FootballDoc

I have to disagree on the fact that MBA and BGA are the only schools concerned with academics and athletics. BGA always tries to use that line to make the other schools look bad but look back at the schools that their kids go to and then look at the schools the kids from the other schools go to, I am sure you will find the list to be similar. I was taught that "if you have to talk bad about someone else you must not be confident in what you have or are doing". I watched this over the last couple of years and I have also looked at some of the publics too. The athletes who are going to go on are taking a lot of the same classes because they need to and have to, to qualify for college. Now, with that being said I do think some schools put more into athletics than others but why can't you have both. I bet some of you on here dogging the other privates are the same ones who cheer for UT, we know they put athletics in front of academics compared to VU but that is okay, right? All I'm saying is to stop complaining about what other schools do and make your school competitive on both the academic and athletic front. AP, name a school that BGA or MBA have sent a kid to that BA, Ensworth, David Lipscomb, Pope John Paul, Father Ryan or Goodpasture has also sent kids too.

Thanks, keep us posted on the game Friday!!!!! How is Kenwood?

Since I was the 1st to post here I thought I would also post at the end. I really just wanted to know if Goodpasture would be changing their offense. How are they going to fair without Benny? I agree that they should be playing in the private school division but why cry over something we can't change? They are a good team year in and year out, they play who is on the schedule. They beat Ravenwood last year to open the season and Ravenwood was a 5 A Team. They also lost to some teams they should have beat, like JPII, who was a bottom rung team in Division II. That just proves that you have to play the game and you must prepare every week.

You know what is funny? You left off the Ramsey kid from BGA, he went 14-4 as a starter and had offers from several schools. He had offers from Cincinnatti (Big East Champion), Miami of Ohio (MAC), Arkansas State (Sun Belt), Furman (Southern) MTSU (Sun Belt - Signed with them). All of these teams offered him as a QB. He also had offers as an athlete from UAB, Memphis and Louisville. I think the reason our kids/guys don't get the kind of attention they should is because we don't have many if any of the combines in Tennessee. I know that Brunetti has attended Nike Combines in FL, OH and GA. I know that Ramsey went to GA, AL and OH. Why can't we show case our kids more because we have a lot of talent in Tennessee. Coaches say the combines don't affect who they offer but every kid who is ranked high by Nike, Rivals and Scout usually gets a lot of offers and a lot of attention.

I agree with you that BA wasn't the same dominant BA we have all come accustom to seeing but they did get to the Championship. MUS matched them size for size and depth for depth and that was the difference in the Championship Game. MBA is the other DII Team who could match the depth because of the sheer number of guys in the school, just like MUS (all Boys Schools). If I have more bodies, I have more to pick from. BGA, Ensworth, Briarcrest are teams who can be competitive but just don't have the depth to compete week in and week out. BA, MUS and MBA can take out a first team Senior and put in a second team Junior but Ensworth, BGA and Briarcrest go from a Senior to a Sophomore or in some instances a Freshman. That is a huge disadvantage, we all know that.

With all of that being said, How are they going to look next season? Are they still going to run the Wing - T? What about the QB (who transfered) from Ezell last year?

Any truth to the rumor Blackman High is going to be open zone next year? If so I pick Blackman to win the region because I am hearing that several athletes from Smyrna High (are being recruited) will transfer as well a one from LaVergne High. Don't say it doesn't happen in Public Schools

What you are saying is absolutely false, NO ONE who plays at the Varsity Level of a TSSAA Sport can get a full ride, period. There are no athletic scholarships, they are all need based. Every family has to turn in TAX Forms to the school, don't quote me on it but every family has to pay a percentage based on their income. Don't be so sure Bullard didn't get some aid, no matter how small or larger of an amount. 60% of all kids who attend DII schools receive some aid, whether they play sports or not.

I can't believe no one wants to talk about Goodpasture, I hear a lot of talk everyday but nothing on this page.

Yea, I have to agree, I heard they are about to build an indoor practice facility and new weightroom.

I just want to clarify something, every kid who plays a TSSAA Sport at the DII level has to pay to go to the school. There are no Athletic Scholarships, there are need based scholarships. If a parent can afford to send their kid to a DII Private more power to them, everyone has that option if the want it. Public Schools give exemptions so kids can move around and no one is on here crying foul. Please, check this out and know that it is happening on both sides of the fence, Public and Private.

Not every kid that is a good athlete in that area played at UNA. If you want to take credit, you should also take blame for all of the kids that played at UNA who didn't succeed. The ones who couldn't make the grade to get into a college or stay eligible in High School. It flows both ways, right?

