High school football, past and present

[jbwill2]

For those who have been around KY prep football for a long time, I am wondering what changes (if any) you have seen in KY high school football over the decades. Has the importance placed on prep football changed any? Has it become less of a team sport, with more emphasis on individual attention on players? Are players spending more or less time preparing/practicing for football? Has KY prep football gotten better or worse over the decades? I am curious to read people's thoughts on the subject.

[DMZ76]

I recently reviewed the tape of the 1975 5A State game. Today's players are B-S-F! (bigger-stronger-faster). The game is played at a more advanced level. (techniques, game prep, off-season, etc...) Ky Football has progressed light years...with light years to go if they want to compete with the Texas-'Bama-Fla-Ohio's.

[Ram]

I think that over the last 20 years football in the state of Kentucky has improved dramatically. There are a lot more college opportunities now for Kentucky High School football player.

 

The level of play has increase by leaps and bounds. The high school game has gotten more complicated, we are now running more complicated offenses and defenses. For example, while coaching JFL, I used the same offense and defense that I used in high school. Most high school coaches would not run this basic type of offense and defense now. The offenses and defenses have went to more of a college feel.

 

In the 80's and 90's, when I played, it seemed that there were more of the bottom tier teams, now I see more and more competitive teams. There are still some teams that are dominate, and there are still some teams that struggle, but the middle to upper middle teams have increased.

 

The way the game is tought has changed also. Used to the game was tought as a "Keep hitting until you get it right" type mentality. But, now high school players are coached more like the college ranks, with muscle memory and tought the finer movements of their position. Linemen are no longer just put in a group to pound each others head, they are tought more technical aspects of the game.

 

That's a start, I will add some later.

[stick1]

The coaching has improved in a major way just since the time I played back in the early 90's. Look at how KY was starting to own Tenn before they pulled out. Like Hal Mumme or not he changed a lot of the way football has been played in this state (Tony Franklin after Mumme). The passing game has gotten light years better the last 20 years. Kids are much bigger, faster and stronger than when I played too for the most part. If you don't get it done in the offseason then you can forget about playing in late Nov early Dec. Football is still the ultimate team sport IMO. The rules have helped a lot too with things like Spring Football.