I 

2 minutes ago, FrankNicodemus said:

Agreed!!!  I think what I saw the most of this past season was drop pass after drop pass....now Noon wasn't perfect, but dang those receivers need to help a young kid (Soph) out and make catches that hit your hands.  I realize some might have been young receivers and maybe a loss of a Spring and Fall pre season hurt....so I will chalk it up to that, but next year, no excuses, Noon has his feet wet....NOW CATCH THE DANG BALLS!

I agree with dropped passes!  I know a few more has opted to look at that position.  No blazers but great size and very good hands.  I know a handful are itching to play both sides of the ball.  I am sure it all sort out

Anyone know what kind of defense Sphire will be running? I think the offense will be just fine. Defensively they lose a whole bunch of seniors. Senior DB Will Hartman will be the leader of this team this year. Kid hits like a truck. Sam Robinson will also assume a leadership role of the defense as he started as a sophomore last year at ILB.  Adam Dunn will be a solid option in the secondary for the birds as another upcoming junior. Senior Ivan Roller will be a solid player on the D-Line too. I think a lot of kids will go both ways this year with a lot of Sophomores stepping up on the defensive side of the ball. Just don’t know who? Time will tell, just excited for these boys to finally get after it! Go Birds!

12 minutes ago, Ballfan34 said:

Anyone know what kind of defense Sphire will be running? I think the offense will be just fine. Defensively they lose a whole bunch of seniors. Senior DB Will Hartman will be the leader of this team this year. Kid hits like a truck. Sam Robinson will also assume a leadership role of the defense as he started as a sophomore last year at ILB.  Adam Dunn will be a solid option in the secondary for the birds as another upcoming junior. Senior Ivan Roller will be a solid player on the D-Line too. I think a lot of kids will go both ways this year with a lot of Sophomores stepping up on the defensive side of the ball. Just don’t know who? Time will tell, just excited for these boys to finally get after it! Go Birds!

See, now that we have a competent coach this type of discussion will be fun.

22 minutes ago, Ballfan34 said:

Anyone know what kind of defense Sphire will be running? I think the offense will be just fine. Defensively they lose a whole bunch of seniors. Senior DB Will Hartman will be the leader of this team this year. Kid hits like a truck. Sam Robinson will also assume a leadership role of the defense as he started as a sophomore last year at ILB.  Adam Dunn will be a solid option in the secondary for the birds as another upcoming junior. Senior Ivan Roller will be a solid player on the D-Line too. I think a lot of kids will go both ways this year with a lot of Sophomores stepping up on the defensive side of the ball. Just don’t know who? Time will tell, just excited for these boys to finally get after it! Go Birds!

Hartman might go back to tote the ball some.   He will lead for sure.  Robinson should have another stellar year.  Hopefully Roller will return from injury.  Nobody moved the ball on the JV line backing crew.  So I will state LaFrange will replace South and key the defense.  Best sure tackler on the team.  Dunn should step up nicely.   I expect Henry King and young Carson Schwabach to move forward on defensive line.  Hopefully Richter returns back to before injury at RB.  

33 minutes ago, FrankNicodemus said:

See, now that we have a competent coach this type of discussion will be fun.

Still don’t know what difference it would make, but glad we got the hire ?

2 hours ago, FrankNicodemus said:

See, now that we have a competent coach this type of discussion will be fun.

Comments like this are fascinating. Here are the resumes of 2 coaches at different powerhouse programs over the 7 year period of time from 2014 to 2020. 

Coach A: 46-36. 1 State Championship. 2 region championships. 11 playoff wins. 2 losing seasons.

Coach B: 42-33. 0 playoff wins. 2 losing seasons.

Same coaches over the 4 year period of time from 2017 to 2020.

Coach A: 27-20. 3 playoff wins. 1 losing season.

Coach B: 23-20. 0 playoff wins. 2 losing seasons.

Which coach would you consider to be competent and why?

21 minutes ago, Builder1214 said:

Comments like this are fascinating. Here are the resumes of 2 coaches at different powerhouse programs over the 7 year period of time from 2014 to 2020. 

Coach A: 46-36. 1 State Championship. 2 region championships. 11 playoff wins. 2 losing seasons.

Coach B: 42-33. 0 playoff wins. 2 losing seasons.

Same coaches over the 4 year period of time from 2017 to 2020.

Coach A: 27-20. 3 playoff wins. 1 losing season.

Coach B: 23-20. 0 playoff wins. 2 losing seasons.

Which coach would you consider to be competent and why?

Here is my answer:  Both Coach A & B I might consider as competent.  I am not going to judge a book by the cover or just the last 4 chapters.  I would want to know the whole book and what might have impacted the Coach's record on some years over others.  Let me clarify that my comment about now that we have a competent coach was not a slight to BW but just a confirmation that we now have a competent Coach instead of NO COACH, which we have had for the last 2 months.  So I am not going to entertain your trap gotcha question b/c that wasn't how I was implying the "competent" word choice.

10 minutes ago, FrankNicodemus said:

Here is my answer:  Both Coach A & B I might consider as competent.  I am not going to judge a book by the cover or just the last 4 chapters.  I would want to know the whole book and what might have impacted the Coach's record on some years over others.  Let me clarify that my comment about now that we have a competent coach was not a slight to BW but just a confirmation that we now have a competent Coach instead of NO COACH, which we have had for the last 2 months.  So I am not going to entertain your trap gotcha question b/c that wasn't how I was implying the "competent" word choice.

