No Freshman Football at Heritage High School?

[PhoosballPhan]

If this is to be believed, Heritage High School, a Class 6A program, has NO freshman football team? What in the world is going on over there? How can any school expect to continue, nevermind build a football program when they cannot field enough players for a freshman football team? I though Brint Russell was the answer to the program. It doesn't seem like he is inspiring young players to play for him.

 

Also, rumors going around that people want Russell out. Any truth to that?

[SweetScience]

If this is to be believed, Heritage High School, a Class 6A program, has NO freshman football team? What in the world is going on over there? How can any school expect to continue, nevermind build a football program when they cannot field enough players for a freshman football team? I though Brint Russell was the answer to the program. It doesn't seem like he is inspiring young players to play for him.

 

Also, rumors going around that people want Russell out. Any truth to that?

seems to be doing pretty good to me phoos... i live in maryville although not from here and they're a couple of plays away being 3-0 albeit against semi weak opposition...

[PhoosballPhan]

seems to be doing pretty good to me phoos... i live in maryville although not from here and they're a couple of plays away being 3-0 albeit against semi weak opposition...

Programs that do not have effective development wither on the vine. Not enough players in a 6A school to form a freshman team is not a warning sign, it's a death knell. One has to wonder what in the world is going on that you cannot get 20-30 boys out of a freshman class of over 400 to play football. Also, 2-1 is not a good example especially against the opposition they have played. They are supposed to win those games and didn't against LC.

[lowkee]

There is no reason for a school that size not to have a freshman program. Where is the foundation for their future?

[HHS2009]

Heritage has about 25 Freshman kids that play with the JV squad, and have some pretty good kids in that group. As fa as Coach Russell trying to get kids to play, he has worked hard at the feeder programs talking to teams and getting the kids intrested in playing at Heritage. No matter how much a coach talks the kids have got to want to play. The halls at Heritage are full of kids that could play but until the mindset changes in that program they will stay in the halls. The only thing to change the mindset is to win football games and Brint is doing the best he can with what he has. I think Brint has done a great job in his short time here and will continue to improve this program. I also know that one thing hurting our Freshman numbers is the amount of kids from Eagleton going to Alcoa instead of Heritage. Just this year alone we lost 4 good athletes to them and that is hard to rebound from.

[Red Rebels]

Heritage has about 25 Freshman kids that play with the JV squad, and have some pretty good kids in that group. As fa as Coach Russell trying to get kids to play, he has worked hard at the feeder programs talking to teams and getting the kids intrested in playing at Heritage. No matter how much a coach talks the kids have got to want to play. The halls at Heritage are full of kids that could play but until the mindset changes in that program they will stay in the halls. The only thing to change the mindset is to win football games and Brint is doing the best he can with what he has. I think Brint has done a great job in his short time here and will continue to improve this program. I also know that one thing hurting our Freshman numbers is the amount of kids from Eagleton going to Alcoa instead of Heritage. Just this year alone we lost 4 good athletes to them and that is hard to rebound from.

 

Eagleton kids started going Alcoa about the time the Blount County Schools (BCS) closed Everett High School in 1976. (A lot went to Maryville about this time also.) Alcoa has always had good athletes, but I think it's no coincidence that Everett closes in 1976 and Alcoa wins State Championships in '77, '78, and '79. This along with the good athletes they had and the fact that they dropped from AA down to A (where they should have been all along), made for "the perfect storm". Alcoa's head coach's son was an Eagleton kid. We used to hear about Alcoa all the time in PE when Mr. Gilly would sub. I know this was only a minor factor, but I think it helped put them over the top. The F-5 has been rolling ever since. I think a lot of Eagleton kids feel disenfranchised at Heritage. Everett was almost like Eagleton High School, because they were so close and the colors were similar.

 

Disclaimer: The views of Red Rebels are expressed from the viewpoint of a former Eagleton student and not as a Maryville fan.

