JSamson7

Wrong

Are we still talking about the guy who never left the JV squad?

The kids have been working hard this summer and you'll see it in the field (especially Defense). A few defensive players have moved to positions they've never played before but it will put more size and speed on the field. I personally love the changes and hope it pays off in a TSSAA title. Offense has speed, experience, size, and more speed. The playmakers are all familiar names to RFL's but there are a few new comers who will show up here and there. The O line could be really-really good this year and steamroll some teams in the regular season. If Walter Nolen is on Powell's team this fall, the line will have a true 5* test as he could be the best HS defensive lineman to suit up this year. As good as our line is, I don't envision many one on one matchups against him IF he's a Panther.

Newberry is a good program, produced one AA from Tennessee if I recall...

No, he's a Rhea County boy. I'll tell him you put in a good word though.

Cleveland had way more athletic talent on that '93 team than Pearl's '97 squad. Pearl Cohn lost 4 games in '96 when they won it all the 1st time against Knoxville Halls then they lost to a mediocre Father Ryan in their 1st game of the '97 season. The Cleveland teams from '93 to '96 won 54 straight games all before the public/private split was even in place. Outside of John Henderson, Cleveland had better players at every position. There were so many guys on their roster had they stayed out of trouble, better grades, etc would have been on major college rosters. Their '93 title was also against a loaded Brentwood Academy squad that was better than any team Pearl Cohn put on the field in '96 or '97. So I'm sorry, there's no way either of you will convince me that a 1 loss '97 PC team or last year's Oakland team (as good as they were) could beat the '93 Cleveland team who beat almost everyone for 4 straight years.

Thankfully you're not the head coach, I will take our current staff over any team's all day-every day.

Cleveland's 1993 team would smoke Oakland's team last year. That team is the best to have ever played against is, PERIOD.

Jones gets to know those kids from Future Stars and they all seem to like him.

Lowe is not the attraction, Josh Jones is the talent magnet.

Agreed, no way any of our coaches are going out of their way to bring someone in.

Jakob will be at Kingsport DB, Roark will be an interesting one to watch as to where he'll be in HS. My guess is he'll stay somewhere in Mid TN, but I could be wrong.

Meh, if it's true he'll end up losing to one of those teams.

Although I love my HC (Hammontree) at Maryville, he was not one who liked any of our players wrestling. Every day he tried to talk me out of wrestling and cutting weight. I get it, but at the same time I disagree with his philosophy. If you look at our current lineup from 145 pounds and up they will almost all be football players. A couple stopped playing football to focus on wrestling, but the rest of them we share with football on a daily basis.

We win more than a few. To answer cbg's point, until recently the football coaches weren't too keen on sending players our way but in no way do we prefer specialization. That why I made it a point to build our K-8 feeder club with a ton of kids from the Bears and Rebs. Look at our current HS football roster and you'll see a bunch of former and current wrestlers. So this year and from here on out cbg will see us in the Top 10 if not higher.

As a Titan fan, I hope he becomes the next Stephen Neal.

Branch was a stud wrestler and is an awesome coach IMO. I thought he might take over the OSU program when Smith eventually steps down but I've heard Guerrero might get that position himself. Regardless, those 2 will definitely be learning from a great one. Congrats!

Wow, some virtue signaling huh? People tend to forget how they were back in the day but I sure don't. Disappointed that would even come up if it's true, but people are easy to become hypocrites these days if it fits a current narrative.

What is there to be butthurt about?? My thing is if the old Maryville guys are whining about anything maybe they should look in the mirror...

Haven't watched it and don't plan to, but was it Nix & gang said about their old school?

What tradition, painting red and black on their bodies??

I assume if Barn would say it on here he wouldn't be afraid to say it to his face. Shad's not necessarily the most intimidating guy in the world...

Let's hope they have better judges than when I competed. Still got the trophy... lol