What is the word on Goodpasture Football? I heard they are going to the spread this year, any truth to this?

Who are they going to beat because of him? They will be hard press to win one game, they just don't have the talent. I'm sure Chris appreciates your endorsement though, sounds like he is the next coming of the BEAR.

Is it recruiting if a parent at one school suggest to a parent at another school to bring their kid over? Some schools may recruit but I don't think it happens as much as everyone thinks. I was involved with the Public School System for a while before retiring two years ago and it (recruiting) also happens in the Public School Section. How many kids/athletes at Hillsboro live in the Antioch Area? How many kids at Smyrna High are suppose to go to LaVergne or Blackman? What about Mt. Juliet and Wilson Central? As far as facilities go everyone is trying to stay ahead of the game, Public Schools now have indoor facilities and Private Schools are playing on field turf and working out in huge weight rooms. Strength Coaches are the norm in High School now, not just a teacher, teaching weight lifting.

So GOAT, how would you evaluate Bower's coaching? If you look back at just about any successful school whether here or around the country, the teams with the good coaches usually pay well. BA paid Potter well, to leave McCallie, I bet you that. You have a few schools that keep the money amongst a few and their programs are average at best. High School Sports are getting to the level of small colleges in the late 80's, would you guys agree? I talking about with the coaches pay, the facilities and exposure.

We all know that MBA and BA are always going to be in the running for a State Championship but how long do you think it will be before Ensworth wins its first? They have a pretty good coaching staff and they also have pretty good talent and it seems to be getting better with the kids coming from their Middle School.

I agree with you on most of your post AP but I have watched BGA the last couple of years and I think they will need to improve their confidence. It was evident last year that they went as Ramsey and Reeves went, if they were off the team was off. Being that BGA is the smallest in the DII-AA Region I hope that they appeal and get to move down in the next couple of years so that they are playing teams their own size. Besides the big three of last year I understand they also lost a center and tackle but the young guys stepping in have some game experience. I met the Johnson kid and watched some tape on him, I think he could be okay but he needs to be more consistent. GOOD LUCK TO BGA, they are going to need it this year.

When does Spring Drills start for the DII Schools?

The Kid from Ensworth should be the cream of the crop in DII along with MUS's QB. BGA has two very good RBs who will be counted on a lot this year. BA always has a stable of talent and Ryan should be back in the picture.

I agree, how would you know how BGA looks? BGA is going to be very, very, young.

Knowing Coach Johnson like I do, he won't recruit because that isn't within the rules but he will coach the guys that he has to the fullest. Looking at BGA, they will be young in several key positions (QB, WR, DL) but they will be strong at OL and RB. The previous comment about playoff team may be a reach, I think they are in one of the toughest divisions in Tennessee, look at the number of College Prospects that come out of this division. They don't have the depth of the other teams in the division and should really be in the division with Davidson, Ezell and FRA. They only have 350 kids in the whole High School at BGA, including girls. They will have to stay injury free and play mistake free football to be competitive because of the youth for the next couple of years. They will be playing a lot of ninth (9th) graders who will have to take some lumps but it will pay off in the long run. Look for some of the young guys to bring some excitement as well as some hard aches and pain this coming season. The success of the last couple of years has brought higher expectations and a tougher schedule the next few years, they play the likes of Marshall County, Franklin, Pearl Cohn, BA, MBA, Ensworth, Baylor and Pope John Paul II to name a few. I would hope the AD at BGA would appeal to the TSSAA and request a move down to the proper division in the next couple of years. That would be the fair thing for them to do so that the kids/athletes could be on equal footing with schools of their own size. The football played at that division is pretty good, the number one player in the state and the number one WR in the country played in that division (Marlon Brown) and Davidson has a RB who can play with anyone in the state, the kid is GOOD. Good Luck to BGA and all of the area schools as they begin to prepare for the upcoming season during Spring Practice.

This isn't a bad list but I would drop DaJuan Brown until he is completely healthy, he passes the look test but never completes a season. Ishmael Lewis should keep the string of BA linemen who sign intact but he will have to work on his conditioning and learn to play two gaps instead of being a plugger. That Blackman team with the new coaching staff should be fun to watch, remember they have a lot of talent, they just haven't been coached well over the last few years and are very undisciplined.

Does anyone have any idea where these kids are going? Chris Yoder, Jarvis Hicks, Cody Hager all from Smyrna. What about Wesley Tate from PJPII, why is he keeping everything so secretive? Jefferson from Ensworth, where is he going? What about the receiver and DE from BGA? Does Riverdale have anyone who is going to sign this year, they usually have several each year.