letsgodevils

McCallie, yep that was it. Thanks.

I think the philosophy at White House has to do more with the athletes than the system. They have never changed from the pro-style offense, just changed its components. Much more double tight-end sets and spread receivers with one back, but still a lot of jumbo and heavy with a fullback and two tight ends. Very many plays and formations, but all centered around the old smash-mouth style. In the mid 1990s, Brock King was a running quarterback with a decent arm, followed by the best quarterback in school history who had awesome passing accuracy in Jon Finch. They won a state championship with him, then the next year went to the semifinals with Josh Lanius running option. That was followed by Brock Waggoner and Ryan Hamilton also running, before Gordon Keene opened it back up, and then Kyle Levering gave them the deep ball again. Had Levering been a starter for more than one year, he may have blown Finch's numbers away. This year, if Ryan Mash is the starter, expect to see a lot of option, and a lot of Ricky Ladd, Aaron Hargrove and Justin West getting the hand off. White House's stable has always been good running backs, mixing speed (Brian Jones and Phillip Jones) with power (Rudy Farmer, Michael Wade, Josh Leloup) and the passing game seems to rotate around the signal caller style. Lest we forget...they've had some pretty good receivers too, but the best corps in school history (four of them) just graduated.

I believe Metro schools, as with many inside larger cities, often struggle with discipline issues. The staffs, schemes and plans at schools seem to change and shift more often as well, where in the rural areas you find men and staffs who have been together for years. The population is larger, and families and fans to not get near as involved as close-knit communities of small populations. That's a shame for good programs, like Pearl-Cohn, who had less than 100 people in the stands for a week 10 game against White House last season. Many families have students at rival schools. In the rural areas, entire families and fan bases rally around the same group. Perhaps the facilities also suffer. Where discipline and consistency make a difference is in the playoffs. To advance, it takes either a super-superior athletic team or a talented team with much discipline and fundamentals. That's why you see the schools with fundamental consistency rise to the top, like Hillsboro and Pearl-Cohn. Many Metro teams have good athletes. The ones with a solid program will often become the cream of the crop.

Please understand, I mean no disrespect to any individual. This is not meant personally, but more constructive criticism. In fact, it's out of respect for the game of high school football and what it should represent, I say it. I think a high school coach, volunteer assistant, or any school administrator should not be allowed to participate in fan and media sites which talk about high school football. Not only does it appear unprofessional, but it violates a locker room trust which should be upheld between the members and participants of the program. Certain things do not belong here, for example, information about attempting to schedule a scrimmage. That should be handled within the programs involved. If fans spread it here, that may be beyond control. But coaches should not get involved in it. As a fan of a Region 6-4A team, I have watched this play out over the last couple of years. I wish the remaining school's well as we return to 3-A. It was a very competitive and fun region. Let's leave it to the fans on message boards. Respect is best earned by example. Do it on the field, and you'll get all the respect you could ever desire. Thank you for the rant. Let's treat these boys and their sport the right way.

For the last few years, Sonny Moore has been one of the polls linked by the TSSAA on their scoreboard and standings page, and seems to be very reliable with his numbers across the board. As the season progresses, you will see that. Which brings me to my point... Why do we even bother with this now? In the NFL, predictions are made after a whole offseason of camps, workouts, drafts and moves analyzed by every expert in the media. In college, we now can track recruiting like it's a sport itself. And the preseason rankings are always a hot issue. And in both cases, they are always way off. So why, with the abundance of teams and lack of overall coverage for high school football (there is no way anyone can keep up with all classifications effectively), do we even attempt to do this until the season has started? Kind of worthless if you ask me.

