Rhea County 2018

[QB14]

I think we looked pretty good in the scrimmage. This offense seems to fit the QBs strength better than others we have tried, as he had nearly 100 yards running the ball in only about an hour's worth of playing on top of sharing carries with four other backs during 1st team action. Our backup new QB, 3rd team from 2017, looked more than capable of running the offense, and we appear pretty deep at running back and fullback with more additions coming in the summer. The line could be an issue once we play bigger teams, but the Georgia Tech option that we ran in the scrimmage is built to compensate for smaller linemen. Defensively, we could not have played better. Smith looks like he's in for another all-region season at safety, and Kaylor is just as formidable at linebacker as he was last season. I agree with 6-4 with 7-3 possible.

[Eagle4life55]

Does anyone know if how many of the rising juniors or seniors have college scholarship offers? I think we only had 2 kids sign to play from last year's team, but I may have missed someone. Seems like we don't have as many kids getting scholarships to play as other schools our size around here. Just wondering how many have committed so far. I know that colleges make lots of offers when kids are just freshman and sophomores and I'd like to see more of our kids getting the chance to keep playing after high school.

[QB14]

5 minutes ago, Eagle4life55 said:

Does anyone know if how many of the rising juniors or seniors have college scholarship offers? I think we only had 2 kids sign to play from last year's team, but I may have missed someone. Seems like we don't have as many kids getting scholarships to play as other schools our size around here. Just wondering how many have committed so far. I know that colleges make lots of offers when kids are just freshman and sophomores and I'd like to see more of our kids getting the chance to keep playing after high school.

I know there have been some college scouts at practice, such as ETSU, Jacksonville State, and UTC, but I don't know of any offers. Chris Smith, a scout for Vandy, listed Chandler Kaylor (LB) and Kaleb Laws (TE) as possibly getting D1 attention from the film he has seen on each of them. One offensive lineman is getting looks from Maryville and Carson Newman as well. Other than those, I have no idea. 

We did have two sign to colleges, and both were offensive linemen. Sullivan signed to Maryville and Zach Swafford signed to Suwanee.

Edited May 21, 2018 by QB14

[ocac]

3 hours ago, Eagle4life55 said:

Does anyone know if how many of the rising juniors or seniors have college scholarship offers? I think we only had 2 kids sign to play from last year's team, but I may have missed someone. Seems like we don't have as many kids getting scholarships to play as other schools our size around here. Just wondering how many have committed so far. I know that colleges make lots of offers when kids are just freshman and sophomores and I'd like to see more of our kids getting the chance to keep playing after high school.

Let me clarify the recruiting process for you sir.  Unless you are a complete stallion or big linemen who have attended elite camps for the last few years, kids will not get college offers as Frosh/Soph.  They might get a courtesy letter asking them to attend their summer camps a cost of $250 and thrown into groups of about 30 other kids that are just just like themselves.  There will always be one kid that stands out at camp.  That is the kid the coaches will swarm to to. The other kids will get T-shirts and picture with the head coach.  So, in short........colleges do not make "lots" of offers to Frosh/Soph players who have hardly played a down on their high school team.  I tell you this so you wont be disillusioned as how the recruiting process works.  The best advice I can give you is to work hard, study hard and make a 25-30 on ACT and get academic money.  You're welcome.  Good luck this coming season. 

[Eagle4life55]

I guess you know much more than I do. I don't claim to be an expert or anything. I just know what I read in the papers. Like the QB from Martin that is a rising freshman that has offers from KY and MI and the younger Mays brother from Catholic that has offers from several SEC schools, just like his brother did. I guess you're saying we don't have those kinds of players. I just watch the papers and it doesn't seem as though we have as many kids getting signed as other schools our size around here. I'd just like to see more of our kids getting the chance to play after High School.

[Blaze45]

On 5/22/2018 at 8:45 AM, Eagle4life55 said:

I guess you know much more than I do. I don't claim to be an expert or anything. I just know what I read in the papers. Like the QB from Martin that is a rising freshman that has offers from KY and MI and the younger Mays brother from Catholic that has offers from several SEC schools, just like his brother did. I guess you're saying we don't have those kinds of players. I just watch the papers and it doesn't seem as though we have as many kids getting signed as other schools our size around here. I'd just like to see more of our kids getting the chance to play after High School.

I know that many schools with multiple kids getting offers, it also begins with the coaching staff, providing help and guidance, from HUDL page highlights, to making sure colleges know about their players. Does rhea county open its practices to recruiters? Have they sent even local schools (Lindsey Wilso, UT Chat, Army , Navy, Austin Peay invites? Some of those schools are hunting for talent, and hoping to find players that not every school in the state is chasing.I believe that Rhea has some talent that should play next level ball, but Rhea doesn't have the exposure, Blackman, Oakland, Ravenwood, Independence or even Alcoa has. It also makes a difference when parents are looking at where will my kid have the best chance to get and education and play ball. Stay or move?  Exposure helps drive the interest, but talent has to be there... I see talent I just hadn't heard much about it.  Good luck Eagles!!!!!

