Blu_Man

Anyone have any info on the Beavers scrimmage with Shady?

Sounds slightly more promising than expected. Passing D doesn't really concern me bc of the D Simon runs and the competition in WV AA. He wants to get after the QB and man up in the D back bc most schools in WV won't have an outstanding passing game or a line that can give a lot of time. Any team with a good line and QB will give them problems every year. With the QB and RBs being young, they have a lot to look forward too. The schedule this year is a beast, just hope they continue to get better. 12 DAYS!!!!

Just wondering if anyone went and what they thought?

I am going to assume his last name is Gleason. So I haven't heard the name, don't know much about him or what class he is in.

Heard someone discussing a kid from Bluefield who transferred to Richlands. They said he was running with first team in drills. Some tall, lanky kid. They said people were not impressed when they saw him play for Bluefield in the 7on 7s. They may be mistaken, just curious if it were true.

The 86-0 score came from Wyoming East a few years back. And if you can recall Bluefield had 5 TDs of more than 50 yareds and 4 of them came off of FB traps right up the middle late in the game. Does Bluefield put up alot of points, yes. But alot of them come from big yardage plays. I can not recall anytime Simon throwing deep bombs late in the second half when up a bunch. The point system deal, some may not agree with. I think Coach Mance likes having home field any time he can get it when regionals come around and the more points the better. Playing a good team in Bluefield will help teams that are not in jeopardy of missing the playoffs, Gate City last year and Richlands every year. But beating Pulaski with a good record will help Richlands more with points. The WV teams that don't or won't play Bluefield are at jeopardy each year when comes playoffs. Other than James Monroe, most southern AA schools are one or two games from making or not making the playoffs. And like mentioned previously in a post, if you lose a game in WV you don't get ANY points. Bluefield has played South Charleston, Martinsburg, and schools from out of state each year and the bigger the class and win gets you more points. Graham will never not play Bluefield. It is too big of a rivalry and the gate is huge, they split it every year. It has nothing to do with Graham not being scared. It is the money and the history. The Bluefield scheduling drama and the schools "ducking" them will go on for many years, unless WV mandates conferences, which I hope they don't. And everyone will have their own opinion on the topic. Just try to look at other peoples as well.

I don't think teams look at Bluefield as unbeatable. People need to look at it a little more different. Richlands will drive past Bluefield to go to Pulaski, did anyone call them out? No. Coach Simon even stated in the paper he would love to add them to the schedule, they just got to call. The VA point system is different. Richlands will get more points from Pulaski than Bluefield, unless Pulaski bombs every year. The "local" teams in WV that won't schedule Bluefield look at some what the same way. They may think that playing Bluefield is a loss to them. If you look at their records, they are usually one or two losses away from being knocked out of the playoffs. To them that is the first goal. If they have to meet Bluefield in the playoffs then so be it. Teams are not scared of them, they just look at the "big picture" for their team first. Coach Damewood at Pikeview made a statement in the paper a while back similar. He is trying to build a team and he will slowly add stiffer competition. You have to build confidence before you can build a team. The other schools see each year a 6-4 record and say one more loss then no playoffs. Richlands goes for more points and Tazewell may as well, Giles may give more points than Bluefield if they have a decent record. I am all about playing the better teams to make your team better, which Coach Simon does. But you have to look at the whole picture first. I think Coach Simon likes the challenge of the teams he plays each year. I am sure he would prefer a full schedule, but you have to take what you can. This year for Bluefield the schedule may do them in, but consistently it helps a lot. A 6-4 year for Bluefield makes them much more strong when it comes playoff time. The teams from Charlotte will expose their weaknesses and show them where they need to get better. And they will know what it feels like to get hit in the mouth. Every team has a different mentality when it comes to schedules, and I don't think people duck Bluefield because they are scared. They just look at the big picture first.

If there is a year that Bluefield will not be contending, this could be the one. Not much at all is coming back. They lost 4 of 5 lineman, qb, rb, wideouts, and most of the defense. They do have some really good underclassman who got some pt in the blow out games last year. The QB will be a sophomore, the RB will be a sophomore and the line will be inexperienced. What will hurt them the most will be the schedule. Adding another private school from NC is a test and only having 9 games may hurt.

All of which fits Tate. He was raised and played HS in MS, went to WVU, and is a guidance counselor. People have hurt feelings bc asst coaches from tazewell applied and so did the middle school coach, who I heard called a booster and was irate they were all supporting Tate. Tazewell is a small town and small program. They need to get away from the "home grown, home cooking" if they want to better themselves. Tate, if he does well and leaves, may help tazewell by people thinking it can be a good stepping stone and turn it into a higher profile gig that people would want. The long haul shouldnt be looked at as a requirement or even a preference. If he does well, then it will get others who may have a similar background than he does to want it after him. It also excites the kids to play for someone with a decent profile. But, if he gets taken out to Cuz's for diner like he has by the admin, which was before the "interviews," and gets some money contributors padding the deal, *Jim Ramey,* he may stay a while.

