Obion Central Football Coach?

[OCVol]

Obion County a basketball school ..................... OOOO KKK ! I'' give you that, but over the years & "back in the day" they were a football "powerhouse" as well. I remember well plaing in week nine many years ago when OCCHS was undefeated AND UNSCORED on (until week NINE) ! A formidable foe year in & year out. IMO there is NO excuse when you have the enrollment that OCCHS has to consider playing to excel in only one sport at the expense of all the others. I have no coments or opinions on the coaching selection other than to concede one sport & say that the Rebels have always been a "basketball school" is a gross injustice to the football players that attend OCCHS. All the banter on here about transfers to UC ............ well think about it if football is your sport & everyone says "We're a "BASKETBALL SCHOOL" ..................... go figure !!!!!!! What would keep you there over UC?

 

 

Loyalty to your teammates?

Pride?

[Purple & Gold Standard]

I don't remember Obion Central ever being considered a football powerhouse...And never have they entered a week 9 unscored upon....They have had a good team here and there...They have only been to the playoffs twice and won one playoff game...They have been to some Civitan Bowls back in the day...

 

You cannot continue to start over every one-four years and ever expect to have a solid program...

 

I'll have to say that maybe had Jim Wiggins not gotten sick & died years ago they may have been able to start something...The program had to compete with the basketball team and Jim Whitby for a good number of years,over 20...The football program was just not going to win that battle especially when you had a coach that would not allow his basketball players to play football..You might have 30 kids on the bench at a basketball game and only 7 or 8 were ever going to play...There were some guys that could have played two sports given the opportunity....Not until Larry Shanks came to coach were their facilities even up to par...He also started the junior football league in the county....

 

I have wondered the last few weeks how many of these "fans" that approached Walton were some of the same ones that used to follow OCCHS when Whitby was there but haul tail down to Tiptonville and watch Whitby coach LC...

 

I hear there are only about 14 upperclassmen even lifting weights right now??....Not counting the freshman....

Something needs to be done pretty soon....I'm with justaOCfan,If I were Decker and Kendall I'd run as fast as I could from Troy,especially after how they have been treated...On the other hand,I think kids would come out of the woodwork to play for Paul....They need bodies to play and regardless of what some say,there are some athletes over there that could become good football players....

[LU_the_Eagle]

I don't remember Obion Central ever being considered a football powerhouse...And never have they entered a week 9 unscored upon....They have had a good team here and there...They have only been to the playoffs twice and won one playoff game...They have been to some Civitan Bowls back in the day...

 

You cannot continue to start over every one-four years and ever expect to have a solid program...

 

I'll have to say that maybe had Jim Wiggins not gotten sick & died years ago they may have been able to start something...The program had to compete with the basketball team and Jim Whitby for a good number of years,over 20...The football program was just not going to win that battle especially when you had a coach that would not allow his basketball players to play football..You might have 30 kids on the bench at a basketball game and only 7 or 8 were ever going to play...There were some guys that could have played two sports given the opportunity....Not until Larry Shanks came to coach were their facilities even up to par...He also started the junior football league in the county....

 

I have wondered the last few weeks how many of these "fans" that approached Walton were some of the same ones that used to follow OCCHS when Whitby was there but haul tail down to Tiptonville and watch Whitby coach LC...

 

I hear there are only about 14 upperclassmen even lifting weights right now??....Not counting the freshman....

Something needs to be done pretty soon....I'm with justaOCfan,If I were Decker and Kendall I'd run as fast as I could from Troy,especially after how they have been treated...On the other hand,I think kids would come out of the woodwork to play for Paul....They need bodies to play and regardless of what some say,there are some athletes over there that could become good football players....

 

 

Good Post!!! (Except we went to the playoffs in '01 vs. Rigdeway, '02 vs. Kingsbury, and '03 vs. Kingsbury)

[littleRebels]

I heard that there may be a new coach named by Friday. I know they interviewed several new candidates last week. Hopefully, we can get someone on board quickly and put all of this mess behind us. It will be very important for EVERYONE to support the kids and the new coach! Everyone has to be working together to get the program back on the right track!!!

[Purple & Gold Standard]

Good Post!!! (Except we went to the playoffs in '01 vs. Rigdeway, '02 vs. Kingsbury, and '03 vs. Kingsbury)

 

You are right....OCCHS went to the playoffs in....

1994-Larry Shanks-L

1996-Larry Shanks-L

1999-Larry Shanks-L

2001-Chris Hill-L

2002-Chris Hill-L

2003-Darren Bowling-1W & 1L

 

The Rebels played in the Civitan Bowl in....

