1st Annual Kentucky/Tennessee Future Stars Football Classic

[BallerZ]

It is what it is - a single game to spotlight SOME of the state's best middle school football players. First off, college scouts aren't going to be sold on a kid who stands out on an 8th grade level. A kid may get noticed, may be put on a list to watch and see - but I seriously doubt this game is going to make or break an 8th grader's college career. If your child was selected, congratulations. Go play, have fun and represent. If your child wasn't selected, or didn't know about the tryouts, big deal. He will still go play in high school, and if he is good enough will pave his way from there. If the kid has talent, he will get noticed - regardless of whether or not he played in the "All-Star" game in 8th grade. The players chosen were the best of the kids who tried out. Period. No doubt that those kids are standouts. No doubt that there are players who are as good OR BETTER than the ones on the team but for whatever reason they didn't try out - didn't know about tryouts, committed to another sports team (baseball, basketball, track) or had another obligation during that time (vacations, camps) etc.

This is similar to exposure tournaments in basketball. Nowadays, kids have to be marketed to some degree to attract the attention of college scouts. This is just another vehicle to get noticed. Don't knock the organizers for providing an opportunity for these boys to showcase their talents, and don't be offended if your kid isn't on the team. It doesn't mean that your kid isn't good enough - (because, at the end of the day, don't we all think our kid is the best?) And remember, sports, like everything else, is political. The sooner you realize that and learn to navigate through it, the better advocate you will be for your kid. If they've got it, they've got it - the rest will take care of itself.

[Royce]

Royce, we prove every year that our athletes can play w/ other states. We take our 8th Grade team to Stone Mountain, GA every August and we stack up just fine playing the best they've got (Stephenson, Tucker, etc) and WE all know the Atlanta area is considered the best in Southeast next to South Florida. We may not have the #'s some of those other states have but we got some kids that can play. One reason we don't get recruited as heavy is Colleges know for sure in Atlanta and some of these other areas there going to find what there looking for. I was on vacation in Feb and met the coaching staff @ Central Florida, there recruiting coordinator told me we only recruit Florida and Georgia b/c thats all we have too, we know there's kids that can play in other states but we can find what we need there, so financially to them it doesn't make sense to recruit the Country. I'm sure other schools take the same approach...

 

Royce, there now is a Jr. Army All-American Game in San Antonio played day after the high school game. Football University is the host of the game. Its East v/s West just like the high school. FBU sent a regional scout to the Battle In Rocky Top - back in November the 8th Grade Division was played at Knox Catholic and they offered four Tennessee kids spots in the game. My point is T. Kelly was one of the invitees, he had a good week down in San Antonio and was considered the best DB there. So that's probably where that announcement came from.

 

And these (some not all) are the kids who will play some varsity early. Our 8th Grade program has had SEVERAL kids start varsity as 9th Graders at schools that win. True your average kid don't play until junior year but w/ this all-star game most of these guys aren't your average kid. According to some of the middle school coaches some of these kids have a good shot at starting at some pretty big high school programs this fall. And your right sometimes kids don't grow an inch after middle school, sometimes....

 

 

 

I agree with some of the things you are saying rockytop. I just think middle school football is a stepping stone to high school. There is a difference when a school such as Jefferson or Oneida playing middle school versus a team like catholic or Fulton or Powell. The difference is Oneida has to play with kids in school and those kids have to make good grades etc, and they cannot turn 15 before Aug.1st because they are sanctioned by TSSAA, you guys in Knoxville can get a kid from across town who is 15 and have him play on your team, basically you guys are like AAU, or a really good youth program. As far your kids competing with Georgia teams, that's great. After my eligibility was up I was a graduate assistant in college, I watched a lot of films on high school kids and traveled with coaches on recruiting trips to Georgia, Alabama, and Florida and I can tell you from experience that it is different. A 3 star athlete in Florida would be a 5 star in Tennessee. I mean even Tennessee don't sign many kids from here, there is talent here just not as much as other states. Your right it is about the numbers, when is the last time a team from Knoxville had 7 D-1 guys sign off one team. Better yet when is the last time any team in Knoxville had 7 D-1 players sign in a 5 year span, teams like pahokee and Miami northwest average 5 to 7 players a year that sign D-1, I mean Florida and Miami's roster are filled with Florida kids. Your right about freshman playing on good high school programs, take Fulton for example they had some freshman 2 years ago that played and contributed but Fulton wasn't very good. If your high school team has a few freshman and sophomores playing your team is probably not gonna be very good, most of the time. Any way I'm done talking about it, again I think it was a great idea to have this all-star game and I hope Tennessee kicks that behind. I may even make the trip to watch it, so good luck to the guys playing in it.

