ZCAR

ahhhhh all these fence huggers who know everything about the game of football. I say go knock on KJ's door and confront him face to face about your feelings and what you think he should do. heck he might even hire ya. So grow a set and quit bitching on these boards about it and say something face to face to him, instead of being like a lot of Halls fans are and have been in the past and talking behind coaches backs

A sad and distraught fence hugger. But if you can see a silver lining this year continuing with business as usual then that's fine I respect your opinion. But I fear the worst after the first three games and I picked us beating Clinton. Not bitching but demoralized as the program has steadily declined since 07. We are all searching for answers. As a fan I appreciate all thoughts pro and cons. But I stay sensitive to keep the players from the comments unless in praise. It would be great if we could energize the program and turn the tables on the uglies. I suppose we will just have to let history take it's course and watch if any silver linings appear for the future.

I'd say sitting on him would get his attention! But he's in a pickle, isn't he. KJ is a good guy but stubborn as can be. He won't change OCs no matter how bad the system or play-calling. Or maybe Duff even supports the OC.

 

KJ has the defensive cajones but he apparently can't grasp that the offense has gotten steadily worse -- I say again -- steadily worse EVERY year since control was handed over from Ward to the current OC.

Stubborn and needs an experienced hand on offense.

You're much too kind, ZCAR, especially when I can't even remember that it was the Blue Raiders and not Rhea County that we played at home in 08! Also, I think I'm not in any danger of doing a better job than you in making thoughtful and insightful comments.

 

The state of our program is really sad. Julian is a good guy but it appears he can't make the tough decisions necessary to bring the needed change. I'd hate to see him go but if he doesn't do something to shake up his whole offense by next year I don't see how he survives.

I actually feel for KJ. It's the supporting cast that should be under the microscope. 94 points in two games is unheard of at Halls for their defense and a major low. Couple that with only seven points on offense which was really a special teams score just is a gut buster for the fan. It will get better but it's going to take some time and special attention.

I agree we can't run that offense, which sort of leads to the reason why I contend 07 underachieved -- Wesley Kitts is one of the best RBs to have come through not just Halls but the entire East Tennessee area. We did win our first round against Rhea County, as I recall, but we got hammered by Red Bank, who I think we would have beaten with any other offense (and if you recall, we still had Ward then, which did help immensely; if Ward would have been there in 08 I think we'd have made the playoffs that year too just given his experience and ability to call the right play). From a talent level, we had the same starting QB as we had in 07 and I believe 08 was right there with 07 in talent with the exception of losing Kitts and Dayton. Big losses, I admit, but not enough to lose to West and Powell that year. Many terrible coaching decisions on offense just kept and keep adding up. Remember SC in 08? Wagner had run it time after time and couldn't be stopped. Then, we got inside the 20 and tried to pass 4 times. It still gets my goat. A more open offense would have scored enough points to win because our defenses those years were pretty good.

Agreed.

Kitts north south runner is what we sorely miss. He will do well at AP. Kitts had Leonard and Hill to run behind a nice combination.But did you notice the next year Leonard and Hill were still there and the productivity fell off considerably. It was a miracle when we passed in 07 that when Dayton put his hands on it he went the distance. That except for Gresham last year we haven't seen since. So most teams load the box and it's not getting pretty. We beat a good Cleveland team that year in the playoffs. The Red Bank game we fell asleep into conservative play selection and have pulled a rip van winkle since. We need a heavy hitter runner not a bevy of scat backs in the wing-t format or we need to change the formation which the chance of that is almost zero. So we keep moving on in mediocrity. I really feel sorry for the kids.

Again agree with your call on Don Ward he seemed to always call the right plays we gave Maryville all they wanted at their house the last year he coached or I should say had a impact on play selection on the offense. I hate the injuries but no excuse here. Football always have injuries and you just move on.

Diver you have been a excellent poster on these boards for awhile I enjoy your posts and are always very informative.

That, R&B, is a harsh but ultimately correct comment based on what Powell made us look like last night. Later in the game it appeared Powell had its JV in on defense but our offense, which at the time was still filled with our ones, couldn't even score then.

