BigVikeDaddy#68

You can say all you want about 4A teams in this area not being able to hang with 5A teams, and too much speed, bla bla bla... Tennessee High was terrible on Friday night and got beaten badly by a mediocre Dobyns Bennett team. As a player on last year's team, and watching that game Friday night, I can say without a doubt in my mind that we would have mopped the field with the 2004 Tennessee High team playing the 2005 Dobyns Bennett team. Without a doubt. But it doesn't matter, that would never happen of course. Now if if both teams had played last year it would be a different story, and probably a very close game. But DB people need to know they didn't do anything special Friday night. Tennessee High lost almost every key player they had last year, and that team was unbelievable, Tennessee High probably won't have a team like that for a long long time. That is why we wanted to play DB last year. This team you saw Friday night was nothing like what you have seen last year, even though it wasn't enough to beat Maryville last year, i know. Anyway, on another note, it was the same old game plan for Tennessee High. Run it up the middle, if it doesn't work... run it up the middle, oh that didn't work... alright let's pass it when everyone knows we're passing. Oh no, we can't pass either cause we never work on it. Let's run it up the middle again... It gets old. Let's put in some creative plays, and then let's execute. I know the personnel isn't quite there to make the plays like last year's team, and you can't blame the coaches for that. On the final note, we may stink this year, but you're not that good either DB.

To all the Melrose fans: Just give it up, there is no sense trying to talk yourselves into thinking that you have a chance, trust me. I did the same thing last week, as I am an avid Tennessee High fan, and I really thought that we had a chance against the #1 team in the state. But what I saw on Friday night amazed me, and I haven't been back on here till now. That team should not be a high school team, they are better than a lot of small college teams. I didn't believe the hype either, til I saw it with my own eyes. Something has to be wrong there, a high school team should not be that good. Our Tennessee High team was the best we have had in 30 years, and we could not even sniff a victory after the first quarter. Granted, our kids pis-sed down their leg and we played the worst game of our year, but what can you expect from 16-18 yr. old kids. They were intimidated, and it showed. Just so all the Maryville fans know, Tennessee High is a much better team than they showed, but the kids weren't ready to handle the pressure that the game put upon them. I'm sure you know they are better, I mean, how could you get much worse than a 49-0 letdown. My main point is, Melrose, you just don't have a chance, Maryville will not make any mistakes, they play perfectly, and as soon as you make that first mistake they will attack like a pack of wild dogs, and then you are finished. Our team was not used to being behind, as I am sure your's is not either, and when we fell behind we seemed to give up, and that's when they really put it on you. This is coming from an unbiased high school football fan who just saw the best high school football team in Tennessee. Good luck to both teams, but even on Maryville's worst day of the year, and Melrose's best day of the year, Maryville still wins by 2 TD's. My hats off to all Maryville fans and players, you guys are the real deal.

when they played Johnson County

Attest = be evidence of. As for the size, you guys have a big offensive line, averaging over 250 lbs. That is where I was basing your size advantage, I don't know about your other positions. The speed advantage is definitely in our favor, no arguing that one, I know both teams 40 times. thumb

Alright Lady Rebels, the game is here! First, I want to congratulate the Vikings and the coaching staff on the job they did last Friday night, even though they let down in the fourth quarter, they did DOMINATE in the first half. I attest that to great coaching and precise execution. We play like we did in the first half, against Maryville, Game over Baby! I loved seeing those passes early as we exposed the weak links in the other team's D. It was definitely a thing of beauty. The defense stepped up and played hard as well, for the most part. Gotta keep it strong for 4 quarters this week boys. Now, for the game, I've been looking forward to this game for weeks, as many others have as evidence of the size of this thread. From what I am seeing, both teams seem fairly evenly matched, with Maryville getting the size and experience advantage, and Tenn. High getting the speed advantage. If both teams play their A+ game, I still give the edge to the Vikings! THS 35 Maryville 31

