1 hour ago, Jack of all Trades said:

Do those commenting realize that this thread was started prior to the 2023 football season?  

Looking at the 40 posts entered in the past week or so, not one post I saw saying Sphire is in trouble or should be gone.

21 minutes ago, Voice of Reason said:

Looking at the 40 posts entered in the past week or so, not one post I saw saying Sphire is in trouble or should be gone.

And how could you... the record speaks for itself.  Rather, I think the community feels like they got the next Dale Mueller sitting up there in Sycamore Township and if he wants to come home you make that happen.  As for Moeller being a better job, if the rumors are true and, again, these are just rumors, Highlands is paying their coach more than Moeller does plus you have the KERS retirement.  Pretty attractive to a young man if he has no further aspirations of coaching in college.  

More crazy talk from the Bluebird faithful.  That ship has sailed.  This time next year Highlands will be getting ready to play in the state championship game and Coach Sphire will be the toast of the town.

3 hours ago, James Graham said:

As for Moeller being a better job, if the rumors are true and, again, these are just rumors, Highlands is paying their coach more than Moeller does plus you have the KERS retirement.  

It would shock me if any quality coach would be interested in a program that would run-off Coach Sphire after the resurrection project he has accomplished.  Think the disgruntled  might be coming from fans that have never met the challenge of real game fire.

I think Coach Sphire has done a very good job in bringing the program back.  Are there things he could do better?  Sure.  But then again that could be said about all of us.  Highlands should have several goals this off season:  1) Become a more disciplined football team and eliminate the needless penalties brought about by players using their mouths on the field and taunting.  That type of behavior is counter productive.  2) Develop the wide receivers since they lost Surrey and Arnold to name a couple.  3) Find a way to use the tremendous ability of Cale Harris on a regular basis. 4) Reload the offensive and defensive lines.  5) Find more speed and height in the defensive backfield.

4 minutes ago, Bluebird said:

I think Coach Sphire has done a very good job in bringing the program back.  Are there things he could do better?  Sure.  But then again that could be said about all of us.  Highlands should have several goals this off season:  1) Become a more disciplined football team and eliminate the needless penalties brought about by players using their mouths on the field and taunting.  That type of behavior is counter productive.  2) Develop the wide receivers since they lost Surrey and Arnold to name a couple.  3) Find a way to use the tremendous ability of Cale Harris on a regular basis. 4) Reload the offensive and defensive lines.  5) Find more speed and height in the defensive backfield.

Not much to do lol.

10 hours ago, Bengal Boy said:

Well then that makes it even easier since Boyle will probably take a step back. Cov Cath will probably be their top competition in 4A.  And another thing, if you armchair QBs think for a minute that Coach Bathiany is leaving Moeller to come to Highlands then you are completely crazy.  Don’t get me wrong Highlands is a great program and a great job but Moeller is probably one of the best high school jobs in the entire country.  And he’s probably going to wake up Saturday morning as the coach of the Ohio D1 state champions.  Why would he leave Moeller?

Corbin, Tilghman, Franklin County, Boyle Co, Cov Cath, and Highlands. I would say the champion comes from this list.

Highlands and Cov Cath has a lot of talent returning next season.  Not real sure about what they have returning up front although Highlands has the Merz kid back.  I agree the champion will come from that small group but I am going with The Bluebirds to get back to the promised land next season.

Highlands was 6-5 with a 1st round playoff exit in 2019 and 5-6 with a 2nd round playoff exit in 2020, the two years before Sphire took over. Highlands had not won a regional title since 2015. The record and on field performance has improved significantly over the past 4 years. 

In comparison, Moeller was state semifinalists in 2021 and 2022 the two years before Bathiany took over in 2023. The talent cupboard was full and the program was achieving at a high level. When former coach, Mark Elder, took over at Moeller in 2020, Moeller had been 4-7, 2-8 and 6-5 the prior three years. Coach Elder went 3-6, 11-4 (State Semis) and 13-2 (State Semis) before leaving after the 2022 season. Coach Elder brought the Moeller program back to title contender status and Coach Bathiany has proven the ability to continue and advance that contender status to the title game this fall. 

Nobody should rule out the idea that Bathiany would take over at Highlands if the opportunity presented itself over the next few years. It is home for him and he would do a great job. As for salary comparisons, it is a lot easier for a private school to pay an uncertified teacher/coach a large sum of money, than it is for a public high school to come up with a large salary for a classified employee. Coming up with enough funds to pay a classified employee 80,000-100,000 to coach football would be difficult in a public school.

38 minutes ago, 9068 said:

Corbin, Tilghman, Franklin County, Boyle Co, Cov Cath, and Highlands. I would say the champion comes from this list.

Depending on what they return, Johnson Central and Ashland should be added to this list. CovCath was lucky to beat JC in round 2 this year. Corbin will have a fall off some losing 4 year QB starter Kade Elam. 

20 hours ago, Bluebird said:

I think Coach Sphire has done a very good job in bringing the program back.  Are there things he could do better?  Sure.  But then again that could be said about all of us.  Highlands should have several goals this off season:  1) Become a more disciplined football team and eliminate the needless penalties brought about by players using their mouths on the field and taunting.  That type of behavior is counter productive.  2) Develop the wide receivers since they lost Surrey and Arnold to name a couple.  3) Find a way to use the tremendous ability of Cale Harris on a regular basis. 4) Reload the offensive and defensive lines.  5) Find more speed and height in the defensive backfield.

Does he have a real chance to beat out Litmer next year? Non-trolling question, because I thought Harris was very good in the JV game and has more talent. 

On 12/4/2024 at 7:53 PM, Bluebird said:

I think Coach Sphire has done a very good job in bringing the program back.  Are there things he could do better?  Sure.  But then again that could be said about all of us.  Highlands should have several goals this off season:  1) Become a more disciplined football team and eliminate the needless penalties brought about by players using their mouths on the field and taunting.  That type of behavior is counter productive.  2) Develop the wide receivers since they lost Surrey and Arnold to name a couple.  3) Find a way to use the tremendous ability of Cale Harris on a regular basis. 4) Reload the offensive and defensive lines.  5) Find more speed and height in the defensive backfield.

Valid goals, especially #1. I've never seen HHS's teams more undisciplined than the ones under the current HC's reign. 

21 hours ago, CCHFC said:

Does he have a real chance to beat out Litmer next year? Non-trolling question, because I thought Harris was very good in the JV game and has more talent. 

I’m not trying to make a controversy either but I agree with your assessment.  My point is he needs to be more than a backup QB and a holder.  

1 hour ago, Bluebird said:

I’m not trying to make a controversy either but I agree with your assessment.  My point is he needs to be more than a backup QB and a holder.  

Better question, is he THE backup?  I would make an argument that Tayden should be given shot at QB1.  However, they may be better as a team of Litmer is QB1 because other 2 can play somewhere else.

This Highlands team had more talent than needed to win state. So whom or who is the weakest link in the program. Lots of talent in the program and don't know where to place them. Weak link is OC, coaching, and special teams need some serious improvement.

I would give my right arm and left leg to see any BATHIANI on the coaching program, including ones with zero experience. Yea I'm a bird fan, but close doesn't do it for me.   Go Birds!!!!