17 minutes ago, 1963 BIRDS said:

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!!!!

How did all that talent get out scored 54-6 in the second half......and the six came on a ball that landed in the back of the end zone?

 

 

 

2 hours ago, 9068 said:

How did all that talent get out scored 54-6 in the second half......and the six came on a ball that landed in the back of the end zone?

Never seen a Birds team throw in the towel, until now. Simple, they quit. Play calling for HHS is easy WR screen or 50 yard  bomb. Coaching?, what else could it be?

 

 

 

Don't look now HHS fans. Not only did they pass on Coach Bathiany, they passed on Coach Volker at Beechwood who just so happened to win a state championship yesterday.

22 hours ago, 1963 BIRDS said:

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!!!!

While I do think Bathiani would do great at Highlands, I don’t think he gets them any further this year. The majority of Highlands state titles, they were the team that had more talent than the teams they beat. While this years Highlands team does have a lot of talent, and definitely will be one of the favorites next year. They simply lost to a team that was more experienced and also more talented. 

2 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

While I do think Bathiani would do great at Highlands, I don’t think he gets them any further this year. The majority of Highlands state titles, they were the team that had more talent than the teams they beat. While this years Highlands team does have a lot of talent, and definitely will be one of the favorites next year. They simply lost to a team that was more experienced and also more talented. 

HOW DARE YOU!!! 

 

?

3 hours ago, Lions Paw said:

Don't look now HHS fans. Not only did they pass on Coach Bathiany, they passed on Coach Volker at Beechwood who just so happened to win a state championship yesterday.

Is this legit? 

4 hours ago, Lions Paw said:

Don't look now HHS fans. Not only did they pass on Coach Bathiany, they passed on Coach Volker at Beechwood who just so happened to win a state championship yesterday.

When Highlands was hiring, Volker had never been a head coach and Highlands had not won a regional championship in 5+ seasons. Highlands had been eliminated from the playoffs in the 1st and 2nd rounds the prior two years with 6-5 and 5-6 records. 

At Beechwood, Volker took over a program that had won the state championship 6 years in a row. Volker was the perfect fit at Beechwood due to his defensive pedigree and his willingness to keep the staff intact with Hergott as offensive coordinator. The Beechwood administration wanted a defensive coach that would not rock the boat too much and had the conviction to make the hire despite Volker having a 3-17 record as a head coach. 

The hiring process at Highlands was a clinic in administrative incompetence, but they needed a coach with head coaching experience. In 2013, Weinrich took over a program that had won 6 State Championships in 7 years and also won the state championship as head coach in his first year. 

Highlands has been beaten by a team with better players in the State Semis for 2 straight seasons. There is no guarantee either of these coaches would have won these games. In fact, the 2 programs they took over were in far better shape than Highlands was when Sphire was hired. Both coaches still need to prove they can have a sustained high level of success over several years. So far, they have proven they can take a program with players that are already winning at a high level and keep winning at a high level. Coach Weinrich did the same thing his first two years at Highlands.  

On 12/6/2024 at 3:37 PM, Jack of all Trades said:

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.

I’m a Litmer guy myself. Love the Kid. He is an excellent HS QB. That being said, Lorenzen gives Defenses Nightmares when he’s back there. It would be VERY interesting to see him back there for sure. It would be must watch programming for sure. It would put some more butts in the stands too IMO. Everyone would come to watch that show. He is a tremendously talented athlete that needs the ball in his hands more often than not.

2 hours ago, Builder1214 said:

When Highlands was hiring, Volker had never been a head coach and Highlands had not won a regional championship in 5+ seasons. Highlands had been eliminated from the playoffs in the 1st and 2nd rounds the prior two years with 6-5 and 5-6 records. 

At Beechwood, Volker took over a program that had won the state championship 6 years in a row. Volker was the perfect fit at Beechwood due to his defensive pedigree and his willingness to keep the staff intact with Hergott as offensive coordinator. The Beechwood administration wanted a defensive coach that would not rock the boat too much and had the conviction to make the hire despite Volker having a 3-17 record as a head coach. 

The hiring process at Highlands was a clinic in administrative incompetence, but they needed a coach with head coaching experience. In 2013, Weinrich took over a program that had won 6 State Championships in 7 years and also won the state championship as head coach in his first year. 

Highlands has been beaten by a team with better players in the State Semis for 2 straight seasons. There is no guarantee either of these coaches would have won these games. In fact, the 2 programs they took over were in far better shape than Highlands was when Sphire was hired. Both coaches still need to prove they can have a sustained high level of success over several years. So far, they have proven they can take a program with players that are already winning at a high level and keep winning at a high level. Coach Weinrich did the same thing his first two years at Highlands.  

