Why is Upper East TN Football Not as good as the rest of TN

[bud]

There are a few exceptions, but when the playoffs start teams East of Morristown are owend by teams West of Morristown. DB has had semi appearances in 98, 2000 and 2002 with mixed wins over Knox and Chatt Teams. Honestly, Nashville and the boro get even harder. Cloudland went far and got smacked by a nashville team. Morristown West got smacke by Hillsboro in the big game. South got smacked by Maryville last year after beating cup cakes until then. I don't think it is so much the coaching as it is the talent and maybe the programs offered at younger ages.

 

Please no choking comments. It is a serious question and it is NOT just DB. Any school in that area gets beat in the PLAYOFFS by Knox or Chattanooga teams. It is unfortunate for DB that they must play these teams in the 1st round when other area schools get to put off tough teams until the quarters or semis, so it happens to us all. It happens to DB in the early rounds usually because our regions cover much more land.

[pepvol]

Morristown West had a great run of athletes for a while , plus they had great coaching , that's why they gave Maryville several epic battles . From what I have seen , I just think the athletes just don't match up . I'm not sure how the youth leagues , and middle schools are handled up there , but I think that Is an advantage for Maryville in that our boys start very young , and sometimes these kids end up playing together for years and years . Maryville has Middle school football too , where Knoxville does not . Does DB have feeder schools that play middle school ball ? Do they have youth leagues that start around 7 or 8 years old ? I know one thing that really helps Maryville , is that a lot of these young boys are there at the game watching on friday nights , and dreaming of one day being a Rebel . After every game you can see a bunch of them playing on the field , and one day they will probably be Rebels too .

[etfan]

There are a few exceptions, but when the playoffs start teams East of Morristown are owend by teams West of Morristown. DB has had semi appearances in 98, 2000 and 2002 with mixed wins over Knox and Chatt Teams. Honestly, Nashville and the boro get even harder. Cloudland went far and got smacked by a nashville team. Morristown West got smacke by Hillsboro in the big game. South got smacked by Maryville last year after beating cup cakes until then. I don't think it is so much the coaching as it is the talent and maybe the programs offered at younger ages.

 

Please no choking comments. It is a serious question and it is NOT just DB. Any school in that area gets beat in the PLAYOFFS by Knox or Chattanooga teams. It is unfortunate for DB that they must play these teams in the 1st round when other area schools get to put off tough teams until the quarters or semis, so it happens to us all. It happens to DB in the early rounds usually because our regions cover much more land.

 

 

 

Good insights. Another thing I think is that no one fears D-B outside NET. Most RI teams (meaning the coaches and kids who make them up) are afraid of and intimidated by D-B. They play tight and don't expect to win. D-B expects to win these games. That intimidation, plus the press D by Coach Watson often results in a surge sometime in the game that spells the difference. D-B rarely has to play the whole game. RII teams don't give a snit about D-B, view the local media bromides regarding ancient tradition as irrelevant, are not intimidated by the press D, and play 48 minutes. Also, D-B seems to get more conservative on offense as the season progresses. Maybe that is just a coincidence or maybe I am off base on that one. Talent does matter but the first round exits recently have been inexcusable , really.

[ImaOWL]

You think DB was "out talented" by MacMinn? I doubt it...

[etfan]

You think DB was "out talented" by MacMinn? I doubt it...

 

 

 

Not at all. D-B was outcoached and "out efforted". D-B would beat MC 9 of 10 times based on talent. But that is why they do play the games - this was their time.

 

Congratulations, by the way, to MC. Great - never give up style effort.

 

Morristown West had a great run of athletes for a while , plus they had great coaching , that's why they gave Maryville several epic battles . From what I have seen , I just think the athletes just don't match up . I'm not sure how the youth leagues , and middle schools are handled up there , but I think that Is an advantage for Maryville in that our boys start very young , and sometimes these kids end up playing together for years and years . Maryville has Middle school football too , where Knoxville does not . Does DB have feeder schools that play middle school ball ? Do they have youth leagues that start around 7 or 8 years old ? I know one thing that really helps Maryville , is that a lot of these young boys are there at the game watching on friday nights , and dreaming of one day being a Rebel . After every game you can see a bunch of them playing on the field , and one day they will probably be Rebels too .

 

 

 

Most all of the school systems and communities up here have all that.

[noonesfool]

I can't speak for 5A But I would be careful when you say NET can't compete. There is definately a Maryville factor that creates an unknown quality for 4A. We don't get past Maryville, but over the years Maryville has been challenged harder in the semis than the State Finals at times.

