3 games you are looking forward to watching this year

[HM3-8404 103]

The fake punt play is almost always a read by the up man. Im almost positive the state game was not called by Mance. Even though RHS and THS games have not been close lately they really dont like each other some dont even say Tazewell just that school down the road so I can see how a kid would call their own number against a hated rival.

[BlueRazor 1,147]

It is true the up man at Richlands makes that call. It still doesn't look good and Mance is responsible for those calls.

[Hokiebird7 1,416]

Exactly razor he is responsible period...up 42-0 or whatever it was you tell the up man "no stupid stuff here, just punt the ball".....drill it in his head because afterall this is a 16 or 17 yr old kid

[Bigrhsfan 884]

I have to give you that one hokiebird7,  I had forgot about that play and it should have been punted regardless if it was the 1st half or not..........especially in HS.  I am sure that if it was done against us,  we ( Blues fans ) would not have been happy about it !

At 42 to zip,  not much chance of the other team coming back so no reason to fake a punt.

Coach Mance is a good man and class coach,  but that was a mistake.........imho.

[Hokiebird7 1,416]

Yeah I know Mance don't make a habit of doing stuff like this, I just pointed this one out because it sticks in my head for some reason. As a neutral fan that night I actually lauged when it happened. I was sitting on Tazewell side(because there were plenty of seats) and they weren't happy at all(for good reason) and I laughed at them too.

 

Yeah Mance is a class guy, guess he was brought up right in Giles LOL

[trumpet1988 289]

As I was student teaching band in Paris, KY, Paris was playing against Nicholas County. Paris was an 0-10 team. Nicholas County, like every other team blew them out. Not even close. First half, while up about 40-7 or something, Nicholas County was at the Paris goal line with about 5 to 10 seconds to go in the half. They call time out and punch it in. With the starters I think. While it was Paris' job to stop them, Nicholas County could have just let the clock run down and head back for half time. I was shaking my head the entire time. 

 

I think the final score ended up being 61 to 20 or something. With or without starters, you don't have to call time out while up by nearly 40 points to punch it in. 

[starcityfootballfan 517]

Yeah, 22-0. We really ran it up...

 

Amazing that with the truckload of success Richlands has had since 2004, and beating Graham 11 of 12, that this pine cone is still lodged in the rear of so many.

[starcityfootballfan 517]

Well said! LOL

[HM3-8404 103]

While I think the head coach is responsible for every thing their team does on the field in the locker room and so on. There is a huge difference between one or two late hits during a game and a pattern of late hits on the star running back. One odd play like the fake punt and keeping your starters in all game up huge. To me it all boils down to what the coach tries to do. You will always have a player of two that dont listen well or are hot tempered. When we play Gate City or Union and there is a late hit or a personal foul I know for sure that a player got a little carried away which happens no harm intended and I also know the coach didnt put them up to it. You class acts 99.9% of the time. Which brings me to the next question what is worse letting the 3rd string score or taking 3 knees and punting. I myself dont know the answer. If I'm the team getting killed I think I would put in my 2nd or 3rd string and let them all play. 

[trumpet1988 289]

Letting 3rd string score is not "bad." Taking 3 knees and punting is. Calling time out at the goal line when up by 30-40 points with a few seconds left in the half (1st or 2nd) and then scoring, is bad.

 

The infamous play from my alma mater vs. Giles was bad. I was in high school when it happened. I defended it at the time. I sort of saw Phil Robbins' true colors around my senior year or later. Great coach. Can't deny that. Knew his stuff. Bad attitude.

[Hokiebird7 1,416]

Nobody has ever said Robbins wasn't a great coach....I just think he is a total prick....I'm old enough to remember him at his Christiansburg days and he was a prick then also...only difference there was he didn't have the talent he had at PV to back him up....he had some good players there but not great ones like the PV kids....just an arrogant self centered prick from day 1

[GMan 3,569]

Letting 3rd string score is not "bad." Taking 3 knees and punting is. Calling time out at the goal line when up by 30-40 points with a few seconds left in the half (1st or 2nd) and then scoring, is bad.

 

The infamous play from my alma mater vs. Giles was bad. I was in high school when it happened. I defended it at the time. I sort of saw Phil Robbins' true colors around my senior year or later. Great coach. Can't deny that. Knew his stuff. Bad attitude.

 

How about taking a knee on the PAT once your up 50+???

[AHScoach 2]

Related to Abingdon High School: I picked games that we have a good chance to win. With that said, I am also looking forward to visiting GC/Richlands and giving them good games.

 

JSB- I will be interested to see how we look week 1; should be a good indicator of what is to come. JSB should be improved, but a game we should win easily.

Marion- this has to be our year to end the long losing streak to Marion. If not, it could be awhile...

