Getting less with more

[Tnbreakers]

Govolsknox,

 

That is the best way to sum up the current OR situation. Everything you pointed out is very true and sadly accurate. I have said over the last two years that OR will become a middle of the pack program under the current coaching regime. The only problem with this prediction is that it has already happened! No offense to any of the current players whatsoever just stating a fact.

[olhickory]

Having closely watched the OR program for a little over 20 years, I have a couple of observations. When the current coach was hired, I wanted so much for him to be successful for a lot of reasons. An Oak Ridge guy who had success at AE and came back home, what a great story that would make. I have been very dissappointed. Others have spoken to the off the field issues so I will stick to the on the field performance.

 

If you follow a program closely, you get a feel for the talent level of the team as compared with other seasons. I realize a lot of people outside the program and casual observers of the program will look at 8-2 in the regular season and feel like anyone complaining is unrealistic in their expectations. But if you look closely, I think what myself and a lot of OR fans are upset about (in part) is what the current coach is getting out of what ever level of talent he has to work with. My concerns started preseason. I was at all of the scrimmages. IMO, we were not as good in those scrimmages as Alcoa, Maryville, Anderson County, Blackman, Cookeville, or Bearden. But the level of talent on our team was the best it has been in a long time. Big, talented offensive and defensive line. The best wide receiver tandem we have had in many, many years. An extremely talented, big armed quarterback along with a very athletic quarterback who started last year. Stephens in the backfield, almost unstoppable if we are 2 dimensional and don't allow teams to focus only on the run. A big, sure handed tight end plus another tight end that played a lot last year and showed great potential. A fast, talented secondary.

 

 

 

This years team had talent on par with the 1991 state championship team and the 1996 team with Bohanon, Gipson, and McCadley. Every year's team and talent are not equal. Getting these results out of some years' talent might have been fine, but not with this years team. Farragut and William Blount were good teams; the best they've had in many years. But they totally dominated OR. OR had the talent to play with those teams. Even if they didn't win, it should have been a competitive ballgame. Our current coach has so much talent that he can take the team to games against far inferior talent and look good. But when they are faced with a very good 5A team, OR is exposed.

 

Last year's team may not have been a state championship caliber team, but I doubt there are many OR fans who really follow the program closely who would argue that they were not substantially better than their 5-5 record.

 

The year Stevens went to the state champ game, he had a great season. But we had been watching this team led by the 2 Gulmires building for a couple of years. Like the 91 and the 96 teams, you could see a year or two before that they were going to be contenders in the coming season. Stevens was horribly unprepared for the champ game. I only recently learned he didn't get film from the 2 teams that beat Ravenwood. What was astounding to me was that Ravenwood only did 2 things on offense, and that Stevens had no idea how to make changes during the game to force them to do something else. He came in with a game plan and when it didn't work, he had no ability to adapt during the game.

 

I realize there will be many OR fans who don't like my comments, but as I understand it, this is a forum to discuss opinions about our programs. I am very dissappointed in Stevens' results so far. What is worse, is that normally if you looked at the talent of the team we should have next year I would be very optimistic. But given what I have seen, I honestly have no confidence that Stevens can get results on par with the talent he has to work with.

 

 

 

Please don't compare that team with the 96 team. I don't know how you could. OR has not seen talent like that team since they left. Gipson, Bohanon, McCadley were very gifted. Now debate all you want, but Spurrier did not fly into Oak Ridge to see Booker or Gulmire. He came to see the playmakers, Mike Gipson, Shawn Bohanon, and Jason McCadley. Joe Gaddis and his staff couldn't bring it home that year, does that make him a bad coach? Ask Henry County how good of a coach they think he is. Get off Coach Stevens' back, he has more state championships than you. OR has it's coach, get behind him, or go somewhere else.

[Tnbreakers]

I think a lot of people already have!

[footballfan999]

Please don't compare that team with the 96 team. I don't know how you could. OR has not seen talent like that team since they left. Gipson, Bohanon, McCadley were very gifted. Now debate all you want, but Spurrier did not fly into Oak Ridge to see Booker or Gulmire. He came to see the playmakers, Mike Gipson, Shawn Bohanon, and Jason McCadley. Joe Gaddis and his staff couldn't bring it home that year, does that make him a bad coach? Ask Henry County how good of a coach they think he is. Get off Coach Stevens' back, he has more state championships than you. OR has it's coach, get behind him, or go somewhere else.

