BA vs. Christian Brothers

[WesVLT]

Wow . . . I understand that for a minute it even looked like BA might have come up with the ball on CB's final snap? I heard that Woody Barron jumped over and came up with the ball, but was off sides? In the end it doesn't matter. Great win for Christian Brothers who looked very sharp for 3+ quarters. Good luck in Chattanooga . . .

 

You're correct about the last play. For about two minutes, it looked like BA might get the ball back in easy field goal range.

 

I only watched the very end of the game. What happened?? How did we implode so badly? I didn't think CBHS was very good coming into the game.

 

Congrats to the Brothers and best of luck moving forward.

[nike7]

First half BA was surprised by what the defense CBHS threw at them and severely struggled to adjust. The play calling was horrible, and the defense got bullied all night. This is the only team that pushed BA's defense around like that. Second half was much like the first until Al Thompson went down with an injury, and the offense started to make plays. The comeback was short and BA had a bunch of chances to get to complete the comeback but that's not how the chips fell.

 

This is the 4th year in a row that BA has had all the talent to be able to win a state championship, but they under preformed. To me that's a sign of poor coaching, because well coached teams don't lose games they should win. Also the play calling seems to be horrible in pressure situations.

 

*Al Thompson update* - Checked on him in the ER and he seems like his normal self. He is feeling better and they are just being extra precautious.

Edited November 12, 2011 by nike7

[meritage]

First half BA was surprised by what the defense CBHS threw at them and severely struggled to adjust. The play calling was horrible, and the defense got bullied all night. This is the only team that pushed BA's defense around like that. Second half was much like the first until Al Thompson went down with an injury, and the offense started to make plays. The comeback was short and BA had a bunch of chances to get to complete the comeback but that's not how the chips fell.

 

This is the 4th year in a row that BA has had all the talent to be able to win a state championship, but they under preformed. To me that's a sign of poor coaching, because well coached teams don't lose games they should win. Also the play calling seems to be horrible in pressure situations.

 

*Al Thompson update* - Checked on him in the ER and he seems like his normal self. He is feeling better and they are just being extra precautious.

 

You said it. It looked like BA left the playbook in brentwood and it did not arrive until the 4th quarter because they only seemed to be able to run the same 6 plays that did not work time and time again. If they ran that flanker screen one more time i was going to run onto the field and grab the headsets from the coaches. I think they ran it 7-8 times and it went for zero yardage almost every single time with 3 yds being the largest gain.

 

CBHS played a great game and they deserve the win but this just goes on and on at BA. They have arguably more talent than any team they play but like every other big game BA plays, the play calling by the head coach was horrible and the coaching staff was also unable to make defensive adjustments.

 

Unfortunately, i don't see this trend changing.

 

To CBHS - all the best as you move on.

[shakinthefat]

First half BA was surprised by what the defense CBHS threw at them and severely struggled to adjust. The play calling was horrible, and the defense got bullied all night.

This is the 4th year in a row that BA has had all the talent to be able to win a state championship, but they under preformed. To me that's a sign of poor coaching, because well coached teams don't lose games they should win. Also the play calling seems to be horrible in pressure situations.

Well said!!!!Offense play calling was predictable (flanker screen left or right)as usual. Glad to see the players not give up.

[gofans]

First half BA was surprised by what the defense CBHS threw at them and severely struggled to adjust. The play calling was horrible, and the defense got bullied all night. This is the only team that pushed BA's defense around like that. Second half was much like the first until Al Thompson went down with an injury, and the offense started to make plays. The comeback was short and BA had a bunch of chances to get to complete the comeback but that's not how the chips fell.

 

This is the 4th year in a row that BA has had all the talent to be able to win a state championship, but they under preformed. To me that's a sign of poor coaching, because well coached teams don't lose games they should win. Also the play calling seems to be horrible in pressure situations.

 

*Al Thompson update* - Checked on him in the ER and he seems like his normal self. He is feeling better and they are just being extra precautious.

 

It is actually the 5th year in a row. BA went to state 07 & 08 with losses. It will now be 3 years in a row they haven't even made it to the Championship game. That is unheard of in the history of BA football.

 

It's funny to think back to what a coach said just a few years back, maybe only 2 years after winning the 10th championship in a relatively short existence,....."BA hasn't been a power House football team in 10 years."