What I heard that really sealed the deal, is that their is a guidance counselor position open at Tazewell and that Tate has a degree and is certified in that. The experience comes from being a D1 player and a grad assistant. I have seen college coaches at the D2 level get hired as position coaches based off of being a D1 player and a grad asst, so I think that qualifies as a HS coach.

They interview because it is a formality. I agree they will probably be looking for a new coach in a few years as well.

Not a rumor. Its Brandon Tate. Will be announced Tuesday.

WV uses grades 9-11 of the fall before the classifications change. So when the changes take affect those 9-11 are the 10-12.

GMan Go to the wvssac website. There is 40 in AAA, 40 in AA, and 51 in A, which the a few of them do not compete in football. It is not equal thirds, and never has been. The disparity is in the numbers, not the private-public. People do think there is an issue with private-public competing together, but the discussions about the 4 class system would have the private schools competing in AA, which would give the smaller schools there own class. It would also lower the gap in enrollment in what is now AAA. A four class system could be split in fourths or a 30, 30, 30, 41 with some schools in A not competing in all sports.

The WVSSAC currently wants 40 teams in AAA, 40 Teams in AA, and the rest in A. The actual cut off numbers for each class vary each time they classify to get those numbers. A lot of people think a 4 class system would be better, but I don't see that happening. The disparity in enrollment in AAA is the biggest. The school with the highest enrollment is double that of the team with the lowest. In AA and A there is about a +300 from top to bottom in enrollment.

redtiger WV classifies based off of enrollment but they only count 3 grades. They use the numbers from grades 9-11 in the fall the year before the classifications change. They re-classify every 4 years.

Based off of enrollments, only three of the 49 teams in D3 have numbers in the 600s. Bluefield's numbers go along with D2, and if they were in D2 they would be very competitive.

As a whole, the competition in VA is much harder. I dont think AA Division 3 has the best teams in VA. I think there may have been 1 or 2 years where Bluefield was in the title game that they would not have been in VA

The whole Bluefield-Richlands thing got me thinking about state titles. Do you feel it is harder to win a state title in WV or VA? I know the point systems are different and the divisions in VA, etc. but if Bluefield was across the state line and in the same division as Richlands would they have as many titles as they do, less, or more, or if Richlands was in WV would they have any titles. Just curious what others think.

The article from the paper with simon came out thursday. i was told today from an individual from richlands it was announced at the richlands game friday that they signed a four year deal with bluefield.

I hate the idea of a conference in the south. It may be beneficial for scheduling, but horrible for SOS. From all the schools that would be in the conference, only Bluefield and James Monroe have scheduling problems. JM has scheduled some VA schools and go to Ohio this year and Bluefield always going out of state. Bluefield are who they are because of their schedule each year. The other AA southern schools would be no contest for Bluefield year in and out and would hurt the Beavers by not seeing tough games. They get beat up, hit in the mouth, and even lose to the teams they schedule. Come playoff time, that makes them dangerous. It would also be boring seeing Bluefield play the same teams every year. Bluefield coaches, players, and administrators are not as upset as everyone else seems to be about scheduling. They like the challenges.

CCD is on the schedule next year bc it is the second game of a home and home. The above mentioned teams hiding from Bluefield, I wouldnt want on the schedule. The schedule is what makes Bluefield who they are each year. They know what it feels like to lose, be down, fight back, get hit in the mouth, have their weaknesses exposed. Come playoff time, they are battle tested and know how to respond.

Exactly that, rumors. Just b/c a school gets kids who transfer regularly does not mean they are recruiting them. Richlands' record and competitiveness each year may "recruit" the kids to want to transfer. The Johnson kids didnt have much choice. They are better off at Richlands than River View anyway. Way more colleges will take them more serious. Their dad works for the railroad and was sent or transferred to Grundy. Bluefield has kids transfer often, most from Graham or Princeton.

7-3 would not surprise me. The losses to CCD and WF were not predictions, just looking at what could happen. CCD did lose friday in OT. GC was blown out in the second half by Richlands, but could still be tough. Wayne is always tough. Bluefield is experienced at most positions, but it doesnt always show. The line has a hard time picking up blitzes up the middle and the backs need to tuck the ball and not swing it around. The defense is def the backbone as it has been the past few years. An 8-2 or 7-3 Bluefield is more dangerous come playoff time then any 10-0 or 9-1 team.

I dont think you can judge "how good" bluefield will be after they play CCD. They were pushed around and beat up last year pretty bad. The score was close, but being in the stands it was much worse. Lilly kept them close by running the wildcat the whole second half after Beckett was hurt. Like mentioned before, Bluefield lacks the go to players they have had in the past. They will be in the playoffs and make alot of noise, just depends on what other AA schools have this year if someone can beat them. If they went 7-3, it would not surprise me. Their schedule is extreme. Losses to CCD, WF, and maybe Gate City or Wayne.