SwvaOG

Unfortunately, this is the trend in the region.  We are 7-10 years away from these consolidated 2A schools shrinking to 1A.  Unless the population trend reverses or steadies, we are going to be left with only a handful of teams period.  Dickinson County is completely consolidated and Buchanan will be in two years  Wise will lose one or two schools by then, Scott will shrink to 1 or 2 and Lee will be one.  I can see Tazewell shrinking to two teams and looking at Washington County....doesn't look good for Holston. Russel will have to address their Castlewood issue sooner or later and that county will shrink from three to two schools.
We've already lost
Lose Clintwood, Haysi and Ervington- picked up Ridgeview (-2): Lose (3) 1A and add (1) 2A Lose Powell Valley, Appalachia, JJ Kelly, Pound, Coeburn and St. Paul- picked up Union, Central and Eastside (-3): Lose (6) 1A and pick up (2) 2A and (1) 1A Lose Jonesville, Pennington Gap- picked up Lee (-1); Lose (2) 1A and pick up (1) 2A Lose Hurley, Grundy, Twin Valley- pick up Buchanan County (-2): Lose (3) 1A and add (1) 2A If you look at the 2A numbers, you can see Graham and Ridgeview aren't that far dropping to 1A.  They will be two of the first schools to drop.  If trends continue.....if will get really sparse in the next decade.
As that happens, scheduling is going to be a nightmare and they will have to start looking more in TN and KY for games.

Am I the only one that gives higher rushing totals more credence back with they ran out of the wishbone and Power-I and all 11 defenders were within four yards of the LOS?

Study that Ben Johnson film you’re right. There’s a reason he was the hottest OC in the NFL and got the Bears job.  He is super imaginative in the run game and he uses his weapons in unique ways.  Prob is Union likes too many simple routes and deep shots whereas Goff and Lions love PA over the middle and shorter timing routes, things Union hasn’t done well. It’s more like Bama last year, almost identical. Tons of deep shots and QB runs

Yeah, I had a couple with mine as well.  For four years I just wanted to see him unleashed once and it happened against Bluefield in '21.  They couldn't run vs the Beavers so they finally let him eat a bit....13 receptions, 200 yards and 2TDs and several tough/highlight catches.  Bluefield tried three different DBs and nothing worked.  I always felt he could have done that against any team, given the chance.....sigh.  More often than not, he was used as a decoy.

Yeah, I had a couple with mine as well.  For four years I just wanted to see him unleashed once and it happened against Bluefield in '21.  They couldn't run vs the Beavers so they finally let him eat a bit....13 receptions, 200 yards and 2TDs and several tough/highlight catches.  Bluefield tried three different DBs and nothing worked.  I always felt he could have done that against any team, given the chance.....sigh.  More often than not, he was used as a decoy.

Yeah, I had a couple with mine as well.  For four years I just wanted to see him unleashed once and it happened against Bluefield in '21.  They couldn't run vs the Beavers so they finally let him eat a bit....13 receptions, 200 yards and 2TDs and several tough/highlight catches.  Bluefield tried three different DBs and nothing worked.  I always felt he could have done that against any team, given the chance.....sigh.  More often than not, he was used as a decoy.

Am I the only one that gives higher rushing totals more credence back with they ran out of the wishbone and Power-I and all 11 defenders were within four yards of the LOS?

I have to put my son in there , what kind of father would I be if I didn’t …… 2023 Tazewell home playoff win against Ridgeview ….. he had 10 tackles , 1 sack , 2 TFL , a rushing TD and the biggest thing …. 2 pick 6’s from his LBer position …. I was the proudest dad in the world ……A lot of amazing talent in Southwest  Virginia over the years that seems to get over looked because of our location 

Graham’s o and d lines against Ridgeview in 2021 and 2022 Region D title games.

Am I the only one that gives higher rushing totals more credence back with they ran out of the wishbone and Power-I and all 11 defenders were within four yards of the LOS?

RV did this and it drove me freakin crazy. Let’s break down why it’s a bad idea:
1) If your QB runs 50 plays a game and runs to the coach and back every time that is 52 yards round trip x 50 trips for a total of 2600 yards a game.  That is 26,000 yards a regular season. 
2) You lose roughly 12-15 seconds of the play clock just getting the QB there and back....that's not counting how much time the coach takes to tell the QB the play. 
3) You eliminate any feedback the players may have for the QB.  They don’t have time to communicate with the QB.  That is 10 players’ feedback lost.
4) The QB never gets a chance to look at the defense so your spotter in the press box is the only person seeing what the defense is doing.
5) You lose any opportunity for a check down or a counter to what the defense is doing.  So, if they are showing blitz and you have a pass play called…..good luck.
6)The players don’t have a lot of time to remember the play once it’s called. They have roughly 6-8 seconds to hear the call, lineup and execute.
 