I think the biggest difference since a rise in classification four years ago was the incredible amount of skill position speed at the 4-A level. There were no off weeks and no easy opponents, for most of them had a breakaway player in the offensive backfield or return game which could make up for many fundamental mistakes. There seems to be more of a power-game style at the 3-A level. Perhaps 4-A teams are stronger, but the 3-A style is certainly different. The 4-A game has a different pace and feel, it's faster, but less disciplined. More wide-open, more passing. In 3-A, fundamental teams with a good defense will advance far, proven by history. And when you throw in a player with incredible speed on a fundamental team, you have the possibility for tremendous success. White House possessed the only junior Mr. Football candidate last year in Ricky Ladd, and now he with Bobby Council of Pearl-Cohn move to the 3-A level. Ricky has the potential to be the greatest tailback in the history of White House High School and one of the best in the history of Sumner County. Moving back to 3-A only provides a greater advantage. White House is also, and always will be, well disciplined and extremely fundamental. Ladd does not rely on making his own holes, he is not a scat back, running for his life until he gets an opening. Ladd runs straight at the line, straight to the edge and occasionally on a sweep. He relies on his blockers and White House proves to be successful year after year with a multiple-I, in a era of Wing-T teams. Here's my point...when Ladd hits in the hole in 4-A, there is tremendous speed to catch him in the defensive secondary. To stop a quick back in 3-A, teams are going to have to win the battle up front, and that is often where a well-prepared White House team will out-scheme even more athletic opponents. For four years, White House was 39-10 in a classification where they were the less athletic team in 80 percent of their games. Now it's back to 3-A, where Ricky Ladd is faster and more athletic than 80 percent of the teams they will play. With health and a little luck, it's a good combination.

On our way to see Chattanooga Brainerd and White House a few years ago in the playoffs, we passed a school in Chattanooga that had one of the nicest stadiums for high school football I had seen. We only got a glimpse from a distance, but it was built much like that of many college teams, with landscaping and hedges circling the seating and football field, and I believe the team name was cut into the hedges on one end. It was right off the exit ramp from either a bypass or interstate. Could this be Chatt Notre Dame? We didn't catch the name. By the way, I can guarantee that if White House had full control over its stadium like it does the weight room and facilities, then you would see a top of the line park there too, but the city maintains it. Our school is only allowed to do so much to it.

1996 Class 3-A Second Round -- White House 31, Humboldt 28 White House trails 28-24 with 1:19 left, facing 4th-and-19 from its own 19-yard line (enough 19's there to make an omen, you think?) Offensive coordinator Jim Grantham calls for a screen pass, completely fooling the Humboldt defense, who rushes in on Jon Finch in the pocket. Finch lobs a screen over their head, finding slot back Dean Misch, who follows his offensive line (ALL FIVE OF THEM) until he breaks loose at the Humboldt 30 and is wrestled down at the Humboldt six for a first down and gain of 75 yards. On the next play, Finch hits a sliding Corey Coker in the endzone for the go-ahead touchdown. Without a passing game, Humboldt again turns to super tailback Kelsey Williams, who already has over 250 yards rushing in the game. Following the lead blockof Toby Champion, Williams runs around the field into Blue Devil territory as time expires, where he is tackled to preserve the victory. Humboldt was ranked No. 1 in Class 3-A, and the previous year had beaten White House 45-3 on the same field. White House did lose the next week to Kingsbury, however the momentum propelled them to a 15-0 season and state championship in 1997. Honorable Mention: 1995 Class 3-A Semifinals -- Humboldt 21, Portland 20 Portland trails by two touchdowns and scores twice in the final eight minutes, including a miracle fourth down pass play by quarterback Matt Taylor (to a receiver, No. 6) as time expired. Trailing by one, Portland head coach Roger Perry elects to go for two, instead of kicking the tying extra point, and fullback Tim Hodges is swarmed on a belly call to the right side by Williams and Champion to end the game and the comeback. Humboldt went on to the state championship game, where Eric Westmoreland scored four touchdowns to lead Marion County to the title.

Some things never change.

In regards to the ELA post, which was excellent, I have heard it said that it takes 10 years to measure the value and success of a graduating high school class. It's not about what they accomplished in the school and on the field, it's about what happens after that is gone.

