PurpleReign74

Thanks for responding. I’ll try to be clear in my answers. 1) It is made very clear that Coach Rector and staff won’t answer questions. I certainly don’t blame him for that “rule”. It is always dicey to air frustration in season. However, there are a few of us that will sit down with the interim AD after the season. 2) If the culture was different, kids were being coached and we were losing, there would be no complaints. The issue is the coaches don't have the team prepared. That is just obvious if you watch the games. Also, not an entirely fair question. I’m sure Nick Saban, Dabo, Quarles and Rankin had a few fans that would like to see things done differently. However, it’s hard to argue with consistent success. 3) I will always question something that doesn’t work. Why in the world wouldn’t you? If you can’t alter your “scheme” based on your talent, you shouldn’t be coaching. Is this a really far fetched idea? 4) They rarely watch film together as position groups. Yes, they have Hudl access. I also have access to law books but I don’t know how to practice law. A clear understanding of how to analyze film, at this level, is essential to success. This is especially true if your talent isn’t at the level of your competition. 5) As far as his State Championship goes....It is definitely an accomplishment. I think the more important question is whether or not he developed inferior talent over time or did he have exceptional athletes in one or two classes. There are a lot of coaches, at all levels, that win a championship (or have success) and then are never heard of again. Charlie Weis and Phillip Fulmer come to mind. Why was Fulmer out of coaching less than a decade after a National Championship? It wasn’t because he wanted to retire. 6) I love it that you are interested in FR Football and want a “better understanding” around this topic. Is there a better forum than CoachT in Tennessee to air high school sports frustrations?

Two (2) - BOTH in 2017 One (1) Regular season win - Baylor 37-34 One (1) Playoff win - JPII 35-7 PITIFUL

Culture is the current issue at hand. I know kids are working hard and desperately want to be successful. I believe the boys are torn between fierce school loyalty and speaking out against a less than adequate staff. A winning culture starts at the top. A winning culture creates hope, positive thinking, mental toughness and self reflection. A great coach makes everyone in the program believe that anything is possible and nothing is impossible. That belief becomes reality when the boys in the program believe that the staff believes in them. It should be obvious that work is being done to overcome obstacles. A winning culture, a top tier program may not always win but they would believe they could. They would never hear from their leader that success wasn’t possible. I preach to my family that anything is possible if you work hard, effectively prepare and visualize success. How can this not be obvious. I suspect the smoke you are referring to is related to the fact that this topic has almost 5000 views and 83 replies. Only 1 reply loosely supports Rector. There isn’t even one reply that contradicts what has been written. There is a reason this topic has more views and more replies than any other DII topic. I suspect TSSAA recruiting rules and the Diocese control will change eventually but not in the near future. In the mean time, we need a staff that will game plan and use our strengths to optimize our ability. This starts with teaching the team how to watch film. The offense and defense quite simply needs a fresh set of eyes. We actually have smart, talented players. it is clear that we are out-coached and underprepared each week. I challenge anyone (INCLUDING CURRENT STAFF) to login and describe a scenario this season where we were more prepared than our opponent. We did nothing different week to week to attack our opponents weaknesses. The offense used the same sets, no/limited motion, same patterns, same progression, zone read/RPO where QB rarely made a decision other than handoff. Of course....we had the ever present long ball <eye roll emoji>. The predictability factor was 10/10. The defense is a base 3-4 which by design should create confusion for the offensive line and allow us to attack tendencies (if we knew them) and the QB if he stands in the pocket. I could go on. The biggest questions: is 13-31 good enough for FR? Do we want an opportunity to be competitive? Does anyone even peripherally involved in the program believe this is the staff to get things turned around? Does anyone who has had any interaction with Rector believe he has the ability to hold himself accountable and make changes, give up some control? Are there parents that meet Rector, watch the HS games and say.....I want my kid playing for him next year?

Lou....interested for know exactly what you support about Rector and his staff. Do you support the fact that we are worse now than when he took over? Do you support the fact his team has regressed this season. Do you support the FACT that he is outcoached every week? Do you support his antics on the sidelines? I suppose you support the boys running past their family and friends after each game. Have you noticed what the successful coaches encourage after each game. Father Ryan deserves better. The kids deserve better. I suspect you know that. It is interesting that this has more views and more comments than anything else in DII football. We can only hope that the program is honestly assessed or Rector elects to step down.

The definition of quitting is telling the team they can’t win and then making a decision not to prepare them to win. Not only is that a pathetic display of leadership but in a game like football can also be dangerous. If you aren’t prepared you won’t go 100%, if you don’t go 100% chances of injury go up. This isn’t a new concept. I’m not sure where Mcintyre’s logic comes from. The team is undeniably in worse shape now than 5 years ago. Rector’s four years have shown steady, identifiable decline. My feeling is that any coach that wants to salvage their career needs to runaway from Rector. With each passing year your resume gets worse. At some point, Rector will not be hirable as a coach. A fluke State Championship will only take you so far