 

I suppose the cliche about Jimmys and Joes rather than X's and O's is appropriate in our case this year. But in the previous five years, particularly 07 - 09, Halls was loaded with talent and yet still underachieved. That is X's and O's.

Diver how did the 07 team underachieve? Didn't they win their first playoff game in a decade or for that matter the 08 or 09 team. The 08 team didn't have a chance unless Dowdy qb'd and he didn't. I'll agree with you on coaching on that. But the 09 team? They got punished by the the good teams and killed the weak ones. For 2010 very few week teams are around so it's going to be difficult. you can't blame everything on coaching and injuries. We just can't run that offense plain and simple.

Just going on how they looked last night ..... they'll never make 4-6

 

Take away one great kickoff return by #7 , and Halls didn't generate any offense , even with their 1's vs Powell' 2's & 3's

They won't make 4-6 this year.

I had a feeling last night would be this bad. I very rarely disagree with HTV but this time I knew that rivalry closeness wasn't in the cards.

Halls offensive coaching needs a major overhaul. Which it has needed the last two years. If not Halls will be down for a long time.

I still can't see the 08 and 09 talent. 07 was the last talented Halls team the record speaks for itself. Also, they had to play under the same wing-t offensive scheme. But no matter it is what it is. Halls just has to forget about last night and move on. However, change is needed immediately.

Although it pains me to even say this I just don't have that warm fuzzy feeling on this one and it could get real ugly before half-time. Intense rivalry and the passion of High school only goes so far. Eventually skill overcomes wishful thinking. Keeping this one close will be a tough task in itself but always doable.

Good luck Red Devils and be very hungry.

I agree players are the ones on the field and it is up to them to produce. But the offensive coaching at Halls has not even given them a chance to win.

I feel for the boyz Titansfan. I always hope for a huge turnaround but the realist in me thinks a good three week streak in October will give us our W's this time around. This is a tough schedule and even Harden Valley has improved 100%. I fear AC & Webb. Both Powell & Central have come off impressive wins but we have always gave them all they can handle in the past. Thursday night will give us a big indication of whats to come we might catch them over confident.

I agree losing two of our best coaches to the other side of Black Oak Ridge was a detrimental loss to the Red Devils. Although there is still a few good coaches at Halls including Coach Hurst, Coach Qualls, and Coach Lane. Kevian Julian is also a good defensive coordinator but has not been able to give the Red Devils a chance to win offensively since fall of 2008 when the team went 4-6. I know that Julian is not the offensive coordinator but he is the head coach and it is his job to assemble the best coaching staff that he can to give our boys a chance to win. In the 2008 and 2009 season Halls had some of the best talent in Knoxville and that talent went down the drain due to offensive play calling. We all know some crucial changes need to be made on that coaching staff soon or else Halls will suffer much worse in the future and football won't even be something to talk about when Halls is mentioned. They will be nothing more than what Gibbs used to be year after year.

This is exactly the reason they play the game and it isn't a beauty contest. 8-12 and no playoff appearances. Coaching on the offense could be part of the problem but not all of it.

Kudos to the Panthers. Stunning win. This reminds me why I love the High School game. Nothing is etched in stone.

Good luck for the year except for next week of course.

ZCAR, You make a very good point. Of the other district teams Powell, Oak Ridge, AC, Central (after last night), Karns (letting go of their head coach), Clinton (great season last year), Hardin Valley all seem to be at least making a effot to move in the right direction. Halls and CC not at all. CC just do not have players. Halls has had them just do nothing with them. It has to be frustrating if you travel and watch them every week.

I agreed with your earlier post. Talent rotates in cycles. Halls has had great athletes in the past in the football arena but the team spirit has been deflated perhaps due to the heavy loss count the previous two years. We were in total meltdown last year before finally a more open offense beat teams we should beat by halftime and took the close game hurts away. It was good to see the smiling faces back. Julian puts a great defense together when he has the talent but offensively he struggles to find a good healthy mix. I fear with the running game at a standstill Halls will fail miserably. We are not Webb or Catholic as we don't possess huge lineman or the big fullback. Three scat backs leave little to the imagination. I feel Coffman would thrive in a more open minded system.

