7 minutes ago, The Oracle said:

How normal is it for a HS program to have a head coach who isn't a coordinator? I think BW did that for a season or two but as best as I can remember that's the first I've known of a head coach to do that, at least around NKY.

I know Coach Sphire's son is young and I only watched Highlands in the two games against CCH, but I felt like their offensive plan was very ho-hum in both games. He also apparently had a heck of a tough time settling on a QB, which I realize was also an issue for CCH this year. But in the case of Highlands, when you're struggling to identify key players on offense when "the talent is there" to quote every HHS poster on BGP, and you're also failing to win 2 out of 3 regular season games and then exiting the playoffs in the first round, that would make me take some pause to question whether or not Sphire's son has the current qualifications needed to hold his job. If Highlands offense has a repeat year like this next year and I'm a Highlands fan, I've got a football sized nepotism knot in my stomach about having hired the Coaches Sphire.

A couple things, as far as what is normal and what is done at Highlands I think you will see is 2 totally different things.  I get the feeling what Bob wants Bob will try to get, I don't care if no other NKY program does it that way.  I go back to when he was hired a need for a DC was blasted on twitter and Facebook all the time, unfortunately the right candidate never came forward so Bob stepped into that role.  So I am "assuming" the plan from the get go was for Bob NOT to be a coordinator....if anyone on the inside disagrees, go for it.

As far as the son's qualifications I totally agree probably not up to snuff, hence my point of hoping Bob can be just the HC so he can maybe mentor and oversee much better Hayden's growth, without being tied to the DC job.  Also, based on prior posts I think it came out that Hayden didn't arrive to the Fort until Jun'ish.....which is a tall order to be the OC at Highlands having only 2+ months to know your personnel....With that I am giving him a pass this year and not blasting him for what he did or didn't do this season.  Highlands backs were against the wall with the Staffing issues.  Another reason why this offseason will be very interesting to see if Bob replaces people b/c what he saw in certain staff people just isn't something to grow with or will there be a line of candidates with great resumes that want to jump from other programs to Highlands b/c people see the potential of what Coach Sphire might have here.

1 hour ago, Kenny Powers said:

Well, then I would encourage that person to apply for the open positions posted on the schools's website for football and email the AD/Coach Sphire and tell them they applied. Has this person you know reached out to the coach/AD and expressed interest? If not, sitting back and just waiting for the AD/Coach to call you is kind of ridiculous. 

Expressed interest when Sphire was looking in summer.  Spoke over phone to each other and that is as far as it went.

22 minutes ago, The Oracle said:

How normal is it for a HS program to have a head coach who isn't a coordinator? I think BW did that for a season or two but as best as I can remember that's the first I've known of a head coach to do that, at least around NKY.

I know Coach Sphire's son is young and I only watched Highlands in the two games against CCH, but I felt like their offensive plan was very ho-hum in both games. He also apparently had a heck of a tough time settling on a QB, which I realize was also an issue for CCH this year. But in the case of Highlands, when you're struggling to identify key players on offense when "the talent is there" to quote every HHS poster on BGP, and you're also failing to win 2 out of 3 regular season games and then exiting the playoffs in the first round, that would make me take some pause to question whether or not Sphire's son has the current qualifications needed to hold his job. If Highlands offense has a repeat year like this next year and I'm a Highlands fan, I've got a football sized nepotism knot in my stomach about having hired the Coaches Sphire.

I agree with a lot of this. Offensive production and, most importantly, improvement, left a lot to be desired. The offensive was far more creative and far more productive to start the year that it was at the end; regression concerns me. 

In terms of your first point, at least in the NKY area I think it is very common for the HC to call at lease one side of the ball. Just thinking about the schools in the area, I don't know of many HCs who don't but I could be wrong. 

Just now, Jack of all Trades said:

Expressed interest when Sphire was looking in summer.  Spoke over phone to each other and that is as far as it went.

Coach Sphire maybe thought it wasn't a good fit then. No harm no foul. 

4 minutes ago, Kenny Powers said:

Coach Sphire maybe thought it wasn't a good fit then. No harm no foul. 

Trust me when I say this, it could work if the schedule allowed.  Certainly would not look like the trainwreck we saw this year.  Reminded me a lot of Junior Football League stuff.  Cannot have 4 different coaches trying to run special teams.  The results speak for themselves.

Agree with some on here that this job was a tough situation to step into late in the game.  Let’s see where things go this winter and spring from top to bottom.

5 minutes ago, FrankNicodemus said:

A couple things, as far as what is normal and what is done at Highlands I think you will see is 2 totally different things.  I get the feeling what Bob wants Bob will try to get, I don't care if no other NKY program does it that way.  I go back to when he was hired a need for a DC was blasted on twitter and Facebook all the time, unfortunately the right candidate never came forward so Bob stepped into that role.  So I am "assuming" the plan from the get go was for Bob NOT to be a coordinator....if anyone on the inside disagrees, go for it.

As far as the son's qualifications I totally agree probably not up to snuff, hence my point of hoping Bob can be just the HC so he can maybe mentor and oversee much better Hayden's growth, without being tied to the DC job.  Also, based on prior posts I think it came out that Hayden didn't arrive to the Fort until Jun'ish.....which is a tall order to be the OC at Highlands having only 2+ months to know your personnel....With that I am giving him a pass this year and not blasting him for what he did or didn't do this season.  Highlands backs were against the wall with the Staffing issues.  Another reason why this offseason will be very interesting to see if Bob replaces people b/c what he saw in certain staff people just isn't something to grow with or will there be a line of candidates with great resumes that want to jump from other programs to Highlands b/c people see the potential of what Coach Sphire might have here.

