Union @ Richlands

[Ryan4VT 4,554]

As someone who is a reporter for VT football, I'll be tuned in to Mitchell quite a bit l.

[jarhead24219 440]

AS I LOOK AT THINGS EVERYONE KNOWS THAT JLA WILL HAVE A BIG NIGHT,QUESTION IS HOW WILL BAILEY TURNER DO?HE HAS HIS DADS ARM(WHEN TRAVIS WAS IN 10TH GRADE)AND HE IS COACHED 24/7 BY DAD.I BELIEVE THAT THE RUN GAME FROM UNION WILL EITHER WIN OR LOSE THE GAME, IF THEY RUSH FOR 250 OR BETTER UNION WINS BECAUSE 3 OR 4 YARDS AT A TIME EATS ALOT OF CLOCK AND WEARS DOWN THE "D" AND THATS ABOUT 83 PLAYS FROM SCRIMMAGE.JLA WILL PASS FOR ABOUT 300 YARDS BUT THOSE "BIG" PLAYS ONLY USE A LITTLE OF THE CLOCK.NEITHER TEAM CAN AFFORD A TURNOVER AS THE OTHER TEAM WILL SCORE.I CAN SEE UNION HAVING LONG SCORING DRIVES AND JUST WHEN RICHLANDS LOADS THE BOX AND DOUBLE COVERS MITCHELL TURNER WILL HIT JENKINS ON A STREAK FOR THE GAME WINNER

[local_insight 146]

My first post of the year and I gotta start off by saying how refreshing it is to read a thread and not see the typical "You suck, we are awesome, this happened 10 years ago..blah blah blah" that sometimes comes with a big game like this. So kudos to all you guys (or gals..)!  I'm in agreement with all that's been said. This game will probably be the biggest regular season game (other than maybe Richlands v. Abingdon) this season as far as hype. I'm a Union "homer" so of course I'll be pulling for the Bears and I really think they have a shot. They are a very different team than last season, but not in bad ways. Our pass D worries me a little. Offensively we are good, not as explosive as last year but we have several weapons, other than Mitchell.

 

Here's a few things I'm looking forward to: 1-Can Union's D shape up and cover a pass? 2-Will Union's run game be as effective as it "should" be? and 3- I'm looking forward to seeing JLA throw the football. I told some football friends when he was a sophomore that he had the best arm I had seen since Travis Turner.

 

All in all, hoping for a well played, safe football game. Both teams have potential for another great regular season and a deep run.

JLA is good there is no doubt about it. However, I believe that Justin McCracken is still the best QB that I know of to come through SWVA. Only true D1 prospect. Working out with Alabama, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, Tennessee, Michigan, West Virginia, and plenty of other D1 and D2 schools. However, his SAT and GPA kept him from going to one of those schools which is extremely disappointing. Months after attending Liberty University as QB he decided he was done with football. 

 

Im not taking away from John Luke or Sturgle from Abingdon because they are excellent QBs. However, I often hear people say yeah so and so could go play at Tech or Tennessee or blah blah blah. But, a lot of people does not understand what a true D1 prospect is. There is not many in this area. Big fish in a small pond, gets exposed to bigger fish in a much bigger lake.

 

With my time I spent at the Youngstown State University, those guys are some serious athletes and most of the guys Ive watched in SWVA would be the typical average Joe out there. Like I said not taking away from the kids and their passion for the game, but Youngstown to say the less, are Ohio State rejects. 

 

I know I am going to get some grief over this post but, just kills me to sit in the stands and here yeah so and so is getting is getting looked at by blah blah blah. 

 

Shall the hate begin.

[Bigrhsfan 884]

My first post of the year and I gotta start off by saying how refreshing it is to read a thread and not see the typical "You suck, we are awesome, this happened 10 years ago..blah blah blah" that sometimes comes with a big game like this. So kudos to all you guys (or gals..)!  I'm in agreement with all that's been said. This game will probably be the biggest regular season game (other than maybe Richlands v. Abingdon) this season as far as hype. I'm a Union "homer" so of course I'll be pulling for the Bears and I really think they have a shot. They are a very different team than last season, but not in bad ways. Our pass D worries me a little. Offensively we are good, not as explosive as last year but we have several weapons, other than Mitchell.

 

Here's a few things I'm looking forward to: 1-Can Union's D shape up and cover a pass? 2-Will Union's run game be as effective as it "should" be? and 3- I'm looking forward to seeing JLA throw the football. I told some football friends when he was a sophomore that he had the best arm I had seen since Travis Turner.

 

All in all, hoping for a well played, safe football game. Both teams have potential for another great regular season and a deep run.

 

Nice post.