[baylorbigdog1976]

I went to baylor and live in Nashville now. My father was a head high school football coach in nc and won 7 state championships in public school so I have been around football my entire life. I watched Brentwood Academy play a few times this year, but also have watched Ensworth play as well. Honestly the 4th quarter showed the full potential of this BA team. Wildcat with cj??? Quarterback passes for almost 300 yards??? They completely opened up the field of play. I think cbhs knew exactly what BA was going to do and did a great job of shutting down the run and short pass. BA didn't help themselves with poor tackling in the first half. Even after the disaster 3 quarters they could have won the game. Even late in the game i did not understand the few run plays and I certainly would have mixed things up prior to the 4th quarter. The kids looked down in the first half ... Saw that with trinity and Ensworth , baylor till the last drive when Ba came alive. They have a young team and certainly have more talent than anyone they played this year except trinity. Trinity had swagger came in no non sense and punched BA in the mouth, just like Ensworth did. Cbhs did that in the first half. Could be the youth at BA but some of it is surely the lack of the coaching staff to mix up the game plan just slightly when the run and short passes are not working. Football is a game of emotion and the entire game can change on one play... It was a boring game to watch for 3 quarters. I have never seen BA look so blah on offense and defense.

[gofans]

I went to baylor and live in Nashville now. My father was a head high school football coach in nc and won 7 state championships in public school so I have been around football my entire life. I watched Brentwood Academy play a few times this year, but also have watched Ensworth play as well. Honestly the 4th quarter showed the full potential of this BA team. Wildcat with cj??? Quarterback passes for almost 300 yards??? They completely opened up the field of play. I think cbhs knew exactly what BA was going to do and did a great job of shutting down the run and short pass. BA didn't help themselves with poor tackling in the first half. Even after the disaster 3 quarters they could have won the game. Even late in the game i did not understand the few run plays and I certainly would have mixed things up prior to the 4th quarter. The kids looked down in the first half ... Saw that with trinity and Ensworth , baylor till the last drive when Ba came alive. They have a young team and certainly have more talent than anyone they played this year except trinity. Trinity had swagger came in no non sense and punched BA in the mouth, just like Ensworth did. Cbhs did that in the first half. Could be the youth at BA but some of it is surely the lack of the coaching staff to mix up the game plan just slightly when the run and short passes are not working. Football is a game of emotion and the entire game can change on one play... It was a boring game to watch for 3 quarters. I have never seen BA look so blah on offense and defense.

Of course they looked down. There is no encouragement at BA anymore. They only play for themselves. I don't think it has anything to do with youth. Look back over the last 5 years.

[baeagles1982]

I went to baylor and live in Nashville now. My father was a head high school football coach in nc and won 7 state championships in public school so I have been around football my entire life. I watched Brentwood Academy play a few times this year, but also have watched Ensworth play as well. Honestly the 4th quarter showed the full potential of this BA team. Wildcat with cj??? Quarterback passes for almost 300 yards??? They completely opened up the field of play. I think cbhs knew exactly what BA was going to do and did a great job of shutting down the run and short pass. BA didn't help themselves with poor tackling in the first half. Even after the disaster 3 quarters they could have won the game. Even late in the game i did not understand the few run plays and I certainly would have mixed things up prior to the 4th quarter. The kids looked down in the first half ... Saw that with trinity and Ensworth , baylor till the last drive when Ba came alive. They have a young team and certainly have more talent than anyone they played this year except trinity. Trinity had swagger came in no non sense and punched BA in the mouth, just like Ensworth did. Cbhs did that in the first half. Could be the youth at BA but some of it is surely the lack of the coaching staff to mix up the game plan just slightly when the run and short passes are not working. Football is a game of emotion and the entire game can change on one play... It was a boring game to watch for 3 quarters. I have never seen BA look so blah on offense and defense.

 

I have to disagree with you a bit. CBHS played soft in the fourth quarter, because they were up so big. If you watched them on defense you could see that. Shame on their coaches for that, when you have an opponent down, KEEP them down. They were giving up the short passing routes, not sending pressure, of course BA looked good. Let them move the ball, burn the clock. That is great when you don't make bonehead mistakes. CBHS kept shooting themselves in the foot, beyond their announcer’s belief, on the webcast, and mine too. I kept praying for just one more so BA could win.

