46 Sprint Out

With talent seemingly lacking in the county in the past few years (in relation to other areas) is it reasonable to argue that transferring students dilute the playing field in the county as a whole? BTW, Coach Donahue should be commended on the efforts of last years team. Had anyone said at the beginning of the year that Harlan was capable of winning 8 games, many would have laughed. I think that last years team was one of Coach Donahue's best coaching jobs and he and his staff should be commended for their efforts.

I know this is a Harlan thread, but would anyone know Cawood's schedule for the 2007 season? I'm curious to know if they had made any changes in their out of district schedule.

I would love to see these facts as well. I may be wrong, but I think that the facts would draw strong contrast to the accusations.

I second that notion. If anyone played Somerset competively on a regular basis in District 7, it was Harlan. Maybe in the next few years, something can be worked out, because this was my favorite game of the year, from a spectator standpoint.

I do know that in 1996, I believe, Harlan's boys basketball teams had a very solid year, with the grade school team winning around 20 games, and the jr. high team going to the county championship. Also, Harlan's grade school girls basketball team went undefeated, or at least in county play I think. Furthermore, the grade school football team went undefeated that year. Following that athletic year, the county league voted to expell Harlan from competing in their organization, with only Evarts and Cumberland voting to keep Harlan included in competition. That being said, I know that Harlan didn't choose to play in the CUMBERLAND VALLEY ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (or so I believe that's the name), but they didn't exactly opt out of the COUNTY basketball league. As for the football program, I'm confident in saying that Harlan barely had the numbers to field a team this year. Without the efforts of Coach Saragus, I doubt the program would have existed this year, and for that he deserves a huge "thanks" from everyone in the community. The New Harlan team encompasses 5 feeder schools, and with the exception of Wallins, the other 4 schools couldn't field their own football programs. Playing in a league where they would have been by and far the smallest school, Harlan may have not been able to field a team by the end of the season. Playing in a new league of Class A programs isn't the worst of ideas in this case, and more kids will be encouraged to play in the newly alligned system. From a basketball standpoint, Harlan stands a much better chance (as do the other small county schools) of fielding a team, and playing on a competitive level. Kicking them out of the county league is a low blow, in my terms and probobly forces them to play fewer games due to traveling expenses. For once, I would love to see Harlan play exclusively in conferences outside the county in basketball, and refuse to rejoin the county league whenever the county decides to include them in the next couple of years.

I think your leader went to Cawood. I think a couple in the last 5 or so years are grads from CAWOOD. I am glad they were able to overcome such a bad high school education. Which leader are you referring to Lungbuster?

I guess that's where parents have to draw the line for the best interests of their kids. Also, I'd hope that 13-14 year old kids wouldn't be asked to carry the load for Harlan next year, or it's going to be a long, long season. I'd be interested to know of the kids in question, but I know that it shouldn't be posted publicly. I know the talent pool at Harlan isn't that high anymore, but surely it's not that bad.

Oh yeah, this is a football forum isn't it? Unless Coach Donahue has his hands in on anything (which I'm seriously doubting), maybe this should be posted in the basketball forum. Does anyone know if Harlan is sticking with their same offense this coming year?

Well, what if they really do start as freshmen? That's not manipulation, that's looking out for the best interest of the kids. When Harlan was a basketball powerhouse, alot of kids transferred to Cawood, in search of playing time. This happened up through the 1999 season, I do believe. I'm sure, however, that they left Harlan for Cawood, because it was the better program in the 1990s......... All joking aside, it really should be the family's choice. If their parents want to send their child to Harlan, then they should be allowed to do so, as long as the rules of the non-resident contract are followed. Here's hoping that the parents involved are sending their kids to the school they feel makes them a better person, not an athlete. I'm confident in saying that the kids being referred to don't have D1 or professional careers in their futures, so it would be soothing to know that their choices delved from their kid's overall well-being, not just that of a bouncing ball.

I guess whyme is on top of things as usual. I guess that means that those new cars those twin 300 pound tackles, 6'5 recievers and McDonald's All-American linebackers have been getting had better be returned before the people at Harlan get busted. Come on, give me a break.

Wow, it surely sounds that way. Would you happen to know who is on Coach Perry's staff thus far Mountain?

Has anyone heard how the offseason program is going so far?

Sorry for my brief absence, I had some things out of town to tend to the last couple of days. I'm at least glad to see that the posters on here seem to have some knowledge of the game, because I fully expected to see tons of supporters with the ideas of "airing it out" in the new school. For me, I would agree with the importance of a running attack, but my system wouldn't be as much 2 tight end 3 back oriented. An argument has always been made that "wide open" offenses will always have problems stopping the run, and for the most part, I do agree with that line of thought. However, I think the same can be said that alot of true smashmouth teams would have trouble stopping a balanced, or wide open attack. I think the reasoning behind this is merely that teams in a practice setting are going to see more of the team offense (at least once a week in the season, and probobly throughout most of the summer) than that of some of their opponents. For me, I'd prefer a zone running scheme and short passing game, and alot of deep passing through play action. Not exactly knowing what level of talent will be at the new school, I'm not sure what kind of athletes will be present, so I'm being kind of vague. I love watching smashmouth offenses when they are clicking, but I think that on the 5A level, the new school will have to be a threat vertically, or they will have trouble advancing come playoff time. Very seldom can a team rely on three back sets and go all the way, and although the talent pool may be significantly high at the new school, I just don't see them lining up and overpowering all of the opponents on their level

