I definitely won't answer for LN, but if there's a program anywhere in the country that does a better job than Highlands of developing the players it has, I'm unaware of it. To watch the growth these kids make during their four years at HHS is unbelievable. You simply cannot overstate this point.

 

Couldn't agree more!!! People tend to think these guys come out to the womb football players. Or that HHS has a secret football player factory feeding the school. The fact is these kids bust their tail (starting in little league) to make themselves into what they turn out to be. And the 4 years they are in high school, the transition of the kids is amazing. Physically and mentally. Whether they go on to pursue football in college or not, they have learned how to be a productive citizen through hard work and discipline. They aren't handed elite football players on a platter, they create them.

Since we went to a two platoon system (in 09) with heavy rotation within the 2 platoons, Highlands hasn't started near as strongly as we used to. It used to be we were in mid season form at the first game. While we improved some, the percentage of improvement wasn't real big. Now, we come out of the gate much slower. I've talked to several non-Highlands coaches about it and they agree with me that the two platoon system forces Highlands to place a lot more inexperience on the field at the beginning of the season; much more than they did before they went to the two platoon system. Take the 09 season for example. Without the two platoon system, in the first game, you have Roller starting at LB and at TE; you have Buten starting at WR and at Corner; you have Schlosser starting at OG and either starting or getting significant reps on the DL. Same with Grubbs. Combs may have played some LB in addition to starting at Center. Dierig may have started at OG, as well as played Dline if Grubbs and Schlosser had played some DL too. Point is, that had we not two platooned in 09, you'd have have senior players with game experience at multiple positions in the first game. that helps coming out of the gate big time.

 

But with a two platoon system, you have a lot of inexperience at the beginning of the season. You are having more juniors and sophomores either starting or being rotated in. You have a lot of experimenting with kids to see who are the best players. As the season goes on, the coaches figure out who are the best of the 6 or 7 d linemen or who are the best of the LBers being looked at early in the season. As the season develops, those players selected gain experience. They get a huge amount of coaching as they are only practicing one position on one side of the ball.

 

These days, Highlands at the end of the season is a completely different animal than it is at the beginning of the season.

 

Plus, as you pointed out, the coaches figure out the strengths and weakness of those ultimately selected to start, and they make adjustments. Regular season game against CovCath last year and CovCath ran the ball down our throats the entire game much like Boyle did in the first half. 4 weeks later Elder had limited success running the ball against us; 7 weeks later Johnson Central had little success running the ball against us; 8 weeks later a CovCath team that had ran through us like Swiss Cheese in the regular season, had extremely little success running the ball.

 

PP92 may be right about Highlands not winning state. But I've watched Highlands as close as any one over the years. I've seen Highlands improve dramatically during the course of the year since we went to the two platoon system. I'm not betting against them, that is for certain.

 

I agree with every word lneck.

 

However, after watching the Birds against Boyle I believe the talent level at Highlands is down this year.

 

On the plus side, I think it is a recipe for several close games this year for Highlands and much more entertaining for us fans.

I agree with every word lneck.

 

However, after watching the Birds against Boyle I believe the talent level at Highlands is down this year.

 

On the plus side, I think it is a recipe for several close games this year for Highlands and much more entertaining for us fans.

 

I bet you may have a slightly different feeling at the end of the year once some these boys become men. I could be wrong. I'd rather see them peak later in the season anyway. These close ones do make me nervous though.

I didn't get to see the game but I am confused about the talent level being off comment. This junior class has been heralded for a couple years as one of the deepest levels of talent in years. Add to that the number of talented seniors and I just don't understand how the talent level can be off from prior years. A little inexperienced I could understand.

I bet you may have a slightly different feeling at the end of the year once some these boys become men. I could be wrong. I'd rather see them peak later in the season anyway. These close ones do make me nervous though.

 

Much rather watch a game like last week and this week (even with a loss) than packing my stuff up at half time because I'm bored to death!!

 

The nervous games are the fun ones! I'm sure you agree!

Leatherneck, your thoughts are at the heart of a question that I was pondering. Does Highlands have 22 "Great players"? Or, do they "Develop 22 great players". My thoughts was, Highlands probably has 11 players ready to play, but instead of starting those 11 both ways, they take a little more time and develop the others so that they can platoon. Would you say that is a fair assumption?

 

 

I think your thoughts are spot on Ram.

