TOUGHEST FOOTBALL DIVISION IN TENNESSEE

[Guest caligula]

Tough until week 11.

[itzme]

Posted by Redtwin:

Other than this year, i'd say DII AAA, but it seems pretty down this year.

 

I actually think it's been down the last two years as well. This year it's arguably stronger than either 99 or 00.

[rollredroll]

Posted by itzme:

Posted by Redtwin:

Other than this year, i'd say DII AAA, but it seems pretty down this year.

 

I actually think it's been down the last two years as well. This year it's arguably stronger than either 99 or 00.

 

One thing about DII-AAA - the championship games have been thrillers. With the exception of MBA's 34-point rout of Christian Brothers in 1999, the four other championship games have been decided by a total of 7 points:

 

'97: Ryan 10, MBA 7

'98: MBA 21, BA 19

'00: MBA 8, BA 7

'01: McCallie 17, BA 16

 

Four of the five champions finished the year undefeated (and I think BA was undefeated going into the 1998 title game), and each beat some pretty good 4A and 5A programs along the way to titles.

 

Yes, the playoff format is a joke (through no fault of the schools involved), but it's hard to argue the quality and parity in the league.

[orangenblack]

In East Tennessee 4A is strongest.

[WesVLT]

Division 2-AAA has been the toughest league for the last few years, but this year it is down a bit. Still, 6 of 7 teams have records of .500 or above. If you look at my Division 2-AAA thread, I have a breakdown of how the teams have done against each division in the state. This might help clarify things a bit. I would say that this year it is a dead heap between D2-3A, 5A, and 4A. I believe Brentwood Academy and Maryville are the best teams, but each of these divisions is pretty deep. As far as the other three public-school divisions go, they are good but not quite up to the level of the three I have mentioned.

[itzme]

Posted by rollredroll:

Posted by itzme:

Posted by Redtwin:

Other than this year, i'd say DII AAA, but it seems pretty down this year.

 

I actually think it's been down the last two years as well. This year it's arguably stronger than either 99 or 00.

 

One thing about DII-AAA - the championship games have been thrillers. With the exception of MBA's 34-point rout of Christian Brothers in 1999, the four other championship games have been decided by a total of 7 points:

 

'97: Ryan 10, MBA 7

'98: MBA 21, BA 19

'00: MBA 8, BA 7

'01: McCallie 17, BA 16

 

Four of the five champions finished the year undefeated (and I think BA was undefeated going into the 1998 title game), and each beat some pretty good 4A and 5A programs along the way to titles.

 

Yes, the playoff format is a joke (through no fault of the schools involved), but it's hard to argue the quality and parity in the league.

 

Down does not mean worse than 4A or 5A. I would always tend to give benefit of the doubt to the division that was split off because they were too good!!

[REBELRON]

4A is tougher in East Tennessee than 5A is.

5A is tougher in Middle Tennessee than 4A is.

 

I don't know much about West Tennessee but I would bet Melrose and Memphis East are 2 of the best teams in the West and they are both 4A schools.

 

I know 4A Knox Halls is unbeaten vs 5A schools this year. They beat Sevier County 16-7,South Doyle 15-13 and Farragut 23-21. Halls is 0-2 in Region 3 4A play. They lost to Powell 14-9 and Maryville 35-0.

5A South Doyle is 3-2 with both losses coming to 4A Powell 21-14 and 4A Halls 15-13.

 

4A Greeneville beat 5A Dobyns Bennett 19-10. 4A Morristown West drilled 5A Jefferson County 35-7.

Region 3 4A is one of the toughest regions in the state.

[REBELRON]

Posted by Philster043:

Well, South Doyle and Clinton did a lot better in 5A than they did in 4A, that's for sure. In 3-4A, they'd always be on the bottom of the heap. In 5A, they're playoff contenders. Same thing with Anderson County in 3A, they're really strong there, but put them in 3-4A, and except for ONE good year (in 1996, when they beat Cleveland in the quarterfinals and barely lost to Halls in the semifinals), they had a horrible time of it. Especially against Maryville.