[rockytopfootball]

Royce, we prove every year that our athletes can play w/ other states. We take our 8th Grade team to Stone Mountain, GA every August and we stack up just fine playing the best they've got (Stephenson, Tucker, etc) and WE all know the Atlanta area is considered the best in Southeast next to South Florida. We may not have the #'s some of those other states have but we got some kids that can play. One reason we don't get recruited as heavy is Colleges know for sure in Atlanta and some of these other areas there going to find what there looking for. I was on vacation in Feb and met the coaching staff @ Central Florida, there recruiting coordinator told me we only recruit Florida and Georgia b/c thats all we have too, we know there's kids that can play in other states but we can find what we need there, so financially to them it doesn't make sense to recruit the Country. I'm sure other schools take the same approach...

 

Royce, there now is a Jr. Army All-American Game in San Antonio played day after the high school game. Football University is the host of the game. Its East v/s West just like the high school. FBU sent a regional scout to the Battle In Rocky Top - back in November the 8th Grade Division was played at Knox Catholic and they offered four Tennessee kids spots in the game. My point is T. Kelly was one of the invitees, he had a good week down in San Antonio and was considered the best DB there. So that's probably where that announcement came from.

 

And these (some not all) are the kids who will play some varsity early. Our 8th Grade program has had SEVERAL kids start varsity as 9th Graders at schools that win. True your average kid don't play until junior year but w/ this all-star game most of these guys aren't your average kid. According to some of the middle school coaches some of these kids have a good shot at starting at some pretty big high school programs this fall. And your right sometimes kids don't grow an inch after middle school, sometimes....

 

 

 

I agree with some of the things you are saying rockytop. I just think middle school football is a stepping stone to high school. There is a difference when a school such as Jefferson or Oneida playing middle school versus a team like catholic or Fulton or Powell. The difference is Oneida has to play with kids in school and those kids have to make good grades etc, and they cannot turn 15 before Aug.1st because they are sanctioned by TSSAA, you guys in Knoxville can get a kid from across town who is 15 and have him play on your team, basically you guys are like AAU, or a really good youth program. As far your kids competing with Georgia teams, that's great. After my eligibility was up I was a graduate assistant in college, I watched a lot of films on high school kids and traveled with coaches on recruiting trips to Georgia, Alabama, and Florida and I can tell you from experience that it is different. A 3 star athlete in Florida would be a 5 star in Tennessee. I mean even Tennessee don't sign many kids from here, there is talent here just not as much as other states. Your right it is about the numbers, when is the last time a team from Knoxville had 7 D-1 guys sign off one team. Better yet when is the last time any team in Knoxville had 7 D-1 players sign in a 5 year span, teams like pahokee and Miami northwest average 5 to 7 players a year that sign D-1, I mean Florida and Miami's roster are filled with Florida kids. Your right about freshman playing on good high school programs, take Fulton for example they had some freshman 2 years ago that played and contributed but Fulton wasn't very good. If your high school team has a few freshman and sophomores playing your team is probably not gonna be very good, most of the time. Any way I'm done talking about it, again I think it was a great idea to have this all-star game and I hope Tennessee kicks that behind. I may even make the trip to watch it, so good luck to the guys playing in it.

 

We can't have kids on our team that are 15, we have Sept 1 cut-off in Knox Co; so ours is 30 days later than TMSAA. On average I'll have 1-2 "hold backs" per year on my 8th Grade team. We run our program just like a school program except we don't have all the tedius rules to follow (we got best of both worlds). School teams have there advantage in some areas, take Brentwood Academy 8th Grade, they spanked us last year 28-14. But we got better by playing them b/c it was good competition.

 

Numbers speak volumes, GA has nearly 600 high schools we got about 350. But our top kids can play w/ there top kids (most of the time). Football is so much more serious there at the grassroot level and that is a HUGE difference when they get to high school. They have some great grassroot coaches and most of there grassroot coaches believe just like I do, you can't get better unless you play top notch competition. Up here one or two teams dominate the leagues, down there lot more parity. Stephenson (GA) had 31 seniors sign this past Feb (6 with BCS schools), we have a winning record against there 8th Grade group dating back to 2005 (we play each year). My point isn't that I'm proud we have a winning record against them, its our kids can play with them. Take Devrin Young (Bearden) he played with us in 2005, he was best skill player on the field when we played those guys that year, they had nothing for him, I bet when rivals rankings come out they'll have 1, 2, 3 kids ranked higher than Devrin all b/c where they live.