Blacksburg- the only conference 32 home game and a game we can win. We also go to Christiansburg, but I will not be making that trip. 

 

It's football time in Abingdon!

[Sleepin nuts 27]

I'm actually looking forward to coming to Abingdon friday.

Always nice to go to venues we haven't been to before and cool to see teams we haven't played before even if it is a scrimmage. 

[BigO 316]

The scrimmage this week is with Northside, right?  Will they play an actual game or will it all be situational? Live kicks? In the past its always been situational it seems. Safe travels nuts!

[Single A west 113]

Staying in division one, Galax/radford. , galax/ gw, radford/gw,

[Sleepin nuts 27]

Big O, Abingdon is the home school so they should have control of the format. In the past Northside has traded a 10 play series of offense and defense with the ones and twos then do a 10 play series with the twos and threes.

They typically finish up a with a down and distance timed quarter with no special teams returns.   

Northside will generally not play returning starters in the first scrimmage for more than a play or two. We like to play new starters and the bench players in order to better evaluate them. 

Northside is happy to play a real passing team in this scrimmage. We don't see many passing teams in the regular season so the players don't get a lot of experience vs a team than can actually pass the ball.

[BigO 316]

Yep, Nuts, that's what I have seen AHS do.  Situational isn't the correct word, but that's what I meant...10 plays O and D.  Not sure of their plans as far as returning starters go.  How many kids does Northside have playing?  Historically, AHS has about 50 kids....which includes all 4 grades.  I think the number is up some this year because of their success last year, but I have no idea of their actual number.  I would guess you guys have a lot more players than AHS does.  AHS is definitely a passing team but they are evaluating some RB's and have a few good kids to choose from.  I think their top 2 are both sizable kids with decent speed...but they are most definitely not scat type backs.    I feel certain the OL will be getting evaluated closely by the staff, mixing some lineups up to try and find the best group and the best position for each.  As many have mentioned, AHS lost 4 senior OL guys from last year...and they got better and better as the season progressed.  I'm sure your kids will put some pressure on the AHS QB and I'm sure the AHS staff knows that. Which is good for teaching and position evaluation.  My advice for you is to park at the high school and sit on the home side.  The visitor side requires a walk down and then up to get to the stands.  The sun will be in your eyes for a bit on the home side but it still beats walking up that freaking hill.  Again, safe travels and wishing you guys a successful season!

[Sleepin nuts 27]

Big O, Sounds like we are working on the same things. Our entire Dline are returning starters but our entire Oline from last year graduated.

We return our qb, top rb and 2 best receivers from last year. Our entire secondary on D is new with the exception of one LB. (That's why we need to see a passing team this year) 

We will be traveling with around 80 players. 40 on each team.

We have more than our share of scat back types. I think we will see 16-18 players get carries out of the backfield and 20 or so line up at the receiver spots. If only we had that many linemen. Lol. We have no starters that play both side of the ball but we will work some on both sides in a scrimmage.   

Both coaches have known each other since college so I am sure they have given each other a heads up about what they want to see from the other in this scrimmage.

I'm sure we will work on getting pressure on the qb but in the past we haven't tried to take them to the ground when passing. We have no interest in seeing a qb get injured in a scrimmage.

I'll be there fairly early and will have the truck loaded down with gear so I typically park inside or very close to the stadium. I'll be working at the game so I won't make it to the stands.

Same to you on the well wishes for the season and I hope we see you guys in a real game in November or December.....at Northside or Lynchburg with any luck.     

[Sleepin nuts 27]

At practice today I hear that Abingdon is working no-huddle up tempo so if I understand correctly they will go 6 minutes of offense to Northside's 10 minutes in order to get a similar number of plays.

[falconfan1 125]

Yes it is a very fast tempo for the Falcons.  You will see lots of 4 wide with some 5 wide mixed in.

[BigO 316]

I hope the no huddle proves successful.  They tried to install that last year and while it didn't fully "take", I feel certain the staff worked on it a lot this off season.  AHS was definitely "hurry up" last year but if they can install a true no huddle then that would be great.  I'd like to see them pull off Oregon type times....lol.   The freaking refs would pass out.

[vols4life 57]

Marion might have a looooong year..

[Counts 156]

Marion might have a looooong year..

I knew that they lost alot of good players off of a good team but thought that they would still be tough. What makes you think that they are in for a long year?

[Sleepin nuts 27]

In regards to Abingdon, I understand why they want to be in the no huddle. It can be effective against teams that are not used to the pace. The down side is that you give the ball back to the other team so quickly that they get plenty of chances to score. 

At Northside we are a defensive team. We prefer our offense to take it's time moving down the field. We are known for burning an entire quarter in one possesion. It's hard for the other team to score if we keep the ball away from them.