Mach84

Lighten up Bluemom! Just a little levity! I'm sure that the McCallie players are appropriately motivated...I'm sure that they are working very hard in practice, but football is so much about matchups and motivation and hard work will only take one just so far. Can the Blue Tornado players matchup with the MBA players physically and talent wise tomorrow night? Last season, MBA couldn't matchup with the McCallie players and it was a decisive victory for the BT. The Big Red may have the upper hand this season.

The TSSAA Board of Control does not provide a way for high schools in Tenn to determine who is the best team.

MBA ranked 25th in unapproved website national poll; Maryville dropped out.

that the respective defensive coordinators will have to plan to defend? What is Ryan's base defense...a 3-3 stack or a 4-3? Does Ryan have to blitz to pressure the QB? How good is Ryan's secondary? Does MBA have to throw the ball 15 to 20 times to win, or can it just pound the rock? MBA is allowing less than 10 points per game. How can Ryan score against MBA without getting turnovers deep in MBA terretory? Does MBA TB Waddey return for the Ryan game or do they hold him out for the McCallie game? Is Ryan's passing game a threat to MBA? Ryan is big on the LOS, but can they move? CAN ANYONE ON THIS BOARD ADDRESS THESE TYPES OF QUESTIONS, or do we just sling mud???

Neither team throws much. However, IF MBA starting QB Wise is healthy (that means not limping) then MBA probably will be able to move the ball in the air, to some extent. I doubt Wise will even dress out. Bailey is questionable. Waddey is out for several weeks it appears. MBA has taken a smashmouth approach with its offense this season. I don't see them changing anything. Bartholomew and Vinsang between the tackles. I think MBA will line up with two TEs and try to run it up the middle, play field position and hang the outcome on its defense. I expect BA to do the same. It could be that whoever has the best field goal kicker wins. MBA's kicker (Fletcher) has a 50-yarder to his credit. How good is BA's kicker. The wildcard is who turns over the ball, where and when. The team that makes the fewest mistakes will probably win this one. MBA-20 BA-14

Let's talk about the Ravenwood-MBA game.... Much of MBA's success on offense this season can be attributed to those who toil in the trenches and who rarely receive any attention. MBA's O-line is definently not a big, fat, slow offensive line. LT Bailey (6'5" 315), LG Rolff (6'O" 260), C Lipscomb (6'2" 225) RG Adams (5'11" 240), RT Johnson (6'5" 235), and TE Sloan (6'4" 240) are an athletic bunch. Bailey, Lipscomb and Sloan play on MBA's varsity basketball team. Johnson is not a bad basketball player, either. I think both guards, Rolff and Adams, and Johnson are on the wrestling team. On top of that, if you're not accounting for the TE in the secondary, McGuigan's not shy about throwing to him to help keep the defense honest (witness the Hillsboro game). On the defensive side, everyone knows about Bartholomew, but LB Alfonza Knight and S Jas Rader are bringing the wood on defense, too. D-tackles Scott Bubis (5'11 250) and Matt Ferrell (6'3" 250) are big, strong and quick off the ball. The ends, Dane Daniels and Trip DeMoss are tough, fast and contain well. MBA rotates a lot of players on defense to keep them fresh. The entire defensive unit plays fast, exhibit the fact that they held a quick and explosive Hillsboro (last year's 4A runner-up) offense to just 12 points. Ravenwood will have difficulty matching up against MBA and will wear down in the second half. I wouldn't be surprised if MBA won by 21+.

Whistling by the graveyard, are we, Vballbruin?

For those of you in Chattanooga still looking through Red Raider lens, Baylor was physically bludgeoned by MBA. Four of the Baylor players left the game (at least two with concussions). One of them was escorted to the sideline by an official. Baylor's Tyler Massey was seen by some MBA players in the hallway outside the locker room after the game and was said to have a concussion, too. I don't see Baylor getting any closer to BA than they did to MBA, as BA is a physical team as well (maybe not as physical at MBA, but still physical). BA by 21+.

Yea, let's get back to the game...Riverdale in a rout...35 to 7!

I agree... It's funny how people perceive things based on their experiences and personal biases. I perceived the parent's comment that MBA was going to send tape on the game to schools recruiting McAdoo as inferring, "If you think he's good enough to play for you, then we have a player that we think is good enough to play for you, too! And here's some evidence of that belief!" I've known Mac for six years and know that he's a good athlete. I think it's a given that he has the ability to play at the next level given the fact that he has some offers from those who make their living making such evaluations. Therefore, I didn't perceive it as a knock on Mac at all, just the MBA staff asserting that here's another player (#67)who has the ability to play college ball, too. Believe me, every high school player who has the ability to play college ball would love their coaches doing the same for them! I applaud the MBA staff for making the effort to help their kid get a scholarship. Now that's professional.