A warning to Elizabethton: The real Vikings are Baaack! No mercy baby! Go Vikes! thumb

Not so fast there FBE, I don't know if I would say that we don't have the best passing attack. We just use it sparingly to set up the run. The passing game is there and I'll give you a short run down of our weapons: The QB was easily the fastest QB in the conference, and probably in East TN. He easily escapes pressure and throws good on the run. In the jamboree to open the season, he won the long pass contest with throws over 60 yards, so he can throw the deep ball. He is very accurate when he is on, and has been victim to a some dropped passes this year. His go to receiver is the fastest player on the team, and I strongly feel he has been underutilized by the coaching staff. But, when you are 12-0 and haven't needed to use him much (yet!), then I can't complain. He is a very capable receiver with usual good hands, but with his few touches can drop balls. He is 6'2" and can outjump most anybody. Another underutilized receiver was a first time player who is a basketball star with supersoft hands. He's got great moves in the open field when we get him the ball. The TE has great hands and is extremely hard to bring down when we get him the ball. He had one of the best catches I've seen all year from any team. All of the running backs do a good job of catching the ball out of the backfield, and of course run well after the catch. My point is we have a very formidable passing attack, and we will use it when it is necessary.

MISSING: TENNESSEE HIGH FOOTBALL TEAM REWARD: UNDISCLOSED AMOUNT Seriously, has anyone seen the Vikings in the past two weeks??? I think there are imposters wearing their jerseys on friday nights. Where is the fire that I saw at the East game??? Do the seniors not realize that every game could be their last??? There is only going to be one team in 4A playoffs this year that ends the season with a win, and I don't know if the Vikings want it to be them or not. If you haven't already realized, nobody is going to just hand over the game, you still have to show up and play hard every game! Where do I start? The offensive line is getting pushed back and not opening any holes. The running backs aren't running hard anymore after contact. The wide receivers aren't blocking. The defensive front is still playing hard, but they're not getting any help. The linebackers are getting blocked and nobody is stepping in to help. Which leads me to something else... Let's give a hand to the coaching staff. South was running so many different plays on offense that I was amazed that they figured a way to stop it. No, I'm wrong, they ran the same play 2,341 times in a row and it took them two years to make an adjustment. Isn't football a game of adjustments??? Come on guys, have to get smarter. How bout we go to the shotgun and throw 20 screen passes, yeah that'll work, or get one on one coverage with a guy ten times faster than the cornerback and we run the ball instead when they have 8 and 9 in the box. Stubborness is good for very few things, and play calling in football is not one of them. We were lucky to win this game, and we won the game only because of our superior athletes and special teams play. South outplayed us and outcoached us, period. The most important thing is that we came away with the win, and we have another chance to come out and play. There is no doubt in my mind that if the real Vikings show up and play hard and smart, then they can beat anyone, but it must happen one game at a time. This week we must beat Elizabethton or we don't play anymore. I am as bad as anyone to look to the Maryville game, but I think this has caused this highly talented team to take other teams for granted the past two weeks. The boys better get some fire in their eyes or they may be turnin in their pads next week. Somebody needs to go find the real Vikings, the ones who WANT to hit people, the ones who WANT to win, the ones who CARE about winning. I know there still there, I saw the best team in the state the game of THS vs. East. We're gettin back on track starting this week with Elizabethon. No Mercy! Go Vikes! thumb

Bla Bla Bla Bla... JV and freshman.. Bla Bla Bla. I guess if my team's varsity wasn't any good, I would try and talk about something else too. But they're not. Now back to the real topic of this thread: The wet field conditions will play to South's favor because they don't have nearly the speed that THS has, but it will matter only little. The Vikings will get back on track this week after a subpar performance last week. Vikes by 30. Bring it on!

To be more specific, I know that Mo has been on visits to Va. Tech, Tennessee, and Marshall. There have been other SEC/ACC schools that have sent many letters and requested tapes. There are also many D1 AA schools that keep making offers, but he will probably decide after the season. As for Zack Morton, he is a senior and an excellent DE who is about the same height as Mo, and as you said not quite as fast, but that's hard to do when Mo runs a sub 4.6 40 and weighs 220+lbs. Zack is still very quick, don't get me wrong, I've seen him chase down many QB's this year that were running for their lives, as evident by the 17 sacks this season (school record). Zack does not have the gawdy weight room stats that Mo has, but he is what I would call "country" strong. They both throw lineman and running backs around like they were rag dolls. Zack is receiving offers from smaller D1 schools, and lower echelon SEC teams mainly because he doesn't have the same weight room and 40 stats that Mo can provide, but I think his performance on the field speaks for itself. Zack gets after it harder than any player I've seen this year, I think he could play hard for 8 quarters straight! I think his offers will change, along with a lot of other players, after the season is over. We just have to keep winning right now. All this talk about the DE's doesn't mean that the tackles are slouches, and far from it. They are both big strong kids and really control the middle well. As a unit, I would venture to say that these front 4 are arguably the best in the state, but that of course is my opinion.

He is being recruited by several SEC/ACC schools.

I have heard how good the Maryville O-line is this year, and it will be a good match up if this game takes place in a couple of weeks. From the sound of it, you all have quite an impressive team, and I am looking forward to seeing this game settled on the field and not on paper. But, speaking of stuff on paper, do you have any idea how big some of the guys on the O-line are, and are they all returning starters from last year?

On the topic of best DE's in the state, here is a little info on the 1, 2 punch that Tenn. High brings: Zack Morton is 6-2, 220 lbs. and is lightening quick off the ball. He runs very well for his size (I am unsure of his 40 time), and he plays with an aggressiveness that I have not seen matched by any high school player this season. He broke the previous sack record at Tennessee High by game 7, which was 11.5 sacks at the time, and I think he currently has around 16 or 17? Maurice Whitten, or "Big Mo" as he is known around here, is 6-3, 220 lbs. and is one of the fastest guys on the team. For his size he runs an amazing sub 4.6 40, and hits with punishing force. He broke the previous power clean record by 60 lbs. by doing 340 lbs, which is a record at some D1 colleges right now. He would have the sack record this year if it wasn't for the other DE having 16 or 17. Both players were a little banged up before last game, and Zack was getting over the flu, so I expect them to be back and healthy for this upcoming game. Both players are being recruited by ACC/SEC schools but have not yet made a decision.

Are you serious??? Manchild, you must have a bad memory to forget about the 52-7 thumping that the Vikings put on the Rebels a few weeks ago. The only way the Rebels make it to the regional championship is if the Vikings forget that the game is at 7:00 and South wins by forfeit. Highly unlikely, so don't expect the Rebels to pull off any miracles. It's not like they're playing Johnson County.. oh yeah, they lost to them too. As for the Elizabethton/East game: Elizabethton pulls this one out because they are a young team that has gotten better all year. Their coaching tends to shoot themselves in the foot from time to time, (like when they should have kicked the short field goal at half time instead of going for it and running out of time, dummies, and then losing by 1!!!). East has run out of gas, and their magical season will come to end this friday night.

Hold up buddy, I think I sense some jealousy... You obviously do not know what you are talking about, or you really haven't seen these teams play. DB and Oak Ridge, who knows how we would do, they are 5A and we don't have to worry about it. Maryville, we'll see how we do against them in a couple of weeks. BUT Powell Valley??? We scrimmaged them preseason and handed it to them, NOT even close. It wasn't by a touchdown, it was by several, and both teams were going full speed trying to win. Powell Valley beat Gate City this year in the regular season, so you can throw that one out too. Obviously, whoever you are you don't know you're talking about, and your opinion should be ignored because it is nonsense! You just wish you were a Viking!