Abingdon @ Gate City

[Leatherhead Larry 530]

16 minutes ago, TTownTigers said:

Just back and no question, it just wasn't close.  So much for 7-3 Gate City and a win over Abingdon.  Man, I think my wishful thinking is clouding my judgement these days.  We have a ways to go before we are good again.  Congrats to Coach Reed and Abingdon.  I am not one that believes you can be good for 50 + years due to only great talent, and then magically lose that talent in the last 4-5 years.  Sure, there are ups and downs in talent from here to there season by season, but as a whole, over the long run, talent is somewhat similar which points out the obvious.  The obvious was/is ...coaching matters.  Harry Fry was a legend.  Just simply the best.  Colobro was very good.  Coaching makes a huge difference at the High School level and it matters.  When people say, "it's tough to replace a legend."  What they are really saying is......."you had an excellent coach and the odds of getting two excellent coaches in a row are slim, and the odds are you will not get one as good as you just had, so your program is going to fall off some."  Essentially, is that not what they are saying?  Of course it is.  You know what else, it's true usually.  I am not saying Coach Akers is a bad coach either because there again, are ups and downs in talent and we certainly don't look that talented out there, but sooner or later, it will turn around if Coach Akers is a solid coach, but it just ain't happening this year.  Maybe next year. 

Better not talk like that. Olebluedev will scalde you! Gotta stay up beat and be glad we made the extra point this week and only gave up 28! 

[BigO 316]

I wasn't at the game but listened on radio.  It would've been a closer game had GC not fumbled at very inopportune times.  Turnovers are part of the game of course, but AHS really benefitted from GC's turnovers.  Abingdon sounded decent with the run game, not so much the throw game (to quote Butch Jones..he calls it the "throw game" for those that haven't heard that..lol). Hard to tell (by listening) if AHS executes well or if GC just had a bad game.  For any of you that were at the game, how smooth is the AHS offense? How would you describe AHS play? Physical? Fast? 

[GC HOKE 27]

9 minutes ago, BigO said:

I wasn't at the game but listened on radio.  It would've been a closer game had GC not fumbled at very inopportune times.  Turnovers are part of the game of course, but AHS really benefitted from GC's turnovers.  Abingdon sounded decent with the run game, not so much the throw game (to quote Butch Jones..he calls it the "throw game" for those that haven't heard that..lol). Hard to tell (by listening) if AHS executes well or if GC just had a bad game.  For any of you that were at the game, how smooth is the AHS offense? How would you describe AHS play? Physical? Fast? 

I was at the game.  Abingdon was stronger and faster in all facets of the game.  Yes, GC hurt themselves with fumbles inside the redzone twice, but to be fair, Abingdon also dropped an easy TD pass on their first possession after their opening kick return score. So, it still would have been a two touchdown game.  Abingdon looked to have a solid club, but nowhere near the teams they had the last couple of years.  They have good, tough running backs.  QB play was solid, but I don't think they will hurt teams with the pass.  They were definitely the better team tonight though.  GC just has no depth or team speed at all.  They did play hard and didn't give up, which I like to see. 

[Jason 299]

How many turnovers did GC have tonight?

[Bigbluecannonball 0]

To Leatherhead Larry, just wanted to let you know I'm the real Dirty Dan. Wondering your opinions on the quarterback options and if the offensive lineman are as good as the ones that lost 55-0 in a state championship game?

[BigO 316]

29 minutes ago, GC HOKE said:

I was at the game.  Abingdon was stronger and faster in all facets of the game.  Yes, GC hurt themselves with fumbles inside the redzone twice, but to be fair, Abingdon also dropped an easy TD pass on their first possession after their opening kick return score. So, it still would have been a two touchdown game.  Abingdon looked to have a solid club, but nowhere near the teams they had the last couple of years.  They have good, tough running backs.  QB play was solid, but I don't think they will hurt teams with the pass.  They were definitely the better team tonight though.  GC just has no depth or team speed at all.  They did play hard and didn't give up, which I like to see. 

Yeah, i forgot about that dropped TD pass. Announcers made it sound like he was wide open. Kid probably got a little excited. 

[GC HOKE 27]

3 minutes ago, Jason said:

How many turnovers did GC have tonight?

4 I think.  One was an interception on a hail mary at the end of the half.  The other three were fumbles and very costly.

[Observer77 12]

3 minutes ago, GC HOKE said:

4 I think.  One was an interception on a hail mary at the end of the half.  The other three were fumbles and very costly.

5 - four lost fumbles and the interception.  GC put the ball on the ground on several other occasions that they were able to recover.  No other way to say it, it was just plain ugly. 

[GC HOKE 27]

47 minutes ago, Observer77 said:

5 - four lost fumbles and the interception.  GC put the ball on the ground on several other occasions that they were able to recover.  No other way to say it, it was just plain ugly. 

I agree cuz.

