Power 5 Talent in the Division this year?

[LouPickney]

8 hours ago, PurplePanther said:

Lou- does FRHS have anyone this year?  I know about the QB, but any others?

For the Irish in 2020, App. State verbal commit QB D.C. Tabscott returns along with the top three WRs from 2019 (Pfeifer, C. Smith, Erdman), all seniors with different skill-sets. Great receiving radius (Pfeifer), remarkable first-cut after a catch (Smith), and a deceptively quick burner in Erdman, who is also very good on punt returns.

Tabscott had one of the more impressive year-to-year improvements I've seen as a runner from 2018 to 2019. Typically there's a ceiling on that. He's effective at rolling out to buy time, and if he can get some protection Tabscott can pick apart a zone.

Not sure about running back with the Wright twins graduating. Marchetti and B. Jackson both got some snaps at RB last year. I wonder if we might see Ponder in there as well. The big returning name I expected to see here disappeared from the list.

There is also the issue of replacing Beacom at TE, who quietly did a lot as a senior for that 2019 Father Ryan team.

I don't know what to expect with the line. Kennedy-Holt is a junior with tremendous size.  Petersen at DE is billed at 6'6" on Rivals and, as noted, has multiple FCS offers. There is also interest elsewhere.

At the other DE spot, Chapman returns for his senior year after suffering a fluke knee injury on the last play of the 2019 season-opening win at WKU against Bowling Green. He played well at DE as a sophomore opposite D. Russell in 2018, and Chapman should be a key part of the FRHS three-man front.

MKH will likely command frequent double-teams from the 3-4 (or 3-3-5) NT position if he's used there.

I would anticipate the Carlson brothers playing an important role on the OL. But at this point I'm strictly being speculative. No inside info.

I could only imagine how challenging this has been for everyone at Father Ryan. I know head coach Brian Rector and his staff are working hard in the midst of some highly unusual circumstances to get the team ready.

The bulk of the LB corps is back for 2020, and many of the returning players have two years of extensive varsity experience. Losing Zito to graduation is a negative, but between Hartz and Becker and Timmons and J. Brown and the rest, LB should be a position of strength for the Irish.

FRHS used a number of younger players at DB last year, and many of them are returning for 2020. Reed and Bishop (juniors) and Nelson and Sharp (sophomores) will be players to watch.

Wesnofske returns for a fourth year at kicker/punter. I believe he's the last player remaining who was on the field for the remarkable final play against Ravenwood in 2017.

Opening on the road for the Bishop's Cup at JP2 reminds me in some ways of FRHS beginning the 1993 season at MBA, the Morgan Stroebel game (he had a fumble return for our only TD in regulation and made the game-winning interception in overtime). Road game with a rival in a different region out of the gate.

But schedule-making can be a tricky thing, even in the best of times. Better to be opening with JP2 than not playing them at all, to be sure. And what an unusual dynamic with JP2 set to be three games into its season by the time FRHS opens there in the Bishop's Cup game.

Good luck and good health to all this season.

[PurplePanther]

9 hours ago, JRB said:

Will you make the trek to Pope on 9/11?

Don’t see that game on your app to purchase tickets.

[PurplePanther]

6 hours ago, LouPickney said:

For the Irish in 2020, App. State verbal commit QB D.C. Tabscott returns along with the top three WRs from 2019 (Pfeifer, C. Smith, Erdman), all seniors with different skill-sets. Great receiving radius (Pfeifer), remarkable first-cut after a catch (Smith), and a deceptively quick burner in Erdman, who is also very good on punt returns.

Tabscott had one of the more impressive year-to-year improvements I've seen as a runner from 2018 to 2019. Typically there's a ceiling on that. He's effective at rolling out to buy time, and if he can get some protection Tabscott can pick apart a zone.

Not sure about running back with the Wright twins graduating. Marchetti and B. Jackson both got some snaps at RB last year. I wonder if we might see Ponder in there as well. The big returning name I expected to see here disappeared from the list.

There is also the issue of replacing Beacom at TE, who quietly did a lot as a senior for that 2019 Father Ryan team.

