WestHigh4Life

I would have gone with Kevin Lane or Marc Giles. Lane because of his defenses always giving West a chance to win. The kids really loved him and played hard for him. Plus everywhere he has coached he has been successful. Giles was a West grad and played a couple of years before me and had been on staff for most of Cummings head coaching tenure. He ate, breathed, and slept West football. A great man of faith and a heckuva role model for kids.

The original poster makes a lot of interesting points. I'm not as up to speed with the Rebels anymore since I moved out of the area a couple of years back, but looking at box scores the offense is definitely not putting up the numbers they used to. This could be due to a drop in talent or rezoning or it could be the coaches that have been hired since Cummings left not fitting correctly at the school. I don't know the new Coach personally to judge if he is a good coach or not, but he seemed to have success at Morristown West. I dont know a thing about Morristown West, but I do know that Knox West was a very diverse school when I went there in the late 90's and although we werent very good in Football we had different types of kids on the team all with different types of backgrounds (ethnicity, income, culture, etc) and that could still be the case, Cummings was a West graduate and played there in the 80s and I personally believe that him being apart of the school as a player and an assistant helped him succeed with the players he inherited when he became head coach and then on. I was truly surprised when the guy from Loudon was hired when Cummings left because I was always told there were like four guys on staff wanting to be the head coach if he left. Whoever made these decisions must not have thought much of these guys to make them head coach and thats a shame. Either way I hope the new coach gets it turned around and West is back on top! Go Rebels!

Is this Derek Rang wanting the job himself? Sounds like it. If Rang got the job he'd be gone in two years if a better job opened up. I want a coach like Lane or Coach Marc Giles who will stay at West and keep the excellence of the program going for a while. Permanent not temporary is what the next coach needs to be!

I hope West makes the right choice this time. I really feel that article was just a giant excuse. Injuries and all that are part of the game and every team has kids leave their programs all the time...Truth is there was lots of talent there and he didn't know how to use it properly. I hope the next coach is hired quickly and has great success!

I haven't seen prepxtra or pecker I mean packer say Harig's gone and they can't stand West. You know they would gloat about that if it was true. Until it's officially announced that he is gone hes still coach.

Agree 1000% percent with this post. I also could care less where a coach comes from whether its a smaller or bigger school. The one thing that should be considered is that West is such a diversified school and you have kids from different backgrounds. If your not used to coaching players like this you should use your assistants who have been there and built relationships with them to communicate what your goals and objectives are. The penalties, using/not using timeouts, confusion among the players on offense was disheartening to watch. This team deserved better than 4-6 but it is what it is and I hope for nothing but the best for the players returning.

I have nothing personally against the head coach in fact I was one of the most optimistic of the hire. Was I rooting for one of the assistants that wanted the job to get it? Of course bc they helped my kid become a great player as well as others and helped them get championship rings to boot. When the hire was made many parents, fans, and players were disappointed not with the man that was hired but bc of the previous coach leaving so abruptly after winning a championship and being a graduate of West. The remaining assistants were left to be there for those kids who were devastated even the ones who were graduating like my own. I reassured other parents that still had kids on the team that this coach has been successful and with the talent coming back and the alignment of new regions, West should continue to compete for State. Unfortunately things didn't work out that way and I agree it's a combination of things and a parting of ways would be the best solution. If a new coach is hired whether it's from within or out...I will support them 100% bc I am WestHigh4Life.

Some of those diamonds you are mocking coached my son to a state title appearance and a championship so I think they know what they are doing. In fact some of those guys would make great head coaches anywhere. Perhaps Mr know it all of 3A was a bit too stubborn to listen to them of how to play and "win" in 5A hence the failure of a season this was.

Of course he said no..why would anyone resign from that position - He has it made there. The guy has done an awful job and should be rightfully fired. If I didn't do what i was hired to do...I'd be fired as would most people. I hope the principal and AD make the decision to get rid of this guy and erase these last two years as if they never happened. West is a mess but it can be cleaned up. But only if the admin cares about the program like those who have played or parents who have had kids play (like myself).

West won't be challenging in that region anytime soon. Guess no one paid attention to how they did this past season in their current region. Fulton or Oak Ridge will win this region until they decide to change it again.

Very sad to hear. My kid played on the team a couple years back and im thankful he didn't have to go through what these current players have. Hoping for change.

There should be...absolutely terrible season. Guess that makes me a bad fan for saying that. Been honest from the beginning about the offense and team in general. I shutter to think what next year holds if a change is not made.

Yes unfortunately but it's also effort and attitude. Very disheartening but im glad u guys are rolling and I hope u take it all and represent East TN in Cookeville

Thanks man. It's hard to believe how things have changed in 2 years for us and 3-4 for you guys. Keep urs up too brother.

Props to South Doyle tonight on getting the win. As a West fan, tonight was a very humbling experience. The fact players don't care about losing and are laughing after the game shows the culture within the program has changed in 2 short years. Sure legends have graduated, but there was plenty of talent left to at least be in the conversation of winning more titles. It's true what they say...you don't know what you got until it's gone.