10 hours ago, FrankNicodemus said:

The Dudes are there, the weight and strength is what is missing and that is and has been Sphire's issue since DAY 1!!!!!  

The parent buy in is there, especially with the amount of money that is flooding into the program that isn't school funds is a huge indication that the parents are opening up their wallets to make this a successful program.

We are 6 days into the offseason!  Let them eat or should i say LET THEM EAT CAKE!!!  

 

11 hours ago, Jack of all Trades said:

Based on things I have heard and am hearing that seems like a pretty reasonable statement.  Then again this is the first offseason under Sphire so we shall see if things change a bit.  There is more than enough talent there to not have losing seasons year after year.  I am curious to see if there are any staff changes going into next year or if it stays status quo.  Also curious to see how the schedule comes together for next year as well.

 

When Highlands people have said the dudes are there, or the talent is there. What do you all exactly mean in regards to talent? There is a big difference in having talent, and having elite talent. Are you all saying the elite talent has been and still is there? Which like it or not Highlands when they were dominated, especially dominated over NKY teams. The majority of the time they had elite talent compared to other teams in NKY. Much like how before this season Covcath had elite talent compared to other NKY teams for a three to four year stretch there. Now Covcath still had a lot of talent this year, but it is not quite elite anymore and why this year NKY teams were competing with them much better. 
 

I do believe Highlands has talent just not elite talent anymore, that is why when they have lost it is not like they have lost to bad teams really through the years. They simply have lost to other teams with similar talent and good coaching too. 
 

I know Highlands fans always get defensive when people say they don’t have the same talent anymore. However,  I believe people when they say Highlands doesn’t have the talent anymore, they are more talking about not having elite anymore, which is a big difference than just having talent.  So when you are all saying the dudes and talent is there. Are you all saying the elite talent has been there and still is there?

All I am saying over and over and I might be just naïve is that we have the players, we have the talent what we are missing and have been missing for the last 5 years is around 20-30 pounds of mass/muscle on EVERY PLAYER.  To compete against 5A and 6A programs we unfortunately got small in size in the last 5-6 years.

It has pained me seeing our OLine and DLine so undersized in the last 5 years.  Blame who you want:  past coaches, lack of a Strength & Conditioning coach, gene pool, etc, etc.... I DON'T CARE.

Now one thing that Sphire did this year to mitigate the weakness was to platoon some of his big boys on both lines which past regimes were reluctant to do.

Highlands also invested on hiring a Strength & Conditioning coach for all sports programs.

Sphire is jumping up and down on his soapbox for these kids to eat and eat and eat the right way to gain that needed size!

Cov Cath ran all over us last Friday, I blame not all but a TON of it on the lack of size in the trenches.....

I promise you the player personnel we have with added needed weight will solve A LOT of our issues.

My answer is there “talent” to not struggle to be .500 year after year.  Define for me “elite” talent.  For example was there “elite” talent in 2014?  If so, let me know who they were.  That team went 14-1 and won a state title.  Went toe to toe with a large school from Florida.  Highlands has also won plenty of games with undersized lines on both sides of ball.  All about heart and desire that cannot be taught but surely can be recognized by a coaching staff.

8 minutes ago, Jack of all Trades said:

My answer is there “talent” to not struggle to be .500 year after year.  Define for me “elite” talent.  For example was there “elite” talent in 2014?  If so, let me know who they were.  That team went 14-1 and won a state title.  Went toe to toe with a large school from Florida.  Highlands has also won plenty of games with undersized lines on both sides of ball.  All about heart and desire that cannot be taught but surely can be recognized by a coaching staff.

Hmmm wasn’t Beau Hoge the QB of that 2014 team you mentioned? A QB that went on to play DI football at BYU? Yeah I would say that is having elite talent, and that does make a big difference. Especially when that elite talent is at the QB position. 

24 minutes ago, Jack of all Trades said:

My answer is there “talent” to not struggle to be .500 year after year.  Define for me “elite” talent.  For example was there “elite” talent in 2014?  If so, let me know who they were.  That team went 14-1 and won a state title.  Went toe to toe with a large school from Florida.  Highlands has also won plenty of games with undersized lines on both sides of ball.  All about heart and desire that cannot be taught but surely can be recognized by a coaching staff.

Also they struggle to be .500 because they play a tough schedule. As mentioned it is not like when they lose they are losing to bad teams. If they lose it is usually to a team with around equal talent. You all just aren’t use to losing to possible NKY teams because for so long you did usually have a lot more talent and even elite talent compared to others. Similar to the run Covcath just had and how they dominated the area when they had by far more talent than anyone. 

1 hour ago, futurecoach said:

 

 

When Highlands people have said the dudes are there, or the talent is there. What do you all exactly mean in regards to talent? There is a big difference in having talent, and having elite talent. Are you all saying the elite talent has been and still is there? Which like it or not Highlands when they were dominated, especially dominated over NKY teams. The majority of the time they had elite talent compared to other teams in NKY. Much like how before this season Covcath had elite talent compared to other NKY teams for a three to four year stretch there. Now Covcath still had a lot of talent this year, but it is not quite elite anymore and why this year NKY teams were competing with them much better. 
 