I don't know what to expect with the line. Kennedy-Holt is a junior with tremendous size.  Petersen at DE is billed at 6'6" on Rivals and, as noted, has multiple FCS offers. There is also interest elsewhere.

At the other DE spot, Chapman returns for his senior year after suffering a fluke knee injury on the last play of the 2019 season-opening win at WKU against Bowling Green. He played well at DE as a sophomore opposite D. Russell in 2018, and Chapman should be a key part of the FRHS three-man front.

MKH will likely command frequent double-teams from the 3-4 (or 3-3-5) NT position if he's used there.

I would anticipate the Carlson brothers playing an important role on the OL. But at this point I'm strictly being speculative. No inside info.

I could only imagine how challenging this has been for everyone at Father Ryan. I know head coach Brian Rector and his staff are working hard in the midst of some highly unusual circumstances to get the team ready.

The bulk of the LB corps is back for 2020, and many of the returning players have two years of extensive varsity experience. Losing Zito to graduation is a negative, but between Hartz and Becker and Timmons and J. Brown and the rest, LB should be a position of strength for the Irish.

FRHS used a number of younger players at DB last year, and many of them are returning for 2020. Reed and Bishop (juniors) and Nelson and Sharp (sophomores) will be players to watch.

Wesnofske returns for a fourth year at kicker/punter. I believe he's the last player remaining who was on the field for the remarkable final play against Ravenwood in 2017.

Opening on the road for the Bishop's Cup at JP2 reminds me in some ways of FRHS beginning the 1993 season at MBA, the Morgan Stroebel game (he had a fumble return for our only TD in regulation and made the game-winning interception in overtime). Road game with a rival in a different region out of the gate.

But schedule-making can be a tricky thing, even in the best of times. Better to be opening with JP2 than not playing them at all, to be sure. And what an unusual dynamic with JP2 set to be three games into its season by the time FRHS opens there in the Bishop's Cup game.

Good luck and good health to all this season.

Thanks Lou.  Lack of size seems to be a constant....I hope that changes.  MKH is massive but I don’t think he is 6’.  FRHS’s largest lineman will now be apart of an Oline that will avg over 300lbs.  That team is going to be scary.

[JRB]

10 hours ago, PurplePanther said:

Don’t see that game on your app to purchase tickets.

Let me check w/wifey as she sits on the Athletic Board.

[Rastus]

Langston Patterson has Notre Dame and TN offers and lots of interest. Maverick Rodriquez has not made it to Power 5 but is getting close. Cade Law has baseball high level interest and may get some FB offers by the time '22 rolls around.

[LouPickney]

I complained in the 5-6A thread about the brazen disregard for the Rutherford County mask ordinance at last night's JP2/Smyrna game. In the midst of a state of emergency, no less. No need to gripe further here except to say I'm very unhappy about it.

Smyrna had a couple of sustained drives against JP2 last night, but the Knights defense played some solid football overall en route to a 42-7 win. JP2 lost three starting linebackers to graduation along with a strong safety (among others) from 2019, but they made it work last night.

JP2 RB #44 Roberts remains as dangerous as ever. Tough to bring down once he gets a head of steam going. For all of the impressive stats he posted against Smyrna, there were a few times where #44 nearly broke a long TD and just barely got tripped up.

JP2 QB #6 Watts didn't throw deep much, but he had a beautiful long TD throw that I saw right as I arrived. JP2 had a couple of really good receivers last year who graduated, and JP2 had a few drops last night. Though that was likely because of the slick ball, at least in some cases.

But, in general, #6 had all day to throw. You'd think Smyrna had dropped eight into coverage or something. And even when the Bulldogs brought an extra linebacker, it didn't usually make much difference.

I ended up recording a lot of video via my Pixel phone, trying to link numbers with positions to help with broadcast prep work later. Unfortunately a lot of Smyrna student swearing was audible. Thought I was back in a TV newsroom again with some of that.

At least I got a JP2 roster. Wasn't easy, but I simply wasn't going to leave without one.

It will be interesting to see how Lipscomb approaches JP2's defense up in Hendersonville next week. Smyrna's QB seemingly had almost no time to throw last night, just a size mismatch on the line. Lipscomb will likely provide a more rigorous test for JP2's secondary.

