Thomas McPhail at Antioch

[McNine4MVP]

I do not like to flame high school coaches, but this question has to be asked. I got a chance to watch Antioch play 3 or 4 times last year, and on pure athletic talent, they may have been the second or third best team I saw. They have two high-D-I running backs in Coker and Brown and some other solid backs. However, they lost two of the games I saw (Gallatin and Centennial) simply because those teams stacked the line and dared them to pass. I realize that Kenny Adams, their starting QB, got an ACL injury and missed the whole year basically, but Antioch had no proficiency at all to throw the ball. I mean, Adams got hurt in August, you had three months to work on your passing attack!!!!! It's easy to coach from the stands, but Antioch's run heavy formations did nothing to even spread the defense out. I was waiting for a screen to Coker or at least for them to split him out early in the game and use him as a decoy, and it didn't happen until it was obvious and everyone was waiting for it in the fourth quarter. McPhail seems to have done a good job for being a young coach, but he'll never have talent like he has right now. I hope he expands his playbook this season with a healthy Adams. If he comes back healthy, they may be my sleeper to win that region and go a LONG way in the playoffs. I was wanting to see what you guys thought about what I said and if you agree?

[SCRAPPY]

I can't consider Antioch a sleeper. They are heavily favored to win their Region. Gallatin returns maybe five starters - two on offense. Hendersonville will be solid, but I watched Antioch manhandle them last year and Hunters Lane will miss Crutcher dearly if he continues to be a puppet for his AAU hoops coach.

I'd say that Antioch's players overlooked a solid Centennial team in the playoffs because they came in 5-5 and the Bears didn't appreciate the schedule they'd played. With the interior talent Antioch had last year and a run-only QB, I would've tried to force my will on every opponent too. That was their strength.

[nununu]

I hope he expands his playbook this season with a healthy Adams. If he comes back healthy, they may be my sleeper to win that region and go a LONG way in the playoffs. I was wanting to see what you guys thought about what I said and if you agree?

Seeing Antioch in the spring scrimmage Pearl-Cohn w/o Adams, Coker, Brown, etc., still looked awesome. Their offense should be clicking on all cylinders come fall. The defense looked good as well, big, quick linemen, LB, and DB's. This team should be solid. I agree, take advantage of the talent while it is there. The next few years look lean. What do the freshman look like this year. Apparently last years crop only has a couple of contributors, including the big TE.

[GWAVE1]

I can't consider Antioch a sleeper. They are heavily favored to win their Region. Gallatin returns maybe five starters - two on offense. Hendersonville will be solid, but I watched Antioch manhandle them last year and Hunters Lane will miss Crutcher dearly if he continues to be a puppet for his AAU hoops coach.

I'd say that Antioch's players overlooked a solid Centennial team in the playoffs because they came in 5-5 and the Bears didn't appreciate the schedule they'd played. With the interior talent Antioch had last year and a run-only QB, I would've tried to force my will on every opponent too. That was their strength.

I don't consider them a sleeper either. You would have to have your head in the sand to overlook possibly the best backfield in the state.

 

But Gallatin returns more than 5 starters. But only 2 in the offensive line.

 

Antioch will be very tough to beat this year. I was looking for the quick pass to Coker during last years game...but luckily I never saw it. They could have beaten us deep last year on just sheer speed but I only remember them throwing deep once.