I do believe Highlands has talent just not elite talent anymore, that is why when they have lost it is not like they have lost to bad teams really through the years. They simply have lost to other teams with similar talent and good coaching too. 
 

I know Highlands fans always get defensive when people say they don’t have the same talent anymore. However,  I believe people when they say Highlands doesn’t have the talent anymore, they are more talking about not having elite anymore, which is a big difference than just having talent.  So when you are all saying the dudes and talent is there. Are you all saying the elite talent has been there and still is there?

When Highlands was dominating they had elite athletes and small but quick O and D lines.  

28 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

Hmmm wasn’t Beau Hoge the QB of that 2014 team you mentioned? A QB that went on to play DI football at BYU? Yeah I would say that is having elite talent, and that does make a big difference. Especially when that elite talent is at the QB position. 

So let me understand, having ONE D1 player makes you have “elite” talent?  If so, there have been several D1 players over the last few years.

And yes, Hoge was “elite”.

47 minutes ago, FrankNicodemus said:

All I am saying over and over and I might be just naïve is that we have the players, we have the talent what we are missing and have been missing for the last 5 years is around 20-30 pounds of mass/muscle on EVERY PLAYER.  To compete against 5A and 6A programs we unfortunately got small in size in the last 5-6 years.

It has pained me seeing our OLine and DLine so undersized in the last 5 years.  Blame who you want:  past coaches, lack of a Strength & Conditioning coach, gene pool, etc, etc.... I DON'T CARE.

Now one thing that Sphire did this year to mitigate the weakness was to platoon some of his big boys on both lines which past regimes were reluctant to do.

Highlands also invested on hiring a Strength & Conditioning coach for all sports programs.

Sphire is jumping up and down on his soapbox for these kids to eat and eat and eat the right way to gain that needed size!

Cov Cath ran all over us last Friday, I blame not all but a TON of it on the lack of size in the trenches.....

I promise you the player personnel we have with added needed weight will solve A LOT of our issues.

Here is the thing getting bigger, stronger, and faster is the same goal for every single program in the state every off season. So it’s not like they are the only ones who will be trying to get better in that area. 
 

In regards to the last 5 or 6 years. Until this year it wouldn’t have matter what Highlands did, they like all the other NKY teams wasn’t going to be getting by Covcath. Covcath was with the elite talent they had, what Highlands use to be. Highlands got a chance to experience what Covcath and the rest of NKY experienced back when Highlands was that team rolling through NKY with elite talent.  So Highlands seasons going into this year was still going to be over in the first or second round each year because of Covcath no matter who the coach was or what was done during that time frame, because of how much dang talent Covcath had for that 4 year period. This year they finally came back down to earth some, still lots of talent though just not as elite. 

1 minute ago, Jack of all Trades said:

So let me understand, having ONE D1 player makes you have “elite” talent?  If so, there have been several D1 players over the last few years.

And yes, Hoge was “elite”.

Having one D1 athlete, especially at QB, can make all the difference in KY high school football...

The Highlands everyone likes to remember usually had a couple of those at a time. They don't anymore. 

3 minutes ago, Jack of all Trades said:

So let me understand, having ONE D1 player makes you have “elite” talent?  If so, there have been several D1 players over the last few years.

And yes, Hoge was “elite”.

That one elite player does make a huge difference, especially a high end D1 player like that. Much like how Mayer made a huge difference for Covcath. Which Highlands got to have that elite player at QB touching the ball each play, and yes that elite player was the biggest reason why they one state that year and we’re so successful. Because an elite player like that can hide other weaknesses possibly in a team. 
 

You put Hoge on this years Highlands team, and well Highlands might still be playing this weekend, rather than not sitting at home. 

Just now, TheDeuce said:

Having one D1 athlete, especially at QB, can make all the difference in KY high school football...

I am not questioning that.  Just trying to understand difference between elite talent and just talent.  

1 minute ago, Jack of all Trades said:

I am not questioning that.  Just trying to understand difference between elite talent and just talent.  

I'd say it's different for everyone. 

In KY, I'd say having kids that are D1 commits would put you in the category of having elite talent. 

"Just talent" rarely wins championships, even in KY. 

1 hour ago, BlueKernels said:

So now CCH is playing with Jv kids… that is nuts. What exactly did Benke or Bottom do in either game? Or even Noon for that matter? Dietz and Wilson (Blocking) and also Agee and Hummel running the ball dominated in the last game. I’m not sure what game you were watching. 

@TheConch I seen total domination.   At one point I wondered if the other team got off the bus..

Kicked this horse down the road long enough, lets move on...Excuses are like elbows we all have them.  its history now...

22 minutes ago, RunForest said:

@TheConch I seen total domination.   At one point I wondered if the other team got off the bus..

As did I. CovCath dominated, but I refuse to believe HHS lacks talent.