jacksoncounty

This is my farewell address as Jackson County on coacht. It comes with sadness for leaving a place, fans, coaches and especially the players that I have come to love and appreciate ove the past several seasons. We had a good ride and I am certain this program can go even further in the coming years. Coach Sean Loftis, and the rest of staff; Brandon 'Bubba' Chaffin, Kevin King, and Bruce Heady are doing a fantastic job as the team reaches new heights. The highlights include back to back playoff appearances, 3 straight post season games and competing in big games. The culture has changed, the atmosphere at the games has changed, the fan base has increased and changed for the better, and the passion with which the players play is better than ever. I expect this will continue. This program needs administrative support in the terms of money in order to continue to compete. I know people in the know already realize this and that the economy is hard. But it is a proven fact now that people in Jackson County love their football team. I hope the community realizes what it has and works to keep the forward momentum. The thing is the coaches need to be paid like other coaches in the area. I know the Director of Schools knows this, this statement is more meant for the community and the school board. I have aways tried to be positive here. It is the way I coach and the way I believe you make inroads in the long run. Everyone has been good to me here and any young coach out there looking for a place to help and get some experience can't go wrong by helping this program move forward. I spent 2006 here and loved it so much I came back in 2008-11. As I said 3 post seasons in a row, and we ended this past season on a five game winning streak (longest since 1981) before losing to the eventual State Champions- FCS. To the players I hate leaving most because of you. Your effort, your work ethic, your inspired play and your attitude was special to me! I have so much respect for you and I hope we stay in touch forever! It is bittersweet, as I will be embarking on a new journey by joining my son at White County in 2012. I have always had a dream of rejoining up with him when he got an opportunity to be a head coach. There is never a good time to leave a place you love and people you love, but I am equally excited to see what lies in the future. So as for this handle on coacht, I will be retiring 'jacksoncounty' as of this message. Love you guys and wish you nothing but the best. Go Blue Devils!

We must improve in these SEVEN areas: (1.) SELF-RESPECT- There is difference in losing and surrendering. (2.) SELF-DISCIPLINE- Eliminate Unsportsman-like penalties and personal fouls. (3.)SELF-EFFICACY - THe belief in our ability to succeed in specific situations.(From psychologist Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory) We must believe we can perform well and therefore will be more likely to view difficult tasks as something to be mastered rather than something to be avoided. (4.) URGENCY- We must realize high school goes by so fast and must take advantage of the opportunities. (5.) BALL POSSESSION- Protecting the football is vital to victory. Turnovers must be eliminated. (6.) BLOCKING AND TACKLING- The basics of the game. So far we have failed at both. (7.) TEAM- Pull together as a team and not point fingers. Coaches, players, fans everyone needs to pull together. These are tough times but the season is not over. To keep the ship afloat we must bail the water out. The time is here to grab a bucket!

I believe you have winners and losers, no doubt. In sports, in life, in the afterlife. I do not like or support games in which no score is kept. We need to learn to lose but we also need to learn to win. I guess that is what I was addressing. I am not crying, not ashamed, not wimping, I am simply stating my opinion that many today need to learn how to act. I wonder how many can define CLASS and tell what it means to them to have and show it. I think many of us older ones would be surprised and somewhat embarassed. We are the teachers of the younger ones. I hope I can lose with class and pride and that I can win with a humble heart. I respect the tradition of Trousdale County and this post really has nothing to do with the game last Friday night. It was played, it's over and we move on, I said that in the first sentence. I just would like to have sensible dialogue with others who remember their words are in an open forum and being read by 13 year old boys who are forming their own views about what is acceptable behavior and how they will be when they are the adults. I think it would be wise to read the following quote by a former U.S. President: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.â€- President Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States from 1901-1909, (1858-1919)

I have personally avoided reading this post since the game is over and its on to the next one. However tonight, unable to get into my fantasy draft for some reason, I ended up here and the posts on CoachT seem to only disintergate with each additional year. I am not here to address the score of the game or what the difference is in winning 35-7 and 55-7. We all have our opinions about those things. I grew up when 35 points were enough and no one seemed to want to embrass the other team (1970's). But lots of coaches, players and fans feel differently today. I understand that and hopefully as they grow older and realize the time both teams put into preparation they will see things differently but that is a sidebar to what i have to say here. My real reason for writing here is the disgusting posts by people who hide behind a nickname here and type nasty, vile comments. It is one thing to support your team, and certainly both teams in this game have supporters. TrousdaleCounty has great tradition in football, but lacks in other areas of the educational process while Jackson County excels at girl's basketball and yet also has their own difficulties in the educational process. It makes them neither superior nor inferior to each other or the other schools in this area of the state. We all face challenges and we all have crosses to bear. I guess it just makes me a little sad to see schools located so close together with students and fans who are so similiar in their everyday life's act as if this is the war in Iraq. It isn't, or at least it shouldn't be. There is a difference in a great rivilary with mutual respect for each other regardless of the outcome of the games and one in which we try not only to defeat the opponent, but to humiliate and degrade them. We do this by our words as well as our actions. This is what I read into the posts here. It is not unique to CoachT but also on topix and other sites where people feel the protection to say shameful things. I hope this nation can turn this type of behavior around at some point. I remember being up 46-0 at the half once and running a QB sneak every play of the second half by a senior tight end (#82) that rarely ever got to play, playing QB. In fact he took his first snaps ever in the locker room at the half. We won 46-13. Bottom line is we could have won 100-0 but why? 46-13 was as good as 100-0 and anyone there knew it could have have been much worse. After the game we extended hands in friendship and told them to come down and hang out with us sometime because what we said after the game was important to who we were and who we became! It was the right thing to do then and and it is the right thing to do now.