I learned this week from a friend whose son plays for MBA that there was no double-teaming of McAdoo. He said that an MBA coach said that McAdoo was "manhandled" by a junior offensive tackle who was making his very first start as a high school football player! Kid's name is Johnson. He said that McAdoo became so frustrated that he took himself out of the game in the 3rd quarter and took off his shoulder pads. The same parent said that the MBA coaches were so pleased with their offensive tackle that they are sending tape of the the game to every college that's recruiting McAdoo. Said that MBA coaches now know they have two good offensive tackles and both are 6'5" tall.

TDCman...I am a former Riverdale player who saw the first three quarters of the Antioch/MBA game. We will have no trouble with Antioch. MBA "Smash Mouthed" Antioch into submission by the middle of the 2nd quarter by just running it off tackle behind 6'-5" Bailey #75 (who is huge), their big 6'-5" TE Sloan #82 and with their FB, Bartholomew #2, lead blocking. There was nothing Antioch could do to stop them. They were putting 9 and 10 men in the box and still couldn't stop them. MBA must have rushed for over 400 yards. Antioch's McAdoo #80 was a no-show as were most of his teammates. Antioch had no passing game either. I think the Riverdale O-line is at least as physical as the MBA O-line and will have their way with Antioch. And with our speed in the backfield I expect that the Warriors will crush Antioch. Riverdale 48, Antioch 7. Book it!

Re MBA/Goodpasture scrimmage....MBA 41 Goodpasture 13. Not to sound like a snob, but the MBA/Goodpasture scrimmage seemed to underscore the difference in how much more physical the Super 7 teams are than 2A teams. MBA just had many more big, strong boys who could run than Goodpasture. Goodpasture is just not in the same "league" as MBA, Riverdale and Smyrna. Having seen all of MBA's scrimmages I can tell you that both Smyrna and Riverdale are deeper than MBA; therefore, injuries to the front line players will hurt them less than MBA. The MBA 'ones' whipped the Smyrna 'ones' on the LOS. Smyrna was without Sonny Gray and appeared to want to "save" Wilkes, as they already know what they have in him. MBA didn't have Preston Bailey for any of these scrimmages as he tweaked a knee on the second series against R'dale. In the MBA/Riverdale scrimmage, it was a push with both number one offenses scoring twice. The R'dale 'ones' came out stronger than MBA, but the MBA 'ones' adjusted and gained the upper hand and finished impressively against the R'dale 'ones'. MBA was in much better condition, but it was the first scrimmage for both and both teams looked pretty ragged at times. However, the R'dale backups outscored the MBA backups 5 to 2. R'dale has some young runningbacks that will be very good next year and the year after. R'dale is very impressive from a size and speed standpoint. I think that R'dale will control the line of scrimmage in their game against Smyrna and beat the Bulldogs this season in the playoffs. Furthermore, MBA's coaching staff appeared to focus on the running game in all three scrimmages as the 'ones' didn't attempt many passes, at all. It seemed like the play calling was 95% run plays. I expect MBA to throw it around quite a bit this season as they have a talented senior QB who has a strong arm and who is very smart, and talent at receiver that they chose not to show in the scrimmages. The first two MBA games against Antioch and Independence (two quality opponents) will help MBA to be well prepared for its annual slug fest with Chattanooga Baylor, the third game of the season.

Well what was impressive about MBA? What players stood out?

Heard the eric watson kid from CBHS got kicked out for grades?? Is it true??

