4A #5 Franklin-Simpson at Portland (TN)

[DragonFire]

The Franklin-Simpson Wildcats have high hopes entering 2015 after a 9-2 campaign last season. One of their two losses last year was to a team from Tennessee in Battle Ground Academy, will they fare better crossing the border this time?

[tsyoung7]

FS takes this one by 21.

[fastaslightin]

FS will wear down the Panthers 34-6.

[FSfan]

15 years ago, Portland went 15-0 and won the Tennessee state championship in Class 3A in the midst of a 27-game winning streak. They were dominant back then, rarely having a close game. However, the departure of Coach Roger Perry a few years ago and the rising population and reclassification of the team to a higher class have led to hard times for the Panthers. I can't find their recent schedules just now, but I don't think they have even won a game the past 2 or 3 years, if they have, they haven't won many. F-S has more good running backs this year than I have ever seen, and more importantly, may have the most accurate passer I have ever seen at F-S. The Wing-T is still the offense of choice for the Wildcats, but expect to see more passing this year. Unless Portland has had a sudden influx of talent, this game will get ugly fast. Maybe a running clock by halftime. If Portland scores on the first string defense, I will be surprised. I'll say FS 48-0.

[macdon]

FS should win this. I'm not sure I hold the same level of confidence as some. It is at Portland and I have seen unsual things happen there.

The Wildcats seem to have the advantage both in talent and depth. Not many teams are blessed with six running backs that all present a threat, a football savvy QB with a better than average arm, and a two deep front line.

The scrimmage last week made the offense look well ahead of the defense. There were some mental errors in the secondary that the opponent failed to capitalize on. Those need correcting. Quickly.

Go to Tennessee, come out with a win and it is a good Friday night.

[W.E. Raider]

...F-S has more good running backs this year than I have ever seen, and more importantly, may have the most accurate passer I have ever seen at F-S...

 

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say you haven't seen much FS football then. You're talking about a program with historical roots, teams, and players that are on par with some of the best programs in the state.

 

That said, FS slaughters Portland.

[macdon]

There definitely have been RBs at FS better than any there now. But there has never been six at one time who are all so capable. None of the six will wow anyone with next level size, speed, or talent but they will get the job done.

 

As far as the most accurate passer, that's a tough one to call. This is a run oriented offense so the passing is secondary. Joker Phillips, Jami DeBerry, Travis Perkins were all accurate and effective. Caudill seems to throw a catchable ball and so far seems unflappable. However there has only been one scrimmage against a sub-par team to evaluate.

Edited August 19, 2015 by macdon

[ATLCat]

Portland went 1-9 in 2014

 

Their lone win was against a team who went 0-10

[macdon]

Exactly. But the thing is FS hasn't faced Portland since 2002 and they were coming out of a very dominate period. FS won 43-40 and Portland ended the series. Now they agree to play again....? Makes one think they may have brought in a ringer.

[truebluefan89]

FS has a tradition that is deep rooted and really seem to be trending upward.

Portland seems to heading in the other direction.

FS 26-13

[FSfan]

I have been watching FS football for about 30 years, maybe missed 10 games in the last 20 years. I didn't get to see Joker Phillips, Kerry Baird, Bear Stanley, and the rest of them from the glory years of the mid 70s to early 80s. FS has always been a run first team except for the early years of Coach Schlosser's tenure there. I agree with Macdon- Deberry and Perkins were probably the 2 best passers while Coach Schlosser was there. Caudill was impressive in the scrimmage, but it is a small sample size and we will see. I will say that I was glad to see open receivers getting hit in the hands with the ball instead of watching it sail 10 feet over their heads-- got me a little excited. Not the best running backs ever at FS, but the deepest collection of them.

[fanofyours]

Portland is not near as bad as some on here might think. They are big and have a back that is as good or better than any FS has. The QB is very good. Line is said to be in the 290 average. Portland has just had the unfortunate luck of playing in a higher class with big time competition over the last several years. They also return several senior starters this year. This could be a tough one for FS. When Kentucky teams go into TN the yellow birds seem to come from everywhere.

[macdon]

Just watched the varsity portion of Portland's scrimmage from last week.

 

Not sure on the 290 lb average up front and not sure the RB is better than any FS will put on the field. They made little offensive progress between the tackles and passing. The best gainer they showed was the three times they ran a double hand off out of their Double Wing T set.

 

But then it' hard to be sure what you're seeing with a scrimmage. Could have been the JV portion. We'll see.

[W.E. Raider]

Not a good sign when Captain Up-sell-the-Competition Mac says things like the above. I adjust my prediction to a running clock by halftime.

[macdon]

That will never happen. FS isn't geared for that. Hey diddle diddle run it up the middle.