Getting an unsportsmanlike penalty or a late hit on a dumb play was the quickest way off the field for Phil. He HATED unforced errors and never allowed much talking. Didn’t believe in it. Let the blue and red do the talking.  It says enough. Phil hated any penalty really, that was a big mantra. Don’t beat yourself.  

Honestly, I think a lot of Graham's success and athleticism and speed advantages are from kids that practice and work on football year round.  Folks, they aren't cranking out 4.4 speed.  What they are doing is producing kids that "play fast".  When you absolutely know your job cold and can trust your teammates and just focus on your job....you play fast.  It looks super fast on the field.  A 4.8 kid that diagnoses a play 1 second faster than a 4.6 kid will win that race.  Graham has 4.6 and the occasional 4.5 that play to their top end speed. Additionally, contrary to a lot of thought, speed can still be coached.  The good coaches are training game speed and not doing conditioning that entails running sideline to sideline at 60%. 

Very few times will he get blown out bc of the style of play. SH only won 27-6 and it was 7-6 at the half and they were way better. Graham has won by a few TDs a couple times but if Union doesn’t turn it over they are usually there at the end.  Problems arise in clock management, predictability and under utilizing their talent.  I’ve never seen a coach be so flippant with TOs. I’d give away five yards in early first quarter to save a timeout, much less early third.  It’s insane. His dad didn’t seem to have that issue I dunno what’s caused this.  I think some of its indecisiveness and some parts he isn’t a strict guy who drills kids into always being ready formation wise when play clock is going down.  Sending QB to sideline every play is insanity and I’ll go to my grave saying that. Talk between possessions, maybe after a first down, but send in the calls either with a WR or signals. Every other coach on the planet does it. We can figure it out. 

Honestly, I think a lot of Graham's success and athleticism and speed advantages are from kids that practice and work on football year round.  Folks, they aren't cranking out 4.4 speed.  What they are doing is producing kids that "play fast".  When you absolutely know your job cold and can trust your teammates and just focus on your job....you play fast.  It looks super fast on the field.  A 4.8 kid that diagnoses a play 1 second faster than a 4.6 kid will win that race.  Graham has 4.6 and the occasional 4.5 that play to their top end speed. Additionally, contrary to a lot of thought, speed can still be coached.  The good coaches are training game speed and not doing conditioning that entails running sideline to sideline at 60%. 

Now come on.  Union doesn't get curb stomped.  That's the plus side to Turner...he usually is in every game.

Honestly, I think a lot of Graham's success and athleticism and speed advantages are from kids that practice and work on football year round.  Folks, they aren't cranking out 4.4 speed.  What they are doing is producing kids that "play fast".  When you absolutely know your job cold and can trust your teammates and just focus on your job....you play fast.  It looks super fast on the field.  A 4.8 kid that diagnoses a play 1 second faster than a 4.6 kid will win that race.  Graham has 4.6 and the occasional 4.5 that play to their top end speed. Additionally, contrary to a lot of thought, speed can still be coached.  The good coaches are training game speed and not doing conditioning that entails running sideline to sideline at 60%. 

Honestly, I think a lot of Graham's success and athleticism and speed advantages are from kids that practice and work on football year round.  Folks, they aren't cranking out 4.4 speed.  What they are doing is producing kids that "play fast".  When you absolutely know your job cold and can trust your teammates and just focus on your job....you play fast.  It looks super fast on the field.  A 4.8 kid that diagnoses a play 1 second faster than a 4.6 kid will win that race.  Graham has 4.6 and the occasional 4.5 that play to their top end speed. Additionally, contrary to a lot of thought, speed can still be coached.  The good coaches are training game speed and not doing conditioning that entails running sideline to sideline at 60%. 

"Our JV RB benches 275 and runs a 4.5 40!"  
---Running through reality translator---
Our varsity fourth string RB benches 210 and runs a 4.82 40.😄

Yep.  The only thing exaggerated more in SWVA football than size is 40 yard dash times.  🤣

LED lights (assuming same setup that Rye Cove has (which is awesome), While you are at it, PLEASE upgrade our PA system. Bullitt Park is arguably the best atmosphere/venue to catch a football game in SWVA,but 90% of the time all that we hear from the press box are mumbles, leaving fans asking each other who made the play half of the time.
 
 

You’re still being generous lol 

Some woman in BSG will just screenshot criticism of the coach and put it on Facebook, saying we are disrespecting the kids. 
 
I don’t understand. Union has the talent. Their coaching staff sets them up to fail. It’s like the coaching staff there is trying to lose. 

"Our JV RB benches 275 and runs a 4.5 40!"  
---Running through reality translator---
Our varsity fourth string RB benches 210 and runs a 4.82 40.😄

Hey....hey...easy now...it is technically anywhere between the tackles.