In addition to Jerry Anderson playing cornerback at OU, the TE, Leo Martin, off Windham's '70 team played offensive TACKLE at OU! In Barry Switzer's book, The Winning Edge, he had a chapter devoted to Jerry Anderson, entitled "OU's #1 Slobber Knocker". In it, is a series of three photos showing Anderson literally knocking unconscious the starting Nebraska wingback with a wicked forearm to the helmet, in the first quarter. Anderson then proceeded to knock out the 2nd string wingback. Neither player returned to the game. Nebraska finished the game with their 3rd string wingback. Others starters on that 1970 AAA State Championship Club who went on to play college football were: QB David Parsons - Started his Jr and SR seasons at cornerback for Bill Battle at Tennessee, TB Donnie Bratton - Track scholarship to Memphis St. as a sprinter, The other TB, whose name I don't recall, (I think it was Donnie Howse?) made it to AAA ball in the Cleveland Indians organization, FB Terry Haynes - Started at defensive end his freshman season at Kentucky, OT Mike Demascus - Awarded a scholarship and was a backup at Tennessee, Another starting offensive lineman, whose name I don't remember (it may have been Howard Carter) awarded a scholarship and played as a backup at Tennessee, OG, and team captain, David Alsup, started four years ('71-'75 I think) at OG at Vanderbilt, Alsup was joined by M'boro Central teammate, OT Buddy Miller, at Vanderbilt, but Miller later dropped out of school, WR/DB Jerry Anderson went to OU WB/S (that's Wingback/Safety) Leon Alexander started his freshman season at safety at Mississippi St. DT Luther Allen was awarded a scholarship to Alcorn St. NG Terry Sneed, quick and strong but small, went into the Army and I had heard he played "Army ball". I watched one Friday night as M'boro destroyed Springfield (at Springfield, I think M'boro scored in the 50s or 60s) as Terry Sneed used three cans of "Whoopass" on the Springfield long snapper causing him to snap the ball over the punter's head three times. M'boro scored TDs on all three turnovers. CB Sonny Anderson played four years at MTSU. Former Vanderbilt and Philadelphia Eagle Dennis Harrison was a sophomore on that '70 team of Gene Windham's. Ray Hughes, former Oakland High head coach was the line coach and did an excellent job. Former Vanderbilt DE and Sewannee had football coach, John Windham, Gene's son was only about 6 or 7 years old and was ever present on the sideline. Sonny Anderson played in the Buffalo Bills organization. Jerry Anderson played for Tampa Bay and Cinncinatti, and the aforementioned Harrison played for the Eagles and the Rams. Gene Windham once told my father that the '70 team was a once in a lifetime confluence of talent for a high school coach. He said he had 2nd string players who could start for most of the teams on Central's schedule. That team could run, pass and play defense. The starters were benched early in the third quarter that season in nearly every game. The only team that played the close was John Cropp's bunch (John was a Sigma Chi at Vanderbilt) at Tennessee High School in the semifinal game of the state playoffs. The Vikings gave the Tigers a real scare. I think Central won by eight points. Central then demolished Memphis Melrose, 36-0, in the state finals at MTSU. Former Nashville Banner sports editor, the late F. M. Williams, wrote that the 1970 M'boro Central team was the best high school football team he ever saw in 50 years of covering high school football. Parsons, Martin, Alexander and I believe Jerry Anderson led the M'boro Central basketball team that season which lost in the state semi-finals to a superior team from Memphis Southside at Stokely Athletics Center.

In May 1973, it went from M'boro Central High School to M'boro Central Middle School. The student body was divided between two identical new high schools, Oakland and Riverdale which opened in August 1973. M'boro Central had some awesome football teams from '67 through '72 under Gene Windham winning the state AAA championship in '70 with a 13-0 record defeating Memphis Melrose 36-0 in the championship game.

CoachT...I'm not an MUS parent, player or fan, but I wouldn't show the Wall Street Journal any other high school stadium in Tenn, but MUS's. Their stadium is brand new and is absolutely the top such facility in Tenn. CPA in Nashville has a good facility as do most all of the large comprehensive high schools built in the last 5 to 10 years, but I'm telling you that MUS's has them all beat by a long shot. It's a show place.

If Coach Rutledge leaves MBA for BA, who replaces him?