 

 

I think Govolsknox's post was very much on target with everything.

[Cactus Jack]

Having closely watched the OR program for a little over 20 years, I have a couple of observations. When the current coach was hired, I wanted so much for him to be successful for a lot of reasons. An Oak Ridge guy who had success at AE and came back home, what a great story that would make. I have been very dissappointed. Others have spoken to the off the field issues so I will stick to the on the field performance.

 

If you follow a program closely, you get a feel for the talent level of the team as compared with other seasons. I realize a lot of people outside the program and casual observers of the program will look at 8-2 in the regular season and feel like anyone complaining is unrealistic in their expectations. But if you look closely, I think what myself and a lot of OR fans are upset about (in part) is what the current coach is getting out of what ever level of talent he has to work with. My concerns started preseason. I was at all of the scrimmages. IMO, we were not as good in those scrimmages as Alcoa, Maryville, Anderson County, Blackman, Cookeville, or Bearden. But the level of talent on our team was the best it has been in a long time. Big, talented offensive and defensive line. The best wide receiver tandem we have had in many, many years. An extremely talented, big armed quarterback along with a very athletic quarterback who started last year. Stephens in the backfield, almost unstoppable if we are 2 dimensional and don't allow teams to focus only on the run. A big, sure handed tight end plus another tight end that played a lot last year and showed great potential. A fast, talented secondary.

 

This years team had talent on par with the 1991 state championship team and the 1996 team with Bohanon, Gipson, and McCadley. Every year's team and talent are not equal. Getting these results out of some years' talent might have been fine, but not with this years team. Farragut and William Blount were good teams; the best they've had in many years. But they totally dominated OR. OR had the talent to play with those teams. Even if they didn't win, it should have been a competitive ballgame. Our current coach has so much talent that he can take the team to games against far inferior talent and look good. But when they are faced with a very good 5A team, OR is exposed.

 

Last year's team may not have been a state championship caliber team, but I doubt there are many OR fans who really follow the program closely who would argue that they were not substantially better than their 5-5 record.

 

The year Stevens went to the state champ game, he had a great season. But we had been watching this team led by the 2 Gulmires building for a couple of years. Like the 91 and the 96 teams, you could see a year or two before that they were going to be contenders in the coming season. Stevens was horribly unprepared for the champ game. I only recently learned he didn't get film from the 2 teams that beat Ravenwood. What was astounding to me was that Ravenwood only did 2 things on offense, and that Stevens had no idea how to make changes during the game to force them to do something else. He came in with a game plan and when it didn't work, he had no ability to adapt during the game.

 

I realize there will be many OR fans who don't like my comments, but as I understand it, this is a forum to discuss opinions about our programs. I am very dissappointed in Stevens' results so far. What is worse, is that normally if you looked at the talent of the team we should have next year I would be very optimistic. But given what I have seen, I honestly have no confidence that Stevens can get results on par with the talent he has to work with.

 

 

I think this is one of the best analysis on Oak Ridge I have seen. The only thing I might add, in all fairness, is that the raw weather in the Championship Game in 2005 hurt the passing game and allowed Ravenwood to concentrate on stopping Spencer, which they did except for the first series. I do wish we had done something more to spread them out and use the speed at receiver that year to take some of the heat off Spencer with short passes or reverses. Also, that big linebacker Ravenwood had was everywhere, he was tough and right there to stop Spencer late in the game on a 4th and short. Ravenwood scored on their first two series and after that our defense did a pretty good job. Their QB was all state and a good runner and short passer, the spread worked well for them. Poor field position really killed us, we had one drive of about 65 yards, but the problem was it started on our own 3 after the wind blew a Ravenwood punt all the way down there on the ground after it landed on the 25, it seemed like we were backed up all night and field position means so much.

 

I saw the same things as the poster above in the scrimmages and games, and while our lines were big, I felt they were soft, especially when they went up against more physical lines like WB, Farragut and Soddy Daisy (even though we won that one, Soddy pushed us around a lot the first half, their linemen made the comment our line was soft). Our best game was against Ooltewah, where I thought we actually played well, executed well, but the Owls were fading at that point in their season and I am not sure about their efforts. I have never seen a game where an Oak Ridge team looked so bad as they did against Farragut, the Admirals had a real good team, but we should have been in the ball game, we never were, and we didn't even stop them on a 3rd and 25. The hangover from that week carried over to Kingsport the next week, end of season....

