VU365

The kids this year compared to what they were as freshman is a night and day difference. I agree a middle school strength program could get them started on the right foot. But that has to be continued in HS and at a higher level. As a TC supporter you know this as well as anyone. TC survives on being one of the hardest working teams in the state. So yes the middle school programs should get some credit, but the Lebanon players are working harder than Lebanon players have ever been asked too before. So a lot of that has to do with the new culture under Gentry

I agree 100%. I think it has a lot more to do with me not buying the Beech stock this season than it has to do with me expecting too much from Gallatin.

I think it will be a good game. Either way, the team that comes up short week one should not let it hurt their confidence. Both teams are poised for good years. I think both finish top 2-3 in the region. If beech is going into the season expecting an “easy” region title then the wave will have something to say about it!!

I’m just going on what I’ve been hearing this offseason. If the wave’s scrimmages have been going like I’ve been reading then they will be very formidable in that region. 2nd at worst. Beech is beatable if that Wave defense is what I hear it is. Like I said I need to see them in person soon to get a better gauge. Would be lying if I said I wasn’t leaning towards gallatin though

He definitely knows more about it Than me. I did know they lost two studs so I was wondering who they were reloading with. Could have people right behind them to step up as far as I know

You all will smack them this season. Yes they may be improved, but they won’t be able to hang with gallatin based on this offseason. They may finish last in that region. 1-3 in no order will be Hendersonville, Lebanon, and Mt Juliet. Then rossview, Wilson central, station camp in some order. I expect the wave to win the region over Beech but it will be those two battling it out in their region.

Agreed. Smyrna will have a good season. Incredible size and some good skill players especially at RB. Those were two good teams going at it yesterday! That’s why I want to get to a gallatin scrimmage soon and gauge them before I make any predictions for week 1. I’m just hoping for close games. I have no dog in the hunt

Not real sure about the Lebanon viewpoint. I think a lot of TN HS football analysts would have thought Lebanon had a decent edge on the wave. I think it will end up being close, especially if the wave defense performs like I’ve heard they have been in scrimmages. I still give Lebanon the slim advantage but I will have to get up to gallatin and watch them scrimmage in person before I make a real prediction. I think Lebanon is optimistic because if you compare the performances of each team last season based on shared opponents, then the game doesn’t seem like it would be close. 22-19 loss to station camp for the wave vs a 42-0 win over station camp for Lebanon, etc etc. but that’s really comparing apples to oranges so we know how that goes. Also doesn’t take into account the offseasons the teams have had. I think gallatin is improved quite a bit. I expect them to smack station camp this year. I also think Lebanon is better than last year, which could mean they are really good this year since they were 8-2 a year ago. I follow most of middle Tn heavily and think that both of you will have a good season no matter who gets the victory

Love hearing more about the wave. I’ll be in gallatin week 1 this year hoping to see a good game. And from the sounds of things in the gallatin scrimmages it will be closer than a lot of people initially thought!! Should be a good measuring stick for both teams early on. I need to get to a gallatin scrimmage in person to be able to give a solid prediction. But I plan on getting up there soon. Go wave

Pearl Cohn lost one of the best Defensive Tackles in the state who went to UT and you lost the best playmaker on your team in Harrison that went to Vandy. How do you consider that returning pretty much everybody?

The game they had with you all last year was the most Head-scratching result of the season for me. Me and many others expected a green wave beat down. I think you all get revenge this year in a big way against them. That made their season last year. They were hard to watch in person

Absolutely. From a distance I’ve always wondered why such a big school was so bad with all the talent pool they had to choose from. I know some of their middle school feeder teams had success and the kids would get to HS and never improve. Happy for the kids in Lebanon that they have a chance to compete and improve nowadays. They play strong

I believe so as well. Got to watch him some last year as a sophomore against station camp and was blown away. But even more encouraging, he is better this year by leaps and bounds. Much faster too end than he was last season and harder to bring down 1 on 1. I think y’all will really enjoy watching him this season over in Lebanon. Enjoy it! Also you have two under the radar defensive kids that you should enjoy before it’s too late in LB #5 Davila and Nose Guard #53 Gregory. Those two will be playing on Saturdays somewhere. More talent on your team than I’ve seen in years based on the past couple scrimmages

Hendersonville is very physical this year and they have a handful of skill players that can run the ball and play DB on defense and all of them are solid. They’re a team that can upset some good squads and play good teams close. I expect them to finish anywhere from 1 to 3 in that region this year depending on their head to head matchups with MJ and Lebanon. Station camp is more of the same. Have one or two good athletes but they’re bad in the trenches and along the lines. They could be improved from last year, but not enough to make a huge difference on their season. Not the same program it was years ago unfortunately