KeenO Yes, MBA does attract musicians, artists, debaters, and thespians, HC Jeff Rutledge has said in public several times that he does not recruit football players to MBA. He has made it clear that if he wanted to recruit he would have taken the OC job at UVA that was offered by Al Groh awhile back. While the lack of football recruiting has reduced the talent level somewhat, that is not the primary reason for the underperformance of this year's club. THE BIG RED HAS BEEN DESCIMATED BY INJURIES! Several long time MBA football observers (read alumni) are of the opinion that this senior class and last year's senior class are and were thin, athletically. They have been heard to say that there were zero seniors who went on to play D1 college football off last year's team and that there are zero D1 prospects in this year's senior class. While that may be true, plenty of HS teams have been successful without future D1 players. Unfortunately for MBA, it often plays teams that have one or more D1 prospects in their respective senior classes. So it would be advantageous if MBA could have tow or three D1 prospects on the field every season to help them compete with the other Super Sevens. Because MBA's senior class is indeed relatively thin, MBA is playing more players than it would like both ways. But what has really hurt this year's squad are injuries. Let's review the season, so far: In Week Zero, MBA traveled to Lexington, KY and defeated a very average Dunbar team 24-7, and did so without its starting tailback, Sr. Rich Thompkins, who is out for the season due to ankle surgery. Rich, who is an outstanding athlete, was runner-up this past spring in the decathlon.) Junior Safety, Jas Rader returned Dunbar's first punt 73 yards for a TD giving MBA a 7-0 lead less than 3 minutes into the game. Second string tailback, Jr. Christian Waddey scored MBA's second TD that enabled MBA to take a 14-7 lead into the locker room at the half. Third String Tailback, Soph Patrick Crum, and 2nd string, now 1st string TB, Christian Waddey led the rushing attack in the 2nd half which saw Sr Clayton Foster add a field goal and Waddey cap the scoring with a rushing TD. In Week One, MBA went to Louisville and defeated defending KY State AAAA Champ, Trinity 23-21. MBA now leads the series with Trininty 3 to 2. In the last two minutes of this game, MBA's 2nd string QB, Jr. Austin Bennett, came off the bench, after Sr QB David Howe tore two ligaments in his right knee, to lead MBA down the field (with two herniated disks) to score the winning touchdown. The key play was a 30-something yard 3rd down pass over the middle to Sr. WR Charlie Plageman. Crum scored a key second half TD to get MBA back into the game, and in the 3rd qtr. Waddey, who is a step slower than Crum, but a tough, strong, shifty, hardnose runner who plays with great heart had two key 15-yard runs on draws during winning drive,. Waddey scored the game winning TD with 58 seconds remaining on a 3-yard plunge. This game showed the MBA fans that this season could be special, even though Thompkins was out, Soph TB Patrcik Crum emerged dramatically. But a pall hung over that victory because David Howe was lost for the season with a severe knee injury that occured with two minutes to go in the game. Week Two saw MBA fall at MUS 10-7 as the offense tried to adjust to its new Jr. QB, Austin Bennett. Bennett played in great pain due to the herniated disks in his back and performed at about the 75% level, which limited BA's passing game. Unfortunately, an official who the MBA staff had requested to be scratched earlier that week, and who the TSSAA refused to remove, had far too much personal involvement in the outcome of this game, with five very questionable calls against MBA's offense. He penalized them a total of 40 yards in the 4th qtr. alone. This proved to be Bennett's last game to date. MBA's coaches went ballistic. (The TSSAA later removed this official from the lineup for the upcoming CBHS/MBA game.) MUS's defense played very well. It was led by Vanderbilt commit, Jon Stokes, a 6'5" 225 pound LB. Week Three saw a 2-1 MBA squad play its first home game where it defeated CPA 28-21. Rutledge all but shut down MBA's passing offense to simplify things for Soph QB, Spencer Wise, who got his first start. Speedy Soph TB Patrick Crum, who carried the ball 12 times for 128 yards before leaving the game mid-way through the 3rd qtr with a high ankle sprain, opened the scoring breaking multiple tackles on a 29-yard run in the 2nd qtr. giving MBA a 7-0 lead. Crum broke loose again on a 44-yard draw play to score MBA's second TD before the end of the first half. Junior TB Christian Waddey lead an 80-yard MBA scoring drive to open the second half and scored his first TD of the game. This pushed MBA out to a 21-6 lead and it looked like MBA would run away with it. Waddey later scored his second touchdown of the night in the 4th qtr putting MBA ahead 28-6. MBA let the air out and saw CPA score two TDs late. One came on a turnover and the other when the Lions recovered a beautifully executed on-side kick. Waddey rushed for 154 yards on 34 carries. It was a costly victory as MBA lost Patrick Crum to a high ankle sprain. Week Four required that MBA return to Memphis to face Christian Brothers. Going into this game MBA had 11 players on what the NFL calls the "Injured Reserve" list. Ten of those are in the 2-deep and they include the #1 TB, the #1 & #2 QBs, two starters in the defensive backfield (one of whom doubled as a wide receiver). I personally think the Big Red was emotionally drained by the injury situation as they played with no enthusiasm or energy of any kind. Five offensive turnovers killed them giving CB a short field on several occasions. MBA was