BHC-PREP FOOTBALL: Akers ready to go at Gate City helm

[trublue 939]

Posted: Wednesday, July 27, 2016 11:10 pm

PREP FOOTBALL: Akers ready to go at Gate City helm Tim Hayes | Bristol Herald Courier

 

excerpt:

 

Football practice begins today for Virginia High School League teams and it will officially signal the start of a new era for the Gate City Blue Devils.

Chris Akers is just the school’s fifth head football coach since 1953 as the 35-year-old takes over a program steeped in tradition.

[Leatherhead Larry 530]

Go Big Blue!!! GC had 50+ players out today.

[BlackWolf5 26]

Richlands vs GC 1st game is going to set the way for one of these teams! 50 + kids that's great how many did Richlands have out?

[local_insight 146]

At the moment 65 for Richlands, someone always quits though.

[GMan 3,569]

I think Chris will do well at Gate City.

[SXSW 559]

Yes he will, if left alone. he has a really good freshman class coming in and I believe that this season may be his worst and after that he will very successful.

[Leatherhead Larry 530]

Akers has already done great things with the program and I expect it to keep progressing. He's brought much needed pride and hard work back to the program. If GC doesn't win it won't be because they are out of shape, I bet ya that.

[GC_Quincy 582]

After watching them Friday, they definitely won't be lazy.

[SXSW 559]

Have they surprised you, I have heard that there is a completely different vibe with them, than this time last year. I was told that a little bit of the lost pride has returned!

[Jason 299]

Who will the RB be this year?

[redtiger 1,742]

What is GC going to be running?

 

I assume the days of Double Tights T are over

[SXSW 559]

The "full house backfield" when you got the backs to run it is tough to stop. Coach Fry once told me that all he needed to do was avg. 3.5 yards per carry and zero turnovers and he's take his chances and win 75% of his games. But I have no clue what they will run or who the backs will be. The lack of running game outside of Collier was a problem last year, I was told that they had a few good backs but they were young.

[West12aaa 99]

The "full house backfield" when you got the backs to run it is tough to stop. Coach Fry once told me that all he needed to do was avg. 3.5 yards per carry and zero turnovers and he's take his chances and win 75% of his games. But I have no clue what they will run or who the backs will be. The lack of running game outside of Collier was a problem last year, I was told that they had a few good backs but they were young.

T formation/Wing t - deception take what the defense give you

 

Power I/double wing - point of attack, force the defense to adjust, attack adjustment

 

Everything wants to grind out 4 yards a play and hurt you for more after an adjustment. Linemen is what drives theses systems. Best high school approach in the lower classifications.

 

As to why it is frowed upon so much. I'll let nick saban explain

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/10/hey_coach_why_dont_you_run_the.html

[Leatherhead Larry 530]

What is GC going to be running?

 

I assume the days of Double Tights T are over

Can't say ;)

[redtiger 1,742]

With todays larger players(especially linemen) large and powerful OL are needed to operate from run heavy systems and most schools don't have those types. Its hard to move a 280 DT that benches 315 unless you've got a couple of pretty big and strong OL and many schools don't have those. A stalemate at the los wont do it, you've got to have movement. Weight programs are the key and most small schools don't have very successful weight programs. Programs like Gate City have historically been very successful in that department and has led to them being able to pretty much run whatever they want.

 

Its easier to run option when you have a 150lb RB running through the arm tackle of a 180lb DT, as was the case when the option was developed. Its a different story with a 170lb RB and a 250lb DT.

 

QBs and WRs have also gotten much better. Completion percentages are up and that makes throwing the ball more effective than running the ball. If I can throw the ball 3 times, complete 2 and get 15 yards that's better than running it 3 times and maybe getting 10 yards, not to mention if the D plays up and stops one run at the los im in 4th and 3...

 

I love heavy sets, I love option plays but I understand the move toward a more pass oriented, wide open offense.

 

Just my perspective on things.

[1inStripes 933]

I think the one thing that is overlooked in these "power systems" is the lack of time it takes to develop a play.  Small quick lineman work because they dont have to hold a block as long on most of those N/S plays.  Most point of attack blocks are angled or double teams anyway.

[West12aaa 99]

Double wings entire offensive success depends on the off tackle double team. You win that battle consistently you will do well.

[tornado99 345]

With todays larger players(especially linemen) large and powerful OL are needed to operate from run heavy systems and most schools don't have those types. Its hard to move a 280 DT that benches 315 unless you've got a couple of pretty big and strong OL and many schools don't have those. A stalemate at the los wont do it, you've got to have movement. Weight programs are the key and most small schools don't have very successful weight programs. Programs like Gate City have historically been very successful in that department and has led to them being able to pretty much run whatever they want.

 

Its easier to run option when you have a 150lb RB running through the arm tackle of a 180lb DT, as was the case when the option was developed. Its a different story with a 170lb RB and a 250lb DT.

 

QBs and WRs have also gotten much better. Completion percentages are up and that makes throwing the ball more effective than running the ball. If I can throw the ball 3 times, complete 2 and get 15 yards that's better than running it 3 times and maybe getting 10 yards, not to mention if the D plays up and stops one run at the los im in 4th and 3...

 

I love heavy sets, I love option plays but I understand the move toward a more pass oriented, wide open offense.

 

Just my perspective on things.

Great explanation! I agree 100 percent! I've noticed with the evolution of the game that now that usually your best athletes are now receivers as well, rather than at running back as it was in my day.

