Ram Man

What a great hire, Bonner will do a great job at L.C., he also brings more than just his knowledge of the Franklin system.

I have to think if Volfan heard from Coach Gentry himself, then this might be very reliable information.

Do the players know?

I believe equity is what most people are looking for in the proposal of six classes. I feel this is step in the right way as far as reform goes, but why not just set different classes at certain numbers and place the teams that fall in those numbers play in that class? Lets face it, it there is alot of things that can be done, but if we want equity in the size of the classes. I dont believe that any coach, would be against playing a team of like size in enrollment. As far as this watering down a state championship, I dont believe this to be true. Teams will be playing schools of like size, therefore they will be the best in that class, if they win a state championship. They still have to win a championship, nobody is handing it to them. The dominant teams our always going to be there at the top regardless of the class they are in. What is wrong with others maybe being able to share in the wealth.

Every one jumping on judgeone, for saying what he knows or feels. I dont like the way Campbell was treated, if was done in a underhanded way then shame on who ever is responsible. I know what goes around comes around in some time and fashion. I hate that Cotton Adams was forced out, but he is a true survivor and will rebound because of his character. I will miss the "Red Storm" because it is and will always be a part of me and numerous players that were coached by Mike Campbell. So the New Era starts and everyone is in anticipation. We have more kids in the weight room but that does not always lead to more on the field. We know we were going to be good. What type of offense, will see the ball in the air more. Is it strictly going to option and play action? Will the Colonels be able to build a defense that was as strong as the one in 2000 and 2001 seasons? Who will be the new coaches and what will they coach?

I hope the new staff has all the success in the world, the new coach may not have anything to do with the dropping of the nickname. I am former member of the football program. The "Red Storm" is part of proud Whitley County Football tradition. I should have stated that I was sad to see the name dropped because it means a lot to me and former football players. I know that is selfish, and apologize for it. Coach Campbell never discourage anyone who was committed to come out for football, and he never discouraged any players from playing other sports. The Storm was unique and different and means alot to us who were a part of it. Anybody in the High School could play football, but you had to play to be part of the Storm. Maybe the dropping of the name was a way to get further away from the past that must seem so dismal. It might be another slap in Coach Campbell's face, I dont know. I do know Whitley County only has a program because of what Campbell did there and the only tradition they have had has been under Campbell.I never saw it as bleak as some, to warrant some of the changes that have been made, but what do I know. I do know that the nickname of the Red Storm will always be special to me. Football programs are built and stand the test time because of tradition.

I do see the Storm numbers improving, but I really dont see a dramatic change coming. I agree with judgeone, new kids will come out and these are the ones that the new coach will likely be able to keep on board. I feel that any kid that quit once, for what ever the reason, is likely to do the same. Thats why it is hard to tell how many kids the new coach can count on. I think that you need to look at the number on the roster at the end of the year, and add the upcoming freshmen and that will give a good ideal of what the numbers will be like next season. As for the Red Storm being dropped, well I think that is sad. That is one thing that seperated the football players from the rest of the student body and made us feel special. I will always have Colonel blood in me, but not everybody could feel the Storm.

I believe that the numbers will be a little bit up from what Campbell was use to. This will be good for the Storm. Those are great numbers for weight room, but the real test will come in July and August.

judgeone, I think we will be able to run the ball also, but the option is a different type of offense than the power game. I dont see McCumbers as a option QB, maybe there is someone else, I thought this kid was very good at what the Red Storm did this past year and would have gotten better in the same type of system. Was the coached fired or did he decided to leave on his own? With Cotton gone, this will allow him some room to hire some new staff. It was'nt Ysidro was it? If those 2 are gone it will be extremely difficult for the new coach, at the 4A level.

Mr. Gentry said that the Red Storm will be a option team in the paper. I believe UC rely heavily on the fullback to set the pace, sort of a grind out type of offense. I got to see the Storm play, and McCumbers did not impress me as runner, very good arm though. I thought Jefferies was a very good fullback when people were gearing to stop Rider. Is he big enough to take a pounding in that type of offense at the 4A level? Whitley in the past has been known for their ability to run the football, even when people knew they were going to. Where do these kids fit into that type of system?

Breathitt should be decent, but I dont believe they will be as dominating as they had been in the past. Whitley should still have a distinct advantage in that one. Lynn Camp lost a tremendous amount of experience in the skill positions but do have most of their great line back. I know nothing about Shelby Co. Bell Co. is Bell, do they play that game at Bell?

Who does the Red Storm play outside the district? Will it allow for success early, for the new coach to build on, before they get to the district slate. I heard that they were playing Breathitt again.

Judgeone, I agree with you for sure on the prospective future. Nice situation for the new coach. What do you think will happen, if he does not produce these type of results?

Good definition Thunderstruck, I was not trying to read things into it. I just read it. You say it is a "New Era". I never said that it wasnt, I did say there was not much wrong with the "old one". Seems to me you are the one reading things into it. judgeone, I totally agree with you about the cycles and the smaller schools in each class. Whitley should be at the top of the district fight, I dont know if the administration realized this.

judgeone, I heard the same things as probably as others did. I disregarded them as pure speculation and rumor, because I never heard them from Mr. Gentry. Looking back though, the way things worked out makes you wonder. Im like 4chs, this is what would bother some the most. The title for the thread was a "New Era". There was not a whole lot wrong with the old one. I agree with the people that say the Red Storm can have success at that level, I think that is has unlimited potential. They will be loaded next year, and should have a extremely good year. Campbell should have the right to develop the program. If there was somthing that was lacking then he should have been told he needed to fix it or else. They should have gave him a choice after all he has done, and to knowlege and reading the paper there was not one.

Campbell not a winner? You take his last 4 years, in 4A to make a point. Look at the 5 years, I believe they won 8 or 9 his first year in that class. Three out of 5 in the playoffs. I hope Mr. Gentry is that successful, and has the successful type of program that Campbell had during the 90's, and I say this with no malice. You said change is not bad, but Campbell should have had the right to change it or maybe just a watchout at the beginning of the year. I agree with judgeone about him loving the kids, but he also built character and integrity in his players.

Corbin is just a little bit different situation than Whitley. They have ages of tradition. Red Storm Football was built by Campbell. He should have had the opportunity to right the ship, there was no writing on the wall. Im sure he was looking forward to coaching the next year, with the players he had coming back and also knowing that other district teams may have suffered a little bit from graduation. Mike Campbell is the last one to want anybodys sympathy. He is still alive, so no one is trying to make a martyr out of him.

I know his winning percentage had fell off a little these past few years, but to say a new era of football is coming to Red Storm fans. It was not to long ago when W.C. teams were winning 9 and 10 games a season. I guess the people who wanted him out forgot about where the program came from.

I dont know if they were Whitley's best players going to Corbin, they were pretty good. In the same line of thinking Whitley did not suffer to much from the loss. I know for sure that no coach wants to see players leave, so I doubt if they were ran off. Ysidro and Adams would be welcome on any staff, great coaches with a extreme amount of integrity and knowledge of the game. The question; Does the new coach want them to stay at Whitley? The Red Storm would only benefit by keeping them on the staff. They both would have know problem finding a coaching position elsewhere. Coach Campbell is a great football coach and built that program from nothing. I think he should have been able to resign on his terms after what he has done with the program. If he had let some people to close to the program and they led to his demise, as JudgeOne said then shame on them.