Lebanon Head Coaching Search

[sportsjunkie]

Little birdie tells me that Gary Rankin is next Lebanon coach...just saying

[volsrock]

they need an established head coach that one knows the ends and outs of the game and is exciting and fun to play for, most have some discipline...not a political hire, i think you give that guy a 5 year contract telling him that the ever shifting winds of the fans that he has time to build it the right way...not talking about losing but a chance to install their offense and defense and time enough to let the kids understand from the 9th grade on up..i would hire a present head coach that if possible had state championship credientials, program does not need a guy learning on the job, a proven commidity

[fballfiend]

Anything else you'd want??? State championship coaches don't typically knock down the door to a down program in a solid district unless they can offer a ton of money or there is something else we are unaware of that makes this job extremely attractive. Like any other school, they may have potential and they do have new facilities but that's not enough for a state championship coach.

[volsrock]

i have to disagree, there are several of those type coaches in smaller classes that would love to have a chance to move up a level and have a run at it, if you get rankin it will be a great hire but there are many state championship coaches out there that could do a good job...some enjoy the challenge of building a down program back to a competitive level...that's all that i am saying

[HighLife]

Grooms is one of Lebanon's own but that's not what qualifies him for the job. Grooms has knowledge for the game and the ability to mentor kids about football and life lessons.

As for recruiting, I personally saw Grooms walk up to a 6'2 freshman in the band and talk the boy into trying out for the football team. His rapport with players is amazing and I have never known him not to be able to have a conversation with someone. He's also been designing workout plans for LaVergne since Thomas was there. If Lebanon wants to get back to being the most powerful team in the region, then Coach Grooms can provide a path back to that.

 

So this guy has never been a head coach or coordinator and you expect him to be ready to be a head coach based off of what?? There is a big difference between drawing up workout plans and being the head man of a program. Huge difference

[howdoitknow]

Little birdie tells me that Gary Rankin is next Lebanon coach...just saying

 

Was it a drunk bird?

[Hogeyebigblue]

or a coo coo bird

Was it a drunk bird?

Was it a drunk bird?

[hegotgame]

What are the pluses and minuses of the Lebanon job, When is the deadline for applying?

 

The community expects a winner but does not put forth the effort in building a winner. They are all stuck in th 80's and 90's and think Coach Medley is the only person capable of winning at LHS.

 

It is going to take an entire community effort, including accountability from the administration, staff, youth leagues, middle schools, parents, and the players.

 

Until Lebanon wakes up and joins the rest of the world in 2012, all the new families who move to Wilson County are going to move into WCHS and MJHS districts. If they choose not to, then they are going to have to rely on talent that only comes around once every 3-5 years. There have been very talented classes in LHS history, the problem is having two or 3 classes combine for a team, or to replace a large graduating class.

 

Right now there is no reason for a family to move to Lebanon over Mount Juliet, and there has been no reason for talented athletes not to accept scholarship at prestigious private schools. With Friendship going DII, it will be harder to keep kids in the school.

 

LHS needs a culture changer that is not afraid to go into the community and get support and hold parents and alumni accountable for their program. Right now, the community expects a winner before they are willing to show up and support the team. To me, that is putting the cart before the horse, but it will take a leader to prove to everyone that is what it will take.

 

And if I ever hear that it "takes a couple years to implement a high school offense" I might throw up. This is high school football. It's not complicated. Get the big guys to stand in the way of the other team's big guys and hand/throw the ball to the fastest kids. How ever they decide to it is up to them, but it's not rocket science and should not be over-complicated by some bogus "system".

 

I hope the people who make the decisions do their research on the candidates and not just play the name game or not just hire some Cumberland assistant or go after another a Medley disciple. There are talented motivated coaches out there with HC experience that would be willing to do what it takes to build a program, the administration will actually search for that person. Making another lazy hire will only set the program back farther than the previous hire did.

 

Good Luck. Go Blue Devils.

[GWAVE1]

Hegotgame, great post. Even though Gallatin and Lebanon are rivals, there is no reason Lebanon should not be winning a lot more than losing. You make a lot of sense.

[theobserver]

The community expects a winner but does not put forth the effort in building a winner. They are all stuck in th 80's and 90's and think Coach Medley is the only person capable of winning at LHS.

 

It is going to take an entire community effort, including accountability from the administration, staff, youth leagues, middle schools, parents, and the players.

 

Until Lebanon wakes up and joins the rest of the world in 2012, all the new families who move to Wilson County are going to move into WCHS and MJHS districts. If they choose not to, then they are going to have to rely on talent that only comes around once every 3-5 years. There have been very talented classes in LHS history, the problem is having two or 3 classes combine for a team, or to replace a large graduating class.

 

Right now there is no reason for a family to move to Lebanon over Mount Juliet, and there has been no reason for talented athletes not to accept scholarship at prestigious private schools. With Friendship going DII, it will be harder to keep kids in the school.

 

LHS needs a culture changer that is not afraid to go into the community and get support and hold parents and alumni accountable for their program. Right now, the community expects a winner before they are willing to show up and support the team. To me, that is putting the cart before the horse, but it will take a leader to prove to everyone that is what it will take.

 

And if I ever hear that it "takes a couple years to implement a high school offense" I might throw up. This is high school football. It's not complicated. Get the big guys to stand in the way of the other team's big guys and hand/throw the ball to the fastest kids. How ever they decide to it is up to them, but it's not rocket science and should not be over-complicated by some bogus "system".

 

I hope the people who make the decisions do their research on the candidates and not just play the name game or not just hire some Cumberland assistant or go after another a Medley disciple. There are talented motivated coaches out there with HC experience that would be willing to do what it takes to build a program, the administration will actually search for that person. Making another lazy hire will only set the program back farther than the previous hire did.

 

Good Luck. Go Blue Devils.

but they do have to have big guys or especially fast guys. No X's or O's work without Jimmy's and Joes

[mindlesschatter]

Good coaches can create Jimmys and Joes.

[howdoitknow]

LHS has some good players. C. Thomas, W. Bruton, J. Crutchfield, T. Davis and a offensive line that includes Burlingame, Osier, Sanders, Bohanan, and other big guys all looks impressive. Young guys like J. Stewart and K. Bruton will be very good players for years to come. I think there is a good team in place for the incoming coach to inherit.

 

With all of that being said it is going to take some time. "Rome wasn't built in a day" and neither will the Blue Devils football program's success. It will take some time and a lot of hard work however with the right fit this could be a very strong football team in a few years. How hard the guys buy in and how much they dedicate themselves is going to be a major "deciding factor". It doesn't matter if Medley, Brown, Crane, McNeal, Alexander, OR even Gary Rankin himself is the person strolling the sidelines in the seasons to come.

 

Go Blue Devils!!!!!