 

Like the poster, I really wanted Coach Stevens to succeed, as have all before him have, when he came here. I think that they (whoever holds the keys in School Administration) needs to come forward after Christmas break make a decision, one way or the other. If he is to stay, then say so, publicly, and ask for fan and community support for him as well as stating Administration support for him. If not, then that needs to be also said publicly and a search for a new coach needs to begin immediately. Either way, this will do a lot to give the fans, parents, support clubs an idea of what is to happen in 2008, right now, no one knows, no one gets a straight answer, thus you get so many Oak Ridge Boards on here. If they do not make a statement, one way or another, it will demonstate to me and others the apathy they have for the Football Program. The old saying is, "poop or get off the pot!!"

[REBELRON]

This sounds like Maryville in the late 80s to mid 90s.

[footballfan999]

This sounds like Maryville in the late 80s to mid 90s.

 

 

 

Well then.. Welcome to our Nightmare!!

[Opie Shaggnasty]

Coach stevens is doing a fine job.

[Govolsknox]

I agree totally. It is obvious what should happen at OR. First of all the current head coach with years of experience should be fired for going 8-2 in the regular season. Second the school board should be strong armed by the locals to hire their hand picked replacement that will do no worse than 15-0 for his entire tenure as the new man in town. The only question now is who should the town folk select? The process should be taken seriously by all involved so as not to make another horrible hire. We need to take a look at the names of proven coaches that might take the job. I don't know about the rest of you, but my list is only one name long. govolsknox. If it doesn't work out at OR I hear they need some help at UT.

 

 

Thanks PR, but I want to remove my name from consideration. I will not be the Oak Ridge (or Alabama) coach next year.

[Govolsknox]

Please don't compare that team with the 96 team. I don't know how you could. OR has not seen talent like that team since they left. Gipson, Bohanon, McCadley were very gifted. Now debate all you want, but Spurrier did not fly into Oak Ridge to see Booker or Gulmire. He came to see the playmakers, Mike Gipson, Shawn Bohanon, and Jason McCadley. Joe Gaddis and his staff couldn't bring it home that year, does that make him a bad coach? Ask Henry County how good of a coach they think he is. Get off Coach Stevens' back, he has more state championships than you. OR has it's coach, get behind him, or go somewhere else.

 

 

Thanks for your comments, but I respectfully believe you are missing it. I waited until the season was over to state my opinion for a reason. There are times when just cheerleading a coach's work is appropriate. But unfortunately, I believe the current coach has earned scrutiny with both the off the field issues which I did not address as well as the performance on the field. The Wildcats will get my full support next season as always, but I reserve the right to call it like I see it. Coach Stevens is a paid employee and an adult, not a high school kid. The title of my post made it obvious what the theme was. You are free to read it or not, but not free to decide whether I go somewhere else.

 

The '96 team vs. '07 team: I think you could argue 3 D1 guys in '96 are superior to what we had this year. But I think if you take Coffey, Rogers, Stevens, and Stewart (sp?) with the supporting cast vs. the '96 3 stars with supporting cast it is very close. I also believe we have a QB with more RAW talent than we've had in some time. It is up to the coaches to develop that raw talent. The difference in Stevens vs. Gaddis in your comparison is IMO that Gaddis '96 team had a great season but a very bad game and lost to JC, not multiple bad games with excellent talent. OR had 1 quality win this year IMO, and more importantly was totally dominated by the 2 really good teams we played. This is following a 5-5 year with above average talent for the region.

[bounder]

Well getting older isn't so bad, I woke up this morning without a hangache and am ready for the new year, but this nightmare is still here! I was hoping it was just a bad dream. Oh well everyone have a Happy, Healthy and Safe New Year.

[Ole Dad]

Bounder,

 

News to be released soon according to sources. I hear that contract will not be renewed due to incidents in coach's file that everyone is aware of. Stand by for update.

 

Ole Dad

 

Well getting older isn't so bad, I woke up this morning without a hangache and am ready for the new year, but this nightmare is still here! I was hoping it was just a bad dream. Oh well everyone have a Happy, Healthy and Safe New Year.