 

In 2007, Fulton had three Freshman start in the State Championship game (would have been four had one not had an injury). They were talented kids no doubt, there rising seniors, they all started from game 1, there good athletes no doubt but they played a brutal schedule as 8th Graders which helped prepare them for HS. Middle School is a stepping stone for HS, I'm a huge believer in that, all we build our 8th Grade program around is getting the kids prepared for Fri nights. True if you play too many young guys at once gonna be tough to win.

 

Was good to chat back and forth with you. Make the trip, it will be worth it! Our 8th Grade Tenn team is LOADED!!!! I'm heading to Louisville in a few min to work there Tryout.

[rockytopfootball]

Just got back from Louisville and KY All-Star Tryout; good time but pretty cold and very windy. They have some nice looking athletes. Should be an interesting all-star game for both grades but the Tennessee teams will represent our state well. There was around 150 kids attend...

[SmashMouth]

When did Tennessee become afraid of football? When did the Volunteer state become afraid of competition? What is wrong with boys (or Girls!) competing against each other? If I push you down, I win. If not…you win. Good Job, either way. 25 bucks? Are you kidding? Congratulations to all the boys who stepped up…get better!

 

Oneida Middle School put two boys on this team. This is a personal invitation to recruiters all over the nation. Come take a good look at what we can do!

[scots50]

Better yet when is the last time any team in Knoxville had 7 D-1 players sign in a 5 year span, teams like pahokee and Miami northwest average 5 to 7 players a year that sign D-1

 

Alcoa High School:

 

2006 - Brandon Warren - FSU, Duck Lindsey - UT, Martin White - AP (first year D1-AA), Joie Feigler - UTC (D-1AA)

2007 - Raye Sykes - UT, Kyrus Lanxter - Kentucky

2008 - Randall Cobb - Kentucky

2009 - Tyler Robinson - Kentucky

2010 - T. Tyson, D. Warren, D. Evans, S. Isom (projected based upon current interest and offers)

[Thecatcall09]

Better yet when is the last time any team in Knoxville had 7 D-1 players sign in a 5 year span, teams like pahokee and Miami northwest average 5 to 7 players a year that sign D-1

 

Alcoa High School:

 

2006 - Brandon Warren - FSU, Duck Lindsey - UT, Martin White - AP (first year D1-AA), Joie Feigler - UTC (D-1AA)

2007 - Raye Sykes - UT, Kyrus Lanxter - Kentucky

2008 - Randall Cobb - Kentucky

2009 - Tyler Robinson - Kentucky

2010 - T. Tyson, D. Warren, D. Evans, S. Isom (projected based upon current interest and offers)

 

First off those are not Knoxville players!!! And probably never. What is your point?

[ColumbiaBlueNScarlet]

Better yet when is the last time any team in Knoxville had 7 D-1 players sign in a 5 year span, teams like pahokee and Miami northwest average 5 to 7 players a year that sign D-1

 

Alcoa High School:

 

2006 - Brandon Warren - FSU, Duck Lindsey - UT, Martin White - AP (first year D1-AA), Joie Feigler - UTC (D-1AA)

2007 - Raye Sykes - UT, Kyrus Lanxter - Kentucky

2008 - Randall Cobb - Kentucky

2009 - Tyler Robinson - Kentucky

2010 - T. Tyson, D. Warren, D. Evans, S. Isom (projected based upon current interest and offers)

 

Austin-East is not at the level of Alcoa, but I think it's worth mentioning. Only one DI-A and 6 total in a 4-year period, but still impressive IMO.

 

2006 - Anthony Anderson (UT)

2007 - Kenny Jones (UT Martin, I-AA), Lincoln Anderson (UT Martin, I-AA)

2008 - DJ Roberts (UT Martin, I-AA)

2009 - Sheldon Wade (Austin Peay, I-AA), Devante Hawkins (Howard, I-AA)

 

Several others went to DII, juco, or prep schools. It's not talked about a lot, but Coach Graham did a great job of helping kids get the opportunity for a free college education.

[rockytopfootball]

Currently Tennessee don't get alot of players sign D1-A due to lack of exposure for the state. I do think that more major colleges are recruiting this state now than ever before. Hopefully that can continue going forward, hopefully this All-Star game will help kids get on some kind of radar, it certainly can't hurt anyones chances. A group that is affliated w/ Tom Lemming will be covering the game as will FBU sending a regional scout to the game; Lemming is creating a Next Generation Report and we hope to have some of our athletes in Tennessee included in that report. FBU is sister company of who hosts the High School Army All-American Game, our state sent five 8th Graders to Jr. Army All-American Game back in January, those kids got some nice exposure..