[PurplePanther]

2 hours ago, LouPickney said:

I complained in the 5-6A thread about the brazen disregard for the Rutherford County mask ordinance at last night's JP2/Smyrna game. In the midst of a state of emergency, no less. No need to gripe further here except to say I'm very unhappy about it.

Smyrna had a couple of sustained drives against JP2 last night, but the Knights defense played some solid football overall en route to a 42-7 win. JP2 lost three starting linebackers to graduation along with a strong safety (among others) from 2019, but they made it work last night.

JP2 RB #44 Roberts remains as dangerous as ever. Tough to bring down once he gets a head of steam going. For all of the impressive stats he posted against Smyrna, there were a few times where #44 nearly broke a long TD and just barely got tripped up.

JP2 QB #6 Watts didn't throw deep much, but he had a beautiful long TD throw that I saw right as I arrived. JP2 had a couple of really good receivers last year who graduated, and JP2 had a few drops last night. Though that was likely because of the slick ball, at least in some cases.

But, in general, #6 had all day to throw. You'd think Smyrna had dropped eight into coverage or something. And even when the Bulldogs brought an extra linebacker, it didn't usually make much difference.

I ended up recording a lot of video via my Pixel phone, trying to link numbers with positions to help with broadcast prep work later. Unfortunately a lot of Smyrna student swearing was audible. Thought I was back in a TV newsroom again with some of that.

At least I got a JP2 roster. Wasn't easy, but I simply wasn't going to leave without one.

It will be interesting to see how Lipscomb approaches JP2's defense up in Hendersonville next week. Smyrna's QB seemingly had almost no time to throw last night, just a size mismatch on the line. Lipscomb will likely provide a more rigorous test for JP2's secondary.

Great info Lou.  I was up until 11pm last night watching BA vs. LA. With all of the game delays.  It may be the first game with no scrimmages, but L.A. Looks a lot better than the score indicated.  They played some with the QB under center.  They ran some good smash-mouth inside the tackles plays.  They were also bigger than last year and weren’t totally eclipsed with BA’s size.  While LA doesn’t have any P5 talent (from what I could see), they will be a tough matchup for JP2 and their division in my opinion.

I’m not shocked by Watts’ and definely not by Roberts.  Replacing those LBs is big, plus the safety.  I’m surprised that the line performed that well.....Smyrna is supposed to have a few studs on the Dline.  Should be a good game next week at JP2.  In the end, BA’s depth wore LA out....do the knights have the depth to do the same thing to them is the question.

[JRB]

Again Pope's strength this year will be O line and #44.  I did not think Smyrna was very good.

[PurplePanther]

44 minutes ago, JRB said:

Again Pope's strength this year will be O line and #44.  I did not think Smyrna was very good.

I recall you saying that.  Next week should be a good one.  Will you stream?

[LouPickney]

16 hours ago, JRB said:

Again Pope's strength this year will be O line and #44.  I did not think Smyrna was very good.

Don't sleep on JP2's defensive surge, either. Smyrna seemed flummoxed at times by the inside LB blitz. There were a few plays I thought were going to be screen passes because of how quickly JP2 got through the line, but apparently weren't.

Felt like Tecmo Super Bowl for the NES circa 1991 when your opponent correctly predicted your play.
 

16 hours ago, PurplePanther said:

I recall you saying that.  Next week should be a good one.  Will you stream?

Lipscomb at JP2 is listed on the NFHS Network ($10.99/month) schedule for this Friday, with JP2 producing the broadcast. I look forward to watching it.

https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/pope-john-paul-ii-high-school-herdersonville-tn/gam8a7ad4e662

[JRB]

23 hours ago, PurplePanther said:

I recall you saying that.  Next week should be a good one.  Will you stream?

Yes on the NFHS network.

[LouPickney]

I watched some of the video back from Friday night, and I have to give JP2 a lot of credit for looking in mid-season form with their blocking at Smyrna. Sound fundamentals.

Here is one of JP2 RB #44's five touchdowns on the evening. Wisconsin fans, if you only watch one play from this game, make it this in 1080p:
 

Also noteworthy: JP2 K #47 had a kickoff from his own 40 that landed behind the back line of the Lipscomb end zone. 70+ yards in the air.