I am not a member of the "Rowdy Bunch," but I am very confident that Andy King was. There is a person in White House who also works on some kind of weekly newsletter thing that he hands out in the stands and it's called something like the Blue Devil Advocate. I would bet that might be your poster. He is also one of the "Rowdy Bunch." I don't know many of the guys on here, just dandy82 because it's been made clear who he is, but I don't know him personally. I'm just a face in the crowd, don't have any ties to the school except my residence. But I am fairly certain by their enthusiasm for the school that someone else here might be a part of the Rowdy Bunch and could tell you more.

Yes, it is the same coach.

Can someone tell me why Sumner County has one of the largest and most successful high school football populations in the state, along with two major papers (Gallatin three times a week, and sister paper in Hendersonville twice a week), and they have not submit votes to the Associated Press for the All-State Team? I don't remember seeing them vote for players of the week or in the polls either. As a White House fan, I am not complaining with our selections. I assume that our connection to the remainder of Clarksville and Metro through our region helped, along with having a Mr. Football finalist. But what about the remainder of the teams in the county?

Maybe this is a typo, but you said the rumor was started by the principal? No, it sounds like to me the rumor was started by the person who saw this breakfest meeting and is reading too much into it. I don't even know who the principal at Beech is right now, so I don't have a dog in the fight. It's just pretty silly to start a rumor over a couple of eggs and a biscuit.

For what it's worth, Fox 17 just ran a feature on White House to lead off its Thanksgiving night sports segment. One of the Sullins was interviewed, along with Porter and Kyle Levering, and touchdown highlights from Gibbs, Weakley, Ladd and Harmon. All of the stuff was recorded last week against Hillwood. The interviews were conducted in the middle of the field after the game.

That information is incorrect. White House has scored 480 and given up just 177, not 368.

Very good point. In 1997, Pete Bloodworth of White House (#90) made one of the most violent hits in the history of the program, knocking the Melrose back (#32?) onto the sideline and out of the game. It happened on a sweep to the near (WH) sideline inside the 20 as Melrose was marching to score. It was just nasty.

Where did that rumor come from?

Greenbrier fans were asking about the field for Kingsbury. We played at a place in 1996 just in the back yard of the Liberty Bowl next to the old Memphis Chicks baseball stadium. It was a complete dump. Terrible facilities and terrible field conditions. Don't know if that's still the place or not. Someone said it might be called the Fairgrounds?

I didn't waste time. The stats are available at the TSSAA and with a calculator or spreadsheet, you can have it in minutes. You interpret differently than I do. To win the region in Middle Tennessee, you are going to have to play seven region games, beat at least three really good region teams, and play good non-region competition because the tiebreaker might come down to strength of schedule, including non-region opponents. It is possible in West and East Tennessee in several regions to finish fourth in the region at 2-8 and make the playoffs. All you have to do is beat the fifth and sixth (if that many) teams and you're in, assuming they pull no big upsets. You can't do that in Middle Tennessee. You need tough wins to get in the playoffs.

I'm not breaking down every region for 2004, but it's a safe bet that Region 5-6 is tops again with a three-year best of 64-16 including three unbeaten teams. Region 7-8 combined for 54-25, also its three-year best. Melrose has two win two region games to guarantee a playoff berth. All teams in those two regions do. In Region 5-6, the playoff teams need to win at least four, and most times five games inside the region to get in the playoffs, and often lose tiebreakers to teams they cannot play because there are so many teams.