I think that the way this series has gone over the last few years has caused both teams and fan bases to have a lot of respect for the other !  They both seem so closely matched every year with both teams being athletic and well coached and they know how much work it takes to get to where both of these programs are and have been for several years.............that being said,  they both want to beat each sooooo badly,  kinda like 2 bullies squaring off against each other to see who is the tough guy,  so far Union has had the best of the last 3 matchups with classic games that have come down to the final play,  which if you think about it is really amazing that that could happen 3 times in a row.

This game would not surprise me if it came down to the final play or at least the final couple of minutes of the final qtr.........again,  only this time with a little different outcome.....at least as far as us Blues fans are concerned...lol.

My Aunt & Uncle usually come in every Oct. to visit my mother and stay for a week,  but this year they changed it up and decided to come in this week due in large part so he could come and see this game !

I can't wait for Friday,  it's games like this that make Friday nights so great.

I hope that the experience of JLA and the O will help us win this game,  but I would not be surprised if Union is able to pull out another win.

Good luck to the Union team and fans and please have a safe trip to Ernie and hope you enjoy your visit.............just hope you don't enjoy it too much...lol ! 

[EH31 2,518]

Im not taking away from John Luke or Sturgle from Abingdon because they are excellent QBs. However, I often hear people say yeah so and so could go play at Tech or Tennessee or blah blah blah. But, a lot of people does not understand what a true D1 prospect is. There is not many in this area. Big fish in a small pond, gets exposed to bigger fish in a much bigger lake.

 

With my time I spent at the Youngstown State University, those guys are some serious athletes and most of the guys Ive watched in SWVA would be the typical average Joe out there. Like I said not taking away from the kids and their passion for the game, but Youngstown to say the less, are Ohio State rejects.

 

I know I am going to get some grief over this post but, just kills me to sit in the stands and here yeah so and so is getting is getting looked at by blah blah blah.

 

Shall the hate begin.

 

I agree with you. Sturgill, Asbury, & even Cousin are all great players and fun to watch how they dominate SWVA, but a lot more than that goes into being a D1 player. Other than their own coaches and fans commenting about them getting D1 looks I haven't heard anything. I haven't seen any rivals recruiting profiles?

 

It's a touchy subject because fans in this area love their players but imo with the stats that those 3 players put up last year and the way the recruiting world is now with Hudl and social media recruiting if they were true power 5 conference D1 players they would already have offers, or at the least documented interest.

[Ryan4VT 4,554]

I think Mitchell is the only legit P5, D1 player in SWVA. P5 being the key word here.

[Mountain Football 1,532]

Its ok to have dreams and to dream big.  Whether it's a student athlete, parent wanting something big for their child, or coaches.  The reality is they need focus on their grades and prepare themselves for the real world......a JOB!!!  EH31 and local_insight make excellent points.  You hear these conversations all the time. Facebook is a parents best soap box for promoting their child's performance on Friday night.  "Parent goggles" can have and adverse effect on a child's career.  When the lights go out on Friday nights for these kids and they are not playing on Saturday I hope they have enough about them to get an education and get a job. 

[Bigrhsfan 884]

JLA is good there is no doubt about it. However, I believe that Justin McCracken is still the best QB that I know of to come through SWVA. Only true D1 prospect. Working out with Alabama, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, Tennessee, Michigan, West Virginia, and plenty of other D1 and D2 schools. However, his SAT and GPA kept him from going to one of those schools which is extremely disappointing. Months after attending Liberty University as QB he decided he was done with football. 

 

Im not taking away from John Luke or Sturgle from Abingdon because they are excellent QBs. However, I often hear people say yeah so and so could go play at Tech or Tennessee or blah blah blah. But, a lot of people does not understand what a true D1 prospect is. There is not many in this area. Big fish in a small pond, gets exposed to bigger fish in a much bigger lake.

 

With my time I spent at the Youngstown State University, those guys are some serious athletes and most of the guys Ive watched in SWVA would be the typical average Joe out there. Like I said not taking away from the kids and their passion for the game, but Youngstown to say the less, are Ohio State rejects. 

 

I know I am going to get some grief over this post but, just kills me to sit in the stands and here yeah so and so is getting is getting looked at by blah blah blah. 

 

Shall the hate begin.

 

Theres one other QB that I would put there with Justin McCracken,  and that would be Heath Miller when he was at Honaker.  Even though he went on to become an all time great tight end at UVA and the Steelers,  he was one hell of a QB while he was at Honaker.  Talk about an arm,  and he could and would run you over when he had the chance.  His arm was strong,  but he was very accurate and had touch also and most of the time made good decisions.  I played for Richlands and a huge Blues fan,  but I went to half of the tiger games Heath's SR year and to all of their playoff games because my wife is from Honaker and teaches in the Honaker Swords Creek area and is good friends with his mother ( maybe that makes me a little biased )  and he was one of the best QB's I had seen with the exception of McCracken.

Not saying he was better than McCracken,  but he was at the very least close in high school.  Just my opinion.

