letsgodevils

I have no dog in this fight except as a fan of a rival team, which had several years of good success against Portland. When we were able to beat Portland and beat them soundly, we often had a good passing attack. Jon Finch and Kyle Levering both were successful against Portland, and only one time can I remember were we completely one dimensional and still won the game. In 1998, Brian Jones and Gerald Turner were Mr. Football finalists. Turner eventually won it. But in the first meeting of the year, White House had Josh Lanius playing a healthy quarterback and he was both a threat on the run and in the pass. White House won that game handily. In the playoff matchup, Lanius gets hurt the week before. Brock Waggoner played quarterback and we ran the ball over 50 times in the game, with Brian Jones gaining almost 250 yards. We simply won the line of scrimmage and advanced, 21-14, in a close game. Portland has always been physical, but playing at 6-4A level will be a different test of athlete and opponent. They will need not only to be physical up front, but athletic in the secondary to stop teams like Whites Creek, etc., who can throw the football. Maybe they can do well in the region, but that playoff matchup with 5-4A is one of the toughest draws in the state. I'm not a defensive guy -- I don't get much into schemes and so forth, but I do understand alignment, and it seemed that when we went to 4-A and were successful, we shifted from a 50 front to a 4-3. We went back to the 50 late this year and had success with it deep into the 3-A playoffs.

Your last post shows me you have no idea what you are talking about. Coach Grantham would never have to uproot his family and leave, because he lives ALONE in Gallatin. He is not married and has no kids, last I checked in the Blue Devil game program this year. It's been that way forever. I'd say at 20 years plus, his tenure is finely secure where it's at. I don't doubt Grantham's experience and expertise. But you have to understand something. Coaching at White House is not a revolving door. This is the life for these guys. Every person on the staff right now full-time has been there over 10 years, and most of them over 15. Two are former players, two are former high school teammates and one is a transplant from West Virginia who once left coaching for a few years and came back. Plus, White House has two of the most highly-touted classes in the history of the program coming up including some great backs, which is the staple of the Grantham scheme. Their middle school hasn't been beaten in two years and the freshmen dominated this year undefeated against at least four teams in a higher classification than them. This is completely unsubstantiated. Welcome to message board rumors gone wild.

If you're being serious, that sounds a lot like the description of Roger Holmes, who is now in Georgia.

Hey, kids, let's get on the internet and throw out a stupid rumor! C'mon. Have some sense. Coach Jim Grantham, which is obviously who you are referring to, has been at White House for over 20 years as the offensive coordinator, and is a former Gallatin High School product under Calvin Short. He and Coach Jeff Porter both played under Short for one year after Calvin came to Gallatin, and now they have been coaching together for two decades. Coach Short recently joined the staff at White House as a volunteer and coaches the freshmen. I've heard of wild rumors before, but that one just makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

Calvin Short was never the head coach at Portland, he was a principal for a short time. Calvin coached at Gallatin until 1993. Roger Perry came to Portland in the early 1990s. Prior to that, Joey Venable was the head coach of the Panthers, but I'm not sure for how many years. Portland, however, was not a powerhouse underneath him, including eight straight losses at one time to White House. Venable has remained an assistant, but who knows if he would ever take, or be offered, the job again.

I wish people would quit using the size argument against Ricky. He is taller and bigger than Gaston Miller of Riverdale, who will be playing college ball at Vanderbilt. I do think Ricky could excel at tailback, but it's going to have to be in the right offensive scheme. He can't go jam it into the line 25 times a game like, say, Tennessee does. Louisville's spread and gun would be a good fit for him, because he would excel at slot receiver too. He is also a very good kick returner.

I think the problem has been taken care of. The newspaper does have a web site, but it does not have the letter archived. I can't find it. She also posted her email address and phone number in the letter, and according to some people who have called and emailed, they are getting rejected email and her phone was disconnected. Kind of a stupid move on her part if you ask me. This thing rose up in the mid 1980s and never got through. For those that think the Blue Devil mascot is meant as anything more than a "mascot" they're wrong. White House has long been a strong Christian community and I'm sure will continue to be. I emailed Kris, the website guy who is also the team pastor, and he said he had no problems with it and never has. The Blue Devil name, from all I have heard, was done to emulate schools like Duke. That's the emphasis, nothing else. And it has become a part of the town's tradition and history, so how could you change that now?

I posted in the Mt. Juliet thread too... From the Gallatin News Examiner... http://www.gallatinnewsexaminer.com/apps/p.../312160087/1311

Roger Perry to take Mt. Juliet job from the Gallatin News Examiner: http://www.gallatinnewsexaminer.com/apps/p.../312160087/1311

When we're in a 50 front, you might call him an outside linebacker, although it would technically be a DE. I think we ran both 50 and 4-3 this season.

