw the ball... really when does a QB have a full 4 seconds with no pressure to throw the ball. That was ORs first attempt at a brand new offense. Oak ridges secondary is very physical and after they smash some mouths those recievers will not be concentrating on just the ball and neither will the QB. There are some non coaching people who have influnce on some of Oak ridges' best players They should know they are spreading poision with their words. These Kids are listening at practice and at home. If its about records despite throwing the ball a little more those records will fall if there are other reasons they keep spreading that poision if they are not careful they will get just what they are asking for. If thats the case maybe a transfer would have been a good idea.

I saw every game Oak Ridge played last year. The majority of the teams they played they could have drawn the play in the dirt right in front of the defensive huddle gone back to the line of scrimmage and ran the play with success. The fact is we have been to the gate of the championship game the last two years. If we had beat Riverdalwe two years ago it would have been a fluke , luck or whatever. They Fumbled the ball when all they had to do was hang on to it. Real fans know that. I am not even gonna think about the time for two plays inside the ten we could have had and throw an int. on the first play with two of the best running backs in the state standing behind the QB. I said I wasnt gonna think about but I did. Last year was a different story. Riverdale is a powerhouse that has a coach that thinks faster than the clock runs. They had lady luck in their pocket and with their talented squad spelled disaster. Now to the topic. There were three series in the last half when Riverdale sent the house at Mcmahon. If our recievers were comfortable catching the ball we should have made them pay as well as anyone that stacks the line because OR has been close to a 90/10 rushing team. There needs to be a relationship and confidence between QB a receiver that is comfortable if that happens and I think Stevens understands this and thats why your hearing the talk about OR passing more this year. It is going to be an exciting year and Coach Stevens and his staff have my confidence. Personally I think the peeps that are whining are the ones that really wanted Gaddis back. Get behind the staff and players and support the CATS they deserve that until proven otherwise

with only about 100 students less than Oak Ridge heck yeah they should move up. Big fish in little ponds have great success. Move to a bigger pond and and well you know the rest

The Owls deserve a mention. Dont overlook SD either but the region title will be the Wildcats to loose. I have watched a lot of these kids since their boys club days. They are winners and everything that emplies. Stevens will finally open the offense up and make teams that stack the line pay dearly. OaK Ridge has made the semis when teams knew exactly what they were going to do and a lot of times what play was coming. The exception was the DB playoff game when Coach Gray confused them often and early. I dont have a problem with Riverdale being ranked no. 1... to be the best you gotta beat the best. Same goes for the regional rankings.

Gosh I hope the english teacher doesn't decide to grade my paper! Since we are throwing opnions around here. I would like to throw my two cents for the sake of conversation. If you are talking toughest region thats one thing. If your talking about the region that has good teams that win their region and makes it deep in the playoffs, that is two totally different topics. By far, without question the toughest region top to bottom is region 2. Last year with three games to go region 2 had three undefeated teams and Oak Ridge with one loss to DB. Oak Ridge ended up winning out the season and beat the snot out of a faragut team that thought they should have beaten them in the regular season and made a good show in that regular season game. Or them avegened their loss to DB only to loose a tough fight to riverdal university in the semis which was as we all know the real bluecross ball. It was almost a given the winner of that game was going home with the Gold ball. Riverdale U. Knew they had been in a fight that night. Ok I am totally Off topic now and I apoligize. Region 2 will have 4 teams that could have a legitimate shot for the region. There will be 4 teams in that region alone ranked in the top ten and at least 2 in the top 5. Is ther any other Region expecting to have 4 teams ranked in the top 5? Sure region 1 has DB but what else? The other regions might have 2 teams that are matched up for a tough run for the region title.

To be the best you have to beat the best. But I believe Oak Ridge has what it takes I am behind Stevens and think he will open it up and let the rough side drag.

SD will finish third in the region ( they could win most regions ) Play DB in round one

and one... broke his hand in an unfortunate smelting accident..or was that melt down accident