Since we went to a two platoon system (in 09) with heavy rotation within the 2 platoons, Highlands hasn't started near as strongly as we used to. It used to be we were in mid season form at the first game. While we improved some, the percentage of improvement wasn't real big. Now, we come out of the gate much slower. I've talked to several non-Highlands coaches about it and they agree with me that the two platoon system forces Highlands to place a lot more inexperience on the field at the beginning of the season; much more than they did before they went to the two platoon system. Take the 09 season for example. Without the two platoon system, in the first game, you have Roller starting at LB and at TE; you have Buten starting at WR and at Corner; you have Schlosser starting at OG and either starting or getting significant reps on the DL. Same with Grubbs. Combs may have played some LB in addition to starting at Center. Dierig may have started at OG, as well as played Dline if Grubbs and Schlosser had played some DL too. Point is, that had we not two platooned in 09, you'd have have senior players with game experience at multiple positions in the first game. that helps coming out of the gate big time.

 

But with a two platoon system, you have a lot of inexperience at the beginning of the season. You are having more juniors and sophomores either starting or being rotated in. You have a lot of experimenting with kids to see who are the best players. As the season goes on, the coaches figure out who are the best of the 6 or 7 d linemen or who are the best of the LBers being looked at early in the season. As the season develops, those players selected gain experience. They get a huge amount of coaching as they are only practicing one position on one side of the ball.

 

These days, Highlands at the end of the season is a completely different animal than it is at the beginning of the season.

 

Plus, as you pointed out, the coaches figure out the strengths and weakness of those ultimately selected to start, and they make adjustments. Regular season game against CovCath last year and CovCath ran the ball down our throats the entire game much like Boyle did in the first half. 4 weeks later Elder had limited success running the ball against us; 7 weeks later Johnson Central had little success running the ball against us; 8 weeks later a CovCath team that had ran through us like Swiss Cheese in the regular season, had extremely little success running the ball.

 

PP92 may be right about Highlands not winning state. But I've watched Highlands as close as any one over the years. I've seen Highlands improve dramatically during the course of the year since we went to the two platoon system. I'm not betting against them, that is for certain.

 

LN, ain't no way, no how some of those '09 linemen go both ways. Roller, yes, Collinsworth, yes, Bardo, yes...I'll stretch and say Combs, yes...other than that the platoon system is it. And I feel that the Birds need to "selectively"

have a couple two-way players ala that big ol' Lumpy #63 in '08.

I agree with a great deal of LN's reply, but I also think/know that many fans do not realize the impact KHSAA regs have on teams all over the state as far as game prep at the start of the season. Not just HHS but all teams must adhere to recent rule changes. An example is that a team cannot practice in full pads til Aug. 1st. Also, a rule that says a team must give minimum of a 3 hr. non football related break b/w practices in full pads which makes in hard to do the traditional double or triple session of past summers. Furthermore, with it being a hot summer the heat kept teams off the field as well. There are a few more nuances to these rules that makes it tougher to get on the field to get the reps that a player needs to be at game form in week 0.

 

This reply is in no way attempting to explain the Boyle / HHS result but just to add another factor to why a team may not look it's best early on anymore. Also, there are a good number of teams that only have 1 scrimmage vs. Another school before games begin. This kinda makes me think a team's first couple reg. season games are played more at a scrimmage level nowadays.

 

 

Since we went to a two platoon system (in 09) with heavy rotation within the 2 platoons, Highlands hasn't started near as strongly as we used to. It used to be we were in mid season form at the first game. While we improved some, the percentage of improvement wasn't real big. Now, we come out of the gate much slower. I've talked to several non-Highlands coaches about it and they agree with me that the two platoon system forces Highlands to place a lot more inexperience on the field at the beginning of the season; much more than they did before they went to the two platoon system. Take the 09 season for example. Without the two platoon system, in the first game, you have Roller starting at LB and at TE; you have Buten starting at WR and at Corner; you have Schlosser starting at OG and either starting or getting significant reps on the DL. Same with Grubbs. Combs may have played some LB in addition to starting at Center. Dierig may have started at OG, as well as played Dline if Grubbs and Schlosser had played some DL too. Point is, that had we not two platooned in 09, you'd have have senior players with game experience at multiple positions in the first game. that helps coming out of the gate big time.