1973-Charles Akers-L

1974-Charles Akers-W

1981-Jim McPeake-L

[obionpower1]

Any word on wheter the new coach will be an outsider? I probably should know this, but why did Coach Driggers leave in the first place? Would he have been an asset or would he had hurt the program that is already having difficulty?

 

 

 

I heard that there may be a new coach named by Friday. I know they interviewed several new candidates last week. Hopefully, we can get someone on board quickly and put all of this mess behind us. It will be very important for EVERYONE to support the kids and the new coach! Everyone has to be working together to get the program back on the right track!!!

[hawkpower]

I believe it might have been the fact that coach hayes coach at southside for at least the past 20 years leaves. With all the rumors as to why he had to leave and their off. coord. during the season it was probably like a cyclone over there developing having to do with the football program and the football program over the past few years has been the most important and successful sport at southside. Him having spent the past six or seven years their at least coach Driggers probably felt that he had a better bond with those kids at southside. With people not supporting the decision of him being coach in the first place. From what has been said the favorites then and now is Decker and Kendell, he probably didn't feel wanted enough to keep him there. But I believe that the outcome may rest mainly on the shoulders of those who make the coaching selections. He is a good coach, but the voice of the community and the fans should be weighed as well, not to say that the fans voice should be heard louder than any other reason of hiring a coach. The best decision I think the A.D. can make as far as the hire for a coach is to not come to a compromise but weigh in the communities voice more into the decision but at the same time give them an ultimatum between the coaches you as well believe would be good for the program.

[littleRebels]

I think the A.D. should find the best candidate available for the job. However, I was not really thrilled with the Walton hire due to the fact he has not even been involved in coaching in the last few years. Whether he was or was not the best choice, I don't think any of us know because we were not in on the hiring process. I have also heard that Walton was not the recommendation of the A.D., but the Director of Schools picked him. Who really knows the real truth, but my hope is that the administration will learn from mistakes from years past and find the best fit and get him and the community on board as soon as possible.

[bigorangefan911]

I'm glad I can finally post on this topic. I am one of the few in this area who know Mark Walton and who he is. Once again Obion County Central has screwed up their football program. Mark Walton is a heck of a coach and he's been out of coaching a few years for his family. He has since realized that he is a coach and can't live without football. He would have done a fabulous job at Central, and would have been the best coach they've had there in some time. This guy was a coordinator at large Georgia high schools, and anyone who knows anything about high school football in Georgia knows it a a few notches higher than TN football. But ya'll ran him off, so you deserve what you get. Have fun winning 1-2 games a year for the next...maybe forever!Props to the new A.D. for the great hire that was Mark Walton. This guy went outside the system and brought in a great coach. Shame on the "fathers and protectors" from Obion that ran him off. You guys should be ashamed.

[justaOCfan]

Coach Driggers gave personal reasons for returning to JSS, none of which had to do with the OC program. He would have been an asset to OC, but family must come first. I applaud him for his decision.

 

I don't know Mark Walton. Might be an excellent coach, but if so, why would OC have been his 1st HC job? Why was he an assistant at 5 schools in 8 years? His history did not show a penchant for long term stability. He may have been the cure for the ails, then again maybe not. But I have still not seen any evidence that he was the best candidate. No one is going to walk into this position and go 10-0 against the competition in 7-AAA. DC managed to do it this year, but it doesn't happen often. As I have stated before, someone overstepped their role in telling Walton he would not be welcome. But the powers that be do need to take community input into consideration when making this decision, not solely, but in conjunction with all other factors.

 

NOTE: The last few coaches came from outside the system, were successful, and left of their own accord. Getting a coach from outside isn't as important as getting a good coach who will stay in place and provide stability for the players and the program.

[wtnoff]

There is no doubt there are instances when parents are a problem, at OC as well as other programs. It was not the place of a parent to tell this man he would not be welcome. With that said, you are wrong. I do blame the AD or whoever made that decision. Mr. Walton coached at 5 different schools in 8 years as an assistant with no head coaching experience. He has spent the last 3 years in a non-coaching position at UTM. I don't believe he would have brought consistency to the program and I can't believe he was the best choice out of 20-25 applicants as was suggested. Perhaps someone should have paid attention to the recommendations of the school principal, asst. principal or the school AD. I hope he wins a state championship at his next job and wish him the best. But I do not think he was the clear cut best choice for Obion County. Neither Coach Hill, Coach Bowling, nor Coach Driggers left due to community pressure or a lack of support. Hill has made several job changes since leaving OC and so has Bowling. Perhaps it's time to look at local potential with community ties to provide a long term coach for stability in the program. I do not know whom supposedly told Walton he would not be welcome, and I don't agree with it being done. But perhaps they did him a favor. Regardless, your comment on your hopes for the future of OC are not neighborly and found to be insulting to the athletes, student body, and program supporters. Your comments will not be forgotten.

