Who will be 5A championship contenders?

[MidTennFootball]

My surprise prediction in 5A next year will be LaVergne. They have a ton of talent are don't play in the same region as the other Rutherford County Schools. That will pay huge dividends in 2015.

 

They may get into the playoffs on a regular basis now, but as long as Stanton Stevens is HC, LaVergne will never perform at the level of their talent. 

[SweetScience]

They may get into the playoffs on a regular basis now, but as long as Stanton Stevens is HC, LaVergne will never perform at the level of their talent. 

True. If he couldn't win state with the talent he had at OR in 2005 then he will never win state, although he did at AE that one year. Still mind boggling how we didn't win in '05. Stanton is a good guy though. Just not a very good HC.

[GIJoe]

Stanton Stevens always has a way to beat or play very close to very good teams.  To say he's not a good head coach is misleading.  He has won as many state championships as Coach Gaddis.  As you remember that year many (Oak ridge fans) said he would not beat Riverdale. Nevertheless, they should have won the state championship game but to get there was an accomplishment. Much like in basketball last year. They should have won the championship game. Now is your basketball coach (green or brown) not a good coach. I think he is. Also let's not minimize the championship at AE. I used to say well, that's 3A football but as Oak Ridge fans see now Anderson County puts good teams out there and Gibbs is not bad too. Not to mention Fulton. All those teams were in they're conference. I think very highly of Coach Gaddis but to have only 1 state championship with the talent he has had, isn't it contradiction to say he's a great head coach and Stevens is not. I think Gaddis is a great coach and I think Stevens is a very good coach that continues to get better. I am bias I worked with Stanton's dad and very good friends with his uncle (my sitting buddy at the library) Ronnie Griffith.  

Edited March 10, 2015 by GIJoe

[FridayMainEvent]

 Stanton Stevens overall

 

Joe Gaddis Overall

 

Not defending or giving credit to either guy.   Personally spoke with Coach Gaddis and I like his style.   75% win rate at that many programs says the guy can coach.

 

Stevens has been terrible at Lavergne, but so has everyone else in the history of that program.  2 playoff wins alltime.

[SweetScience]

Stanton Stevens always has a way to beat or play very close to very good teams.  To say he's not a good head coach is misleading.  He has won as many state championships as Coach Gaddis.  As you remember that year many (Oak ridge fans) said he would not beat Riverdale. Nevertheless, they should have won the state championship game but to get there was an accomplishment. Much like in basketball last year. They should have won the championship game. Now is your basketball coach (green or brown) not a good coach. I think he is. Also let's not minimize the championship at AE. I used to say well, that's 3A football but as Oak Ridge fans see now Anderson County puts good teams out there and Gibbs is not bad too. Not to mention Fulton. All those teams were in they're conference. I think very highly of Coach Gaddis but to have only 1 state championship with the talent he has had, isn't it contradiction to say he's a great head coach and Stevens is not. I think Gaddis is a great coach and I think Stevens is a very good coach that continues to get better. I am bias I worked with Stanton's dad and very good friends with his uncle (my sitting buddy at the library) Ronnie Griffith.  

I don't mean to talk bad about Stanton, I actually like the guy as a person. He's a great guy, but OR had some of their worst years when he was there albeit with talent. Their was talent on those teams he had and they badly underachieved later in his tenure. He kind of lost the kids there near the end IMO. I would definitely say Gaddis is a better HC. His record speaks for itself. While I agree Gaddis should probably have some more states with some of the teams he has had at OR (especially in the 90's) but he had to go through some Riverdale teams that were probably some of the most loaded teams in TSSAA history. In 1995 we lost to them 10-7. In 1996 OR greatly underachieved I will give you that one. That team had the talent to win it all for sure and got beat by a team that was by far less talented in Jefferson Co (taking nothing away from Jeff Co) but no way should they have beaten us that year. 1994 we went 13-0 up until the Riverdale game. That Riverdale team was one of the most talented teams ever in TN bar none.(7 or 8 D1 players on that team) So, while Gaddis probably should have more states at OR he had to go through some unreal Riverdale teams to get there. Not an easy task.

