FOOTBALL IN SMITH COUNTY BETTER OR WORSE?

[bigreid]

I hope you're not refering to Trousdale Co., Portland, Livingston Academy or Macon Co. two years ago as cream puffs. Smith County didn't have much competition from 87 to 90. "Juice" was and still is the best runningback I've ever seen play in "The Hole". The past three years, 01 through 04, SC has been fortunate to have the football team's they've had. The last three years for SC have been GREAT. Better than 87 - 90? Different times, Different era. Hard to compare. The verdict is still out on whether SC is Reloading or Rebuilding this year. Tommorrow Night will tell alot.

[Cousin Eddie]

One other thing we are forgetting.Those teams of the Eighties only had one head coach and four or five assistants max and still did a great job.Also Livingston and York and Dekalb were good teams even then.What about the game in the downpour against Dekalb in 1988.That one was 14-6 I believe won by SCHS on an interception by Shannon Green.I don't think Eagledriver meant weak teams,I think he meant playing early round playoff teams you had already played and beaten pretty good.In the Eighties that wasn't the case as only two teams from each region made the playoffs.

[best ever]

Do you know why the playoffs are four teams instead of two.

 

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[BigOwlFan]

Just a little stat. Last years Seniors won more games than any group in the history of SCHS. They won more regular season and playoff games with a much more difficult regular season schedule. The '88 team was loaded with talent. We have had some talent since then as well. Yes, schemes have changed and so have coaching styles. Very few 3 back offenses anymore on any level of football. I know we didn't run 3 backs that much but we never ran a 1 back or faced anybody else who ran one either. Things change and evolve over time. Gary Rankin doesn't coach like he did in the 80s either. Lifestyles have changed, mindsets have changed. Football still comes down to blocking and tackling. We still do that pretty darn well even though we don't raise that much tobacco and haul that much hey anymore. Yes, those things make kids much more mentally tough and much more heat acclomated but it's like that nearly everywhere now.

 

I can also assure you that Coach Maynord didn't allow cokes on the bus on the way to knoxville. First of all, they aren't allowed on chartered buses and secondly, he's not stupid.

 

Best era IMO '01-'04.

[Cousin Eddie]

Good point of view.Another thing in 1988 was Crowe at Q.B.He was a four year staretr.This was his third year.He started as a freshman.As far as cokes on the bus I don't know about that.I will just say that the teams then were more physical and were just as good as todays teams coached with alot less coaches.

[BigOwlFan]

Yes, they new and executed their jobs very well. However, they had alot less to prepare for both offensively and defensively. Teams usually ran 1 offense and 1 defense back then. That's simply not the case now. Most of the difference, I would have to say, is in the throwing game. You have to do that well to compete in today's game, especially when you don't have a "Dirkson". I may be wrong but I seriously doubt that Crowe ever threw for 1000 yards. He never had to until the good teams took away our running game. When that happened I believe you'll agree that we were beat.

 

Kids aren't as tough anymore. Nor are they as disciplined. They also have many more distractions. This also makes it more difficult to coach them. IMO.

[bigreid]

Juice was the man, running the football. But Juice never carried it 45 times in a game. He also didn't have 140+ tackles his Senior Year. You still can't compare because of the time difference. Maybe we can get ESPN to splice some game film like they do with the NFL teams of old and let them tell us all which three years were the best in Smith County Football. Just a Suggestion. LOL.

[Eagledriver]

Yes, they new and executed their jobs very well. However, they had alot less to prepare for both offensively and defensively. Teams usually ran 1 offense and 1 defense back then. That's simply not the case now. Most of the difference, I would have to say, is in the throwing game. You have to do that well to compete in today's game, especially when you don't have a "Dirkson". I may be wrong but I seriously doubt that Crowe ever threw for 1000 yards. He never had to until the good teams took away our running game. When that happened I believe you'll agree that we were beat.

 

Kids aren't as tough anymore. Nor are they as disciplined. They also have many more distractions. This also makes it more difficult to coach them. IMO.