[local_insight 146]

Theres one other QB that I would put there with Justin McCracken,  and that would be Heath Miller when he was at Honaker.  Even though he went on to become an all time great tight end at UVA and the Steelers,  he was one hell of a QB while he was at Honaker.  Talk about an arm,  and he could and would run you over when he had the chance.  His arm was strong,  but he was very accurate and had touch also and most of the time made good decisions.  I played for Richlands and a huge Blues fan,  but I went to half of the tiger games Heath's SR year and to all of their playoff games because my wife is from Honaker and teaches in the Honaker Swords Creek area and is good friends with his mother ( maybe that makes me a little biased )  and he was one of the best QB's I had seen with the exception of McCracken.

Not saying he was better than McCracken,  but he was at the very least close in high school.  Just my opinion.

No doubt about it that Heath Miller is an exceptional athlete. He made a great career. He was a good high school QB but at that level he was a much better fit at TE. Like many other players. Braxton Miller from Ohio State made the transfer from QB to WR and now look at him. There are plenty of other guys also. 

[jarhead24219 440]

THOMAS JONES HEARD THE SAME THINGS,HE IS A BIG FISH IN A SMALL POUND, HE WILL NEVER SEE THE FIELD, SAME WAS HEARD ABOUT HIS BROTHER WHEN HE WENT TO N. DAME.THESE KIDS HAVE SHOWED THAT THEY ARE WINNERS WITH GREAT WORK ETHICS,THE BLUES HAVE HAD PLAYER GO ON TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND DONE GREAT, I DARE SAY IF D. JOHNSON WOULD HAVE BEEN HEALTHY HE WOULD NOT ONLY HAVE MADE THE ROSTER AT CAROLINA , HE WOULD START.

 WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THESE ARE HIGHSCHOOL KIDS, THEY WILL GROW INTO THE YOUNG MEN JUST LIKE THE ONES PLAYING IN COLLEGE. I HOPE JLA GOES TO TECH OR VA OR TENN. I WILL BE BRAGGING THAT I SAW HIM PLAY IN HIGH SCHOOL. HE MAY NOT BE MICHAEL VICK, BUT HELL MICHAEL VICK DIDNT LOOK THAT WAY IN HS EITHER.THE KID FROM GRAHAM IS A BEAST, AND YES VA HE WILL BE PLAYING FOR A D-1  SCHOOL, ALONG WITH MITCHELL.

[local_insight 146]

THOMAS JONES HEARD THE SAME THINGS,HE IS A BIG FISH IN A SMALL POUND, HE WILL NEVER SEE THE FIELD, SAME WAS HEARD ABOUT HIS BROTHER WHEN HE WENT TO N. DAME.THESE KIDS HAVE SHOWED THAT THEY ARE WINNERS WITH GREAT WORK ETHICS,THE BLUES HAVE HAD PLAYER GO ON TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND DONE GREAT, I DARE SAY IF D. JOHNSON WOULD HAVE BEEN HEALTHY HE WOULD NOT ONLY HAVE MADE THE ROSTER AT CAROLINA , HE WOULD START.

 WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THESE ARE HIGHSCHOOL KIDS, THEY WILL GROW INTO THE YOUNG MEN JUST LIKE THE ONES PLAYING IN COLLEGE. I HOPE JLA GOES TO TECH OR VA OR TENN. I WILL BE BRAGGING THAT I SAW HIM PLAY IN HIGH SCHOOL. HE MAY NOT BE MICHAEL VICK, BUT HELL MICHAEL VICK DIDNT LOOK THAT WAY IN HS EITHER.THE KID FROM GRAHAM IS A BEAST, AND YES VA HE WILL BE PLAYING FOR A D-1  SCHOOL, ALONG WITH MITCHELL.

Yes Mitchell from Union is a good D1 prospect that Virginia Tech will be able to mold that big body into what they want him to be. 

 

The Jones Brothers, Heath Miller, the Barber brothers(Roanoke area), Mike Compton, Devon Johnson, Bradshaw, and a few others. They were true D1 athletes. Devon Johnson for example was top of the line around here, if you speak to him now you will see how humble Marshall has made him. He will tell you the difference from High School to College. From D2/3 to D1. Sure he could of went to Emory, Wise, Ferrum, ETSU, and etc and just run the show as running back. His first 2 years at Marshall he wasnt even on the list for Tailback, they said he was to slow and now agile enough. But with his big body they put him at line backer which he also did not start. So what did he do, he hit the weights and the track and became faster and dropped some weight. Im not saying its not possible, but Its all about work ethic like you said and how much heart you have and how bad you want it. Like a great speaker once said, "You have to want to be successful just as bad as you want to breathe." 

 

well Mike Compton went on a academic scholarship and grew like a mad man during his first 2 years at WVU until he was awarded a athletic scholarship but that's besides the point.