Now for 2003. Regions 5-6 are FOUR of the top five. Regions 7-8 are scattered and the first one is ninth. 2003 TSSAA Division I Combined Records of Eight Playoff Teams Sorted by First Round Pairings CLASS REGIONS RECORDS PCT. 4-A 5-6 61-19 0.763 2-A 5-6 60-20 0.750 5-A 1-2 60-20 0.750 1-A 5-6 58-22 0.725 5-A 5-6 58-22 0.725 1-A 3-4 56-22 0.718 2-A 1-2 57-23 0.713 3-A 5-6 57-23 0.713 5-A 7-8 56-24 0.700 2-A 3-4 55-25 0.688 5-A 3-4 54-26 0.675 4-A 7-8 53-26 0.671 3-A 1-2 52-28 0.650 3-A 7-8 52-28 0.650 4-A 3-4 52-28 0.650 1-A 7-8 52-28 0.650 2-A 7-8 51-29 0.638 3-A 3-4 49-30 0.620 4-A 1-2 49-31 0.613 1-A 1-2 47-30 0.610 So, for the two-year set, Region 5-6 in Class 4-A is the toughest to make the playoffs, with the eight teams combining for records of 62-17 and 61-19 in two years. In Regions 7-8, Class 4-A, the eight teams making the playoffs combined for a 49-28 and 53-26 record. Not to mention, those in Regions 5-6 had to compete with 10 teams to get in. There are your numbers. Decipher from them what you will.

Here is the breakdown from 2002. I got it from a 2003 Football Preview from The News Examiner and the writer who does White House. I retyped it. It will take me a while, but I will tabulate 2003 from the TSSAA website using the same formula. This takes the combined records of the eight playoff teams from the region brackets (regular season only). Notice that 5-6 is the toughest in the state, not only once, but top THREE. Region 7-8 is the LOWEST in the state, except for two brackets from Region 3-4, which is hurt by Chattanooga area. Combined Records of Eight Playoff Teams Sorted by First Round Pairings CLASS REGIONS RECORDS PCT. 4-A 5-6 62-17 0.785 1-A 5-6 61-19 0.763 5-A 5-6 59-21 0.738 3-A 1-2 58-21 0.734 3-A 7-8 57-22 0.722 2-A 5-6 57-23 0.713 5-A 7-8 56-24 0.700 1-A 1-2 55-25 0.688 4-A 3-4 55-25 0.688 2-A 1-2 54-26 0.675 4-A 1-2 54-26 0.675 5-A 1-2 53-27 0.663 3-A 5-6 52-27 0.658 5-A 3-4 52-28 0.650 1-A 3-4 51-29 0.638 4-A 7-8 49-28 0.636 1-A 7-8 49-29 0.628 2-A 7-8 50-31 0.625 2-A 3-4 49-31 0.613 3-A 3-4 48-31 0.608

How would Melrose fare if they had to compete in 10-team regions just to make the playoffs? I am not saying the top teams in Memphis are not good quality. That is a fact by state standards and championships. But the level of football, including the mass number of good quality teams, is higher in Middle Tennessee. There are records to back it up. For instance, two years ago, the Class 4-A playoff pairing of Region 5-6 had a better combined record among the eight teams than ANY OTHER EIGHT-TEAM BRACKET in the entire state of Tennessee. That included Hillsboro, the team which eliminated Melrose. Those eight teams not only were statistically better than any other region pairing in the state, they also had to compete with nine other teams in their region to get in. East and West Tennessee got an easier playoff road from the TSSAA with less region games to play, bar none. They fixed that with the new classification.

Earlier on the thread, someone said with a defense like Melrose, why do you need a kicking game (defending that their kicking game was bad, but the defense made up for it). Seeing that Melrose lost the past two semifinal games to Hillsboro by one point, and there appeared by the score to be missed PATs involved, then I would say it definitely should be a concern. I think Melrose by record and scores has proven they have a very good football team. But the level of competition in West Tennessee and Memphis is not near the week-to-week battle it takes to win in Middle Tennessee, especially in Class 4-A. Who knows if Memphis is disciplined...we will find out Friday. But one thing is for sure, the Memphis area is not known for having disciplined opponents. It's safe to say that Melrose has not played a team as structured and disciplined as White House all year. Friday you will see contrasting styles, both of which are effective. But when placed against one another, let's see what style comes out on top.