10 hours ago, Jimmy McGill said:

I heard there’s a royal flush coming to the fort?!?  These types of cards won’t be playing freshman.  Varsity starters I have heard.

I don't think they will be skipping straight over freshman football at Highlands. At 90% of the other high school's in NKY most definitely they would. 

50 minutes ago, PawPrints said:

That’s a tall order with the talent ahead of them. Can anyone list any freshman from recent memory that contributed on Varsity?

Colt Kremer started Fresh/JV and dressed on Fridays last year as a freshman but didn’t see the field much. He’ll be a big part of the offense next year as a sophomore in what I see as a swiss-army knife RB/WR role.

That's the same thing I was trying to think of is who has done that recenrtly at Highlands. First thing I thought of is if Tayden and a few of them other boys from the 2027 class played frosh, which they did, then I don't see anyone else just straight not playing from the 2029 class. I think frosh football at Highlands is looked at as an integral part of their building blocks for the future and with the talent they have with upperclassmen there is no need to rush freshman out there. Some other schools frosh football isn't as important to the program as a whole, its just a slot for kids that aren't good enough for JV/Varsity and if they have kids that are good enough they remove them from frosh completely, that's not what Highlands does. There is probably at least 3-5 freshman at Highlands every year that could start/play alot of varsity at most schools in NKY. I have seen freshman get rushed out at other schools and it stunted their growth.

I think the athletes attending Highlands also respect coming up through the ranks a lot more than if they were at most other HS in NKY. At most other HS the mindset is trying to skip a head to make a name for the player itself, don't think that's the case in Ft. Thomas.

25 minutes ago, Honey Badger said:

I think the athletes attending Highlands also respect coming up through the ranks a lot more than if they were at most other HS in NKY. At most other HS the mindset is trying to skip a head to make a name for the player itself, don't think that's the case in Ft. Thomas.

I think it helps at the freshmen level Highlands is steamrolling the competition in NKY. They play a GCL school, and the rivalry with Cov Cath is alive and well.

I also think some other NKY high schools hurry up and get kids an accredited year of varsity so that it makes it harder for them to go to another school, Highlands isn't worried about losing talent to other schools. Not many people are thinking they got to get their kid out of Highlands because he would be better off somewhere else and if they do then they are usually a little delusional about the situation somewhere along the line.

So all that being said, are you guys saying for the 2025 season or 2026 season Highlands will have true freshman getting serious varsity minutes? I'm just asking because there is a rule you can only play 6 quarters per week, wether it be one snap or every snap of the 6 quarters. Logistics is what I am curious about.

1 hour ago, Breds82 said:

So all that being said, are you guys saying for the 2025 season or 2026 season Highlands will have true freshman getting serious varsity minutes? I'm just asking because there is a rule you can only play 6 quarters per week, wether it be one snap or every snap of the 6 quarters. Logistics is what I am curious about.

It’s 8 quarters and IF it does happen they will play varsity only 

There will not be frosh playing exclusively varsity football.  You can bank on 5-7 frosh playing JV games though.  

7 hours ago, Honey Badger said:

I also think some other NKY high schools hurry up and get kids an accredited year of varsity so that it makes it harder for them to go to another school, Highlands isn't worried about losing talent to other schools. Not many people are thinking they got to get their kid out of Highlands because he would be better off somewhere else and if they do then they are usually a little delusional about the situation somewhere along the line.

Most schools that "rush" freshman do not have a choice in the matter in order to field a team.  I agree though that I have seen freshman get varsity minutes in let's say a blowout first round playoff game after the freshman season is over in order to create the transfer issue at other schools.

Rising Jr Gabe Williams played  Freshman Ball to get his reps and also got meaningful Reps on Varsity when he was a Freshman. Did not play JV after the 1st week. Did not even dress because of the 8 quarter rule.

He then rolled right into his Soph season and was one of the best Defensive players in NKY. It allowed Gabe to get his Reps plus also play with his Classmates but ultimately gave him Friday night looks that got him ready for the 2024 season.

I have been watching Highlands Football for a very long time. Longer than most. I cannot remember a player ever being an exclusively Varsity only player as a True Freshman. And we have had some good ones!

12 hours ago, THUNDERBIRDS said:

Rising Jr Gabe Williams played  Freshman Ball to get his reps and also got meaningful Reps on Varsity when he was a Freshman. Did not play JV after the 1st week. Did not even dress because of the 8 quarter rule.

He then rolled right into his Soph season and was one of the best Defensive players in NKY. It allowed Gabe to get his Reps plus also play with his Classmates but ultimately gave him Friday night looks that got him ready for the 2024 season.

I have been watching Highlands Football for a very long time. Longer than most. I cannot remember a player ever being an exclusively Varsity only player as a True Freshman. And we have had some good ones!

Not a great example but highlands had a kickoff specialist kicker in 98 that was a freshman. Malone. He left highlands after that year. I’m not sure if he played freshman football with baby birds. I believe that freshman team won the frosh championship. Behymer, Rob Smith, Gramstad, Eamon Mueller team. Behymer was on varsity kickoff too and Rob Smith was on goal line defense formation on varsity. So 3 freshman dressed and started (on special teams) for one of the best Highlands teams ever. 

Schools that start freshman are normally not championship contenders. 

16 minutes ago, Builder1214 said:

Schools that start freshman are normally not championship contenders. 

^This

1 hour ago, Builder1214 said:

Schools that start freshman are normally not championship contenders. 

Before the small school posters chime in.... I would revise the statement to say teams in 3A -> 6A that start freshman are normally not championship contenders.  1A & 2A schools might need them due to #s. Maybe I am wrong.... 

With all that being said its nice to at least fathom the idea that you have kids that are Freshman that are being discussed to have the talent already to be thought of to have Varsity level talent (in even a small role to get their feet wet).

#GO BIRDS

4 hours ago, FrankNicodemus said:

Before the small school posters chime in.... I would revise the statement to say teams in 3A -> 6A that start freshman are normally not championship contenders.  1A & 2A schools might need them due to #s. Maybe I am wrong.... 

With all that being said its nice to at least fathom the idea that you have kids that are Freshman that are being discussed to have the talent already to be thought of to have Varsity level talent (in even a small role to get their feet wet).

#GO BIRDS

Even at the small school level I don't think it's neccessarily a recipe for success. Maybe for a decent regular season but once you get deep in the playoffs 14/15 yo's aren't winning you championships.