 

But with a two platoon system, you have a lot of inexperience at the beginning of the season. You are having more juniors and sophomores either starting or being rotated in. You have a lot of experimenting with kids to see who are the best players. As the season goes on, the coaches figure out who are the best of the 6 or 7 d linemen or who are the best of the LBers being looked at early in the season. As the season develops, those players selected gain experience. They get a huge amount of coaching as they are only practicing one position on one side of the ball.

 

These days, Highlands at the end of the season is a completely different animal than it is at the beginning of the season.

 

Plus, as you pointed out, the coaches figure out the strengths and weakness of those ultimately selected to start, and they make adjustments. Regular season game against CovCath last year and CovCath ran the ball down our throats the entire game much like Boyle did in the first half. 4 weeks later Elder had limited success running the ball against us; 7 weeks later Johnson Central had little success running the ball against us; 8 weeks later a CovCath team that had ran through us like Swiss Cheese in the regular season, had extremely little success running the ball.

 

PP92 may be right about Highlands not winning state. But I've watched Highlands as close as any one over the years. I've seen Highlands improve dramatically during the course of the year since we went to the two platoon system. I'm not betting against them, that is for certain.

LN, ain't no way, no how some of those '09 linemen go both ways. Roller, yes, Collinsworth, yes, Bardo, yes...I'll stretch and say Combs, yes...other than that the platoon system is it. And I feel that the Birds need to "selectively"

have a couple two-way players ala that big ol' Lumpy #63 in '08.

 

Wouldn't the talent pool determine how many players need to go both ways,if any ?

Highlands has a lot of very good players and some will be become great. As of right now it doesn't appear they have a defensive game changer, nobody that is gonna scare an offense. Boyle ran the ball at will in the first half like they owned the field. I believe they will correct some things and play total team D and that should take them far.

 

I really think Hayes and McCoys legs are their two game changers this year but their both on offense.

LN, ain't no way, no how some of those '09 linemen go both ways. Roller, yes, Collinsworth, yes, Bardo, yes...I'll stretch and say Combs, yes...other than that the platoon system is it. And I feel that the Birds need to "selectively"

have a couple two-way players ala that big ol' Lumpy #63 in '08.

 

No disrespect, but if Lumpy did it (and he did it very well), I'm quite confident that Grubbs, Schlosser and Dierig could have done it too (and just as well, I might add).

I agree with every word lneck.

 

However, after watching the Birds against Boyle I believe the talent level at Highlands is down this year.

 

On the plus side, I think it is a recipe for several close games this year for Highlands and much more entertaining for us fans.

 

Amen. My boys love Highlands so I take them to the games. Having no real attachment to the school, yet, I just want to watch good football. The last few years have been extremely impressive as Highlands' athletes have played great football, but I'd dare to say that the average spread was about 35 pts. This year, we will get to see four really good games. Last week was good for a bit, this week should be really good.

You don't execute because you're gassed! You don't hit holes as hard when you're gassed. You don't block as well when you're gassed. You don't tackle as well when you're gassed. You don't chase receivers as well when you're gassed.

 

So did the Boyle players get really stupid the second half? I don't think so.

 

We still ran it well in the second half when we ran the ball. While we were gassed. We threw the ball all of the way down the field on our last drive and scored. While we were gassed. Yes, it was against the Highlands 8th grade team but we were gassed and it was amazing we completed a pass because we were sooooooo gassed. None of the mistakes we made early in the 3rd quarter came because of lack of mental focus. It came because we were gassed. Shoot, even the adjustments you made didn't make a difference. We were gassed. Adjustments smushments. We were flat worn the hell out. Shoot, the 18 players that played crawled to the bus and had their post game food sent through the IVs on the bus ride home because they were too gassed to eat. We haven't practiced all week because we were gassed. They may cancel the game on Saturday because we are gassed. I don't how we'll make it this season since we are still sooooooo gassed.

No disrespect, but if Lumpy did it (and he did it very well), I'm quite confident that Grubbs, Schlosser and Dierig could have done it too (and just as well, I might add).

 

Not to tell the Emperor he has no clothes on, (including the "likes"), but bad knees, bad ankle/shoulder, conditioning issues all factor in to platooning. It's hard enough to do it at a high level and almost impossible to do at a high level being "nicked". That '09 team was something else...but they also prolly led the leagues in "nicks"!

:lol:

Your on a roll PP :lol: