ftbllfan23

2 minutes ago, Futbolfan2022 said:

What’s really great, is the leaders in the school and county acting like they hired the second coming of Bear Bryant.  when it doesn’t work out and Osovet flees for greener pastures, he’ll throw them under the bus for broken promises. 

You know they've promised him the world and they won't be able to deliver. Same cow patty, different year. The fire will burn out with parents and then I guess they'll be back to square one.

12 minutes ago, BarneySox2007 said:

Let's say Joe just stayed one year. What a great coach to learn from, one that has been to the big times for the guys that were at the middle school system last year. How would you like to learn under someone like Shad and be taught to take a vacation during fall break.

I somewhat can see what you're saying, Barney, but, this guy hasn't coached at the level he's currently coaching at. You know things do not run the same from junior college, to division 1 to high school. He's never called one single play on a high school field.  He's never done half the stuff he's doing now in his life. Things do not run the same. These middle school coaches and other coaches he's retained have done more fundraising, booster club meetings, talking with parents, going over TSSAA rules, speaking with refs. I know that's not the game, but it's a large part of high school sports. Honestly, he's probably learning how to do things from them. What are they expecting to learn from him? Well, I guess they could brush up on this incredible offense he has. 

1 hour ago, OldRebel2 said:

Could the coaching hires have something to do with available "teaching" position?  That may be why  they've hired several from inside the system.

I would consider this possibly being the case, but only to a point. Hiring from the inside and hiring locals is different. So if you're looking for people that are not teachers, but are high school coaches, there are plenty out there. Whether they are worth a flip, that's up in the air. After all, look at a lot of the recent hires in the area. The coaches that were hired from Eagleton aren't even teachers. Not sure this coach has a list of teachers/coaches submitting apps and begging to get into this school system; teachers or not. He may be able to recruit college players, but recruiting coaches may not be his forte. Especially not to a system that is not trying to grow and thrive and change to benefit students.

So from what I understand, the only former middle school coach that is a teacher is the one from HMS, Whitehead. He previously coached with Hammontree at the high school level and what I've been told was asked to coach at the middle school to build that program and run the same things as the high school was so it would be a fluid transition for upcoming freshmen. The only other new coach that has been named to staff that was a teacher was the one mentioned previously in this thread was the one that recently took another job in SC. I believe one of the coaches that was retained from Hammontree's staff is an ACT prep teacher at HHS. I'm sure this coach was told he could bring in whoever and they'll make a way. Looks as though that wasn't really option. 

Looking back when Hammontree was hired, his staff was mainly comprised of volunteer coaches because bringing in actual qualified high school football coaches with true experience outside of Blount County require teaching positions and they just weren't there. It wasn't as common 10, 12 years ago to not be a teacher and be a major asset to a staff as it is today.  And as the years went by and things didn't change, if coaches on staff were offered better positions elsewhere, they were encouraged to take those to benefit their families. Volunteer coaches were giving everything they had, only to watch nothing change as well. There were a lot of promises made by the administration that never came to fruition the past 10 years. One of many actually, but that's for another day. 

There's hiring from inside the system and then there's scrounging to prove a point of trying to 'keep with tradition.'  I think this coach has heard that the community isn't involved so much that he's trying to over compensate by involving everybody and slap a label on them. For example, you've hired a director of football operations that is apparently an alumni, but never once attempted to be around Heritage football previously, only bashed it on social media and in the community. Then you hire his wife as the content creator, you bring in middle school coaches locally and your only ''quality coaches from around the nation'' are a 7on7 football coach that only has one year of high school coaching experience and you've got him running your weight program, and another former junior college coach from NY.  None of that is screaming 'one of the BEST STAFFS in East TN' but maybe that's just me.

All this to say, how about a lot less talk and a lot more work to benefit the players. Enough with the show, the gimmicks, videos and the hashtags. Like someone else previously said, there's not been one mention of actual FOOTBALL. Hopefully the parents and 'boosters' realize that behind all the videos, pictures, graphics and schticks, you still have the play the game.  

1 hour ago, BS101 said:

So I see the negative Heritage supporters are well and good.  I am glad he hired 3 coaches from Heritage Middle School.  They had a good team last year.  I'm glad to see them supporting him.  Who is going to coach there now?  

Well, from the social media posts it was one coach from HMS and two from Eagleton. Also, being realistic and noticing empty promises and coaches already dipping out is different than being negative. 

Still hope the best for the kids out there, but there are still questionable choices/decisions being made daily. 

53 minutes ago, Futbolfan2022 said:

They have started spring practice. Interesting that a program that has put everything on social media and has a director of graphics and social media they haven’t posted a single thing from actual football practice. 

That goes back to the pretty red bow on everything. It's all still new and exciting but that newness wears off and just like at every other school, players will quit during or after spring practice. The commitment required for summer workouts heading into August is too much for some to handle. I think the decision to have 'open' practices will also backfire. Lots will be learned over the next couple of months. 