Not a bad go at it for Region 4-3A, but Michael Moore is a defensive end. He still may qualify for defensive lineman of the year, which includes ends. The linebacker to watch for at White House will be a junior named Adam Wiss. I watched this kid go from reserve to starter and he has the makeup and attitude that great linebackers at White House like Chad Rogers, Josh Leloup and James Harper possess. Also, watch for the continued progression of two young linemen at White House, both were sophomores this year like Wiss. They are Rogers Gaines and Perry Davis. I like what I see out of this young Blue Devil group. And considering the freshmen were undefeated against some higher class competition and the middle school hasn't lost in two years in a very competitive Sumner County league, I think the future is very bright.

The TFCA All-State team has never been well-respected, because it is often picked to represent the individuals present at the meeting. Last year, for the TFCA All-State Class 4-A team, White House had one player (Sullins) on the list of 12 players. The rest of them were ALL from East Tennessee. This year, it does appear they included a little more Middle Tennessee in the awards, but Cheatham County and David Lipscomb are the lone recipients of it. West Tennessee has always been slighted in these awards in recent memory. I just think if you are going to call it an All-State team, then it ought to be a fair representation. There is not a single Mr. Football back finalist from Class 3-A on this list, nor is there a member of the state championship team. West Tennessee is nearly non-existant, maybe one exception. I think the TSWA and the AP will be a better representation state wide of the deserving members of the so-called All-State team.

Did anyone see the NewsChannel5 in Nashville profile of Cates by Eric Yutzy on the Sunday Sports Central last night? The focus of the piece was on Cates being a team player, and how unselfish he was, even ending the interview early from the field to make sure he was in the photo with his teammates. It was a great piece. Cates was quoted as saying he has offers from Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Tennessee Tech, Harvard, Princeton and possibly two to three other schools. Yutzy ended the piece by saying there is a possibility that Cates will not play college football at all, instead choosing to go to medical school and be a doctor. If he does go to college and play football, Yutzy said it will be in Business.

Lipscomb finds some fire...big touchdown pass. 21-7 with six minutes left in the second.

UPN 30 interviewed Ronnie Carter at halftime, and asked him specifically about the Brandon Warren situation. Carter basically explained the facts, stating the TSSAA has a very low tolerance for unsportsmanlike acts and penalties, and he felt it was justified to do what was done, by the rule. The reporter then basically dodged Carter's stern reponse and said, "well, Brandon Warren is being a great cheerleader on the sideline tonight and there are plenty of great playing days ahead for him at Florida State. Imagine how good Alcoa would be with the Mr. Football on the field." They then talked about UPN 30's coverage and the coming Spring Fling. As for Warren being a cheerleader, I guess it's OK for a suspended player to meet Dustin Lindsey at the 25-yard-line after a touchdown, three yards on the field, and push him into a rolling backflip. Good example, boys. Good example. I have never watched Alcoa this season and I have no dog in this hunt, but I am disappointed in what I see from the discipline level of this team.

I was surprised in watching the news that Ricky was actually bigger than Gaston Miller, and by that, I mean definitely taller. Miller looked so small compared to the 5-A lineman winner, Adam Smotherman of Smyrna. Look at this photo of the two: http://preps.tennessean.com/apps/pbcsi.dll...ity=80&noborder

The Connection does not have it on their online site and I am not in town today. What does the letter say? This sounds bizarre....

Is there a Region 4-3A hopeful who could keep Mr. Football in region next season? That would make three in a row.

I have met Coach Mantooth and been around him a little when he was in and around Gallatin and Mt. Juliet. I can say nothing but good things about him and his character. I do have one question, that I do not know him well enough to answer. Why did he move around so much and never stay in one place? Some people have that kind of mentality, and was that simply it? You never hear anything negative, so I would not assume the moves were done because of problems, but I just wonder why a coach of such great respect never caught on and stayed at any one place without a further move down the road. Again, congrats on a great career. I'm only asking out of curiosity.

I want to say congratulations to Logan Abernathy, who's season ended on a huge 58-yard return against Beech with us trailing two touchdowns in the first half. We got a field goal before the half and game back to win the game in the second half. Logan was a senior and with the knee injury never got to play again but that was the play that may have turned around our season at 1-3. Congratulations, guys, on these awards in a very tough region.