 

Off hand I am aware of 4-5 MWest teams, two South Teams, 2 Betsy Teams, and 2 GHS teams that might have held their own if no Maryville. For 5A you have a plethora of teams that have stood in North East Tn way.

 

I do agree there is a problem though, just not as all encompassing as it has been made.

My theory gets put to the test next year when Maryville moves up.

 

Good thread.

[WreckingCrew]

There are a few exceptions, but when the playoffs start teams East of Morristown are owend by teams West of Morristown. DB has had semi appearances in 98, 2000 and 2002 with mixed wins over Knox and Chatt Teams. Honestly, Nashville and the boro get even harder. Cloudland went far and got smacked by a nashville team. Morristown West got smacke by Hillsboro in the big game. South got smacked by Maryville last year after beating cup cakes until then. I don't think it is so much the coaching as it is the talent and maybe the programs offered at younger ages.

 

Please no choking comments. It is a serious question and it is NOT just DB. Any school in that area gets beat in the PLAYOFFS by Knox or Chattanooga teams. It is unfortunate for DB that they must play these teams in the 1st round when other area schools get to put off tough teams until the quarters or semis, so it happens to us all. It happens to DB in the early rounds usually because our regions cover much more land.

 

 

Honestly, hearing from many coaches of teams in this area over several years, DB just isn't mentally tough. They say when you line up and start smacking the Indians around physically, they fold like a cheap towel. D-B has plenty of talent but they have no guts, no fight, or no fortitude to respond back when the other team is challenging them.

 

Maybe D-B is loaded with kids who've had too much given to them and have never had to do without, so they're spoiled and mentally soft and they don't know how to work hard and earn something? Just a thought.

[bud]

Honestly, hearing from many coaches of teams in this area over several years, DB just isn't mentally tough. They say when you line up and start smacking the Indians around physically, they fold like a cheap towel. D-B has plenty of talent but they have no guts, no fight, or no fortitude to respond back when the other team is challenging them.

 

Maybe D-B is loaded with kids who've had too much given to them and have never had to do without, so they're spoiled and mentally soft and they don't know how to work hard and earn something? Just a thought.

 

 

Um no. Because all the other area schools have the same problem when they hit the Knox or Chatt schools. They all lose. You would love to think your reasons are true but they are not. Heck, South has a higher income per family and the same happens to them. It is a combo of talent and football at a younger level. I think more so talent. Knox, Chatt, Nashville, Memphis always have more speed and more size on average. DB is actually know as one of the most physical teams in the area. No fight is wrong because they don't just give up and die, DB at least ALWAYS keeps it close, even in all their semi final losses. I do think that they get too tense and nervous, and maybe the coaches overthink things?

[KevB1990]

Well I can't understand how D-B isn't improving to the point where first round upsets aren't a possibility. The city has annexed enough of the North zone over the years to where North is in the lower third of AA next year with fewer than 700 students. Didn't they used to be comfortable AAA before football went to five classes? You'd think with the influx of at least 6-10 good athletes that play football would benefit D-B at some point.

 

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[bud]

what? DB or any other program around here did much uner AAA. If anything, DB has had 3 semis in 10 years in 5A and has been better. A few athletes from North means little. DB has just recently hit a student body surge. For a long time they had about 1500 and the big time schools like Riverdale, Farragut, Germantown had about 2500. Now DB is bigger but still there are much larger schools. Not the answer, it is the players.

[THSVikings2004]

There are a few exceptions, but when the playoffs start teams East of Morristown are owend by teams West of Morristown. DB has had semi appearances in 98, 2000 and 2002 with mixed wins over Knox and Chatt Teams. Honestly, Nashville and the boro get even harder. Cloudland went far and got smacked by a nashville team. Morristown West got smacke by Hillsboro in the big game. South got smacked by Maryville last year after beating cup cakes until then. I don't think it is so much the coaching as it is the talent and maybe the programs offered at younger ages.

 

Please no choking comments. It is a serious question and it is NOT just DB. Any school in that area gets beat in the PLAYOFFS by Knox or Chattanooga teams. It is unfortunate for DB that they must play these teams in the 1st round when other area schools get to put off tough teams until the quarters or semis, so it happens to us all. It happens to DB in the early rounds usually because our regions cover much more land.

 

 

Bud, I wanted to reply to this because it's a question I've been asking for 4 years now. I know the answer now and it's not just one thing but a multitude of things. Some of this may be unorganized but I'll attempt to reply to every point in your post .

 

There are a few exceptions, but when the playoffs start teams East of Morristown are owend by teams West of Morristown.

