Region 5AA 2020

[GeneralForrest]

1 hour ago, Sweathog55 said:

General,

Do you foresee Eli being replaced if Forrest doesn't make a run this season?

My actual answer is no.  Eli seems to be willing to  bend over for the Lions Club and not ruffle feathers. They are 6-2 and playing for the region title in 2 weeks. There is much nuance beneath the surface of that, but even 6-4, 7-3 and hosting a playoff game first round, will be difficult to justify a change with the decision makers. 

[Sweathog55]

Disregard first question, I replied to the second half of your answer, didn't see the first part. From what I saw on film from last year's Parsons game, y'all looked to be playing them and the zebras. Really thought after we pounded each other all night at your house, y'all were Cookeville bound.

Has there been any other word on Micah? I'm not on FB so most of my info comes from here or word of mouth.

Edited October 23, 2020 by Sweathog55

[GeneralForrest]

i dont see a first question. Are you a Lewis fan?

[Sweathog55]

Sorry, erased it with the edit. I origianally asked how long Eli had been head coach but saw that you'd answered it already.

Yes this is my son's senior year and I am alum also

[Vandychris]

Welp, looks like this region is going to be changing. Eagleville will be dropping to 1A while Mt Pleasant and Richland both move up to 2A. There is a very real possibility of Summertown, Loretto, Mt Pleasant, Richland, Forrest, and Lewis County ending up in the same region together. That would be 4 of the 18 smallest 2A schools in the state in one region.

[Vandychris]

Also Cascade would be dropping to 2A and Community would be moving up to 3A

[GeneralForrest]

Cascade is already 2A

[GeneralForrest]

Also Cascade not in our region. Eagleville, who is, is going to 1A

[vandyfan1]

3 hours ago, GeneralForrest said:

My actual answer is no.  Eli seems to be willing to  bend over for the Lions Club and not ruffle feathers. They are 6-2 and playing for the region title in 2 weeks. There is much nuance beneath the surface of that, but even 6-4, 7-3 and hosting a playoff game first round, will be difficult to justify a change with the decision makers. 

From an outsider looking in it seems he has turned the program around . Last two years y’all have been a pretty decent team.

Edited October 23, 2020 by vandyfan1

[GeneralForrest]

4 minutes ago, vandyfan1 said:

From an outsider looking in it seems he has turned the program around . Last two years y’all have been a pretty decent team.

Johns is more responsible for the 12-1 year than any other coach.  He knows the game and knows how to coach. @Salem might disagree but that's my take.  Eli blew it their junior year and almost blew it their senior year. They squeaked by Summertown and Lewis. He botched playcalling in the Riverside game. His decision making and clock management in games is baffling and the kids either show up flat (Community, Eagleville),  or cant finish (Portland) or both (Moore).  Other than that he is killing it. 

[Sweathog55]

20 minutes ago, GeneralForrest said:

Johns is more responsible for the 12-1 year than any other coach.  He knows the game and knows how to coach. @Salem might disagree but that's my take.  Eli blew it their junior year and almost blew it their senior year. They squeaked by Summertown and Lewis. He botched playcalling in the Riverside game. His decision making and clock management in games is baffling and the kids either show up flat (Community, Eagleville),  or cant finish (Portland) or both (Moore).  Other than that he is killing it. 

I hate the way the General sugar coats everything

 

[RocketHouse]

1 hour ago, vandyfan1 said:

From an outsider looking in it seems he has turned the program around . Last two years y’all have been a pretty decent team.

We were the 8th best 2A team from 2010-2019 based on wins. In 2015 and 2016 we were arguably the 2nd best team in 2A East division. 2017 was an awful snake bit year. The program was on solid footing with returning players and middle school success. There was nothing to turn around. 

 

4 hours ago, GeneralForrest said:

 

This same staff let McClendon sit the bench and also not get carries in competitive games, seemingly out of some sort of spite. Maybe @Salem can give his thoughts. 

The problem is obviously, who do you get, and how do you get them to stay. Coleman (1 year HC) and Kriesky (1 yrs DC, 2 yrs HC) left for 5A dollars. 

Is the program better today than it was in the spring of 2018? You could use last season's success to say it is but we are about to have three seasons of work to look at. I had a nephew on last years team and a grandson on the middle school team. I've seen a lot of Forrest youth,  MS, and HS football over the years. 

We didn't finish 12-1 last season because some new players moved in. Those seniors were that good. Those seniors were also getting running clocks 4 times during games their junior year.  We lost lots of kids between 2018 and 2019. We barely dressed 30 kids last year and had zero depth. We've been dressing 60-70 for years. As you said, McClendon sat the bench on offense in 2018 while kids who shouldn't play played. He's not the only example of not playing your best athletes in the right positions. 

Our best three backs this season are all sophomores. They would be playing JV right now if the entire junior class backfield (QB and 3 RBs) hadn't left the program. Those would-be juniors dominated a tough 4A Marshall County team in middle school. One of the top 3 middle school running backs we've had in the last 20 years is starting at another school because we told him he was too slow and had to play O-line here (none of our current RBs are in his league) . Our middle school program is a joke. We've lost more games in 2018, 2019, 2020 than in the prior 15 years. Do we even have a JV team? Offseason weight program didn't exist before Covid hit. We didn't work a back up QB until our starter went down in week 8. I assume we plan to trot a 120 pound freshman out there again and hope for the best tonight. All this won't matter if we win tonight and have a good showing @ Lewis or in the playoffs.