I saw the best team I have ever seen.

[GREYRIDER]

I would submit that there is talent out there that does not get developed @ the hs level to the extent that the athletes are considered blue chippers their jr / sr year. This is a sad state of affairs considering how far hs football has evolved since I played in the 80's. Tennessee is on its way , with coaching now starting to develop along with the talent. George Quarles , imo, is in a class by himself and he is forcing the other coaches to get better , his staff is second to none and they are all fine individuals.

[BurroBall]

Best conference over the last 3 years....yes. Best for many years now....no.

Key word in your ooc top 25 teams is RECENT. Anyways, I'll also let it go, because you could look at things a million different ways and in the end you come out with this: These 2 conferences being the best overall over the modern era, and this always coming down to a North vs South thing.

 

 

Many years is correct. The disparity is just larger now and much more obvious than it used to be. Florida, UTK, Alabama, Mississippi State, Georgia, Auburn, even LSU. Pre 1990's I'll grant another conference superiority, but the SEC was the strongest (top to bottom as that is what we are talking about) during the 1990's too. The Big 11 had two teams (Michigan 1997 and Penn State 1994 plus Notre Dame 1993) even get credit for a share of a national title for the entire decade and only Michigan was crowned by the "wonderfully amazing" AP. Additionally, Nebraska was 13-0 (one more win than Michigan) in 1997 and claimed the larger share. That was of course back when we didn't even have the BcS to huff about, but I digress. I will give the Big 11 credit for being better than the ACC and Big East back then as they were basically one trick ponies with Miami (FL) and FSU carrying the banners for the each conference (kind of how the Pac-10 is with Southern Cal is currently). That would put the Big 11 in a fight for 2nd with the Big 12 for the decade.

 

I used the word "recent" meaning the last 5 years or so. Auburn played Southern Cal in 2002 and 2003 as well, and those annual out of conference rivalries have happened EVERY year "for a while now" . BTW, the SEC has produced FOUR National title holders (UTK 1998, LSU 2003 and 2007, Florida 2006) to the Big 11's ONE in the last 10 years (Ohio State 2002).

 

Also, while Heisman trophies are a great honor, let's be honest here: Peyton Manning and Adrian Peterson both deserved the Heisman trophy their respective years more than Charles Woodson and Matt Leinart. It is a complete popularity contest with so many unwritten rules behind who wins. In fact, it still baffles me that Tim Tebow actually won the Heisman trophy last year as a SOPHOMORE (considering what happened to Peterson as a Freshman), but he absolutely deserved it.

 

I agree it is still very much a North vs. South "thang", but the South doesn't lose to the North......on the gridiron. /wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

 

Sorry about carrying on the conversation everybody. I thought I could go a day in the fall without discussing college football. /smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

[AP.battleground.59]

There is a team here in Pittsburgh that is the best high school team I have ever seen. Gateway High School in Monroeville, PA, a Pittsburgh suburb, is loaded with talent. Prior to this team the best teams I have seen were the Melrose teams in the 90's and the South Panola team with Dewayne Rudd and Deshea Townsend. They would defeat both those teams. Maryville could stay close for a half but not much longer. They have at least 15-20 high D-1 players. They have 2 players Dorian Bell an Ohio State committ and Corey Brown undecided selected to play in the Army All American game. That leads to this question: Why is TN football lacking in quality?

 

According to unapproved website, which is usally pretty dead on, they are #184 and haven't played any team in the top 1000. They may be really good but im sure a load of teams from Texas, Florida, and yes even in our little state of Tennessee, could beat them. Despite a lack of big name recruits coming from the state recently...Turner starts at USC, Tate at ND, and Hightower at Bama...I think the state's top 25 teams match up pretty well with any other states top 25.

[jlmac4]

For all of you SEC haters out there, it would probably be best if you would run your mouth to someone who likes your conferences and actually thinks they are good. No one cares about how many time Ohio State can beat Michigan, or barely squirt by Wisconsin, or any other team in that pathetic conference. Bottom line on all these states and athletes is that if you can recruit the gulf coast states from Texas through Florida and include the state of Georgia, you have the best shot at winning a National title. Any of these athletes from high school to college will tell you that the SEC is most likely to prepare you for the NFL if you are that good. By the way, if Ohio State manages to slip through the LiL TEN again and make an appearance at the "GAME", maybe they could pay someone to keep an SEC team from showing up on the other side of the field. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> If anyone needs clarification on those states again I will list them for you: "TEXAS, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, ALABAMA, FLORIDA, AND GEORGIA. I would also put Tennessee in there before I would recruit the northern states.

 

lol....just like Ala. squirting by Kintucky. What a cornucopia of knowledge/intelligence in that spew. "Any of these athletes will tell you the SEC is most likely to prepare you for the NFL"....blah blah blah. What a source. Try this one....Top 10 NFL producing colleges The best guage of talent is your own SEC coaches/recruiters stomping grounds. Let's take two of your most successful coaches and an assistant who has since last year moved on as a head coach. Urban Meyer, Les Miles, Bo Pelini....all Ohio born and bred, and all recruit Ohio HEAVILY. As does Phil Fullmer, Bob Stoops, Pete Carrol. They're no dummies. Talent is EVERYWHERE. Not just in the south or Ohio, Ca., Pa. It's just harder for the SEC to land a kid from the north, same as for kids from the south. Harder to convince a kid to move that far away from home. As far as being a hater, I'm not a hater I love good football no matter where it's played, and I give the SEC credit where credit is due. Based on your post, I'd say YOU were not only a hater, but you're still mad you lost the war. The only thing I "hate" is when people say in a nutshell that the only good football being played at either level is being played in the "South."