 

I first want to make something clear in regard to your statement. In most cases when teams from NET are owned by teams West of Morristown it is usually against the best team in their respective classification. Maryville is a great example in '97, '98, '04, and '07. They have a 71 game winning streak right now and no team regardless of their location has been able to defeat them in nearly five years. Ironically Maryville's last two losses came against a team east of Knoxville. Cleveland is another great example in '93, '94, and '95. They had about a 54 game winning streak and during those years defeated South and Tennessee High on their way to a state title. Trousdale County and South Pittsburg were also road blocks for Hampton for the past few years. Those teams I mentioned were the best teams in their classification in those years. Coaching, athletes, and experience are three reasons why those teams were/are better; experience meaning they've been to the big dance before and they know what it's all about. And a detriment for many NET teams (including DB) is that due to the way the playoffs have been set up for about the past decade, an apartheid has been established separating NET teams from the rest of Tennessee. As a result most teams become settled by playing the same teams and usually lower their competitive status. One thing I truly believe is that not all teams west of Morristown are head and shoulders above NET teams. The speed of the game is truely faster in those areas but a tougher schedule can usually allow a team to adapt to that. One example was when Knox Central defeated Greeneville 31-14 in 2004. Knox Central was the second best team in Region 3 4A that year and only lost to Maryville and McCallie. Greeneville was an average NET team that year finishing 3rd in Region 2. That year Region 2 was down and was 0-4 in the playoffs.

 

Cloudland went far and got smacked by a nashville team. Morristown West got smacke by Hillsboro in the big game. South got smacked by Maryville last year after beating cup cakes until then. I don't think it is so much the coaching as it is the talent and maybe the programs offered at younger ages.

 

Again those are against the best teams in their classification, but Cloudland wasn't really challenged until they faced Ezell Harding. I think they lost to Cherokee but Cherokee doesn't compare to a team one is expected to face in the semifinals or state championship. Last year I said South's defense was their weakness and they weren't able to stop a powerful Maryville offense.

 

Please no choking comments. It is a serious question and it is NOT just DB. Any school in that area gets beat in the PLAYOFFS by Knox or Chattanooga teams. It is unfortunate for DB that they must play these teams in the 1st round when other area schools get to put off tough teams until the quarters or semis, so it happens to us all. It happens to DB in the early rounds usually because our regions cover much more land.

 

DB is in 5A while other teams (South, TN High,) play in a 3A conference (4 teams play up) and then play in the 4A playoffs. I agree that DB plays tougher opponents in the first couple of rounds than other area teams do, but McMinn Co. was actually an ideal opponent for the Indians. Would you rather they have played Ooltewah, Farragut or Oakland in the first round? Or play Science Hill again? I've never been a fan of the 5 classification system and the way it's setup now it creates separtion when it comes to schools in NET. Teams in this area only have the opportunity to play schools from the Knoxville, or Nashville area in they make it far in the playoffs. However, teams from those areas have better athletes and play tougher schedules. They play at a quicker pace and teams from NET aren't used to that simply because they play the same old schools.

 

In DB's case their is something different. First of all a 4th place William Blount or McMinn is nothing like playing Maryville. You said it was unfortunate for DB to have to play those teams in the first round. In 5A that is as easy as it's going to get, but Graham Clark probably knows how to fix it or he should. According to unapproved website, DB had the second easiest strength of schedule rating out of all Region 1 and 2 5A schools. I checked it today and DB's strength of schedule went up by playing McMinn. They now have them listed with the 4th lowest sos...all Region 2 5A teams have a higher SOS. Now, at one point DB was winning this game what 17-0? Why weren't they able to win? It appeared that they had a major breakdown in the second half. When the guy asked Coach Clark if McMinn came out with anything they hadn't seen or studied on film he replied, no. DB isn't running up against teams they can't beat, there running up against teams they should beat but for some reason struggle with. Waco has been adamant about this for weeks now. Others say that Clark becomes too conservative in the playoffs. I know for a fact that one dimensional teams aren't going to win the goldball at the 4A or 5A level. Maryville fans on this board began licking thier chops when they found out that Tennessee High ran out of the Wing T. I don't know if that was DB's problem last night or not.

 

With the Z Plan coming into effect next year it's going to seriously handicap Dobyns-Bennett unless they put a sincere effort into finding the 3 toughest non-conference opponents possible.

 

So here are the points I want to emphasize

* Talent

* Coaching (in some cases)

* Population (not necessarily school population)

* Team population (not school population)

* Tougher schedules

* Experience and Discipline

* Community Support (ex: Maryville)

* Great Feeder Schools and/or youth programs (community support is also a necessity)

[WaCoJaCo]

I think DB has a special problem. They can beat anybody in regular season but anybody can beat them in the playoffs. And there are many reasons for this.