[SXSW 559]

I think that football has evolved to where it's all about the QB. There was a day and time, not so long ago, that the QB never had to anything other than hand the ball off and not turn it over. With the spread system, it puts your best athletes in space and the QB has taken the place on most plays of the RB and it has been that part of the game that has passed most of the program's in SW Va. by. Until recently the QB position here just didn't get developed the way it is now. But every school now that is competitive has a good to great QB or knows how to develop one. I think Richlands got ahead of the curve on that and that's what holds Union back, and Abingdon has a special QB and have been very successful. Gate City and Wise Central have good QB's too, but haven't developed the team's around them. If you brought the old coaches back from the beyond, that used to prowl the sidelines of SW Va. I don't know if they would like football now, let alone want to coach it, but things change don't they!

[redtiger 1,742]

A lot of this evolution is maximizing a players ability and physical gifts. If I've got a 6'2" 180 player that's the best player on the team I can play him at RB or WR. He bay well be able to run the ball but is that the best use of his talent, or would he be better at SE?  If I've got a kid that's 5'8" 150lbs I can run him between the tackles 20 times a game but hes going to get hurt attacking 250lb DLs and LBs, or I can play him in the Slot and he can use his quickness against like sized players.  

 

Another thing is TEs. How many teams have legit(6'+ 220lb+) TEs? I just don't see many. I see larger guys and I see slighter built guys but not a lot of guys that combine everything to play TE(size, strength and ball skills) They are either slim with ball skills(WRs) to thick and no ball skills(OLs).  Union had a true TE last year, Richlands had one(didn't really use him), Central had one(H-Back in their system), and that's about all that I can think of.  

[Ryan4VT 4,557]

Richlands still has Lowe. He's been used a lot more in 7 on 7s this summer, we'll see if it transfers over.

[West12aaa 99]

I disagree, defenses have caught and adjusted to the spread offenses. Only teams with prolific qb's are excelling or qb friendly systems (Texas a&m is an excellent example)

 

In other parts of the world, (swva still has a large influx of power run teams, Wing t, power I, etc) the spread is progressing to a more run based system. I saw in texas football talk a lot of people are changinger to an option based system.

 

Staying with what you know is key, Kentucky's belfry is an excellent example. CA Knoxville a HIGHLY rated 3a school got destroyed at the hands of belfry due to their wing t (belly option focused) Why?

Every team CAK faced was spread based and had never seen a wing t team of belfry's caliber.

 

Clint wood vs galax in 2011(I think) was another example of this

 

In, VA we see everything, thankfully. If you face spread day in day out, your DBs are focused and you have plenty of reps while you line and backers are about quick pressure and slip coverage instead of eating block and maintaining leverage.

 

It all comes down to practice time and developing talent. If you are blessed with enough talent the spread style system is perfect for you. If you have kids that can't break 5.0 40, then a ground and pound would be the system for you. Establish a excellent weight room, adjust to your talent

[sixcat 2,942]

I disagree, defenses have caught and adjusted to the spread offenses. Only teams with prolific qb's are excelling or qb friendly systems (Texas a&m is an excellent example)

 

In other parts of the world, (swva still has a large influx of power run teams, Wing t, power I, etc) the spread is progressing to a more run based system. I saw in texas football talk a lot of people are changinger to an option based system.

 

Staying with what you know is key, Kentucky's belfry is an excellent example. CA Knoxville a HIGHLY rated 3a school got destroyed at the hands of belfry due to their wing t (belly option focused) Why?

Every team CAK faced was spread based and had never seen a wing t team of belfry's caliber.

 

Clint wood vs galax in 2011(I think) was another example of this

 

In, VA we see everything, thankfully. If you face spread day in day out, your DBs are focused and you have plenty of reps while you line and backers are about quick pressure and slip coverage instead of eating block and maintaining leverage.

 

It all comes down to practice time and developing talent. If you are blessed with enough talent the spread style system is perfect for you. If you have kids that can't break 5.0 40, then a ground and pound would be the system for you. Establish a excellent weight room, adjust to your talent

Texas A&M has lost every scholarship QB they have had since Johnny Drunkballs left campus.  Galax doesn't help your argument in this scenario either.  Galax has never ran a spread offense!

[redtiger 1,742]

Only physically big teams are running ground and pound offenses and being successful. Clintwood was HUGE for a 1A team and were one of the largest teams to ever come out of SWVA. Galax is also a very large team. Honaker is a ground and pound team and also traditionally has a lot of size, when they don't they go with more shotgun.

 

Essex was a ground and pound team but were HUGE when Haysi played them(250lb+ FB and a 250lb+ TE to go along w/ a OL that probably averaged 260lbs).

 

Belfry is a MASSIVE team. This years roster boasts 11 players over 200lbs and 3 over 300lbs and the roster isint complete. Their TEs are listed at 6'2" 285lbs and 6'5" 300lbs. With that kind of size they can run anything they want, they just happen to prefer to run Belly Option.

 

Ridgeview tried to run ground and pound last year and it blew up in their faces. Quick players got to the TB before he could get to the los and big teams overwhelmed an undersized C, TE and FB(all 3 were good players, the FB and TE were fine in space but struggled in the box, the C will make a fine FB at Grundy).

 

The only teams that are run based and successful without being very large in SWVA are GW and JIB(and JIB was really big up front last year).

 

Things are swinging back toward the running game but smaller teams will find little success running the ball, regardless of how talented they are.

[Ryan4VT 4,557]

Texas A&M has lost every scholarship QB they have had since Johnny Drunkballs left campus. Galax doesn't help your argument in this scenario either. Galax has never ran a spread offense!

You'll learn he's a lot of hot air lol.