Beechwood had won 3 State Championships in a row, not 6, when Volker took over.  

20 minutes ago, Carl Spackler said:

Beechwood had won 3 State Championships in a row, not 6, when Volker took over.  

I forgot about 2019. They won 6 championships in 7 years. They won Championships in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022. Point being, the 2 programs had different needs and were in entirely different places. 

On 8/28/2023 at 3:03 PM, TylerDurden said:

FWIW I'm not looking to lure anyone in to "bite" and say anything perceived in-house as airing laundry. I just read through a whole bunch of pages of a thread about the game, and then decided to follow that up reading the update thread and then the JV thread, and my takeaway was that, damn, those Birds fans are unnnnnnhappy.

Allow me to supply a few quotes.

"...I wasn't impressed with the way they were coached..."

"Why do we fix the things that aren't broken and don't fix things that are broken?"

"Seriously, Highlands has two plays in their play book."

"Poor coaching by the Birds in all aspects of the game."

"...You forgot poorly coached. Selfish football team."

"Highlands is getting what the administration has tolerated. The taunting and stupid penalties tonight are unacceptable. A perfect example of what's resulted in 6 or 7 years of substandard football."

"I don't have an issue with kids being emotional but the taunting isn't the Highlands that I remember..."

"I'm going with the poor or lack of offensive play calling for Highlands."

"They are much improved from the previous coaches' days but the cockiness and arrogance that was on display last night was cringe worthy."

"Year 3 of Sphire and company and the discipline issue has not been addressed, seemingly being encouraged to be undisciplined."

"Extremely disappointed. The lack of discipline is frustrating. You are HHS, be better than that."

"I will be interested to see how certain people spin this to be 'someone else's fault' rather than looking in the mirror."

"The personal fouls....how many years is this gonna be a thing?!? If the coaches accept it, the kids will do it."

"...the jawing, pointing, and self love has to stop. It's embarrassing."

"...[Hayden Sphire] has LOTS to learn before that [Hayden's hiring as HHS HFC] can even be considered. Both on and off the field...."

"Having watched many football games over the years, especially these two teams, I don't recall ever seeing Highlands being so undisciplined."

 

So yeah, I'm just asking some honest questions based on everything that I read.

So Birds fans, these were a collection of statements made  by Highlands football fans in BGP threads about the state of the Highlands football program under Bob & Hayden Sphire after the 2022 season. Where do things stand right now with these issues?

1 hour ago, TylerDurden said:

So Birds fans, these were a collection of statements made  by Highlands football fans in BGP threads about the state of the Highlands football program under Bob & Hayden Sphire after the 2022 season. Where do things stand right now with these issues?

The season is over and time to flip the script.  Very very tough schedule next year that is going to test the kids, staff and fans.  Plenty of talent on both sides of the ball to compete and win a state championship.  One thing that I would like to see improve is the special teams return game.  Biggest question mark for me is at QB.  If Litmer is your guy, then you need to find a place for Harris to play and make use of his athleticism.  Also need to have a few packages where Tayden plays QB to utilizes his physical talents and his natural gifted abilities as a football player.

I dream of a time when my biggest concern is wanting a coach replaced after reaching the Final Four two years in a row. There would be no major controversies or shameful incidents leading to costly penalties, just tough losses against exceptionally skilled teams while being among the final four.

I believe the coach deserves the chance to continue. He has flipped the team's story in a short period.

5 hours ago, TylerDurden said:

So Birds fans, these were a collection of statements made  by Highlands football fans in BGP threads about the state of the Highlands football program under Bob & Hayden Sphire after the 2022 season. Where do things stand right now with these issues?

These issues continue to this day.  The taunting, posturing and mouth running would have never been tolerated in the dominant era(s) of Highlands football. 

3 hours ago, Jack of all Trades said:

The season is over and time to flip the script.  Very very tough schedule next year that is going to test the kids, staff and fans.  Plenty of talent on both sides of the ball to compete and win a state championship.  One thing that I would like to see improve is the special teams return game.  Biggest question mark for me is at QB.  If Litmer is your guy, then you need to find a place for Harris to play and make use of his athleticism.  Also need to have a few packages where Tayden plays QB to utilizes his physical talents and his natural gifted abilities as a football player.

Highlands would’ve went as far as they did with any of the three qb’s have this year! Sometimes change is hard to make with players who play a position one year and is asked to play a different one the next. Dale was a master of doing this of getting players to make changes for the betterment of the team.