 

Everyone complains about all the screen passes that BA threw. It has been the only thing they have been consistent at all year, when throwing and coach was probably relying on the athletes to make a play. He did what he thought he had the best chance to succeed with, at the moment. When I was around, I heard people complaining about that every game this year. When I see Al Thompson with so few yards receiving this year, as good as he is, I have to wonder. I hope the young man is going to be OK. He has been a great player for BA over the years; I hate to see him go. BA's running game exceeded what I expected this year, I feel like they got the job done considering losing both backs from last year. Hats off to them.

 

We have been, “next year’s teamâ€, for the past five years. It gets a little tough to drive up from Alabama to watch games when you lose ones you shouldn’t. BA, should have won this one, was expected to even by CBHS fans. Hat’s off to their team because they brought the game and were well coached for three quarters. At least you guy got three quarters of good coaching. Maybe all those nice new facilities will help BA to win more in the future. I suppose a "cow pasture" just doesn't cut it any more....

[baylorbigdog1976]

I don't know BA well enough to comment on the experience of their team just know they have a lot of young players in key positions and it looked like they were holding their heads on defense in the first half from what I saw online. I played linebacker at a big ten school and that is job of the leaders on the team to talk and get all the players on the team to forget the last play and get their head in the game. I was in memphis this week on business and have many clients who played at cbhs or mus and NO ONE thought cbhs would be within 3 touchdowns of BA. I have many friends at BA and they all looked at this game as lets go clean up and get ready for Baylor. I don't know if the kids felt that way but they looked as lost as last years Easter egg for 3 quarters. . BA has looked good when they jump on a team early but when they get punched in the mouth they fold like a deck of cards . In my mind this year it is part youth and part coaching. Good coaching is important but talent wins and I did not see the fire in the BA players until the 4 th quarter. Yeah the play calling was zzzzzzz and maybe that effected morale. I have watched BA all year and when they are firing they look great. That's football... Sometimes you just get your butt kicked

[baeagles1982]

I don't know BA well enough to comment on the experience of their team just know they have a lot of young players in key positions and it looked like they were holding their heads on defense in the first half from what I saw online. I played linebacker at a big ten school and that is job of the leaders on the team to talk and get all the players on the team to forget the last play and get their head in the game. I was in memphis this week on business and have many clients who played at cbhs or mus and NO ONE thought cbhs would be within 3 touchdowns of BA. I have many friends at BA and they all looked at this game as lets go clean up and get ready for Baylor. I don't know if the kids felt that way but they looked as lost as last years Easter egg for 3 quarters. . BA has looked good when they jump on a team early but when they get punched in the mouth they fold like a deck of cards . In my mind this year it is part youth and part coaching. Good coaching is important but talent wins and I did not see the fire in the BA players until the 4 th quarter. Yeah the play calling was zzzzzzz and maybe that effected morale. I have watched BA all year and when they are firing they look great. That's football... Sometimes you just get your butt kicked

 

 

You saw BA look good when CBHS laid back to run the clock down... They never expected to be up so big going into the 4th, so that probably wasn't in their game plan. lol BA's solution is simple to fix things. Promote their middle school football coach, to the high school and we won't have this problem again.... I honestly thought they should have last year. Carlton Flatt would not have lost that game. No one can argue with that statement. He made it happen with much less desirable facilities, and at times, less talent.

[baeagles1982]

Let me paint it to everyone this way. Ricky Bowers is a cocky fellow to say the least. He is hard to like being a die hard BA fan... However, no one can say the man does not overachieve as a coach. Heck he wins championships at football AND basketball. Name me ONE time, just ONE time, Ralph Potter have overachieved and has beaten a team he wasn’t supposed to beat over the past five years???? No, we hear excuses from fans every time we fall short. I love BA, I want BA to win. It just gets frustrating to see excuses from a team that, honestly, hasn't needed them in the past..

[baylorbigdog1976]

I do think ricky is one of the best coaches around. I think last year should have been a bigger disappointment for BA fans than this year. I think BA, Ensworth and Baylor were evenly matched last year but this year I fully expected BA to have some let downs. As good as the freshmen and soph are for BA its just hard to win a championship with such a young team. Ensworth is young too so I would expect a battle next year at the top again. BAs freshman should be one of BAs best groups in some time as they mature. I suspect with the new facilities that I hear will rival father Ryan's and the talent in the pipeline , you guys should have alot to look forward to. Great school, good people, great environment. Would certainly be on my short list of places to send my kids.