[CoachT]

Lets get the conversation back to discussing high schools. We have Plus boards for discussing colleges. We even have a free college site. I would love for you guys to help me get those boards going.

[BurroBall]

Lets get the conversation back to discussing high schools. We have Plus boards for discussing colleges. We even have a free college site. I would love for you guys to help me get those boards going.

 

 

 

I knew it would escalate, it's inevitable when folks start talking college football especially folks who are passionate about it.

 

South vs. North is STILL about a clash of cultures. It isn't quite like being in a foreign country, but you also quickly realize you aren't "in Kansas anymore Toto" so to speak.

[jlmac4]

My apoligies for getting off track. As far as what TN can do to get better, I think the answers are easier said than done. A lot rests in the hands of coaching staffs' ability to develop their programs/players to a higher level. It's hard to get kids nowadays to buy into the year round preparation(lifting/conditioning) it takes to be a perrenial powerhouse. Aside from multi-sport athletes, there are too many other distractions and things that interest kids in the offseason. I believe the way the playoffs are set up is also detrimental to enhancing the depth of competitive teams, and I will explain further, using the Ohio playoff format as an example, in which D1(biggest)is considered to be the most competitive playoffs in the nation. Ohio PlayoffsEvery game counts in determining who goes to the playoffs, and there is no division of public/private schools. Divisions are naturally based on enrollment with D1 the largest-D6 the smallest. A win over a D1 team is worth 6 points, D2-5.5 pts, D3-5 pts, D4 4.5 pts, D5 4pts, D6 3.5pts. You get 1st level points for each win over a team PLUS 2nd level points for each victory a defeated opponent accumulates over the course of the season. Your points are averaged weekly and the top 8 in each region after the regular season goes to the playoffs. Schools may play up or down against any other division, and almost all do. What this does is forces you to "schedule" your way into the playoffs. Defeating a D1 team with 4 wins is worth fewer points than beating a D2 or D3 team with 8 or 9 wins. In a nutshell, it matters who you play. You make the playoffs based on wins AND strength of schedule. This forces you to play better competition, thus making you have to play at a higher level, which helps your program. Many times a 7-3 or 8-2 team will have a lower point average than a 5-5 or 6-4 team based on the quality of wins. Often happens in D4,5,6 because they had a brutal schedule loaded with higher Division opponents. Those 4-6 wins were worth more than 7 or 8 wins over lesser opponents in the same/lower division. You can see examples of this by going here.Computer Rankings Bottom line is that it forces everyone who wants to make the playoffs to get better/schedule tougher. Sorry it took me a novel to explain.

[Galilee]

One important fact, there are 4 schools in the area where I pastor, and the coaches do not have classes One school Bethel Park also high ranked, has 7, yes 7 paid asst. coaches. I am not trying to bash TN football, I am just amazed at the committment to the sport in PA. I was here visiting last Thanksgiving and watched the state title game with Terrell Pryor. That Janette High School team was so involed with the community that the pee wee teams ran the same offense that the high school ran. They has enogh talented players that i looked in the program everytime the offemse, defense and sp took the field and noticed that only 3 players played on more than 1 team.

 

The weight room at Bethel Park was 3 times the size of ours at Mitchell. I jsu feel that the TSSAA could do more to support the programs.

.

[kwc]

One important fact, there are 4 schools in the area where I pastor, and the coaches do not have classes One school Bethel Park also high ranked, has 7, yes 7 paid asst. coaches. I am not trying to bash TN football, I am just amazed at the committment to the sport in PA. I was here visiting last Thanksgiving and watched the state title game with Terrell Pryor. That Janette High School team was so involed with the community that the pee wee teams ran the same offense that the high school ran. They has enogh talented players that i looked in the program everytime the offemse, defense and sp took the field and noticed that only 3 players played on more than 1 team.

 

The weight room at Bethel Park was 3 times the size of ours at Mitchell. I jsu feel that the TSSAA could do more to support the programs.

.

 

 

Galilee ... with you saying that I get the impression that the state of Pennsylvania is somehow funding the school systems to be able to do this type of thing. Otherwise ... my thinking is that the schools have established a 'grass roots' sytem to help incorporate the communities. Am I wrong? The state of Pennsylvania's High School Athletic Association is helping to fund these programs?

[BurroBall]

One important fact, there are 4 schools in the area where I pastor, and the coaches do not have classes One school Bethel Park also high ranked, has 7, yes 7 paid asst. coaches. I am not trying to bash TN football, I am just amazed at the committment to the sport in PA. I was here visiting last Thanksgiving and watched the state title game with Terrell Pryor. That Janette High School team was so involed with the community that the pee wee teams ran the same offense that the high school ran. They has enogh talented players that i looked in the program everytime the offemse, defense and sp took the field and noticed that only 3 players played on more than 1 team.

 

The weight room at Bethel Park was 3 times the size of ours at Mitchell. I jsu feel that the TSSAA could do more to support the programs.

.

 

 

 

I have been told there are certain counties in some other states where the varsity high school coach is responsible for the employment of the feeder middle school's head football coach. Thereby, allowing kids to stay in the same system for a longer period of time.

[Galilee]

KWC I do not know but I will find out. I try to spend 1 hr per week at each high school and 30 min at each middle and elementary. Now I can say that i have watched their open gym and they are way ehind TN in basketball.

[kwc]

KWC I do not know but I will find out. I try to spend 1 hr per week at each high school and 30 min at each middle and elementary. Now I can say that i have watched their open gym and they are way ehind TN in basketball.

 

 

Another big week @ Mitchell ... your boys play CBHS! I've already predicted an upset. Man ... Mitchell has some offensive weapons!