old_school_blue

No Tarter was not an assistant.  There is no connection between this team and the 92 team, other than Brannon Breeding, who I believe is on staff under Tarter.  I was lucky enough to be a member of the 92 team, my ring still reads "State Champion."  Football has changed, the game, much like our society has become more about prestige and less workmanlike.  The teams were better, the players were tougher, the coaches were more focused on the fundamentals, and yes, better.  Dennis Vaught will always have nay-sayers, the people that know him and played for him know better.  In my opinion, he is the best pure football coach to ever walk the sidelines in Richlands.  If you want to talk about state titles, he won two titles with schools that never had won one before, Lexington and Richlands.  He was a throwback coach cast more in the mold of a Bear Bryant compared to today's coaches (high school and collegiate.)  In the past, I would get upset when people brought up the cleats.  Not so much now, my feelings are mixed.  I am grateful that my path crossed his as he taught me many lessons, more about life than football.  It also saddens me that the players on that team are not celebrated as they should be.  I am sure everyone remembers Breeding and Harrison.  There were others on that team that worked their asses off and did not waste their opportunity.  Yancy Tabor was the tackle that no one knows, yet he is probably the best pure OL technician to ever play at Richlands.  Chris Crawford and Brian Triplett were the guards and Adam Yost was the other tackle, all supremely talented.  The center was Sam Barnett.  Willis White himself remarked at the VHSL All-Star game in 92 that Barnett was the best High School center that he ever saw.  There were Brad Salyers, Terry Monk and Brad Davis, all three exceptional and all three taken from us way too soon.  The assistant coaches were all tremendous as well.  Richie Thomas, Brian Johnson, Dennis Palmer (probably the best football coach in SWVA right now), Terry Wess...etc.  With the mention of the Marion game, I remember that it was a very sloppy field and Marion had run the double wing with a 5'8" 240 lb. full back or "B" back.  That guy was impressive and had no quit in him.  The mud made him impossible to bring down.  The game winner was rung up by Josh Perkins who by far was the best kicker ever at Richlands at that point in history.  They have had a few good ones since.  Also, Powell Valley pushed us to the brink in Big Stone as we slipped by them 16 to 15, I think.  Many good local teams then.

To respond to Tornado99 first, Kevin Smith played a little fullback and was a starting linebacker, Kenny "Mossy" Lowe was the starting strong safety, that was more of an outside linebacker position.  Matt Deel was a tight end along with Harrison.  Brad Salyers was the "fullback" in the split back veer, he was as dangerous as Breeding.  Brad was a brilliant student and an exceptional football player and wrestler.  Now to the Czar.  I feel there are more athletes today and less what I call, "football players."  From a safety standpoint, at least in high school, I feel yesteryear was safer for players.  These spread offenses place players in positions that have defenders teeing off on them from distances that allow them to get up to speed.  As the saying goes, "speed kills."  I firmly believe these types of offenses breed injuries especially head injuries.  When you think about big hits, passes to the flats, crossing patterns or special teams is where you will find them.  A four-yard fullback dive, not so much, too many bodies.  I will concede that concussion protocols are now paramount, back then there wasn't any awareness or information available as there is today.  One more tidbit about the Marion game, Chris Harrison, who was an all-state player at linebacker and tight end, collected over 30 tackles in the Marion game as it went into multiple overtime periods.