All valid points.  I see some changes but again HHS teaching positions are hard to come by. I like both Bob and Hayden.  He came in and did not sugarcoat.  I expected the defense to lead and for the most part they did.  Inability to move chains, have any semblance of a running game, and QB get all you can get philosophy.  The Jake W. Injury was devastating.  He could get behind the coverage and stretch the field.  I think Hinegardner can get there just not ready this year.  I agree with others that the offense needed work.  I would get the Schneider kid healthy use that TE in the middle and drag routes.  Line needs to get stronger and develop depth.  Just look back at the playoff game see the difference in line play and running back getting to the second level.  Cov Cath faithful will state that they came out on a different level.   Just not the case.  Two players that basically control the middle were missing.  No excuses kids get injured next up mentality.  They just were not physically equipped to handle the job at hand.  Add in playoffs and rivalry and you get whipped.

15 minutes ago, Jack of all Trades said:

Trust me when I say this, it could work if the schedule allowed.  Certainly would not look like the trainwreck we saw this year.  Reminded me a lot of Junior Football League stuff.  Cannot have 4 different coaches trying to run special teams.  The results speak for themselves.

Agree with some on here that this job was a tough situation to step into late in the game.  Let’s see where things go this winter and spring from top to bottom.

Does this coach have any coaching experience? It is clear through the entirety of this thread that HHS thinks of their program as a step above the others, which is fine, but maybe they don't want someone in a coordinator spot (even ST) without any coaching experience. 

Also, you keep referencing the schedule. Maybe they discussed this and it didn't work. 

13 minutes ago, Jack of all Trades said:

Trust me when I say this, it could work if the schedule allowed.  Certainly would not look like the trainwreck we saw this year.  Reminded me a lot of Junior Football League stuff.  Cannot have 4 different coaches trying to run special teams.  The results speak for themselves.

Agree with some on here that this job was a tough situation to step into late in the game.  Let’s see where things go this winter and spring from top to bottom.

But the schedule didn't work. Not sure how else to explain this. Coach Sphire didn't think it would work so therefore he didn't move forward. 

2 hours ago, Kenny Powers said:

I agree; I especially could see some would be seniors choosing not to play football for baseball. 

Yeah there will be Kids that don't come back. Why would they? They're being passed up anyway. When those kids are Playing Summer and Fall Baseball on the Weekends outside of Football, those who choose to Work out and get better at their Craft will show on Friday nights. The problem is, the parents of the kids missing don't get it. It's always someone else's fault that their Kid isn't a getting a Fair shake. Imagine if there were Leagues or opportunity to play Football in March,April and May on the Weekends during Baseball season? What would the Baseball coach think? I already know what Highlands Basketball Coach thinks of the Tournament Rocky Top. He's strongly is against it.

4 minutes ago, BirdDaddy said:

Yeah there will be Kids that don't come back. Why would they? They're being passed up anyway. When those kids are Playing Summer and Fall Baseball on the Weekends outside of Football, those who choose to Work out and get better at their Craft will show on Friday nights. The problem is, the parents of the kids missing don't get it. It's always someone else's fault that their Kid isn't a getting a Fair shake. Imagine if there were Leagues or opportunity to play Football in March,April and May on the Weekends during Baseball season? What would the Baseball coach think? I already know what Highlands Basketball Coach thinks of the Tournament Rocky Top. He strongly is against it.

Totally agree!  It is super tough being a parent these days!  There is always something that could be pulling our kids in one direction or another.

At the end of the day we hope we are doing what is best.....and if we fail we fail.

 

1 hour ago, ChickenWyngz said:

 

If I'm the football staff, I'm doing everything I can to work with kids to allow them to play multiple sports. If you turn it into a situation of kids choosing one or the other, kids are going to lean toward the what have you done for me lately approach. They will likely choose the program with more recent success. Baseball and basketball have had success recently. 

It is fully supported that kids play other Sports. But not when it's in the Football season. When the Football team works out and or practice, the kids playing are expected to be there. I know Coach Sphire was kind of passive of kids that didn't show up until early July finishing up their Summer baseball but I'm certain I have heard that after Dead Period this year, you're expected to be at Football. Not at some showcase or at some Private Vacation Island elsewhere. The 2022 season will be who wants to be all in.

2 minutes ago, FrankNicodemus said:

Totally agree!  It is super tough being a parent these days!  There is always something that could be pulling our kids in one direction or another.

At the end of the day we hope we are doing what is best.....and if we fail we fail.

 

Agree

Friday night was just another example of being flat out manhandled. CCH did an outstanding Job at the LOS. They ran down hill all Night.

One thing that stood out to me for HHS was that they used 3 different kids at QB on the first 3 plays of the game. As I watched I thought it was strange and seemed very gimmicky, and showed a lack of confidence in the game plan before the game even started. I get changing things up as the game goes on if you must, but in the first 3 plays!? Just seemed to send a message that HHS knew they didn't have anything that would work. 

 

 

4 minutes ago, BlueKernels said:

One thing that stood out to me for HHS was that they used 3 different kids at QB on the first 3 plays of the game. As I watched I thought it was strange and seemed very gimmicky, and showed a lack of confidence in the game plan before the game even started. I get changing things up as the game goes on if you must, but in the first 3 plays!? Just seemed to send a message that HHS knew they didn't have anything that would work. 

 

 

Totally agree!  And for that to be your first series set of plays.   You had 2 weeks to come up with your first handful of plays and that's what you drew up?  Believe you me, that had a lot of us scratching our heads.  Crazy to think that game plan was approved by Coach B. Sphire.  That was BEYOND gimmicky!