 

Carter also seemed much better in 3A the few years they were there, before they returned to 4A. I think that was a bad move on their part, probably thought they could compete but nope. Melrose used to be a powerhouse over in Memphis in 3A, but you don't see them going to any more state championships in 4A. And of course, there's Red Bank. I'm absolutely convinced that if they had been in 4A in 2000, they would not have won all their games. I'm not sure about Riverdale, but Red Bank did beat them.

 

And thanks for adding Nashville Overton. Sorry about forgetting that one! Tullahoma, too.

 

 

I think Red Bank would have whipped any team in the state in any class. That team was very good. They lost nearly their whole team from the 2000 team. I thought they won the championship when they beat Dobyns Bennett. DB had their best team in 2000.

[Redtwin]

Posted by itzme:

Posted by Redtwin:

Other than this year, i'd say DII AAA, but it seems pretty down this year.

 

I actually think it's been down the last two years as well. This year it's arguably stronger than either 99 or 00.

 

I gotta disagree with you. 2000 was probably the strongest year for DII AAA. MBA, BA, McCallie, and Baylor all fielded really strong teams that year. This year, DII AAA teams are losing to 2a and DIIAA teams that they probably shouldn't be, so I still say the division looks a little down.

[stokke]

In the state of Tennessee 4A football is the strongest division. Look at 4A's teams there is Maryville probably pound for pound the best team in the state all classifications. If you want an example why 4A is the best I'll give you one. In 2000 Melrose was one of the best teams I had ever seen and I was amazed. By playing in 4A Melrose a team that in any other classification would have won state finished by losing in either the 2nd or 3rd round to Memphis East. The scariest thing is East did not even win state. 4A football is by far the strongest classification in the state.

[wardawg2038]

Know everybody is got an opinion and as I stated in the earlier post that since i coach at the 2A level I may be biased, but I did you logic in coming up with my decision on the toughest classification if that is what we are talking about. Here's what I looked at (1) Competition between teams from top to bottom. I s the class top heavy few good teams that will win the state most years or and the rest playing to get into the playoffs and win a game or two. Second Number of teams seen as traditionally good teams in the division throughout the state. Third how the teams stack up to others in other classifications. Finally which Class has the most teams with a possibility to win the state given a little luck and with their talent. Trying to compare say 4A to 2A and saying if Sweetwater or someone was in 4A they couldn't be competitive is not a measure for strength of a division. Why because of number of students and potential athletes. Bigger schools more students more chances of drawing good athletes. Does that make the best athletes at a 1A school or 2A school worse than the athletes at a 4A school, I say No. The bottom line is where a 1A or 2A school will have a few athletes the bigger schools,speaking in general terms now, will have more. If I were to rank the Divisions now, remember I am not ranking regions in each classification, as the hardest to become state champ I would rank 2A, 4A , 5A-1A as a tie and then 3A as the weakest. 1A is tough as is 2A because of a factor not noted yet and that is the private school factor. I know thate debate is a hole new thread but that is a situation that faces the school in the lower levels that is not delt with by the larger schools because the schools such as BA and MBA that would be playing in their divisions are in DII. That is my humble opinion everyone else has theirs also but I wanted to give you and idea of how I was trying to make a decision with just saying this is the toughest b/c my team is in it.

[itzme]

I gotta disagree with you. 2000 was probably the strongest year for DII AAA. MBA, BA, McCallie, and Baylor all fielded really strong teams that year. This year, DII AAA teams are losing to 2a and DIIAA teams that they probably shouldn't be, so I still say the division looks a little down.

 

You make some good points. My view is probably swayed by the quality of the team I follow (BA). Nevertheless, throw out Ryan's record (I bet they wish they could!) and there haven't been all that many "upsets". MUS losing to Briarcrest isn't big news. Arguably the biggest shocker so far was MBA going down to BGA. Looks like the Big Red keeps improving, however.