1 hour ago, camppack said:

Announced as new OC at Oceanside Collegiate Academy in SC. 

yeah, I saw that. Interesting hire if he was such a defensive mind.  Wonder what made him dip from HHS so soon. Also not a word on the old social media since spring practice started. 

1 hour ago, Futbolfan2022 said:

You mean hiring 3 middle school coaches from the struggling county middle schools isn’t hiring the best staff in the state? 

actually, after looking at the former head softball coach they hired on staff, it seems like he's already jumped ship. 

1 hour ago, Futbolfan2022 said:

You mean hiring 3 middle school coaches from the struggling county middle schools isn’t hiring the best staff in the state? 

you can't forget the former junior college head softball coach. 

50 minutes ago, Futbolfan2022 said:

You mean hiring 3 middle school coaches from the struggling county middle schools isn’t hiring the best staff in the state? 

and what about the kid -  I'm sorry, defensive coordinator, that also coaches 7on7 travel football?  

looks like those parking spots are just flying off the market at HHS. so much so they had to sweeten the deal with season tickets and a football program, but wait...

THERE'S MORE!

you only get 2 season tickets per space, if you need 4, well then you'll have to pay 600 for your parking spot. 

10 hours ago, BarneySox2007 said:

I remember walking around the campus as they were building Heritage High School watching the footers being poured. I was also at the very first Heritage Football game in 1977 against McMinn County when they beat McMinn County in overtime 28-27 and the following week they beat Knox Central 39-7. Everyone was excited from the county just knowing they were going to beat Maryville the following week at Maryville in one of the biggest crowds there ever were around here to see a football game. It turned out a 14-0 win for Maryville in a one sided defensive ballgame. Maryville failed to score a couple of times but I don't think Heritage even crossed the fifty yard line that night. That Heritage team was 7-3 in their first year. I've seen every Heritage team play at least one or two ballgames since the very beginning in 1977 and know a couple of players from most of everyone of those teams. I've seen everything and heard even more in the 45 year existence of that football program. Who's fault and who was to blame for it getting this way would take a month to tell on here. All I know is the last 33 years has been totally awful and why I was excited to see Heritage go this direction. I may eat crow here but I've seen enough failure out there they had no choice like it or not or eventually watch this program fold. If this program ever does start winning again I can promise one thing for sure the fans will come out of the woodwork because I've seen it before.

I understand what you're saying, however, the here and now is the focus. there is too much of the good ol' boy system still current which is tying the hands of many. problem is that it isn't just at the school itself, it's above it as well. one coach cannot dismantle that. the environment is toxic. and you know just as well as I do, this coach/staff coming in was fed lies and promises just like many others.

if it turns around, good. if I'm wrong, good. because this team and those students matter and should be able to thrive in a setting that benefits all. but if it doesn't, well then it's not going to be a surprise to any of us. 

37 minutes ago, Jetjock said:

i though heritage played first game in 79 ???  i dont remember playing heritage in 77!!!

from what I recall, Barney is on the money. Maryville won that game 14-0 in 1977. 

10 hours ago, CoachOz said:

Fellas awesome website and I love the passion! Nothing like football in the South.  I like the the guy who is going to hook us up if I'm a Heritage in 18 months or if we win 3 games. I screen shot that and will save it. Seriously I love the banter, great site it's all fun!  Hopefully get to meet some of you guys at a game!

Best Coach Oz

PS. We SOLD 4 spots already!

Go Mountaineer's

I would hate to be the person proud of moving the spots for those that need to be closer to the stadium (handicap). that's a dang shame.

and while you're here, maybe we should address a few things:

it's mountaineers.

's shows possession, it's not plural form.

by now, you're probably starting to realize a few things being out at HHS. just like a lot of us have said, you can put a pretty bow on things, you can change a helmet, get new uniforms, clean up the press box, bring back the booster club and so forth, but that doesn't change the actual root of the problems out there. as you've mentioned before, you're just coaching football, it's not the label that matters, but, Coach, high school football is definitely not college. 

many of us are cheering for this school and these boys, many of us want them to win, be in the best situation they can be in. however, according to many of your interviews, you've been told quite a few things that you're hanging on to as the issues at heritage. might be worth it to you to reach out to some faculty, coaches, and others who have specifically left this school. I urge you to look beyond the gossip and the good ol' boys. 

so here's what we'll do. we'll screenshot your post as well. in fact, we can revisit this specifically once you've had a chance to actually step on the field. 

40 minutes ago, Futbolfan2022 said:

Based on the map and last time I went to a game over there, those were the handicapped parking spots. Are they making people in wheelchairs buy handicapped parking? 

wow, $500 dollars.

in regard to the handicap spots -- that's what I thought as well, but hey, while we're at it, there is nothing at that stadium/field that is ADA compliant. 