No Tarter was not an assistant.  There is no connection between this team and the 92 team, other than Brannon Breeding, who I believe is on staff under Tarter.  I was lucky enough to be a member of the 92 team, my ring still reads "State Champion."  Football has changed, the game, much like our society has become more about prestige and less workmanlike.  The teams were better, the players were tougher, the coaches were more focused on the fundamentals, and yes, better.  Dennis Vaught will always have nay-sayers, the people that know him and played for him know better.  In my opinion, he is the best pure football coach to ever walk the sidelines in Richlands.  If you want to talk about state titles, he won two titles with schools that never had won one before, Lexington and Richlands.  He was a throwback coach cast more in the mold of a Bear Bryant compared to today's coaches (high school and collegiate.)  In the past, I would get upset when people brought up the cleats.  Not so much now, my feelings are mixed.  I am grateful that my path crossed his as he taught me many lessons, more about life than football.  It also saddens me that the players on that team are not celebrated as they should be.  I am sure everyone remembers Breeding and Harrison.  There were others on that team that worked their asses off and did not waste their opportunity.  Yancy Tabor was the tackle that no one knows, yet he is probably the best pure OL technician to ever play at Richlands.  Chris Crawford and Brian Triplett were the guards and Adam Yost was the other tackle, all supremely talented.  The center was Sam Barnett.  Willis White himself remarked at the VHSL All-Star game in 92 that Barnett was the best High School center that he ever saw.  There were Brad Salyers, Terry Monk and Brad Davis, all three exceptional and all three taken from us way too soon.  The assistant coaches were all tremendous as well.  Richie Thomas, Brian Johnson, Dennis Palmer (probably the best football coach in SWVA right now), Terry Wess...etc.  With the mention of the Marion game, I remember that it was a very sloppy field and Marion had run the double wing with a 5'8" 240 lb. full back or "B" back.  That guy was impressive and had no quit in him.  The mud made him impossible to bring down.  The game winner was rung up by Josh Perkins who by far was the best kicker ever at Richlands at that point in history.  They have had a few good ones since.  Also, Powell Valley pushed us to the brink in Big Stone as we slipped by them 16 to 15, I think.  Many good local teams then.

God, what a fantastic post. I love hearing about the history that haunts over old Ernie. The legacy and pride of the games played there. Amazing. 
I won't argue that football now a days is less hard nosed, but I will argue talent and safety when it comes to the sport today. A lot of people might use the word "sissy" to describe, but the sport now a days is more skill passed than ever before and less about battling in the trenches, knocking yourself out for that one extra yard. Back in the day, you could see, like you say, a full back run an entire game. But now, you have skill players in the middle of an offense that make it almost unmanageable to do. However, I would love to see it go back to a time like that... Safety first though. No one wants to see an 16 year old kid out there being carted off because he suffered his fifth concussion of the game because the coach and doctor told him to just "suck it up." 

Great post! While not on that team, I remember most of the moments and players during that year. If I recall correctly, Brad Salyers was the “fullback” with Breeding during most games when in split backs. Kevin Smith, Kenny Lowe, and/or Matt Deel were the lead backs in front of Breeding in that state semifinal.

Blues' Josh Perkins (previously mentioned by @old_school_blue ) kicking the eventual game-winning FG in '92 against Marion in Double OT. It was an absolute clutch kick in the worst of conditions. I was standing on the top row of the visitors bleachers just out of frame.
The photo was posted here a number of years ago by the Mayor  @cityofRaven

Thanks for the trip down memory lane! I graduated from Tazewell the year before, coach Vaught was my o line coach my jr. year. I just talked to him this past weekend. As you said, he taught me more about football than any other coach I had. Love him or hate him, he was one heck of a football coach.

No Tarter was not an assistant.  There is no connection between this team and the 92 team, other than Brannon Breeding, who I believe is on staff under Tarter.  I was lucky enough to be a member of the 92 team, my ring still reads "State Champion."  Football has changed, the game, much like our society has become more about prestige and less workmanlike.  The teams were better, the players were tougher, the coaches were more focused on the fundamentals, and yes, better.  Dennis Vaught will always have nay-sayers, the people that know him and played for him know better.  In my opinion, he is the best pure football coach to ever walk the sidelines in Richlands.  If you want to talk about state titles, he won two titles with schools that never had won one before, Lexington and Richlands.  He was a throwback coach cast more in the mold of a Bear Bryant compared to today's coaches (high school and collegiate.)  In the past, I would get upset when people brought up the cleats.  Not so much now, my feelings are mixed.  I am grateful that my path crossed his as he taught me many lessons, more about life than football.  It also saddens me that the players on that team are not celebrated as they should be.  I am sure everyone remembers Breeding and Harrison.  There were others on that team that worked their asses off and did not waste their opportunity.  Yancy Tabor was the tackle that no one knows, yet he is probably the best pure OL technician to ever play at Richlands.  Chris Crawford and Brian Triplett were the guards and Adam Yost was the other tackle, all supremely talented.  The center was Sam Barnett.  Willis White himself remarked at the VHSL All-Star game in 92 that Barnett was the best High School center that he ever saw.  There were Brad Salyers, Terry Monk and Brad Davis, all three exceptional and all three taken from us way too soon.  The assistant coaches were all tremendous as well.  Richie Thomas, Brian Johnson, Dennis Palmer (probably the best football coach in SWVA right now), Terry Wess...etc.  With the mention of the Marion game, I remember that it was a very sloppy field and Marion had run the double wing with a 5'8" 240 lb. full back or "B" back.  That guy was impressive and had no quit in him.  The mud made him impossible to bring down.  The game winner was rung up by Josh Perkins who by far was the best kicker ever at Richlands at that point in history.  They have had a few good ones since.  Also, Powell Valley pushed us to the brink in Big Stone as we slipped by them 16 to 15, I think.  Many good local teams then.