[scots50]

Heritage has about 25 Freshman kids that play with the JV squad, and have some pretty good kids in that group. As fa as Coach Russell trying to get kids to play, he has worked hard at the feeder programs talking to teams and getting the kids intrested in playing at Heritage. No matter how much a coach talks the kids have got to want to play. The halls at Heritage are full of kids that could play but until the mindset changes in that program they will stay in the halls. The only thing to change the mindset is to win football games and Brint is doing the best he can with what he has. I think Brint has done a great job in his short time here and will continue to improve this program. I also know that one thing hurting our Freshman numbers is the amount of kids from Eagleton going to Alcoa instead of Heritage. Just this year alone we lost 4 good athletes to them and that is hard to rebound from.

 

If you have 25 freshmen on the JV then you certainly have enough for a freshmen team. Sounds like the HHS coaches do not want to work with the freshmen as a single unit. And I am quite sure Alcoa had nothing to do with that!

[hoopcoach1]

Heritage has about 25 Freshman kids that play with the JV squad, and have some pretty good kids in that group. As fa as Coach Russell trying to get kids to play, he has worked hard at the feeder programs talking to teams and getting the kids intrested in playing at Heritage. No matter how much a coach talks the kids have got to want to play. The halls at Heritage are full of kids that could play but until the mindset changes in that program they will stay in the halls. The only thing to change the mindset is to win football games and Brint is doing the best he can with what he has. I think Brint has done a great job in his short time here and will continue to improve this program. I also know that one thing hurting our Freshman numbers is the amount of kids from Eagleton going to Alcoa instead of Heritage. Just this year alone we lost 4 good athletes to them and that is hard to rebound from.

 

I can say that I know for a fact that Eagelton kids are urged strongly to attend the high school for which they are zoned. However, Heritage can be a hard sell for them due to the comparable distances from EMS to Heritage -vs- Alcoa. Also, yes, there are several that have family or some other connection with Alcoa and hear how they should go there if they want to win. I say if they want to play and play early, go to HHS, but unfortunately, many would rather "get a ring" than put in the work required to help rebuild a program.

[hoopcoach1]

If this is to be believed, Heritage High School, a Class 6A program, has NO freshman football team? What in the world is going on over there? How can any school expect to continue, nevermind build a football program when they cannot field enough players for a freshman football team? I though Brint Russell was the answer to the program. It doesn't seem like he is inspiring young players to play for him.

 

Also, rumors going around that people want Russell out. Any truth to that?

 

Not sure about the rumors of wanting Russell out, but as for the other issue (No freshman football), it is hard to put a team on the field when the commitment from the players/parents is not there. Summer workout attendance is far from perfect and even current practice attendance has several players, some of them key, missing. It is hard to inspire someone to play if they don't have the desire to show up for practice.

[Goalinestand41]

Record 10 years before Russell and staff arrived:

 

25-75

 

Or 2.5 wins per season.

 

Record since Russell and staff have been here:

 

7-7.

 

Get rid of him??????

 

Sounds like someone has a personal problem to me.

[PhoosballPhan]

Record 10 years before Russell and staff arrived:

 

25-75

 

Or 2.5 wins per season.

 

Record since Russell and staff have been here:

 

7-7.

 

Get rid of him??????

 

Sounds like someone has a personal problem to me.

 

Brint Russell hasn't had the schedule to contend with that past coaches have had. See this link[/url. Also, he has insulted and belittled the players on and off the field. This isn't my imagination, it is first hand from boys who played in the past, but refuse to play for him. The rest of the season is set and I doubt that they will win any more games. That's not a knock on the kids, they can and have worked hard. It is Russell's attitude that will determine his future and the future of HHS football. If he can get over himself, he can probably become a great coach. But introspection is not his strong suit, so he will not change. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

[lowkee]

If you have 25 freshmen on the JV then you certainly have enough for a freshmen team. Sounds like the HHS coaches do not want to work with the freshmen as a single unit. And I am quite sure Alcoa had nothing to do with that!

Good point!