MidTennFootball

I think they occasionally forget they are supposed to write the news not become it and virtue signal

I don't disagree but dynasties rise and fall, Oakland isn't any different. Riverdale made the BCB ( or Clinic Bowl) 9 out of the last 13 seasons under Rankin, they haven't been back since. I grew up on Oakland football at a time when scoring a TD on Riverdale was cause for celebration. Don't count on the growth slowing down in Middle Tennessee, it's just something that is a new reality, if it's not Oakland it will be someone else. I do wish GQ and his staff had hung around longer. A great coach surrounds himself with great assistants. Having Gaylor and Ellis was basically a cheat code for Maryville

Not sure I'd put it that way but I think the offense has held MJ back for the last several years. Most years they have been solid defensively and have a good S&C program. They need to get Roger to show the young 'uns how it's done

Right there with you, I wish they would slim It down I just don't think it's realistic.

Fair enough and if the privates decide to stay you might be able to eliminate a class but my point still stands, I'd be very surprised if they ever eliminate a public school class

By having complete buy in from youth league all the way through high school, developed by top flight coaching. Your right as far as scheme goes, they couldn't be more different although Hunt has been more run oriented than his predecessor

Yet you support a team that has dominated the their in for nearly 30 years, Oakland has dominated for only a third of that time. I agree that parity makes it more fun but don't act like you didn't enjoy Maryville being a team you could automatic write in for the semifinals. Oakland isn't any more talented than any other successful team in Middle Tennessee and they aren't the only ones high profile transfers move to, what got them to the next level was taking the model that made Maryville so successful and applying it to their own and it doesnt hurt they have one of the best staffs in the state. I figured most Maryville folk could appreciate that but maybe I'm wrong

I think a computer rating system along with a panel of 4-6 writers who have statewide credibility could work, but no larger bc I agree the average AP voter couldnt tell you anything about teams that are outside the grand division they're in

At this point, I think it would be better to only let the top 2 teams get automatic berths into the playoffs and let the rest be wild card teams. I'd be stunned if the TSSAA voted to go back to 5 classes, much less 4

How many starters are returning?

Won't dispute that MJ is at a talent disadvantage against some teams, but there are programs at a similar talent level that have consistently played for titles. I do think Perry has done a solid job and have not heard a bad word said against them, there's something to be said for running a program that represents a community well on and off the field. Iron sharpens Iron. Until MJ makes peace with the idea that its OK to go 6-4 in the regular season against a challenging schedule, were going to be talking about the same things every year. Oddly enough, Perry actually put together some good schedules when he first took over, struggled some then went the easy route. I don't hate Perry and I think anybody that does should check their priorities, I just want to see successful teams play other successful teams

I think non-Oakland folk need to consider the possibility that Week 11 happened not because of a bad half but merely the possibility that Riverdale is just better. This team is relatively young by Oakland standards whereas just about every major contributor for Riverdale is a senior. Some people see it as a bump in the road on the way to another title, I see it as a potential repeat of 2019 where Riverdale exposed us a little bit there as well (albeit in a loss) on the way to getting knocked out before the BCB. Hopefully the team proves me wrong and makes me feel like an idiot

I can second on the chicken livers

Because it's the playoffs it was broadcast via nfhs on Friday then uploaded to the school site saturday. Honestly I like that it's just video and the PA announcer. Your right it's hit or miss on nfhs. It seems like the smaller schools that usually have the better production

Oakland does their own broadcast when their at home, pretty well done and no annoying commentary

Closest I can think of is when DB made the semis in 98,00,02

Since we're all throwing out our own ideas..... Keep it at 6 Classes, but only the top 2 in each region earn automatic trips to the playoffs. Use a rating system that not only rewards teams for scheduling tough competition but beating them as well. Break the bracket down to 2 Quads, each seeded 1-16 and eliminate the alternate sites for semifinals. Would prefer this happen for 5 classes, but I know going back to 5 classes is a pipe dream

Some of you are gonna be big mad when the TSSAA passes the one time transfer rule

I want to address this over here bc I don't want to derail the thread it originated on. You can win championships with reasonable talent, MJ has sent a steady stream of kids to FBS and FCS so I don't think talent is the issue. The issue IMO is MJ clearly isn't getting better over the course of the season, or at least as much as they should. This is the 2nd time in 3 seasons they've collapsed down the stretch, they did recover to beat Rockvale, but the Rockets were also down to their 3rd string QB I believe. The struggles are partly due to the fact that MJ doesn't play elite competition until its absolutely forced to. I think the other part of this equation is the offense, feels like every time they've hit a rough patch or don't achieve their potential, it's on that side of the ball. I have no doubt MJ will play hard, but trying to guess a score is anybody's guess. Oakland could win by 35, or they could win by 3-7 and neither would surprise me

You can be "oozing" with talent and still only have 1-2 guys that can catch and run, stars just happened to align right for Riverdale. Good QBs make the talent around him better and Graham def falls in that category

True, it's been a staple of the defense under Creasy and it works alot bc Oakland has been blessed with alot of college talent in the secondary the last 10 years. Most teams only have 1-2 threats they can utilize in the passing game, Riverdale has at least 4

Your not wrong. In theory, making a passing team methodically move down the field plays into the hands of the defense bc they'll eventually make a mistake. Unfortunately for Oakland, Graham played the best half I've seen from a QB since Stockstill. You truly got to pick your poison and hope for the best

In 6A, you got as many as 8 teams that can win the title this year. The favorite is someone not named Oakland or Maryville. The changing landscape of HSFB is going to make it hard to establish the kind of run the Rebels achieved. Can't speak for 5A, I just get the feeling that winning championships isn't the kind of priority for the 6A NET programs like it is for the other strong programs in the state.

Agreed its rare he holds the ball just gotta find a way to force them in 2 & 3rd long. He rightly gets much of the praise but even without Montgomery, Riverdale has a stout WR Corps

Any hope Cookeville has of keeping this game close depends on how they start. They need to completely empty the playbook, onside kicks after every score, etc. Riverdale is pretty solid up the middle, but if Cookeville can attack the perimeter I think they'll have some success. They got find a way to pressure Graham, if he has a clean pocket he'll pick you apart like he did Oakland for most of the 2nd half