Interesting news out of the Father Ryan locker room: “Guys, we have no chance to beat McCallie. Let’s just worry about playing Lipscomb next week” - COACH RECTOR This is the quote of a master motivator Again, no film study this week. I’m genuinely blown away by the idea that a team that is poorly coached at all positions, doesn’t feel like even superficial film study is important. I’ve waited over a week to comment on the Ensworth game. 2 punt returns for TD, blocked FG for a TD and a pick 6. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that in one game. I have mentioned before that FR special teams were awful. All you have to do is watch the effort by the line in ANY game. Also, FR needs to remember that other teams watch film. On 4th down when the QB backs up, he’s going to punt. Believe it or not, Ensworth figured that out. Coach Taveau is not a high school coordinator. He is absolutely clueless conceptually. Either he truly doesn’t understand how to coach or his every move is controlled by the incompetent head coach. I suspect it is a bit of both. This staff absolutely has to go. I would love to see Father Ryan get a fresh start before the talented group of youngsters start jumping ship. Sitting in the stands at Ensworth, listening to coach Rector blame the refs for his team’s failure was interesting and quite ironic. The other thing that was heard loud and clear in those stands is that I’m not the only one that wants ALL OF THEM GONE!!!

Motivating players while cursing and cursing AT them because you are frustrated are 2 very different things. Coach Rector and Taveau both need to figure out a way to motivate a group of young men that, by the looks of it, have given their coaches a vote of NO confidence. It was quite obvious the team quit during the first half against BA. Let’s be honest here.... You could have picked 5 Dads out of the stands, given them a couple weeks to prepare and they wouldn’t have done any worse than 40-0 at half. Father Ryan did not move the ball past mid-field until 1/2 way through the 3rd quarter. Hopefully, a fresh start is coming next fall. For any NC parent reading this, Please don’t believe that your group of talented 8th graders are good enough to overcome atrocious coaching and poor strength and conditioning.

Truly out coached.......coaches are responsible for the QBs demise. FR program is spiraling out of control. I assure you, there is no amount of NC talent that will overcome the lack of an offensive and defensive identity. PTIFUL

All this talk about Middle School teams is great.... those boys and any parent that is paying attention will know that FR is going nowhere with the current coaching staff. BA drubbed a FR team that has obviously given up on their coaches. 50-7... a TD with a running clock against their freshman team. The score could have easily been 84-0. if anyone thinks that Rector and Taveau aren’t in over their heads are crazy. I have never seen a bigger offensive disaster.....honestly.....it’s terrible. They have taken a quality QB and ruined him. They do nothing to accentuate his strengths.

Brilliant observation coach! Not many others care about your team!

1) I’m sure QB is a good kid that is in a very bad situation. I feel sorry for him. I also agree with the star system. College coaches are crazy for offering some of these kids based on camp performance. 2) Coach T and his non-scheme is the problem. Watching Father Ryan on offense is like playing my 10 year old in Madden. Go deep then go deep then go deep again. If a run works, call the same play over and over and don’t even try to disguise it....even when the defense adjusts. Coach T is in way over his head. 3) Your QB is prototypical pocket passer (think Brady, Rivers, Big Ben, etc.) He is currently the leading rusher on the team. Coach T will call the QB draw until he gets hurt. Your best offensive play is a QB draw with a 6’4” slow running, passer. How the head coach allows this to be called is beyond me. 4) I don’t agree with playing with kids that aren’t physically ready. However, you have 6, 2, 3, 8, 94 & 89 that are ready. If the program is right, 8 & 94 are 6’4” and would be matchup nightmares for LBs. Yet I haven’t seen one short/intermediate route to a TE this season. Just the threat of this would keep the LBs out of the QBs face 5) Defense is a disaster. No pass rush, no pash rush concepts. They have multiple players out of position. The defense is easy to attack because they have no idea how to coach a 3-4, disguise coverages or implement effective blitz packages. These things take defensive coaches and/or a head coach that understands defense. 6) They watch film of themselves practicing. This is a fact. There was no film of the Baylor game shared. I’m sure there was nothing to learn. 7) if we don’t lead the state in penalties, we are close. That is a direct reflection of coaching and discipline. 8) How many years does FR allow for a coach to get his kids in place and turn a program around? The record now looks to be worse each year the current Staff has been in place. Is that a question for the diocese, McIntyre or the board. If you have a bad, non competitive program, who are you going to recruit?

After watching this team closely the last few years, it is obvious they are poorly coached and undisciplined. 1) Offense is vanilla and predictable. They have a top 15 QB (pro-style, pocket passer) that looks below average on the field. They give him no easy throws to get on track. The OC’s favorite play is a long fade or post that everyone knows is coming. They were 0fer at least 8 on this play last night. This play is called despite being athletically outmatched. 2) Last week they averaged more than 1 penalty per possession. Direct reflection of coaching. 3) This week, critical 2nd half touchdown pass by JP2 and FR D didn’t even attempt to chase the receiver. 4) More on offense...They have a 6’4” 200+ senior TE (looks like most athletic player on team) who can catch who is shockingly not involved in the offense. He has caught a few passes this season, all long crossing patterns. MLBs blitz most every play because there is no threat of a pass in their zone. 5) Defense looks confused and uninspired. I am willing to bet a years Catholic tuition that they don’t watch film. Wait....I happen to know that the coaches didn’t share film with the team this week. With all their success the last several years, they may be onto something. Top tier programs take note. You too can be 1-3 if you don’t watch film. It has become painful to watch the school that means so much to me and my family. I hope the decision makers are taking note. I doubt it though, if they were, the basketball “coach” would have been fired years ago