No Tarter was not an assistant.  There is no connection between this team and the 92 team, other than Brannon Breeding, who I believe is on staff under Tarter.  I was lucky enough to be a member of the 92 team, my ring still reads "State Champion."  Football has changed, the game, much like our society has become more about prestige and less workmanlike.  The teams were better, the players were tougher, the coaches were more focused on the fundamentals, and yes, better.  Dennis Vaught will always have nay-sayers, the people that know him and played for him know better.  In my opinion, he is the best pure football coach to ever walk the sidelines in Richlands.  If you want to talk about state titles, he won two titles with schools that never had won one before, Lexington and Richlands.  He was a throwback coach cast more in the mold of a Bear Bryant compared to today's coaches (high school and collegiate.)  In the past, I would get upset when people brought up the cleats.  Not so much now, my feelings are mixed.  I am grateful that my path crossed his as he taught me many lessons, more about life than football.  It also saddens me that the players on that team are not celebrated as they should be.  I am sure everyone remembers Breeding and Harrison.  There were others on that team that worked their asses off and did not waste their opportunity.  Yancy Tabor was the tackle that no one knows, yet he is probably the best pure OL technician to ever play at Richlands.  Chris Crawford and Brian Triplett were the guards and Adam Yost was the other tackle, all supremely talented.  The center was Sam Barnett.  Willis White himself remarked at the VHSL All-Star game in 92 that Barnett was the best High School center that he ever saw.  There were Brad Salyers, Terry Monk and Brad Davis, all three exceptional and all three taken from us way too soon.  The assistant coaches were all tremendous as well.  Richie Thomas, Brian Johnson, Dennis Palmer (probably the best football coach in SWVA right now), Terry Wess...etc.  With the mention of the Marion game, I remember that it was a very sloppy field and Marion had run the double wing with a 5'8" 240 lb. full back or "B" back.  That guy was impressive and had no quit in him.  The mud made him impossible to bring down.  The game winner was rung up by Josh Perkins who by far was the best kicker ever at Richlands at that point in history.  They have had a few good ones since.  Also, Powell Valley pushed us to the brink in Big Stone as we slipped by them 16 to 15, I think.  Many good local teams then.

No Tarter was not an assistant.  There is no connection between this team and the 92 team, other than Brannon Breeding, who I believe is on staff under Tarter.  I was lucky enough to be a member of the 92 team, my ring still reads "State Champion."  Football has changed, the game, much like our society has become more about prestige and less workmanlike.  The teams were better, the players were tougher, the coaches were more focused on the fundamentals, and yes, better.  Dennis Vaught will always have nay-sayers, the people that know him and played for him know better.  In my opinion, he is the best pure football coach to ever walk the sidelines in Richlands.  If you want to talk about state titles, he won two titles with schools that never had won one before, Lexington and Richlands.  He was a throwback coach cast more in the mold of a Bear Bryant compared to today's coaches (high school and collegiate.)  In the past, I would get upset when people brought up the cleats.  Not so much now, my feelings are mixed.  I am grateful that my path crossed his as he taught me many lessons, more about life than football.  It also saddens me that the players on that team are not celebrated as they should be.  I am sure everyone remembers Breeding and Harrison.  There were others on that team that worked their asses off and did not waste their opportunity.  Yancy Tabor was the tackle that no one knows, yet he is probably the best pure OL technician to ever play at Richlands.  Chris Crawford and Brian Triplett were the guards and Adam Yost was the other tackle, all supremely talented.  The center was Sam Barnett.  Willis White himself remarked at the VHSL All-Star game in 92 that Barnett was the best High School center that he ever saw.  There were Brad Salyers, Terry Monk and Brad Davis, all three exceptional and all three taken from us way too soon.  The assistant coaches were all tremendous as well.  Richie Thomas, Brian Johnson, Dennis Palmer (probably the best football coach in SWVA right now), Terry Wess...etc.  With the mention of the Marion game, I remember that it was a very sloppy field and Marion had run the double wing with a 5'8" 240 lb. full back or "B" back.  That guy was impressive and had no quit in him.  The mud made him impossible to bring down.  The game winner was rung up by Josh Perkins who by far was the best kicker ever at Richlands at that point in history.  They have had a few good ones since.  Also, Powell Valley pushed us to the brink in Big Stone as we slipped by them 16 to 15, I think.  Many good local teams then.