blown out 31-6. MBA, which generated over 250 yards rushing against CPA, tallied only 62 yards rushing and 40 yards passing against the Brothers, whose defense was led by a four-star D1 propect, 6'5" 225 LB, Chris Walker, who has 4.65 fourty speed. He has been offered by LSU, Bama, Auburn, Ole Miss, Miami, Tennessee and others. Week Five saw MBA return home to host JPII. The offense was virtually scrapped in favor of the single wing....yes, the single wing! And it was actually quite effective (I know the JPII defense isn't the stiffest, but...) Soph QB Spencer Wise started the game with a hand-off to Waddey who ran for about 8 yards. The rest of the first qtr. saw MBA run from the Single Wing set with Waddey and Jr. FB, Ben Bartholomew, lined up side-by-side most of the time and the ball being snapped directly to Waddey. Wise returned sporadically to the game and threw about five passes; one was intercepted, which led to a Knight field goal. MBA ran up and down the field on the Knights but turned the ball over twice with fumbles on JPII's five yard line. They also lost another fumble near mid-field to the Knights killing another good drive. Mid-way through the 4th qtr., Jr. punt returner Jas Rader allowed a Knight punt to sail over his head and he inexplicably chased the bounding ball. The result was a fumble which was recovered by a Knight at MBA's 21 yard line. Another D1 prospect, Sr. Golden Tate, scored for the Knights six plays later, which proved to be the difference in the game. MBA has played all of its games on artificial turf; therefore, some think that may have something to do with the ankle and knee injuries, but there is certainly no way to determine that. Long time football fans all know that sooner or later most every coach will have a team that will suffer an extraodinarily high number of injuries. (Ask Jeff Fisher & Phil Fulmer) Evidently, the "Football Gods" decided 2006 was Jeff Rutledge's year! Looking ahead, MBA has a tough row to hoe, Father Ryan, Brentwood Academy, McCallie and Baylor. IMHO, it is too much to ask of a Soph QB to engineer the type of offensive production to which MBA has been accustom with Ingle Martin, Michael Fisher and David Howe at the controls. Therefore, MBA's defense will have to step up, and its new single wing attack will have to be less predictable than it was against CPA. Additionally MBA will have to develop a nominal passing attack quickly to keep future opponents from putting 8 and 9 defenders in the box on every play. The Junior and Sophomore classes have more talent than the senior class. That talent combined with the experience they are getting this year, along with a strong off-season training effort should enable the MBA coaching staff to field a very strong and fast team next year. Last year's MBA Freshman football team was 8-1. Its only loss was a last minute defeat at the hands of a 9-0 Lebanon squad, 35-31. Last year's MBA 8th grade team was 6-1. Last year's freshman track team won the Inman Trophy which is awarded to the best track squad in Metro Nashville. It was the first time an independent school has ever won the trophy. The five leading scorers on that track team are Sophomores on this year's varsity. They are Patrick Crum, Leland Howe, Reggie Ford, Joseph Sloan, and Scott Bubis. RB Crum and DB Ford scored heavily in the sprints and relays. DB Howe dominated the pole vault and TE Sloan and OG Bubis scored heavily in the shot and discus. Unlike most other high school programs, MBA does not allow its football players to begin weight training until AFTER their freshman season. This forces MBA to rely more heavily on its seniors than most high school teams, so when the senior class is relatively weak athletically, on the field performance will suffer somewhat. MBA makes up for much of that with strong coaching and thorough game preparation. One can imagine that if MBA were to begin strength and conditioning for its 8th graders AFTER their football season ends, MBA would eventually have more players available for its two-deep roster three years later and wouldn't have to rely so heavily on its senior class. MBA is down this year primarily due to injuries, but it will be back next year, with more bigger, stronger and faster players than they have had the last two seasons. Additionally, for the first time in three seasons MBA will have at least two D1 prospects (6'2" 230 lb LB/FB Ben Bartholomew and 6'5" 320 lb. OT/DT Preston Bailey). The $64,000 question is quarterback. What will happen there? My guess is that Austin Bennett will have healed and will return for his senior season, and that Jeff Rutledge will have him well schooled and that he will perform very well. Waddey and Crum will be back too. So the football future at MBA is not as dim as you paint it, KeenO.

If MBA hopes to have any chance to win, it will have to revive its defense. (The Big Red defense apparently missed the bus to Memphis last week.) MBA's secondary is banged up and not exactly fleet of foot; Tate has a good chance for a big game - maybe three TDs. Additionally, Soph RB Crum (injured achilles tendon) will have to play for MBA to win along with Soph QB Wise completing enough passes to keep the defense honest. A third down conversion rate of greater than 50% is imperative and being able to complete 7 to 10 yard passes over the middle would be of great help. It will take a complete TEAM effort on MBA's part to win.

Preston Bailey- MBA, 6'5" 315, great feet from playing basketaball Ben Bartholemew-MBA, 6'2" middle LB, Brother was All- American FB at UT Jay Cole-MBA 6'2" 250, just a football player, started some games at tackle in the toughest divsion in high school football.

MBA's taking two teams.

what time is the D-2 title game today????