I'm glad we are getting tv media attention this Thursday but are we running into a offensive juggernaut(80+ points in two games) called Powell? I just hope this doesn't turn out to be like the West game in 2006. Pouring over film and finding an Achilles heel requires hard work I hope the offensive staff is up to it this week. Lets get the players, coaches and fans having a good feeling about improvement it doesn't always mean a W in the win column but what is necessary is passion to execute.

I think we have to hit rock bottom but it's sad nevertheless. Halls Football these past three years have been very hard to watch. It seems like the joy isn't there and I'm not wanting to be a negative poster so I elect not to post in the frequency as I did in the past.

The main point of my view I will leave you with are other district programs moving in a much better direction than ours? I have to say yes in nearly every case. I feel for the players.

Halls 34 Central 20

Big salute to the Red Devil seniors. The battle of the Ridge is yours again.

Great job Will Beeler way to fight for that ball in the endzone, Chad Bright and Zach Gibson making some exciting long td's.

Congrats to all the Seniors.

Kudos to the coaching staff finally shared the wealth with the ball and this will only keep kids interested in the program for the long run. 0-6 to 4-6 was a huge comeback.

I think your source is 100%. Mav.

Good. All that sweat and hard work gets rewarded like it should.

I've heard the same and another may be gimpy as well. Were not talking no name players either. I couldn't believe it when I heard it. I just didn't know it to be fact. I won't divulge because I'm not in either camp and hate to speculate. All will be revealed Thursday night.

Thanks HTV very helpful in this new format for the post season. Reading the other threads I have noticed we haven't got a quality win v a successful program this year so it may well be a tough road to hoe.

Heard some gossip on injuries in the Clinton camp. Any updates.

This one is going to be a barnburner.

Missed this thread. In light of that do the players stats for the game remain intact especially on the Clinton side or do they forfeit everything?

What he said

Question that i'm struggling with to understand. If our first game is a non-event could we sneak in as a wild card? I'm speaking about the illegible player Clinton stated that played for them. I'd hate to back in to the playoffs but I wonder how TSSAA considers that.

Second question does all the stats the players made in that game become zilch? Such as Hazlehurst big night with 190 yards. That if fact seems harsh to me in the whole scheme of things.

But like banter said lets keep it going with a big W and let the powers that be call the playoff invite.

Just want to wish the seniors well and enjoy what life has to offer for your futures.

Halls wins 28-13

But playoff hopes vanish as Powell is crushing Central 52-20 late in the fourth.

Battle of Black Oak Ridge will be our playoff game this year we can do it again.

We can't look back but only look forward.

I hope we can win out and I think we still have a outside chance of a playoff spot. Anyone with any info what we need to have happen to make this a reality?

It would be a huge huge loss if #6 O'laughlin transfers. I'm a big fan of his.

Halls has always won as a team and they lose as a team. Remember the unhearalded guys in the trenches do the grunt work so the marquee players get their chance to light up the scoreboard. We have to keep things in perspective and not get too carried away with irrational exuberance.

I hope Chad Bright is healthy to finish the season.

Dowdy is doing a great job for us at qb. Why didn't he play qb for us last year when we we doing bad? Wonder how we would be doing if he had played all year this year?

 

I know some body will say he has played good against teams that aint no good but so what. Hes still played very good.

If I remember correctly he threw a TD pass at Maryville when he was a sophomore. Karns & Hardin Valley may be weaker but the points on the board don't lie. I wished he would have been considered more last year he just seems more poised back in the shotgun. I think Josh Coffman has gained considerable experience for next year being under center this year.The running game just didn't do it for us last year and has gotten worse this year in my opinion. Stats generally don't lie. The passing game has clicked and carried us the past two games. Grant Painter looks to be a good prospect in the running department.

Zach Dowdy career game. What a story this young man is. I couldn't imagine what a full year with him at the helm we could have changed a lot of our L's this year and last. The best QB I've seen at Halls for a long time.

Hardin Valley fans your team played very well for a first year program you will only get better.

OK Red Devils keep the momentum going.

We have turned the corner and in a big way last week.

With no disrepect to Hardin Valley but if our offense is eager again this week I see us closing the season on some very high notes.

Good luck Red Devils you deserve it.