If I were picking a game in the Midstate to attend Friday night, instead of spending it with family, I would pick this one. I expect an excellent game. At White House, we have lost to Hillsboro and Melrose in the last two years, respectively, and have faced many of the athletes that will be on the field Friday night. We were a part of the four-team unbeaten semifinal last year with Melrose, us, Tennessee and Maryville and lost 20-14 at Orange Mound. That was an intimidating atmosphere. Hillsboro does have a home field advantage, but I don't expect that to provide anything like the environment in Memphis. I call that advantage a push -- it's just not going to make much difference. I expect Melrose to bring good fans. Melrose has a defensive advantage. Hillsboro is, always has been and always will be one dimensional. You cause them problems when you force them to throw and stop the running game in the middle of the field. As much speed as there is around the corners, you better be careful not to forget the fullback, the slice and runs right into the line of scrimmage, where they like to pound your linebackers and break into the secondary. Trent passed for 472 yards in the regular season and five touchdowns, but he completed just 27 of 72 passes. Although I have not seen them play this year, it's most likely that Aydelott hasn't changed...he is only going to throw when he has to and when he feels like something is up his sleeve. Last week, for example, they threw FOUR times in the whole game. Hillsboro, like Melrose, will be good defenisvely, but I think Melrose can match them athlete for athlete and beat them with scheme. Our best success against Melrose last year was throwing the football down the field and across the middle of the field, and Hillsboro simply can't do it -- unless they have something no one has seen. We got inside the 20 twice on Melrose in the third quarter and they got extremely physical and just shut down our interior game and we couldn't score. We turned it over on an interception, when they laid back, and then on fourth down when the wind affected our screen passing game badly, though it was open. If you are physical up front with Hillsboro's offense, you can beat them. Make them become one dimensional and then force them to throw, and Melrose has the athletes to pick it off or get pressure. Hillsboro can beat Melrose by taking advantage of mistakes and just driving the football down their throat and being so physical that Melrose can't match it. I don't see that happening. The one thing I never expected last year was Melrose to drive the football like they did. I figured it would be big plays and athleticism, and they were very physical up front and just moved down the field. Each team had only six possessions and the whole game took an hour and 40 minutes. We just ran out of time and never got the ball back after cutting it to six with a 90-yard drive. Good luck both teams, but I'm taking Melrose.

I'm not going to gripe too much about the holding. If we held, then we held and it's a penalty. But I am going to gripe about not calling a fumble a fumble. When the guy lunges for a second effort and then drops the ball, then you should not say he was down and give him the ball back. It happened on two plays, both Carthorn on the kickoff and then the big No. 38 across the middle of the field. One of those, we got an interception, so it's a moot point. Notre Dame was about to turn the football over for the fourth straight possession going back to the first half, and the ball was given back when we clearly recovered it. That's a scoring drive for Notre Dame and the game changed. Speaking of penalties, we are not completely innocent. We had a late hit on the final scoring drive for Notre Dame that cost us big, and it appeared to be a good call.

I do not think necessarily that Notre Dame overlooked White House, I just think this White House team was much better than the record indicated (7-6) and defensively, White House was much better. Zach Wood laid a lick on the first play of the game and then we got two interceptions in the red zone, and I think that set a tone that this wasn't going to be a cakewalk. And it wasn't. One point, wow.

The kicker, Jake Hunter, is a junior. He will be back. Doug Johnson started the year hurt and only punted this season. Sophomore Josh Martin is also back and he started the year punting and did very well. I just took a look at the roster, and here's who White House loses: (15) Ladd, Smith, Mash, Barrett, Upchurch, Meadows, Abernathy, Baumann, Wood, Mansfield, Dewitt, Mosley, Hulsey, Hargrove and Johnson. That's a lot to replace, but West backs up Ladd, which is the best of that bunch who is leavng, so we're in good shape there. I am very excited about this young corps coming up. You may see a lot of youth next year, but they are talented and it's going to be fun to watch the next three seasons.

There is no doubt that officiating played a part in this game. When Notre Dame fumbled, as the kid leaned forward on a second effort after catching a pass, then it was given back to him. What would have been White House ball inside the Notre Dame 40 became the first Irish scoring drive. Before that, a kickoff was given back too, but we rectified that problem with an interception, but a holding call kept us out of the endzone and we settled for three. We also got a tough holding call in the fourth, leading by five, in Notre Dame territory with a chance to put the game away. All I saw in the first half of Dustin's pass (called a fumble for a huge loss) looked like an incomplete pass to me. But I got one look at it like everyone else, so I don't know. And finally, this crew cannot spot the football and that benefitted both teams.