No Tarter was not an assistant.  There is no connection between this team and the 92 team, other than Brannon Breeding, who I believe is on staff under Tarter.  I was lucky enough to be a member of the 92 team, my ring still reads "State Champion."  Football has changed, the game, much like our society has become more about prestige and less workmanlike.  The teams were better, the players were tougher, the coaches were more focused on the fundamentals, and yes, better.  Dennis Vaught will always have nay-sayers, the people that know him and played for him know better.  In my opinion, he is the best pure football coach to ever walk the sidelines in Richlands.  If you want to talk about state titles, he won two titles with schools that never had won one before, Lexington and Richlands.  He was a throwback coach cast more in the mold of a Bear Bryant compared to today's coaches (high school and collegiate.)  In the past, I would get upset when people brought up the cleats.  Not so much now, my feelings are mixed.  I am grateful that my path crossed his as he taught me many lessons, more about life than football.  It also saddens me that the players on that team are not celebrated as they should be.  I am sure everyone remembers Breeding and Harrison.  There were others on that team that worked their asses off and did not waste their opportunity.  Yancy Tabor was the tackle that no one knows, yet he is probably the best pure OL technician to ever play at Richlands.  Chris Crawford and Brian Triplett were the guards and Adam Yost was the other tackle, all supremely talented.  The center was Sam Barnett.  Willis White himself remarked at the VHSL All-Star game in 92 that Barnett was the best High School center that he ever saw.  There were Brad Salyers, Terry Monk and Brad Davis, all three exceptional and all three taken from us way too soon.  The assistant coaches were all tremendous as well.  Richie Thomas, Brian Johnson, Dennis Palmer (probably the best football coach in SWVA right now), Terry Wess...etc.  With the mention of the Marion game, I remember that it was a very sloppy field and Marion had run the double wing with a 5'8" 240 lb. full back or "B" back.  That guy was impressive and had no quit in him.  The mud made him impossible to bring down.  The game winner was rung up by Josh Perkins who by far was the best kicker ever at Richlands at that point in history.  They have had a few good ones since.  Also, Powell Valley pushed us to the brink in Big Stone as we slipped by them 16 to 15, I think.  Many good local teams then.

Responding to you and Bandana, as far as the Spread in Richlands, that is their comfort zone and probably all some of them know.  It is an ideology in Richlands.  IMO, there is no morphing.  Same ole, same ole.  There is little threat of the pass this year, coaching is not brain surgery.  Graham and Tazewell will lock on receivers and dedicate safeties and linebackers to the run.  This is exactly what happened to Richlands in playoff games when Mance was here.  Sorry, it is true.  Spread teams do not fire off in the same manner as teams that run traditional offenses, again, this greatly reduces their ability to consistently run the football.  If teams are going to lock corners on receivers and nullify them, why have them in the game.  Load up with blocking backs and tight ends, which makes the running game more efficient while working the clock.  I equate the spread to having a performance sports car while living in the mountains, it isn't practical. I am not knocking Tarter or any of the coaches.  I personally believe at the high school level; coaches should be married to the strengths of their kids and not trying to maintain an ideology.  Two examples come to mind, Smith at Appomattox mixing the split back veer with some spread looks.  Also, Simon in Bluefield, I have watched the Beavers run spread, double wing and the I formation, depending on the strength of his roster.