 

 

 

Your situation reminds me a lot of the scene in the movie "We are Marshall" where the President of the University is marking off name after name of possible candidates who have expressed their "non interest" in the position. I feel for Robert Powell...He has the unenviable job of trying to sell an almost impossible job to a solid head coach. Let's look realistically at the problems facing OC. 1. While you have 4 middle schools, have you ever figured out why only about 25% of the eighth graders choose OC? Let me help you...First the black athletes are going to go to Union City. The better white athletes are going to find a way to get into Martin Westview, who already has an established program and the remainder are going to go to South Fulton. Thus you end up losing about 75% of the eighth graders that should be going to OC. (I'm only talking about the young football middle schoolers here). These numbers are FACTS! Look at the number of players you have working out at this time that represent the entire varsity..24 !!! This is the sum total of the 10th, 11th and 12th graders. Of the 35 Freshman that were on the 9th grade team, only 9 chose to move up and play as sophs on the varsity. This represents a loss of almost 75% of the Freshmen team. How can you expect any results with numbers like this and a district as difficult as the one in which you compete? Also.. Wasn't it a class act for the guy that left to go to D'burg to schedule as tough a non-league schedule as possible! What a great idea in signing Lone Oak KY. ! NOW..Let's look at how the community has demonstrated how they "welcome" a new coach into the community. (Let's go by his house and see him and his family and let it be known THAT, since you are an outsider, you aren't welcome here!!). Man, doesn't that make successful coaches that happen to live in other counties want to pack up and move to the friendly confines of Troy. How do you expect to ever attract anyone? No, Mr. Powell has an extremely difficult job in front of him, but I can tell you this.. Powell is a man of integrity, a man that possesses a tremendous work ethic, a man of vision, and a person that doesn't find compromise as an easy way out of a situation. Too bad that some of the people that supposedly support the program there don't have his character traits. No..Don't look for anyone worth a nickle to be your coach. IT WOULD BE EASIER TO TURN A BATTLESHIP AROUND IN A BATHTUB THAN TURN THIS PROGRAM AROUND!!

[Purple & Gold Standard]

wtnoff...

I'm going to have to go ahead and question a couple of points you made...

 

First about the black athlete...Now my son actually went to Ridgemont K-8..Ridgemont is one of the bigger feeders...There is not but maybe 20 black kids that even go there...Black Oak would more than likely have less than that..Lake Road may have as many as R'Mont as well as Hillcrest...My youngest son went to Union City for two months before transferring back to OCCHS...On the basketball and football team there are ZERO black athletes on either of those UC teams that came from the county....There were only two black athletes that I can remember in the county that were 8th graders last year,they being from Hillcrest,and both of them are at Obion Central..One playing both football and basketball and one playing basketball only....There are at least three freshman at UC that came fom the county..2 from R'Mont and 1 from Lake Road,that being the new coaches son....There is at least one transfer from OC that played for the OC football team last season..One of the kids from R'Mont didn't even play football for the Mustangs...Now,I have no idea how many kids from the county are going to Martin or South Fulton...I would say not that many though...I know for a fact that OC had some varsity kids quit before last season even started,when Bowling left and they found out Driggers was going to be the new coach...Those kids were teammates of my oldest son who played four years for Bowling...As far as the 35 freshman...When my son was a freshman there were around 35-36 on his team...By the time he was a senior they had 16 of them left...The others were still at OC,just not playing football for one reason or another....Back to the 24 now lifting weights....I am looking at one of my oldest son's football programs and looking at the number of kids that would be upperclassmen now...I see 24 names exactly that would still be with the team not counting my son's graduating class and the class that were seniors this season....Just looking at the names,and I don't know all of these kids, but I see at least two,maybe three that quit to play basketball only and one that isn't playing any sports at all...Back to the 35 freshman,it's going to be hard to keep those kids when there is absolutely ZERO stability and no idea who their coach will be...As far as the schedule Bowling left...It was brutal,no doubt...The Lone Oak team,in his defense,had come to Troy and scrimmaged the Rebels for two years in a row prior to last season and went home with their tails tucked,along with their all-star QB,who spent the majority of those two scrimmages on his back..But,again,that was a very,very strong schedule to leave a school that just graduated 16 seniors and knowing even had he stayed was going to be tough to win as many as the 6 games he won the year before....As far as Robert Powell,I don't personally know him..I know his wife,I went to school with her at Union City....I really doubt he would hire someone that he knew was going to fail though...That would be a reflection on him...It seems you do know him and from what you say,he is a good man...I don't have any reason to doubt you on that...I agree with you that what happened to Walton wasn't right...Nobody had any business approaching him the way they did...And,sadly,I agree with you on your point that it's going to be very difficult,to say the least,to find a good coach now...