825731667[/snapback]

BigOwlFan, It is much easier to make the playoffs today than it was back during the 80's. Only two teams would be selected out of 16. You had to be a much better team back then than you do today. Lets not forget that you had to play private schools also. Brentwood academy was the team to beat in the 80's. When Gordonsville won their championship back in the 80's they had to play a very good ECS team that had beaten them the year before. Tell me this ,name just 2 present day football players that are as good as Scott Dirkson or Brad Cowan were. You can not! Lets not forget the whole playoff issue. You did not play teams that you had already beaten in your district, if that were the case the Owl teams 87-90 would have all made it to the semi-finals. Also look at the stats on a per game basis not comparing a 14 game season statistics to a 10 game season statistics. Obviously the totals look better for a 14 game season. You may be surprised by the per game statistics. The 1987-1990 Owls would have destroyed last years owls. They were just better teams all the way around. Scott Dirkson would have shredded the 04 Owls. And lets not forget Chris Crowe a 4 year starter and the winningest Owl quarterback of all time. Chris was a 3 way star athlete that was also a 3 year starter in the secondary. These teams during the 80's were much more athletic.

[Antwan]

BigOwlFan, It is much easier to make the playoffs today than it was back during the 80's. Only two teams would be selected out of 16. You had to be a much better team back then than you do today. Lets not forget that you had to play private schools also. Brentwood academy was the team to beat in the 80's. When Gordonsville won their championship back in the 80's they had to play a very good ECS team that had beaten them the year before. Tell me this ,name just 2 present day football players that are as good as Scott Dirkson or Brad Cowan were. You can not! Lets not forget the whole playoff issue. You did not play teams that you had already beaten in your district, if that were the   case the Owl teams 87-90 would have all made it to the semi-finals. Also look at the stats on a per game basis not comparing a 14 game season statistics to a 10 game season statistics. Obviously the totals look better for a 14 game season. You may be surprised by the per game statistics. The 1987-1990 Owls would have destroyed last years owls. They were just better teams all the way around. Scott Dirkson would have shredded the 04 Owls. And lets not forget Chris Crowe a 4 year starter and the winningest Owl quarterback of all time. Chris was a 3 way star athlete that was also a 3 year starter in the secondary. These teams during the 80's were much more athletic.

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About all I have to say on the subject (of which I am torn) is that I don't think Scott...as good as he was...would have run on last year's defense. If Fulton couldn't do it...he couldn't have either.

[BigOwlFan]

I honestly have to disagree with you Eagledriver. York and Dekalb County were the toughest teams in the district that we had to play to make the playoffs. LA was never that good then. If you can't at least come in second in that district then you really didn't deserve to be in the playoffs. Our region until this year has been much, much more competitive. And no there hasn't been a running back as good as Juice or maybe even Brad Cowan. Still, there has been some very good overall football players. Morgan Hix is one of the best LBs to play in 20 years. I also don't believe that Cowan ever recorded back to back 100+ tackle seasons and I know for sure that Dirkson didn't because he couldn't learn what to do on the defensive side. Michael Wilmore did. To do that for two years and toat the ball as many times as he did takes a pretty darn good and gutsy football player. And it was 2 teams out of each district, not out of 16. Those teams were beaten by eventual state champs in the playoffs and so were these.

[Cousin Eddie]

Yes, they new and executed their jobs very well. However, they had alot less to prepare for both offensively and defensively. Teams usually ran 1 offense and 1 defense back then. That's simply not the case now. Most of the difference, I would have to say, is in the throwing game. You have to do that well to compete in today's game, especially when you don't have a "Dirkson". I may be wrong but I seriously doubt that Crowe ever threw for 1000 yards. He never had to until the good teams took away our running game. When that happened I believe you'll agree that we were beat.

 

Kids aren't as tough anymore. Nor are they as disciplined. They also have many more distractions. This also makes it more difficult to coach them. IMO.

825731667[/snapback]

Crowe didn't have to throw for 1000 yds. when you have a tailback that runs for 5880 in his career.But on the flip side to that he could've because of two great recievers in Shannon Greene and Randy Stout.

[Cousin Eddie]

Juice was the man, running the football.  But Juice never carried it 45 times in a game.  He also didn't have 140+ tackles his Senior Year.  You still can't compare because of the time difference.  Maybe we can get ESPN to splice some game film like they do with the NFL teams of old and let them tell us all which three years were the best in Smith County Football.  Just a Suggestion.  LOL.

825731672[/snapback]

Juice didn't have to carry that many times per game as some games he was taken out after accumulating 200 yds. the first half.Also he didn't have to play defense.Someone said he couldn't figure it out which is false.He was protected.Remember back then most every one played both ways not like today,but he could've if need be.