Edited March 10, 2015 by SweetScience

[Governm]

I don't mean to talk bad about Stanton, I actually like the guy as a person. He's a great guy, but OR had some of their worst years when he was there albeit with talent. Their was talent on those teams he had and they badly underachieved later in his tenure. He kind of lost the kids there near the end IMO. I would definitely say Gaddis is a better HC. His record speaks for itself. While I agree Gaddis should probably have some more states with some of the teams he has had at OR (especially in the 90's) but he had to go through some Riverdale teams that were probably some of the most loaded teams in TSSAA history. In 1995 we lost to them 10-7. In 1996 OR greatly underachieved I will give you that one. That team had the talent to win it all for sure and got beat by a team that was by far less talented in Jefferson Co (taking nothing away from Jeff Co) but no way should they have beaten us that year. 1994 we went 13-0 up until the Riverdale game. That Riverdale team was one of the most talented teams ever in TN bar none.(7 or 8 D1 players on that team) So, while Gaddis probably should have more states at OR he had to go through some unreal Riverdale teams to get there. Not an easy task.

SS,

All he said was you can't call him a terrible coach when he wins games. Sure OR might have underachieved when he was there, but that doesn't mean he is a bad coach. You also have to remember OR's region was loaded back then. Farragut, Ooltewah, and William Blount all had some teams that were state championship caliber squads. And Mcminn had some really good teams too. It's hard to dominate when you are playing teams of that caliber every week. I guarantee you Stanton would probably have been just as successful as the last two OR coaches if he was still there. OR's competition was alot better when Stanton was there.

Edited March 10, 2015 by Governors91

[SweetScience]

SS,

All he said was you can't call him a terrible coach when he wins games. Sure OR might have underachieved when he was there, but that doesn't mean he is a bad coach. You also have to remember OR's region was loaded back then. Farragut, Ooltewah, and William Blount all had some teams that were state championship caliber squads. And Mcminn had some really good teams too. It's hard to dominate when you are playing teams of that caliber every week. I guarantee you Stanton would probably have been just as successful as the last two OR coaches if he was still there. OR's competition was alot better when Stanton was there.

I never said he was a terrible coach. I just think he underachieved at OR. I will agree he played some tough comp, but we had the talent to play with and beat some of those teams and got hammered by some of them. Like I said he lost the kids at OR. Their were a few incidents that happened that I won't speak on where I just think the kids lost respect for him and when that happens nothing good comes of it.

[Governm]

I never said he was a terrible coach. I just think he underachieved at OR. I will agree he played some tough comp, but we had the talent to play with and beat some of those teams and got hammered by some of them. Like I said he lost the kids at OR. Their were a few incidents that happened that I won't speak on where I just think the kids lost respect for him and when that happens nothing good comes of it.

Well,

I thought WB should've beat Farragut in '06 and '07 and could've played alot better than they did when they lost to Bearden in the playoffs. Sometimes you just have those games where you just don't play so well. It happens.

[SweetScience]

Well,

I thought WB should've beat Farragut in '06 and '07 and could've played alot better than they did when they lost to Bearden in the playoffs. Sometimes you just have those games where you just don't play so well. It happens.

So, you think Stanton is as good or better than Blade and Gaddis? I think either of those coaches would have done better at Lavergne then Stanton has done. Albeit they do play in a tough conference, but I think both of those coaches would've maximized the talent Lavergne has.

[catswild]

I'm not going to demean anyone as a coach but To compare Stevens and Gaddis is stupid. Why GIJoe, do you need to mention Gaddis while building up Stevens. Support Stevens by his own merits but don't be foolish.

[Governm]

So, you think Stanton is as good or better than Blade and Gaddis? I think either of those coaches would have done better at Lavergne then Stanton has done. Albeit they do play in a tough conference, but I think both of those coaches would've maximized the talent Lavergne has.

Didn't say that.

[TheInsideScoop]

I'm not going to demean anyone as a coach but To compare Stevens and Gaddis is stupid. Why GIJoe, do you need to mention Gaddis while building up Stevens. Support Stevens by his own merits but don't be foolish.

 

Lavergne will do very well now that they are 5A. Stevens is a great coach but you are all forgetting it's not the X's and O's but the Jimmy's and Joe's. Kids in RC flock farther down I-24 to get away from Lavergne and Antioch.