Future at Karns

[chsbobcat09]

Mark down what I say now. If Hassell gets the job, that program is doomed. I would hire Brad Taylor the split second he applied if he did apply. He's a great coach and I guarentee he'll get that program at least competitive. But to hire someone like Hassell means your not interested in being any good at football. Heck Hassell was the "Head Coach of the Defense" that gave up 76 to Halls this past year! For god's sake, 76?! Halls was improved but 76? Advice to Karns fans, STAY AWAY FROM HASSELL.

[BarneySox2007]

If Taylor has applied that would be my choice for sure. I just hate to see a program go 37 years in between two 6 win seasons. If so we would be coming into season five this year of the new drought which would mean many of us Coach T posters won't be alive to see the next 6 win season if they follow the same path.

[BeardenBulldog65]

For what it's worth, from last year's game, I just don't see how Karns has been so bad for so long. When they stepped on the field, i was impressed with the athletes they had. I'm still a little shocked we beat them as bad as we did. The OK State kid wasn't the only good athlete on that field. If they hire the right guy, they should be playing with Teams like Clinton and Campbell county for playoff seeding. If what you guys are saying is true about Taylor getting this job, the first game of the year next year will have some bad blood I would expect. Emotions run high at Bearden when it comes to Brad Taylor.

[RedD]

Until Karns gets rid of any and all legacy coaches the program will never grow, Karns likes to let the players run the team rather than the coaches, for a program that's been so bad for so long the community certainly expect allot, if a new coach would come in and clean house and get coaches that hold kids accountable they could win there and be a very good program.

[BarneySox2007]

If they make another bad hire they should just change the nickname to the Comets. Just like a comet they come around every 37 years except they only win every 37 years.

[HTV]

Until Karns gets rid of any and all legacy coaches the program will never grow, Karns likes to let the players run the team rather than the coaches, for a program that's been so bad for so long the community certainly expect allot, if a new coach would come in and clean house and get coaches that hold kids accountable they could win there and be a very good program.

 

Legacy coaches?  Unless I am missing somebody there is only one coach on the staff whom Tobi Kilgore retained from the previous staff.  

 

http://www.karnsfootball.com/ClubStaff.aspx?clubId=55453&seasonId=47823&

[SGHSAlum93]

I am not sure what the fascination with Brad Taylor is in this area. Some people think he is the Jon Gruden of Knox county football while I've heard from some that he badly underperformed his last years at Bearden. And if you under perform at Bearden what does that mean you're going to do with Karn's athletes....

[BarneySox2007]

I am not sure what the fascination with Brad Taylor is in this area. Some people think he is the Jon Gruden of Knox county football while I've heard from some that he badly underperformed his last years at Bearden. And if you under perform at Bearden what does that mean you're going to do with Karn's athletes....

All I know is that he did give Maryville some tough games that were closer than the scores said. I never understood why he stepped down at Bearden but I'm not in the know there. When we played them two years ago when they went 1-9 they were so awful they couldn't even line up right. I couldn't believe how a team fell apart so fast from a coaching change. Maybe he saw that coming and got out, I don't know .

[adalum96]

Brad was 2-8 against Farragut in the 7 years that he was head coach. How they didn't beat Farragut  in 2010(Devrin Young's senior year), I will never understand. They had 2nd and goal from the 2 and Devrin didn't get the ball one time. I always questioned his coaching, but that proved to me that he wasn't great.

[utvolzfan]

Oh boy, where do I start?? Do I even have the energy to make this post after a long day at work? Heck yes!

Ok, so I'm a former Karns player and obviously a grad (from the 80's)who grew up in the community and I have a pretty good understanding of why Karns has failed so badly for over 40 years.

Additionally, I had a family member playing a key role(s) for Bearden during Brad Taylor's last couple of seasons.

First on the Taylor hire, I wish I could give BarneySox2007 a "like" on a few of his thoughts. May people thought Bearden was loaded aespecially in 2012.

An example of why Taylor was let go(Basically a repeat of not giving Devrin the ball on the 2) Trent Waters, Bearden RB and LB was 6' and 230 and ran 4.6. Was being recruited by a lot of schools and for various reason ended up at Arkansas St and then Dean College in Boston a Jr College. Against Maryville, he had 90 yes on 5 carries in the first quarter and DID NOT carry again until the late 3rd Q Maryville's coach even wondered why in post game. This was typical of his game management. Therefore, even though Brad is a great guy and good man, I don't see him as a strong coach. It would be a surprise if he turned Karns into a winner.

As for the "why" behind BarneySox2007's wonderingly about the Beavers perpetual losing. It is complicated and the answer has changed over the years but there are multiple factors.