Good post, and you bring up some great points. I think that a football pro administration can, and in the new school's case, will go a long way. Well said

Most of the coaches on here are big name coaches, and some legends in their communities. Besides luring one in with a ton of money, what exactly would lure a big name coach to a new school, with a brand new team starting from scratch? For their sake, I would love to see a big name coach take this program over, but for a big name coach still in the buisness, there seems to be much more to lose than gain in taking this job. This could be interesting, and I'd enjoy reading what some had to say about this. If any of you were on a hiring task force, and were chasing a big name coach for the new school, what points would you try to sell him to get him to take the bait?

I try to see as many games as possible, but this year's game I missed.

I havent' exactly lived in good ole' Harlan County for quite some time.

Some of it could have gone to the massive funds needed to feed those big bellies on the Thursday night coaches corner hahaha. And I want everyone to know that I'm just acting a fool

Heck if I know, I was playing the "what if" game. A good reporter would get to the bottom of this:lol: :lol: :lol:

I didn't really see them play this year, but I've heard Coach Reynolds does a nice job of mixing the base dive in there as well with the fullback. Just what I was told. Sounds like Cumberland uses the system well.

I think the 3-4 and 5-2 terminology is interchangable, as you have pointed out. Alot of colleges in the 70's and 80's played this similar style of defense, and a main recruiting tool for college coaches was telling certain defensive end prospects that they would be playing an outside linebacker position, instead of a down position. However, again, as you said, formations dictated alot of play on the line for strong side linebackers, and for weak side linebackers in 3rd and short and goaline sets. Coverages vary, and Cawood may show as many as 10 differnet ones throughout a season, but they are taught in a few fundamental concepts. Coach Perry's style of defense is similar to the philosophies of some offensive coordinators, who want to give alot of formations, but actually run a few base plays.

Do you think there could have been some state influence in the decision made by the county board? This is pure speculation, but could the state have encouraged the county into agreeing with the non resident contract by allowing the county the extra funds it badly needed to finish the new consolidated school prodject?

DRAGONPAPPY, I would be delighted to take a few stabs at this idea. I think that while it's possible for some transfers to come Harlan's way in the first initial years, I think that it would take a great effort on the city's behalf to update their facilities and sports programs to keep the initial draw very steady. Thinking along other lines, however, Harlan could see an influx of kids coming from the county, due to the fact that there will be up to 22 starting positions that will be vacacted due to the consolidation. Also, I think that academics could play a role for some parents in their decisions, if Harlan continues to maintain their standard of excellence in state standardized testing. With more technologies at their disposal however, the new school should improve on this. The latter issue may be a deciding factor in future years, but it will take years to evolve, and may not carry as immediate an impact as the afformentioned issues.

I know that if I were the county school system that I'd avoid bussing the other schools to Cawood. I think that outside the Cawood school district, that there is alot of resentment and uneasiness from the Cumberland and Evarts contingents, with the feelings that the new school will show bias toward the current Trojan students and staff. I think these feelings have been shown with Evarts' proposal to consolidate with the city school district, and Cumberland's initiatives to become an independent school district. Though I'm an opponent of all consolidations, I am rational, and know that in this case, there may be no other options for the county school district. With the funding provided by the state to complete the new school prodjet, the county really has no other option. Do I think that the new school will show a geographical bias? Absolutely not, infact, it's probobly impossible. I think that bussing students to Cawood, however, would serve as an endorsement to those in the county that are anti-consolidation, and would fuel their fires for opposition. In the least, when the consolidation takes place in 2007 or 2008, all students will share a common ground of being relocated and experiencing something new. That may not seem as much, but infact, it is a huge deal. As for methods of smoothing the transition, there has to be some common ground. Common ground can be developed in finding and/or renewing rivalries that all hold passionate. As bad as it sounds, the numbers game will point about 4 miles down the road at a small independent school system (enrollment 225-250) that resides in the city of Harlan. Also, sucess make everyone friendly, and the initial season at the consolidated school, in my opinion, carries HUGE implications for the future or the program. In this case, perhaps a lighter schedule in the school's initial years could build some confidence (something that contradicts my statements in the Cumberland forum, and also serves as one of 2 personal exceptions to that statement) and jumpstart the progam up the regional ladder, instead of sending it in a downward spiral. Consequently, I think that if this doesn't happen, that things could fall into a vaccum that would take years to fill

I agree with you 100 percent. If the option game is going to be sucessful, the quarterback had better be able to make the right reads AND be a threat to go the distance on the keep play. Alot of coaches use and Option-On-Me approach, but in the style of offense Coach Perry wants to run, the quarterback had better be able to do some reading on the run. I don't think necessarily that the quarterback will have to be a big time passing threat, and that speed may take precedent in this style over a pocket passer with limited range