What's Goin' On With Oak Ridge Football Off Season

[wingman10]

Any changes to the coaching staff?

[Cactus Jack]

I hope Coach Stevens can right the ship. Right now its listing pretty bad. I hope the weight room is going with intensity, especially with the lineman. The lines were a weak point last year. I hope he can get coaches to come to meetings (if indeed they are not) and plan for next year or if they don't want to coach then resign and make way for those that do. I hope he can talk to each player, secure who is coming back, make sure they want to play and give them what his expectations are of them for the position they will play, then work hard in the off season and spring practice to be ready for the 2007 season. I wish him success because if he fails, Oak Ridge Football fails. We need to get back to where we once were and Maryville is now. That is a good example to follow on how a strong high school program is run. I hope the School Board and the Administration commit to support the football program better then they have been, i.e. budget and facilities (Blankenship and at ORHS), surely they understand football pays for all the other sports and if they miss the playoffs or attendance drops at games, so does revenue. I really don't think they are tuned in right now and I have heard what was mentioned before that they are anti-football, in the past they just wanted to sit back and let the Boosters Clubs pay for all of it (Blankenship Renovations), and now they have put in rules that hamstring fund raising and projects these clubs want to try.

 

One other thing, Coach Lussier was a great coach, master organizer. The knock they put on him that he couldn't win the big one is bogus. The games lost his last two years to Riverdale could have easily went the other way and led to two State Championships, just that the ball didn't bounce the right way, and that is a huge factor in tight games between fairly equal teams. His record of 62-14 in just the short time (6 years) he was there facing a tough Region 5A and the DBs and Riverdales of the world is a great accomplishment and if he had been able to stay, who knows the outcome of the Ravenwood game...but...its time to move on and I hope Coach Stevens can get the program turned around and headed back to the top....we will see.

[Ole Dad]

You're joking right? Lussier left Stevens with inferior talent? You need to stop smoking that crack pipe. Lussier took a team of almost entirely juniors to the semis and lost a game to a Great Riverdale team that could have easily gone either way with the lack of a couple of key turnovers at halftime. Stevens came in and took that same group "almost exactly" and went to one more game. He then lost to a team he should have beaten and scored less points per game and gave up more points per game for the season with the same players as the year before.

 

As far a discipline...there is none. Lussier was a "Master" of organization and discipline and the Stevens era has neither.

 

As far as taking a couple of weeks off.....I have no problem with that, but just like last year...I imagine that he will take the next 6 months off and we will be worse next year.

 

You actually have the nerve to tell me he did a great job taking the talent he had to a 5-5 season? Get real. Stevens himself said all season what great talent he had. They were unorganized, undisciplined and unmotivated and that all starts with the coach.

 

We can continue this discussion next November and see who had a better cystal ball. I'm betting we will see more of the same. You want to see the great organization of Stevens and company? Go down to the school and see how organized the equipment room is since the season ended 2 months ago.

 

And by the way, if you're such a Huge Stevens fan...take him to your school.

 

 

Ole Dad

 

 

I am a huge Stanton Stevens fan. Lusier had many more athletes for many more years, but could never get to the big game. Yet Stevens comes in and takes them all the way. I don't think the tallent level was near what Lusier had had in previous years. I do agree that something needs to be done, and believe me Stanton will take care of it. As far as working out the week after the season ends, could be a way to lose several players from burn out. You have to give the kids a couple of weeks off to gather themselves and get back in the mode. It also gives a coach a chance to spend a couple of weeks with his family he hasn't seen in 18 weeks. Remember they are off for 2 weeks for Christmas. Many teams take a couple of weeks off. It also becomes a time when coaches go visit teams still playing in the playoff and championships games to pick up on some ideas, habits, and additions. I was able to view AE before the Stevens era, and afterwards. It has slipped since he left, not to the extreme it was before he got there, but not a disciplined team that he required.

Edited December 15, 2006 by Ole Dad

[LEONARDSLOSERS]

Can you name all those great teams in 5A Region that Lusier coached against? Stanton is playing much better competition now than Lusier did. The region opponents when Lusier was coaching

William Blount- could not beat most 3A teams.

Heritage-worst in Blount Co.

McMinn Co.- Not very good at this particular time

Bradley Central- Has had two good year in 10 years other wise terrible

Ooltewah-Average

Soddy Daisy-One of the better of the region

Farragut-Was beaten by 4A teams on a regular basis.

 

This is by far a much easier region than What the Wildcats are facing today. All the region teams that Oak Ridge faces now William Blount, Farragut, Ooltewah, are much more competitive. Lusier missed the playoffs in 2001 with a 6-4 record. In 2002 Lusier lost to Anderson Co. a 3A school, and only made it to round 2. In 2003 he was pretty successful with a 12-2 record losing to Riverdale in the Semi's.