[EH31 2,518]

THOMAS JONES HEARD THE SAME THINGS,HE IS A BIG FISH IN A SMALL POUND, HE WILL NEVER SEE THE FIELD, SAME WAS HEARD ABOUT HIS BROTHER WHEN HE WENT TO N. DAME.THESE KIDS HAVE SHOWED THAT THEY ARE WINNERS WITH GREAT WORK ETHICS,THE BLUES HAVE HAD PLAYER GO ON TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND DONE GREAT, I DARE SAY IF D. JOHNSON WOULD HAVE BEEN HEALTHY HE WOULD NOT ONLY HAVE MADE THE ROSTER AT CAROLINA , HE WOULD START.

WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THESE ARE HIGHSCHOOL KIDS, THEY WILL GROW INTO THE YOUNG MEN JUST LIKE THE ONES PLAYING IN COLLEGE. I HOPE JLA GOES TO TECH OR VA OR TENN. I WILL BE BRAGGING THAT I SAW HIM PLAY IN HIGH SCHOOL. HE MAY NOT BE MICHAEL VICK, BUT HELL MICHAEL VICK DIDNT LOOK THAT WAY IN HS EITHER.THE KID FROM GRAHAM IS A BEAST, AND YES VA HE WILL BE PLAYING FOR A D-1 SCHOOL, ALONG WITH MITCHELL.

Thomas, Julius, & Devon also had D1 offers going into their senior year.

 

We do know Mitchell can play D1 ball if he wishes because he had offers as a Sophomore. & As of now he's it. Just because you're yelling over the Internet doesn't change the facts.

[West12aaa 99]

Caps lock on cruise control? I am excited for all these d1 kids. It's been respect to the swva area

[goose111874 967]

As bad as I hate to say it Richland's 35-21. I think Union will be under center a lot of the game trying to keep Richlands offense on the sideline. Travis may use his dads playbook in this one.

[jarhead24219 440]

SORRY TO OFFEND WITH THE CAP LOCKS,JUST TO LAZY TO DO OTHERWISE.NOT YELLING AT ALL ,I GUESS SOME NERD SELF APPOINTED ENGLISH LIT MAJOR CAME UP WITH THAT ONE. so now I guess I am whispering right?next thing I know I will hear you saying "hiliary for president.sorry if you thought I was yelling, but I am 55 and in my day we wrote letters and a computer was used at NASA.noaks I still believe you could have walked on at tech, or north Carolina and made the team.my point has always been that our kids in southwest va don't get enough credit, yeah a smaller school with bigger hearts. whitten ,jones, carroll ,and heath miller all played in the super bowl , so that in itself speaks volumes of the quality of young men that play here, also the number of state champions here in southwest va

[Tigers_07 72]

(in LEE CORSO VOICE) "Richlands gets the W by a squeaker"

[UniON_FoOtBaLL 68]

Hey Richland guys were is the best place to eat? Any advice. Thanks

[EH31 2,518]

Hey Richland guys were is the best place to eat? Any advice. Thanks

The Bearded Moose - hands down the best food in the Richlands area

[UniON_FoOtBaLL 68]

The Bearded Moose - hands down the best food in the Richlands area

Thanks me an my crew will try it out before the game.

[Ryan4VT 4,554]

Thanks me an my crew will try it out before the game.

He's not lying. If you like burgers, grab the BBQ Bacon Burger and Holy Cheezus it. You will not regret it.

[UniON_FoOtBaLL 68]

He's not lying. If you like burgers, grab the BBQ Bacon Burger and Holu Cheezus it. You will not regret it.

Love burgers thanks were gonna try it.

[Ryan4VT 4,554]

Message to all Richlands fans, this Friday is a WHITE OUT. Wear your white.

[SuperX 89]

Always like seeing the respect between these two teams fanbase on here. We all know this has become one of the biggest, if not the biggest game in this area lately. I don't ever recall seeing one of you blues fans making excuses, trash talking or bashing our fans/players on a missed call, losing a game, etc. I can't say it doesn't come from the stands, but I will say it doesn't come on this forum from either side.

[Ryan4VT 4,554]

Always like seeing the respect between these two teams fanbase on here. We all know this has become one of the biggest, if not the biggest game in this area lately. I don't ever recall seeing one of you blues fans making excuses, trash talking or bashing our fans/players on a missed call, losing a game, etc. I can't say it doesn't come from the stands, but I will say it doesn't come on this forum from either side.

You see that with both Union and Gate City from the Richlands side. Super respectful fans. Those are right rivalry type series where they are close, and you never see anything out of line. I love seeing thing like that. Keep it up!!

[GMan 3,569]

He's not lying. If you like burgers, grab the BBQ Bacon Burger and Holy Cheezus it. You will not regret it.

The Ricky Bobby is my favorite, add some moose track fries to your order and you won't be hungry for days...