I agree w/ u on a few points. 1. Jags have come very far in 10 yrs. 2. If juniors/seniors punt & get replaced...suck it up, work hard, if you want your spot back. 3. It's difficult to support a coach that tells players on Thurs they are starting, then Fri they don't. ( Has happened to 4-5 players) & Borchers didn't communicate to any of them why he "changed his mind/basically lied to teenagers faces". Coaches & ppl lose all credibility when they aren't honest & communication is key. 4. I understand commitment & time consuming...Yet let's remember it's A PAID JOB, not a hobby coaching HS Ftball... I hope I'm wrong, yet see the polls & rankings. Cooper started season ranked 5th...3 weeks later not in the top 10. I hope they can turn this 0-3 start around.

 

The only point I wish to speak to is the bolded. Cooper was ranked 5th on past performance only, apparently by people who were not that close to the program. People who know Boone County football (meaning the 4 high schools in the county) knew Cooper would not live up to that ranking. They graduated too much and are young, by experience and age. They are not falling as the season goes. They were down at the beginning and Borchers is trying to figure out how to get more competitive as the season goes. I knew this would be a rough season for the Jags and that they would be in the same boat as Boone Co. I expect that game to be very competitive. The parents of Cooper players also knew this summer that the season held a lot of unknowns because of what Cooper lost in graduation and the relative inexperience of the team that would remain.

 

My son played on a team that was Champions one year and only had 6 returning players plus new players the following year. The coach did all he could to make the team competitive. It was an uphill battle. It included rotating players to different positions. He didn't find an answer that season. The next season, they were champions again. Cooper is experiencing these growing pains. I'm sure the coach is doing all he can for the good of the team.

 

I can't speak to the communication on the team.

 

BTW, Conner's pre-season ranking was also based on last year's performance and were over-ranked because of it, IMO. They are not the team they were last year. They won't fall off as much as Cooper, but they will struggle this season. Ryle isn't as good as they were last season either. They have had a drop off in talent but not as noticeable as some of the other county schools. All of Boone County has seen a drop-off from last year.

Outside looking in, I see Cooper's record under Borchers and know he can put a winner on the field. If the team doesn't win under him this season, I would look at the players and not the coach. It could be talent. It could be attitude. But whatever the reason is, it is almost surely on the players and it is up to them to turn it around.

Anyone that says "Paid position" like it is another $20k a year doesn't know what's going on. This isn't Texas where the coaches make more than the Superintendent folks!