1. As the 70's began Howard Wells, who won Mississippi State Titles early in his career built Karns into a winner. This was 68-74ish. After, Coach Wells retired the problems began.

2. Through the 80's Karns had trouble hiring a keeping a coach more than a couple years at a time so there was a lack of consistency. Karen's youth programs repeatedly won Championships at John Tarleton and when Middle School ball existed they won as well. The problem was that many kids became apathetic after a year on the freshman team and did not play after that. In many years Karns had enough good players sitting in the stands watching to win the games being lost each Friday. The spirit was lost and the facilities were not great.

3. During the 90's this continued and there was coach after coach every two years and the best athletes transferred to other schools or did not play. Karen's did bulld a new stadium but weight room etc was behind.

4. During the 2000's the new issues were Hardin Valley and Grace as well as Catholic building a West Knoxville Campus and CAK growing into a much larger school. As these things as well as Webb recruiting Karns best athletes occasionally was hard for a school like Karns to overcome. Many Karns "legacy" athletes played for either Grace or Hrdin Valley or Webb. Karen's simply wasn't a winner and didn't have a charismatic leader. This continues today.

That's the short version of a what I could have written 50 pages on.

Solution: 1. Charismatic Young coach who wants to be at KHS. 2. Donor with Karns heritage stepping up and infusing some money into the program. 3. Rebuild Karns youth programs that could feed the High School program. 4. Just get a break and have a big year so the energy begins to build.

Ok I'm done. Tired of typing.

[BarneySox2007]

Oh boy, where do I start?? Do I even have the energy to make this post after a long day at work? Heck yes!

Ok, so I'm a former Karns player and obviously a grad (from the 80's)who grew up in the community and I have a pretty good understanding of why Karns has failed so badly for over 40 years.

Additionally, I had a family member playing a key role(s) for Bearden during Brad Taylor's last couple of seasons.

First on the Taylor hire, I wish I could give BarneySox2007 a "like" on a few of his thoughts. May people thought Bearden was loaded aespecially in 2012.

An example of why Taylor was let go(Basically a repeat of not giving Devrin the ball on the 2) Trent Waters, Bearden RB and LB was 6' and 230 and ran 4.6. Was being recruited by a lot of schools and for various reason ended up at Arkansas St and then Dean College in Boston a Jr College. Against Maryville, he had 90 yes on 5 carries in the first quarter and DID NOT carry again until the late 3rd Q Maryville's coach even wondered why in post game. This was typical of his game management. Therefore, even though Brad is a great guy and good man, I don't see him as a strong coach. It would be a surprise if he turned Karns into a winner.

As for the "why" behind BarneySox2007's wonderingly about the Beavers perpetual losing. It is complicated and the answer has changed over the years but there are multiple factors.

1. As the 70's began Howard Wells, who won Mississippi State Titles early in his career built Karns into a winner. This was 68-74ish. After, Coach Wells retired the problems began.

2. Through the 80's Karns had trouble hiring a keeping a coach more than a couple years at a time so there was a lack of consistency. Karen's youth programs repeatedly won Championships at John Tarleton and when Middle School ball existed they won as well. The problem was that many kids became apathetic after a year on the freshman team and did not play after that. In many years Karns had enough good players sitting in the stands watching to win the games being lost each Friday. The spirit was lost and the facilities were not great.

3. During the 90's this continued and there was coach after coach every two years and the best athletes transferred to other schools or did not play. Karen's did bulld a new stadium but weight room etc was behind.

4. During the 2000's the new issues were Hardin Valley and Grace as well as Catholic building a West Knoxville Campus and CAK growing into a much larger school. As these things as well as Webb recruiting Karns best athletes occasionally was hard for a school like Karns to overcome. Many Karns "legacy" athletes played for either Grace or Hrdin Valley or Webb. Karen's simply wasn't a winner and didn't have a charismatic leader. This continues today.

That's the short version of a what I could have written 50 pages on.

Solution: 1. Charismatic Young coach who wants to be at KHS. 2. Donor with Karns heritage stepping up and infusing some money into the program. 3. Rebuild Karns youth programs that could feed the High School program. 4. Just get a break and have a big year so the energy begins to build.

Ok I'm done. Tired of typing.

Thanks for the great insight. It's always great to listen to someone that has been there and felt the pain and knows first hand on what is going on. Maybe I'm wrong about Taylor but I will have my fingers crossed that things will get better. I can see very well now why this program has suffered and how hard it would be to keep the private schools from raiding your crops of young players with them being in your backyard. Thanks utvolzfan, great post.