Responding to you and Bandana, as far as the Spread in Richlands, that is their comfort zone and probably all some of them know.  It is an ideology in Richlands.  IMO, there is no morphing.  Same ole, same ole.  There is little threat of the pass this year, coaching is not brain surgery.  Graham and Tazewell will lock on receivers and dedicate safeties and linebackers to the run.  This is exactly what happened to Richlands in playoff games when Mance was here.  Sorry, it is true.  Spread teams do not fire off in the same manner as teams that run traditional offenses, again, this greatly reduces their ability to consistently run the football.  If teams are going to lock corners on receivers and nullify them, why have them in the game.  Load up with blocking backs and tight ends, which makes the running game more efficient while working the clock.  I equate the spread to having a performance sports car while living in the mountains, it isn't practical. I am not knocking Tarter or any of the coaches.  I personally believe at the high school level; coaches should be married to the strengths of their kids and not trying to maintain an ideology.  Two examples come to mind, Smith at Appomattox mixing the split back veer with some spread looks.  Also, Simon in Bluefield, I have watched the Beavers run spread, double wing and the I formation, depending on the strength of his roster.

Responding to you and Bandana, as far as the Spread in Richlands, that is their comfort zone and probably all some of them know.  It is an ideology in Richlands.  IMO, there is no morphing.  Same ole, same ole.  There is little threat of the pass this year, coaching is not brain surgery.  Graham and Tazewell will lock on receivers and dedicate safeties and linebackers to the run.  This is exactly what happened to Richlands in playoff games when Mance was here.  Sorry, it is true.  Spread teams do not fire off in the same manner as teams that run traditional offenses, again, this greatly reduces their ability to consistently run the football.  If teams are going to lock corners on receivers and nullify them, why have them in the game.  Load up with blocking backs and tight ends, which makes the running game more efficient while working the clock.  I equate the spread to having a performance sports car while living in the mountains, it isn't practical. I am not knocking Tarter or any of the coaches.  I personally believe at the high school level; coaches should be married to the strengths of their kids and not trying to maintain an ideology.  Two examples come to mind, Smith at Appomattox mixing the split back veer with some spread looks.  Also, Simon in Bluefield, I have watched the Beavers run spread, double wing and the I formation, depending on the strength of his roster.

If they were an SEC school I would speculate about the existence of a big bag of cash.

We don’t like y’all much none either!

Hope the kid picks the Hokies....like seeing the VA boys stay in Virginia....as long as they don't choose UVA.....

I often wonder how differently Mance’s legacy would be viewed had that 8-5 Rockbridge County team not had that chip shot FG to win blocked in the 2005 state title game.

and 2 State Championships

Honestly, same could be said about Richlands.  More than a few playoff games lost due to holding, illegal procedure and personal fouls.

Richlands had several all-state guys left over from the 92 team and some strong underclassmen, including Jeremy McCommons as a sophmore.

An ass-kickin' is an ass-kickin'.

If my memory is correct, he made the appropriate changes on special teams and began keeping his best players on the field, which led to a state title.  I think he will do just fine here.  Changes have been needed at Richlands for a couple of years, I am glad Thad is home and hope he stays a while.  I hope he catches fire and eventually runs into Giles in the playoffs, should have a little different result than that quagmire a couple of years ago.

They test for nicotine as well. If they did this 20 years ago they wouldn’t have any one eligible.

DV was brilliant, period. As a person, not a rock star, but he was an excellent coach and he could take his and best yours, and he could take yours and best his. Theres a difference in making racial slurs (which is 100 percent wrong) and being a racist. I think one poster is implying the latter. I played golf with Dennis and Phil Rogers. Of the countless times he played with Phil, I hoped he wasn't "racist," lol.  Dennis had a temper, but he wasn't a racist. Dennis was similar to Paul Wheeler. Both vicious competitors and brilliant coaches, but both had issues with their administrators wherever they went. Paul even had issues at Lafayette with administration and Dennis even at Lexington and P.Henry long before Richlands. But, both could flat out coach.
There are many faults people have. That includes Harry Fry, Glenn Carlock, and Gainer. There are some negatives and positives all of them had, even in their personal lives, they were far from perfect. Oversll though, much more good than bad.