Father Ryan's Reign is it over?

[rhinob59]

Is Father Ryan running the option this year? I can see a connection here. When Coach Potter first came to McCallie, his first season there they won 1 game. That team had decent talent. Now several years later, they are one of the teams to beat statewide. Baylor happened pretty much exactly the same. Coach Bibee's first year there wasn't very successful. I don't remember their exact record, but I'm almost certain it was well below .500. Several years later, Baylor is a good, not great, but good solid team. Both of these cases show that it can take several years for a new coach to put his system in place. Last year's McCallie state championship team was only the second class to have played only for Coach Potter. It takes a while, but with good coaches, a good system, and commited team members, things can and do change. Good luck in the next few years, because those will truly tell the tale of how good a team Father Ryan is.

[notredame788]

I think that father ryan will return to their glory days when they get some more talent. It isn't the coaching staff that is the problem its the players they have no talent what so ever. They are getting some talent from the parochial league I have seen some of the up coming talent like aaron bateman, golden tate, sean brier- braxton, and rayn blair who all are capable of starting on varsity by their sophomore years. They will be returing to the top of D2AAA and compete with mba, baylor, ba, and mccallie in 2 to 3 years starting in 2004.

[gobigred]

Posted by RyanRowdy:

Well gobigred, back in the day when I played, there wasn't any lack of motivation for me to play football. The silver helmets, purple on purple uniform, the crest, etc. That really stinks if this years players weren't motivated.

 

RyanRowdy,

 

As a point of clarification, I didn't say that this year's players weren't motivated. I think the guys that played did all they could with limited numbers. My statement was that I was told that there were some good athletes in the school that weren't motivated to go out for football due to the general lack of interest in the program right now.

[WesVLT]

Rhino, another good post. For another example of a coaching transition, let's take a look at this year's MBA team. They have excellent talent and great support from the school, fans, and community. They have some of the best facilities in the state. And yet they're 6-4, which is by NO means bad (heck, they're 3rd in D2-3A), but it's not at the level that Big Red teams have performed in the recent past.

Why? Simply because Jeff Rutledge's system is different than that of Ricky Bowers, and it always takes a while for that adjustment to occur. They have done well during the latter part of the season, beating CBHS, McCallie, and killing Ryan (no shocker) because they are beginning to smoothen out the process. Early on they struggled against a good Dobyns-Bennett team, lost to BGA, and barely beat Knox Catholic before being pummeled by BA a few weeks later. But they've come around because they're adapting to Rutledge's leadership, which is outstanding.

There are many other examples. Rhino mentioned McCallie and Baylor, and look where they are now...Also, Tom Moore at Brentwood Academy (7-4), Lou Holtz at South Carolina (0-11), and even Johnny Majors at UT in 1992 when he returned following his medical issues, replacing Fulmer and promptly losing 3 straight (Arkansas, Bama, Carolina) and then barely beating Memphis (26-21)? All three are great coaches, but the adjustment took awhile.

Good post, rhino...I don't know how Ryan's talent compares with McCallie and Baylor in their cellar days, but hopefully the Irish can turn things around as well. Good luck, Ryan.

[otis]

Ryan's lack of success can be at least partially attributed to choosing to compete in D-II when the first split occurred. Due to swelling enrollment, Ryan admits only Catholic students (and don't get all of them). They can't compete because they play by a different set of circumstances. Many of their opponents will enroll and provide aid to any superb athlete. I'm not condemning their opponents, just saying the playing field is not level.

[jjmom]

What Ryan's problem is the new Board. They wanted to hire and administrator to bring up the academics. He clearly does not care anything about athletics. Why can't you have both high academic standards and good athletics? I think you can, other schools have proven that, MBA, BA, BGA, etc. It is sad to see such a school with so much tradition go down in the dumps. I remember when I was in high school (a public school) Ryan was a big rival. You knew of their tradition for winning and excellence. Now, they have let that all go down. Coach Jemison is a great man, father, and teacher he just wasn't the right person to be a head football coach. He had no experience. I feel sorry for him because the school has set him up to fail. I believe they should have went after Jack Pittman who is now at BA. He was a Father Ryan alumni, and played and coached under Boots Donnelly and was brought up under his system. He had more knowledge of the game and I believe the kids and families liked him. I believe that Ryan didn't want him because they knew he knew what it takes to have a winning program and would have fought to get the things and kids needed. They knew that Coach Jemison wouldn't fight them and would just do what they said. Now with the immenent split forthcoming, I just don't see Ryan ever being able to have a successful football program unless the administration and board changes their views.

[CoachJ1217]

The softball program at Father Ryan will be fine. Coach Sneed was only there for 1 year, he left to be the head basketball coach at JP2. The softball team has made it to state 8 years in a row, winning it 1 time and finishing runner up 3 times. Under all of those state tournament appearances, there have been 4 different head coaches, and I am the fifth. It is definately not coaching, it is the players that come to Ryan to play softball. All I can do is prepare them to play, because when it becomes game time, they are the ones hitting, pitching, throwing, running and catching, not me. Last year the team finished second, and there are 8 returning seniors, and a great looking freshmen class, so this season looks promising, but only if the girls work at it and want to be a great team.