5 hours ago, BarneySox2007 said:

Where is the information you speak of. The only thing I'll add here is that a third party did mention to me of an application that was submitted to a junior college very recently by someone.

well, isn't that interesting

just have a google of some of the members of the staff that's been put together. some things really don't make sense or add up.

that's all I'll say. 

inquiring minds. . .

are any of you looking at these coaches that have been hired to the HHS staff (I'm not talking about the extra "staff" but actual coaches) or are you just going by what is said when they've been announced on social media? I suggest you look at the coaching history and stops of some and tell me your two cents.

18 hours ago, Red Rebels said:

What are all these non-coaching positions they keep tweeting about?

oh, do you guys at MHS not have DOFO's and content creators?

it's all about what you can make the community and public believe, right? so if you put a pretty glittery bow on anything, you automatically win. if you tweet about your players, they get huge scholarships. if you blow enough smoke, people start believing it. if everybody buys into it, then good for them, but currently the people buying into it aren't the actual kids playing the game for these coaches and 'staff'...

pretty soon they'll have their tiktok up and running, keep an eye out.

lots of interesting switch ups going on, huh? 

...and it's still early. guess we'll see how this all plays out for both schools. 

wonder what else is brewing.

things are getting interesting over there, that's for sure.

have heard nothing about portals, but what is happening has peaked many people's curiosity and i'm not so sure in a good way. lots of questions about the hires and announcements that have been made. but hey, even if they don't win a game, they'll win a social media award, right? 

hope for the best for the boys, this has got to be a major adjustment for all of them.

Coach Long has been on Twitter promoting his '23 class and taking applications to expand his coaching staff at GCA. highly unlikely Fulton is even on his mind. 

I wish him the best and hope his players continue to buy in to what he's trying to build. 

32 minutes ago, HTV said:

So Maryville wouldn't bring more fans to Wiliiam Blount than would pretty much any other school who plays there?   

Having worked a couple of Maryville at WB games I find that really hard to believe. 

from what I've seen with my own eyes, and on social media, also from those who keep the gate - most fans stay home for those games. 

1 hour ago, etcoach said:

I would like to chime in on WB playing Maryville and Alcoa.  This past year was the first time that I can remember not playing Maryville.  We have only played Alcoa twice since the early 2000s.  I understand everyone who thinks it is a good idea to play them...good gates...good competition...etc..and some say WB and HHS would only get better by playing the best.  Well....when  the program is where it needs to be then I agree.  But in the last decade taking lopsided losses just hoping not to get physically hurt didn't help at all.  This year once week 1 was out of the question for us (HHS got it) the only other option was week 10.  Our goal of course was to make the playoffs and had we made it there would have been a very high likelihood that we would have played MHS in the opening week of the playoffs or maybe week 2 if the season had went well.  Plus Derek had West wanting to play and we had HVA wanting games that week.  So both Shad and Derek agreed to take these 2 years off from regular season and re-assess next time around which we will.  

The bottom line is, in my opinion, it is in everyone's best interest to show up to a game and not know who is gonna win.  That is what makes sports fun.  That is why I like the NFL.  I know in high school that is hard to do, but this past year even though we had a horrific end of year record, 5 of the 9 losses were within one score and could have went either way.  Right now high school football has evolved into a lot of running clocks in the 2nd half....and I think that is unfortunate.  

Moving forward, playing Alcoa and Maryville is not out of the question for sure.  But it would be nice to be playing them for more than a gate.  Time will tell.

not to mention, the gate isn't what people think it is. when you play a team that is struggling to find a few wins, nobody is coming out to those games whether they are at the expected winning school or not. 

like you said, the best interest of both teams in addition to gate money and so on is the not knowing who is going to win. sadly it's like that in many places, not just in blount county. i have family/close friends in other states, SC, GA, etc and there are counties in situations very, very similar to here. hoping in the next couple of years this changes and schedules change as well. it would be to the benefit of everyone involved.

2 minutes ago, Swipes said:

100% agree.  Nix has been running the strength program and D since 2004 and will just keep running the same program that is built (one he had a part in building).  They aren’t dropping off like some might wish to think

 

Nix is definitely the real deal. those that know, know.

it just seems too coincidental, especially considering the actual wording Osovet used during his press conference in regard to the talk on the internet. 

guess he's got a little birdie in his ear. funny how he used the analogy that the kids needed to keep blinders on to block out all the noise and yet, he cannot follow his own advice.

54 minutes ago, BigTime1950 said:

Getting chippy on The T. Just like most threads, a lot of talk until they actually line up and play. Maybe l missed it but is this new HC a teacher or did Heritage follow the trendy BHS program?

from what's been said, I do not know this 100%, he has a degree, but has never taught, but has 'intentions of teaching' 

anybody else seen the press conference? he addressed his offense, all of his connections both at the high school and college level, and putting together a staff from all over the country. he also addressed all the 'talk' on the internet.