In 2004 he again made it to the semis losing to Riverdale.

 

Stanton did what Lusier never could (got past Riverdale).

[LEONARDSLOSERS]

How many Oak Ridge coaches are gonna tell the people of Oak Ridge that thier kids are not very tallented. Would you as a coach look at the kids and parents and say " you know these kids really have no tallent at all. "

I understand that he has some problems with his staff. It takes hard work from all to get things organized. I have seen many times when one bad apple can ruin the entire batch. That happens in coaching. I'm sure that he will get things right.

[extremefury]

How many Oak Ridge coaches are gonna tell the people of Oak Ridge that thier kids are not very tallented. Would you as a coach look at the kids and parents and say " you know these kids really have no tallent at all. "

I understand that he has some problems with his staff. It takes hard work from all to get things organized. I have seen many times when one bad apple can ruin the entire batch. That happens in coaching. I'm sure that he will get things right.

 

I agree. I don't think the talent was as good as some people think including the coaches. They looked every bit the part walking down the steps at Blankenship but that is were it stopped. Ultimately the head coach does have to take responsibility for that. I hope he can right the ship, because I don't want to spend my Friday nights traveling to other teams playoff games.

 

As for Lussier, I will say he was a good coach and a great role model. But how can you define him as a great coach. Lets see at 62-14 in 6 years you forgot to mention there were no state championships, no state championship appearences, and missed playoffs in 2001 at 6-5. Out of those 6 years he also lost once in the 2nd round, and twice in the third round. As for what he would have done against Ravenwood, we can only speculate, but out of 5 years of playoff games, his teams ended with a loss. I'd say that is far from great. But everyone has their own opinion on what constitutes greatness.

 

But heck, even our all time game winning coach (Gaddis) had only one state championship.

 

As Old Dad says, we will just have to wait to next November. But as I see it, as long as he can make it to the second or third round of the playoffs he will be on pair with Gaddis and Lussier since the 1991 season. We've one so many championships since then. But of course in his case that won't be good enough.

Edited December 15, 2006 by extremefury

[cbg]

Is there anything to the rumor that Oak Ridge may be trying to lure Bruce back?

[bobbybooshay]

extremefury,

 

Is winning 82% of your games not good enough at OR? If not ya'll are idiots. 82% is good enough anywhere in this state.

[extremefury]

Is winning 82% of your games not good enough at OR? If not ya'll are idiots. 82% is good enough anywhere in this state.

 

That's my point. That's all Oak Ridge has accomplished since 91, won a bunch of games and district championships. But for some magical reason it's not good enough. After 2 years lets get rid of Stevens, but hey when Gaddis and Lussier missed the playoffs, I'm sure that was just bad talent, didn't have anything to do with coaching. Why weren't the OR fans calling for their heads. We can look at it two ways, after his first year he lead his team to a state championship appearence, did Lussier or Gaddis or you can say he lost and had a break even year in his second. For some reason in his case most tend to look at the second way.

Edited December 15, 2006 by extremefury

[Ole Dad]

He wasn't talking about Stevens at 82%. He was talking about Lussier. Stevens has managed to have the worst winning percentage in OR coaching history since 1948 and only after 2 seasons at 72%. If my gut feeling is accurate that will drop to 70% by the end of next season. By the way, address all the other stuff that is concrete info. Go see how many are working out and who is supervising. Go look at the equipment room and weight room and see how is is currently being maintained and organized. I could go on but it wouldn't matter to you, it would just result in an emotional and not fact based response.

 

Ole Dad

 

That's my point. That's all Oak Ridge has accomplished since 91, won a bunch of games and district championships. But for some magical reason it's not good enough. After 2 years lets get rid of Stevens, but hey when Gaddis and Lussier missed the playoffs, I'm sure that was just bad talent, didn't have anything to do with coaching. Why weren't the OR fans calling for their heads. We can look at it two ways, after his first year he lead his team to a state championship appearence, did Lussier or Gaddis or you can say he lost and had a break even year in his second. For some reason in his case most tend to look at the second way.

[Tnbreakers]

Good Luck to all OR Fans.

Edited December 15, 2006 by Tnbreakers

[bounder]

Leonadslosers and Extremefury you all do remember that Stanton did inherit 28 very talented seniors from the Lussier era. But he came in and did everything but win it all and walk on water.

 

Hey Tnbreakers how you doing? Have your machine call my machine and we'll get together.

 

In case I don't get back on here or get kicked off for something I've said:

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A SAFE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!!!!