Stratford only 16 players

[60spartans]

Any idea about how many of East Lit's players were starters at Stratford last year, if any?

 

 

 

Mostly all of them started for us last year except a couple like 4 or 5. They have some real good players.

[60spartans]

Sounds like some of the "bigs" need to get their work ethic back up. There was one "big" in last year's Stratford program that was a real hard-working player (got his bench up to over 400, which is astounding for a HS player), and is now playing at Miles College (I believe he was last year's Stratford center).

 

I'm going to come and check the scrimmage out (Hillwood's just a few blocks from my house).

 

 

 

I know who you talking about that's my best friend Josh Maxwell. His daddy film the games for Stratford and his little brother plays on the team now he's good to but just lack speed and strength. He's #32.

[cbg]

Everyone on this board feels bad for Stratford but no one is saying why they only had 16 players out for practice and none of them played the line. Let's be honest and tell what the problem is with Stratford? If you have over 1000+ students in the school you should have 500 males which would be 125 males per class. How can a school the size of Stratford not have 50+ males not wanting to play football?

Do the math: 30 freshmen playing freshmen football, 20 sophmores and 15 in both the junior and senior class.

Total in the program: 80 players

[big red big blue]

This is very disappointing to read.

 

Back in my day (and that was a long time ago), Stratford had great athletes and fielded some very good teams. One of the best games that I was ever involved in was the Stratford-MBA game in 1986 at MBA in the monsoon with Joe Campbell (MTSU) and David Womack (I think) leading the way for Stratford. We were very fortunate to beat them that night and move on to Gallatin in the second round of the playoffs.

 

Do whatever it takes to get the kids out there.

 

Good luck, Spartans.

 

 

Also played in '87 and '92, both wins for Stratford. The '87 game featured Joe Campbell and Corey Flemming (future UT and Nashville Kat star) at QB.

[KWoodroof]

Everyone on this board feels bad for Stratford but no one is saying why they only had 16 players out for practice and none of them played the line. Let's be honest and tell what the problem is with Stratford? If you have over 1000+ students in the school you should have 500 males which would be 125 males per class. How can a school the size of Stratford not have 50+ males not wanting to play football?

Do the math: 30 freshmen playing freshmen football, 20 sophmores and 15 in both the junior and senior class.

Total in the program: 80 players

 

What do the numbers look like at other Metro public schools? I remember a Tennessean article a few years ago talking about lower participation at most schools. I know that attendance at games is pretty anemic, although I would pin a lot of that on the demise of the neighborhood school.

[cbg]

What do the numbers look like at other Metro public schools? I remember a Tennessean article a few years ago talking about lower participation at most schools. I know that attendance at games is pretty anemic, although I would pin a lot of that on the demise of the neighborhood school.

 

I have no idea what the problem with Stratford is or the numbers at the other Metro schools. I am down here in Centerville working on my farm and I will leave for Florida City, FL around the middle of September so I watch very little Tennessee high school football. JMO, but when you have problems within an organization you start at the top and work your way down.

[bigchief]

Numbers vary from school to school. East Lit has had 50-60 every day for practice so far in a school of 600.

 

I agree that the demise of the neighborhood school has killed school support all over Metro. Ruined the system completely all in an effort to be politically correct.

[GWAVE1]

Even though I have no love for the metro schools, it is sad to see. I remember in the early 90's what a powerful running game they had. In 91' they had that smokestack power game with 3 1000 yard rushers and made it to the semi's before Gallatin beat them. I think in 92' they got beat by Henry County in the quarters running that same power smokestack.

[bigchief]

Actually, it was in '92 that they had the 1000 yard backs. Gardner, Coleman, Young and Broome. They lost in the semis at Gallatin (I was standing in the end zone). Jody Inman is my boy.

 

That was the same year that Stratford and McGavock played in week 8. Both were undefeated at 7-0. Jonathan Quinn was the quarterback at McGavock (had lunch with him yesterday, actually). McGavock scored early and then Gardner went nuts for about 300 yards and Stratford won 42-10. McGavock won their only playoff win in school history that year in the first round over Ryan 14-12 before losing the next week at Gallatin 21-7.

 

The coach at Stratford then was Bubba Spears who just happens to be the coach now at East Lit along with another former Spartan boss Jerry Pigue. The circle of life.

[Hoganknows]

Good Luck To EL and Coach Spear!!!

 

 

Nobody feels sorry for Metro Teams and their problems...caused by Busing

 

It's just a total embarrassment---Metro 5A Football...Nuff Said

 

 

5 Down 5 Across

[GWAVE1]

Actually, it was in '92 that they had the 1000 yard backs. Gardner, Coleman, Young and Broome. They lost in the semis at Gallatin (I was standing in the end zone). Jody Inman is my boy.

 

That was the same year that Stratford and McGavock played in week 8. Both were undefeated at 7-0. Jonathan Quinn was the quarterback at McGavock (had lunch with him yesterday, actually). McGavock scored early and then Gardner went nuts for about 300 yards and Stratford won 42-10. McGavock won their only playoff win in school history that year in the first round over Ryan 14-12 before losing the next week at Gallatin 21-7.

 

The coach at Stratford then was Bubba Spears who just happens to be the coach now at East Lit along with another former Spartan boss Jerry Pigue. The circle of life.

Actually it was 91' when Gallatin lost to Stratford in the semi's and they did have those players then. In 92' Gallatin also played in the semi's but if you were in the endzone then you were all alone cause it was played in Henry County. Winner of the 91' game played the winner of Oak Ridge/Knox Central. I remember them giving updates of the score throughout the game with huge mummerings everytime they scored in overtime. I always wondered what would have happened if Stratford and the power running game had played Knox Central with pass happy Todd Helton.

 

Loved to watch Jodie Inman play ball though. Wish we had about 10 of him on the team now.

[pking34]

I just left the Stratford- Hillwood scrimmage over at Hillwood and Stratford actually was dominating Hillwood (4 offensive possessions for Stratford, 4 TDs, all on lengthy pass plays; Hillwood hasn't sniffed a scoring opportunity). Both these programs are depth-challenged (Stratford suited up 22 players, Hillwood 27), but Stratford has edge speed and elusiveness that Hillwood doesn't have an answer for (especially D'Angelo Bohannon, who turned a couple of short/intermediate receptions into long touchdowns). And Stratford's QB (#12) is a good passer who can get the ball to his playmakers.

 

Objectively, it's probably going to be a long year for both of these teams, but Stratford's skill guys will keep them in some games where they are otherwise overmatched.

 

While it's easier to get support for neighborhood schools, the neighborhood school in Metro has been dead for 35 years, not just 15-20, so while that's a partial explanation for the problems in Metro football programs, it's not the WHOLE explanation. All over Metro, there are tons of kids who have the athletic ability to be good football players who aren't playing.