 

[ocac]

1 hour ago, Blaze45 said:

I know that many schools with multiple kids getting offers, it also begins with the coaching staff, providing help and guidance, from HUDL page highlights, to making sure colleges know about their players. Does rhea county open its practices to recruiters? Have they sent even local schools (Lindsey Wilso, UT Chat, Army , Navy, Austin Peay invites? Some of those schools are hunting for talent, and hoping to find players that not every school in the state is chasing.I believe that Rhea has some talent that should play next level ball, but Rhea doesn't have the exposure, Blackman, Oakland, Ravenwood, Independence or even Alcoa has. It also makes a difference when parents are looking at where will my kid have the best chance to get and education and play ball. Stay or move?  Exposure helps drive the interest, but talent has to be there... I see talent I just hadn't heard much about it.  Good luck Eagles!!!!!

 

 The M'boro schools are getting offers because they have better players than most/any rural schools.....regardless to classification.  Key word being........stallion.

Let me clarify the recruiting process for you sir.  Unless you are a complete stallion or big linemen who have attended elite camps for the last few years, kids will not get college offers as Frosh/Soph.  They might get a courtesy letter asking them to attend their summer camps a cost of $250 and thrown into groups of about 30 other kids that are just just like themselves.  There will always be one kid that stands out at camp.  That is the kid the coaches will swarm to to. The other kids will get T-shirts and picture with the head coach.  So, in short........colleges do not make "lots" of offers to Frosh/Soph players who have hardly played a down on their high school team.  I tell you this so you wont be disillusioned as how the recruiting process works.  The best advice I can give you is to work hard, study hard and make a 25-30 on ACT and get academic money.  You're welcome.  Good luck this coming season. 

[ocac]

Andy Kelley is not walking thru that door again.

[Blaze45]

19 minutes ago, ocac said:

 The M'boro schools are getting offers because they have better players than most/any rural schools.....regardless to classification.  Key word being........stallion.

Let me clarify the recruiting process for you sir.  Unless you are a complete stallion or big linemen who have attended elite camps for the last few years, kids will not get college offers as Frosh/Soph.  They might get a courtesy letter asking them to attend their summer camps a cost of $250 and thrown into groups of about 30 other kids that are just just like themselves.  There will always be one kid that stands out at camp.  That is the kid the coaches will swarm to to. The other kids will get T-shirts and picture with the head coach.  So, in short........colleges do not make "lots" of offers to Frosh/Soph players who have hardly played a down on their high school team.  I tell you this so you wont be disillusioned as how the recruiting process works.  The best advice I can give you is to work hard, study hard and make a 25-30 on ACT and get academic money.  You're welcome.  Good luck this coming season. 

No need to clarify the recruiting process for me, I understand how it works just fine. I know the exposure camps help bring attention to those"special" players and even some players just better than avg, But I have seen many many players that did not attend a single camp, that ended up with offers from smaller secondary schools that saw footage. Never as a fresh or soph but by end of Jr start of sr year there were offers on the table .  The coaches do help in increasing the visibility of players

 

[oaklandfan]

When you are talking recruiting game has changed in the last 30yrs. Rhea had some SEC signees in the 80's but not since. The name of the game is speed unless you are a 6'4" or taller lineman. Speed speed  speed. How much speed or how many 6'4 or taller lineman do you have on the roster?

[QB14]

4 hours ago, oaklandfan said:

When you are talking recruiting game has changed in the last 30yrs. Rhea had some SEC signees in the 80's but not since. The name of the game is speed unless you are a 6'4" or taller lineman. Speed speed  speed. How much speed or how many 6'4 or taller lineman do you have on the roster?

 None really. Tallest player we have is Kaleb Laws, a 6'6 220 tight end. After him it is LB/FB Chandler Kaylor at 6'2-6'3 220. None of our projected starters at O-line are over 6'0, and only a couple are above 260. We don't have Blackman-Cane Ridge-Oakland level speed, but we have some guys I could see making it at a high D2 or FCS school at RB (Langley 5'11 190) and safety (Smith 5'11 170). 

[Rhea Co.]

7 hours ago, oaklandfan said:

When you are talking recruiting game has changed in the last 30yrs. Rhea had some SEC signees in the 80's but not since. The name of the game is speed unless you are a 6'4" or taller lineman. Speed speed  speed. How much speed or how many 6'4 or taller lineman do you have on the roster?

We had Kevin Revis sign with UT in 2009 signing class. The 2008/2007 classes had some players in it. 

Revis OL 6’3 290 UTK/UTC 

Josh Walker OL 6’5 320 MTSU and now The Jacksonville Jaguars 

Josh Davis P/K UTK/MTSU 

also the year before that Brandon McLeroy OL 6’4 320 MTSU  

Edited May 25, 2018 by Rhea Co.