Oak Ridge Football

[SweetScience]

Hi everyone. First post here. 1997 graduate of oak ridge high school. Played with the likes of shaun bohannon, jason mccaddley, and mike gipson. All three division 1 athletes if you can remember. Anyways, i was just wanting to get the opinions of others on the board, primarily oak ridge fans if their are many on here, which im not sure of? Anyways, it seems coach blade has OR back on the winning track. Seems to me we will be a really good team i na few years. It has been awhile, since lussier coached that we were a really good team. I guess i was just wanting to know others opinion on if they think OR is on the up and up and how long do you think it will take scott blade to get them there? Seems to me he has never stayed very long at any job he has been at??? I hope he stays cause he seems to be a very good coach, and think he can get OR back to the glory days all of us from OR know we are capable of. We have as much tradition as any team in tennessee if you ask me. Well, opnions would be appreciated, thanks alot.

[Lost Old Dad]

There is a LARGE amount of Oak Ridge fans on here both with OR connections and those of us without except for the admiration for them even when our teams were playing them. For myself for instance I became a fan when my son was playing for Riverdale and we were seeing each other yearly.

 

First saw them at our place and I admired their fight. Saw them at y'alls place and fell in love with both it and I admit Bounder's ribs! Since then Bounder and I have become a mutual admiration society. I admit up front if we could steal him I would!

 

And YES y'all were VERY smart in hiring Coach Blade! From what I am hearing he really loves it there and admires the traditions as well.

[SweetScience]

thanks buddy, thats a kind reply... your not the only person i have heard that isnt from oak ridge that became a fan when they came to blankenship field and watched the ridgers play.. most people say its seeing the wildcats walk down the steps that raises the hair on their arms hahaha... i appreciate the kind words... you dadgum warriors, if it wasnt for yall we woulda had about 3 state championship teams when i was in school hahah... if you ask me, them games between OR and riverdale in the 90's was the state championship, cause whoever won them games was basically gonna win state... yall have had some tremendous players i have enjoyed watching over the years... our last battle we came out on top, but it was another classic game between the warriors and wildcats... hope yall can become a power again like you were when rankin was there, he is just a dang good coach thats all their is to it... well again, thanks for the kind words and go warriors and wilcats!

[Lost Old Dad]

The ones between 2001 and 2005 are the ones I really remember as that was when my son was playing. Don't take this wrong but I still think Rankin threw the 2005 game at OR. In the four years I was associated with the program I had NEVER seen Rankin disreguard his staff as much as he did that night and actually argue with them about the game right there on the sidelines. Or throw passes into the flat instead of running with the best RB in the state that year and an O-line that was opening holes I could have driven a truck thru. By the second half all the players gave up because even they saw they were not going to be allowed to win with what Rankin was calling that night. OR DID play as great game though that night. The 'Brothers' were a killer combination.

 

Yes the coming DOWN the steps are great, it is the trip UP them that is a pain! LOL

[SweetScience]

wow man, i had no idea rankin threw that game... it wouldnt surprise me though to be honest... yeah, the gulmire brothers were something else, especially spencer, dadgum i miss thatr guy, he was one heckuva hs RB... one of the best i have ever seen besides shawm summers who played for OR in the late 80's and early 90's... probably the best RB i have ever seen in HS... yeah, im a bit biased, but still hahah

[wingman10]

OR is 5-2....they had tough games with Farragut and Maryville

[ORidgeKat]

IN my opinion, the Cats will be very good 2 years from now. The freshman team is excellent and we will have a three year starter senior qb. However, the JV is not very good and if you look at all the senior starters in key positions all over the field that we will lose this year (Zulliger, Austin, Normand, Woullard, Leffler, Guymon, Harder, Hairston, Krzak, Fuller, Witherspoon, Vann, and others). I believe we will take a step backward next year, we simply don't have quality replacements for these guys at this time. but two seasons from now we will have some guys coached up, and from then on, we should be very good under Coach Blade and staff.

[mhs]

Based on the Oak Ridge record last year Blade may just be ahead of schedule. No doubt, when he gets Jr and Sr players who have come through his system the entire way they will improve even more. I remember Bohannon and Mcaddley. Did Mcaddley play at Bama? Was he in the NFL a while or do I have him confused with someone else? Both great players, and I remember Summers playing in Knoxville. I'm glad Maryville and Oak Ridge are playing again. Some classic games are in store.

[OR nole]

IN my opinion, the Cats will be very good 2 years from now. The freshman team is excellent and we will have a three year starter senior qb. However, the JV is not very good and if you look at all the senior starters in key positions all over the field that we will lose this year (Zulliger, Austin, Normand, Woullard, Leffler, Guymon, Harder, Hairston, Krzak, Fuller, Witherspoon, Vann, and others). I believe we will take a step backward next year, we simply don't have quality replacements for these guys at this time. but two seasons from now we will have some guys coached up, and from then on, we should be very good under Coach Blade and staff.

 

In the words of Lee Corso "Not so fast, my friend". You are correct that we have a lot of fine seniors and they will be missed, but there was a time that many of them were unknown. The way I see it, OR has an excellent group returning and that very good freshmen class may fill in the gaps. Look at how many sophomores are getting quality time this year. This is what I see coming back:

Backs: B. Zulliger, Rocky Fluud, Rian Hall, and Tyrus Henderson (all starters)

Receivers: Henderson, Hall, and Brady Hull. Some unknown will blossom (T. Smith or Digregorio?). Rashad Gray and some other present freshmen will get some quality time.

O Line: Valedon and Card are returning starters. Soph. Bryce Wesh got his first start last week. I have faith the coaching staff will build some quality linemen from the very large group of sophomores.

Kicker: Freshman Brent Beeler will return. He will only get better.

D Line: This will require the most work. Last year Austin played little, Hunt wasn't on the team, and Cody Roach was basically JV. Roach returns, Valedon may have to play more D. Aron Flowers is a big athlete and may wind up on the line. Again, I think the coaches will find a few more. Freshman Chris Ramsey should get a lot of playing time. Sam Bingham will get time

Linbackers: Zach Hughes has been hurt this year, but should start as a senior as he did as a soph. Alex Ingham is playing very well a soph. Jeff Mason also returns. Freshmen Elliott Normand and Zak Clark will find the field somewhere (probably at linebacker).

D Backs: Tyrus Henderson and Cameron Gregg (starter until injured)will return. Throw in Rian Hall and find a couple more. OR will be fine.

The greatest asset OR has at the moment is the coaching staff. This team is playing excellent ASSIGNMENT football after knowing Coach Blade for only about six months. I feel very confindent the staff will produce a few more quality football players not even on our radar as yet. With all due respect to those who disagree, I think next year OR takes one step closer to the title they will truly contend for in 2011.

[ORidgeKat]

Nole, I agree we do have some good players coming back and some that we don't know about yet, I just think when you look at the ones I listed, we're losing too much to be better than this team. Of course, I hope you are right and we take another step forward despite losing these key seniors. I also have much faith in this staff to get guys ready. I guess it's just the nature of hs football. Every year you lose a bunch of great kids, and you think we're in trouble. Then the kids grow up real fast and step in, especially when you know for sure the coaches will have them ready. Also, kids have a tendency to really start working hard off season and weight room and getting themselves ready to go when they realize it's their time. Again, I hope you're right. Go Cats