Fair enough. I read it as the old coach was not competent, but the new coach is competent. Thanks for the clarification.

5 minutes ago, Builder1214 said:

Fair enough. I read it as the old coach was not competent, but the new coach is competent. Thanks for the clarification.

I read it the same way you did.  And why shouldn’t we have read it that way.....they have said & have implied for 7 years the old coach was incompetent.  

12 minutes ago, Builder1214 said:

Fair enough. I read it as the old coach was not competent, but the new coach is competent. Thanks for the clarification.

 

8 minutes ago, Bluebird99 said:

I read it the same way you did.  And why shouldn’t we have read it that way.....they have said & have implied for 7 years the old coach was incompetent.  

Sorry for the misunderstanding. Just glad we can all move on and be excited for next season with a very seasoned quality coach to lead this team to many successes.

Move on folks, nobody cares about what happened in the past other than we need a coach that can build on top of the building that was built before them and I believe the administration as others have said hit a “grand slam”

Lets start supporting Coach Sphire, the young men and the program more than ever before. 
 

Highlands football will be great again!
 

 

14 hours ago, Bird Bath said:

Hartman might go back to tote the ball some.   He will lead for sure.  Robinson should have another stellar year.  Hopefully Roller will return from injury.  Nobody moved the ball on the JV line backing crew.  So I will state LaFrange will replace South and key the defense.  Best sure tackler on the team.  Dunn should step up nicely.   I expect Henry King and young Carson Schwabach to move forward on defensive line.  Hopefully Richter returns back to before injury at RB.  

For me, all of the above mentioned is most probably very close to a 100% true analogy. 
However, what is so beautiful about a new coach and a new coach that doesn’t know the Jimmy’s from the Joe’s or the legacy names etc, etc, is the fact that “he” and “he” alone will make the calls that will give the program the best shot at winning and winning big again. 
 

A very good coach that is experienced as Bob is will immediately see the talent and athletes and evaluate where they have been or are going and will get the best out of a kid even if it means having a kid move to a new position. 
 

I hope as parents that everyone is telling  their kids to do whatever is best for the team and that there could be a very good chance that a young man maybe asked to change positions.

There will have to be sacrifices and some maybe much bigger and more noticeable than others.

42 minutes ago, Sweeperboy said:

For me, all of the above mentioned is most probably very close to a 100% true analogy. 
However, what is so beautiful about a new coach and a new coach that doesn’t know the Jimmy’s from the Joe’s or the legacy names etc, etc, is the fact that “he” and “he” alone will make the calls that will give the program the best shot at winning and winning big again. 
 

A very good coach that is experienced as Bob is will immediately see the talent and athletes and evaluate where they have been or are going and will get the best out of a kid even if it means having a kid move to a new position. 
 

I hope as parents that everyone is telling  their kids to do whatever is best for the team and that there could be a very good chance that a young man maybe asked to change positions.

There will have to be sacrifices and some maybe much bigger and more noticeable than others.

I love it, fresh eyes.....I think to your point the players should be doing a few things right now...hitting the weights, drinking the protein shakes, running, running, running.  Most importantly hitting the books and getting good grades!

There is a new Sheriff in town and he is going to work your tail off to get the most out of you....do your best to be ready, b/c if you think you are ready you are not.

GO BIRDS!

1 hour ago, Sweeperboy said:

For me, all of the above mentioned is most probably very close to a 100% true analogy. 
However, what is so beautiful about a new coach and a new coach that doesn’t know the Jimmy’s from the Joe’s or the legacy names etc, etc, is the fact that “he” and “he” alone will make the calls that will give the program the best shot at winning and winning big again. 
 

A very good coach that is experienced as Bob is will immediately see the talent and athletes and evaluate where they have been or are going and will get the best out of a kid even if it means having a kid move to a new position. 
 

I hope as parents that everyone is telling  their kids to do whatever is best for the team and that there could be a very good chance that a young man maybe asked to change positions.

There will have to be sacrifices and some maybe much bigger and more noticeable than others.

Agreed!  Put your work boots on and get after it.  I always tell mine play like there is no tomorrow.   As Bear Bryant would say “it’s not the will to win that matters - everyone has that.  It’s the will to prepare to win that matters”.  Players are made in the offseason get to work!  

1 hour ago, Sweeperboy said:

For me, all of the above mentioned is most probably very close to a 100% true analogy. 
However, what is so beautiful about a new coach and a new coach that doesn’t know the Jimmy’s from the Joe’s or the legacy names etc, etc, is the fact that “he” and “he” alone will make the calls that will give the program the best shot at winning and winning big again. 
 

A very good coach that is experienced as Bob is will immediately see the talent and athletes and evaluate where they have been or are going and will get the best out of a kid even if it means having a kid move to a new position. 
 

I hope as parents that everyone is telling  their kids to do whatever is best for the team and that there could be a very good chance that a young man maybe asked to change positions.

There will have to be sacrifices and some maybe much bigger and more noticeable than others.

Totally agree with this and it will benefit the program as a whole. I think the group that is in for the hardest "awakening" is a lot of the parents. The sense of entitlement from some of the parents in the program is mind boggling.