Ended up heading over there today. Was a very fun scrimmage. Two very Hard hitting teams and both of them were hyped up. Each team intercepted the other once a piece. Lebanon also forced a fumble and recovered it. Smyrna passing game had a group of decent plays for first downs and one score. They couldn’t move the ball consistently on the ground outside of 1 or 2 runs. Exact opposite for Lebanon. They worked a lot on passing the ball and weren’t very successful outside of about 3-4 long completions. The RB was once again hardly stoppable. He must be gang tackled to get taken down. Only had about 6 carries all day and over 100yds. Final play of the scrimmage was about a 60 yard run by him for a TD. Pretty even scrimmage but it felt like if lebanon wanted to line up and run 6 every play they could have had their way. Also felt like Smyrna could have thrown the ball around all night until the lebanon INT. Smyrna was definitely the bigger team in the trenches with two Lineman around 6’4/6’5 300+lbs and the rest very big kids as well. But Lebanon looked really good in the trenches despite that. Seems like Lebanon’s strength program and weightlifting program is leaps and bounds above what it was before Chuck and his staff showed up. Kids are stronger than typical lebanon players. They don’t miss the Georgia freshman DLineman on defense at all. Both teams I saw looked like solid squads who will have good seasons!!

This is exciting to hear. Week one could be interesting for sure if the wave defense is solid!! Looking forward to getting to watch

We can definitely agree on this part, TP is the best coach in the region. Had a state title caliber team last year. But I do love it that lebanon is getting competitive nowadays. Will make the games more fun to watch for people like me with no dog in the hunt

I love the optimism. This is how you have to view things as a program trying to make a name for themselves and rise from the bottom. I agree that WC will be improved and that they are on a good path to improvement. It’s just so hard in that region to try to get victories to make the kids believe. Hopefully it will come one day!

Well I’m not a pro-lebanon supporter so that argument is invalid. Anyone who follows that region knows it was a genuinely close game. 14-10 and if it wasn’t for Marcelo Walton taking over then it would have been a loss. Lebanon’s defense was impressive. MJ’s was even more impressive. Calling that game a fluke game is the same as an Oakland fan calling the playoff game with MJ a fluke and saying they would have blown you out 9 times out of 10. I have a lot more ties to coach Perry and MJ than I do Lebanon. But I have to respect where they are as a program vs how bad they used to be. 8-2 regular season last year and right back in the hunt this year for that region. Same with MJ who lost a lot and is right back in the hunt for a region title. If you can’t see the improvement in Lebanon from when that new staff started then I don’t know what to tell you.

If I recall correctly they forced 5 turnovers last year in a very tight ballgame @ MJ. And that was a much more talented MJ squad than this years. Lebanon has also improved from last year on both sides of the ball, and the game is at there place this year. Definitely could be a close one. I think coach Perry would say the same thing. Gonna be a 3 headed monster in that region for 1st. And that’s not a knock on MJ, but a testament to what Gentry has going on in Lebanon in just 3 years. They were solid last year and have a better squad now. I’m eager to see all three of y’all play each other. Hendersonville should be good as well. I think MJ still is the best in the region in the trenches, and they have possibly the best WR in the region. But the gap is closer than it’s been in years. The Lebanon RB I saw is the real deal

Very likely that I’m there tomorrow checking out big Smyrna D-Lineman. Was in cookeville to see east Hamilton who has a D1 caliber kicker. And a stud LB from Lebanon named Daniel Davila. One of the most underrated players in the state

Glad to see that old rivalry renewed week 1. Should be a decent ballgame! Three way race for that Lebanon region this year between them, Mt Juliet, and Hendersonville in my opinion.

I was under the assumption that Upperman was going to be down this year. Anyone have any info to fill me in on them being top 5?

DeKalb is very improved. Don’t know what they have on the lines though. I do know they have one stud O-Lineman that committed to tech. But their skill players are absolute studs for that county. Could see them making noise in that region if the O-line holds up for the Qb and RB. Aldino is a college body, and the Tyzaun Ladet kid is a stud athlete. I got the opportunity to check them out in some 7 on 7 this summer and they were dismantling some good teams in 5 and 6A

Any updates on the Grimes kid at Ravenwood? Is he ruled eligible yet? It would be a shame to not get to see him play this year