Week #10 and Jackson County (6-3,4-3) travels to Watertown (3-6, 3-4). Jackson County has clinched a playoff spot and their best season since at least 1982 but are playing for seeding. Watertown still has a chance at a playoff berth with a win. The game is at Watertown and should be a great high school football game.

If you don't second guess decisions you aren't living. I once worked for a coach that said he never second guessed anything and he didn't appreciate it even in behind closed doors at coaching meetings. I don't take second guessing or playing the what if's game personal myself. There are ways to structure it respectfully however. I mean personally I think it's fun to go back afterwards with a critical eye on decisions I make in all phases of my life. I think it can be helpful later on. I mean there are times, like this morning, when I second guess what I had for breakfast.

RBS had 86 yards on like 35 carries, less than 2.5 a carry so running up and down the field seems like a stretch. By the way FCS plays Red Boiling Springs this week.

Finding it amusing that a school can go almost 30 years without a winning season and most people are fine with it. But win a few games and some people want to downgrade the coaches. Typical behavior I suppose. Go Blue Devils! Now on to more important things- Red Boiling Springs came to play and brought their 'A' game. They were well coached and played well enough to win. Jackson County however did win. It was closer than most Blue Devil fans wanted but the bottom line is a win is a win and moves the team ever closer to that elusive winning season and a playoff appearance. The injuries are tough to overcome but overcome them they must. The more immediate concern however should be to thank those that were injured for their efforts and their play and the memories they created. Good luck #28 Patrick Davis! Hopefully #1 Hobie will return for next season better than ever! Time to see some others step it up!

MONTEREY- The Jackson County Blue Devils got a huge win on the road against a good football team by beating Monterey 36-21. It was a great night for football and an entertaining game. The game seesawed back and forth with Monterey going up 7-0 then with the Jackson County score it was 7-6 Wildcats, then 14-7 Jackson County before settling at 14-14 at the end of the half. In the second half Monterey went up 21-14 and had the ball when the momentum turned in favor of the Blue Devils. Two long scoring passes from Jeret Goad to Jordan Godwin and a solid defensive effort sealed the deal. The Blue Devils had 401 yards in total offense. Some Jackson County stats for the night: Jordan Godwin- 5 catches 212 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also had 8 tackles and 2 for loss. Ethan Kirby- 4 catches for 78 yards and an interception and 8 tackles to his credit on defense. Jeret Goad- Completed 12 of 21 passes for 303 and 3 touchdowns with only 1 interception. Blake Bowman - 4 carries for 56 yards and touchdown. Jacob Henson- Freshman linebacker making his first start had 9 tackles to lead the team.

Until somebody can beat Trousdale County there is not a lot of talking to do. They remain the best 2A program in the state and you can bet Jackson County respects that. Trousdale County has its program where Jackson County hopes to get to in time. That said the atmosphere Friday night in Gainesboro should be like few have ever seen. This is a huge game for the Blue Devil program as a measuring stick but is not a game this team places all of its emphasis on. A building program cannot get to carried away with itself in its infancy although I think they will be focused this week.. I think it should be a fun game to watch. Trousdale County will be a heavy favorite and rightfully so, but Jackson County will come to play.

Community was a much improved team over last season the Blue Devils just had too many playmakers for the Vikings. Jeret Goad completed 7 of 13 for 192 yards and 4 touchdowns. Hobie Leonard had two touchdowns, one on a reception, and a second on a 90-yard punt return. Ethan Kirby continued his great start to the season with 3 cathes for 80 yards and 2 touchdowns while gathering an interception on defense. Jordan Godwin caught 3 for 73 and a score while Blake Bowman sat the game with a injury. Running back Patrick Davis left the game with an injury after only one carry. Defensively the Blue Devils were led by Chance Ragland with 10 total stops, 6 tackles for loss, 2 sacks and a forced fumble. As I stated Community is a program heading in the right direction and should get some wins this season. It was great to see the two teams mingle at the end of the game on the fifty yard line for a prayer. Jackson Count did this last week vs. Houston County as well. "Nice job" to both schools.

No one has a feel for this one? Community's opener and the team is much improved. This could be a good game Friday.

Nice win for RBS. memeber of the toughest region in 2A football in Tennessee. Congrats!

What are the thoughts on this one?