[Widespread_Panic 197]

11 hours ago, TTownTigers said:

Congrats to Coach Reed and Abingdon.  I am not one that believes you can be good for 50 + years due to only great talent, and then magically lose that talent in the last 4-5 years.  Sure, there are ups and downs in talent from here to there season by season, but as a whole, over the long run, talent is somewhat similar which points out the obvious.  The obvious was/is ...coaching matters.  

Gate City has the talent but that talent is focusing on basketball. If McClung and Ervin were in the backfield or at wide receiver Gate City wins a lot more games just off their athleticism. The success of the basketball program is hurting the football team. Akers needs to recruit those kids to football or they will continue to struggle. 

[Great City 210]

We played hard. Just a matter of being beaten by a better team. 

I said earlier in this thread that our kick coverage team had to be improved............Abingdon took the opening kick back 90 yards for a score. Will happen several more times this year if we do not make some changes. 

5 turnovers last night, and 5 turnovers last week against Richlands. 10 turnovers in 2 weeks. Wonder if we are leading the state in that category?

 

 

 

[HowTheWestWasWon2017 24]

Radford was a football school in the 80's but since Coach Cormany's arrival we are mostly known for our basketball.  A lot of that is because the players gravitate to our basketball program because Coach Cormany is a players coach.  He is all about his players well being and his team enjoying playing the game.  Don't get me wrong. Coach disciplines with structure but all the players love playing for the Bobcats. They know they will be pushed and have fun doing it.  If Gate City has become a "basketball school" as you say, I am sure it began longer ago than you thought because players started realizing where they would compete and work hard and at the same time having fun and winning for a coach that they love playing for.  You probably wont like hearing this but until that changes your school will probably continue to be a"basketball school" because players gravitate to people who enjoy what they do and enjoy having them there with them.  Sounds like a lot of your best coaches are in the basketball program especially if your school is a "basketball school" now.  Kids know who care about them not that the football coaches do not do so now. Kids are fickle though. As long as your basketball program stays hot and is very enthusiastic about the kids it will probably be your best program at Gate City. That is how it has been at Radford for a while and Cormany even encourages them to play football.  I think that makes them want to play for him even more.  The kids love a coach who supports them no matter what they do.  Just a perspective from the outside for you to think about.  Good luck to the Devils in future games though. All teams run through down cycles. Devils may be experiencing one now. Its your attitude though this cycle that will determine whether Gate City remains a "basketball school" or whether football makes a comeback.  Just my thoughts on the matter. 

[gc1 34]

13 hours ago, Widespread_Panic said:

Gate City has the talent but that talent is focusing on basketball. If McClung and Ervin were in the backfield or at wide receiver Gate City wins a lot more games just off their athleticism. The success of the basketball program is hurting the football team. Akers needs to recruit those kids to football or they will continue to struggle. 

Akers can recruit these kids to FB til the cows come home and unless he makes it fun to play for him they won't. Akers has to sell his program. I respect the kids playing FB now while the program is down. They play because they love GCHS football. As you say, kids like Ervin/McClung would be difference makers in FB. But you can't blame them for not wanting to especially with them being recruited fairly high in BB.

[Jason 299]

Who is number 12 that completed the punt fake pass?

[Olebluedev 13]

Culbertson

[mw0729 18]

12 is zac Culbertson but I thought pyne threw the pass but I'm not sure. 

Hard to sell your program from Bristol!

[Gridiron60 2,554]

On 8/28/2017 at 4:18 PM, Union_Fan said:

This week last year, GC was handled by Richlands and Abingdon beat down Battle. This year, both games were significantly closer. It would appear that Battle and GC have improved a lot. It also seems that Richlands and Abingdon aren't as explosive.

If GC avoids the turnovers they may eek out a victory. However, if frogs had wings...

Abingdon 42
GC 28

Richlands did not have a very good showing against GC even though Blues won. Too bad they dropped Abingdon from their schedule, last year's game was a good match up. Terrible rainy one but good game. 

[Jason 299]

8 hours ago, Gridiron60 said:

Richlands did not have a very good showing against GC even though Blues won. 

This should tell you everything you need to know about GC. If Richlands don't blow GC out then they didn't have a good showing. 

[Union_Fan 2,154]

10 hours ago, Gridiron60 said:

Richlands did not have a very good showing against GC even though Blues won. Too bad they dropped Abingdon from their schedule, last year's game was a good match up. Terrible rainy one but good game. 

 

2 hours ago, Jason said:

This should tell you everything you need to know about GC. If Richlands don't blow GC out then they didn't have a good showing. 

I can't speak to their showing against GC, but they don't appear to have the talent this year that they've had the last several.

[Leatherhead Larry 530]

On 9/1/2017 at 11:13 PM, Bigbluecannonball said:

To Leatherhead Larry, just wanted to let you know I'm the real Dirty Dan. Wondering your opinions on the quarterback options and if the offensive lineman are as good as the ones that lost 55-0 in a state championship game?

Ok? 

I assuming you mean options as in, who else do we have that can play QB? 

And, I also assume you mean linemen and not lineman. Pretty sure the 07 team had more than 1 lineman? 

And just to correct you, it was 52-0. 

[Leatherhead Larry 530]

Just a correction for a convo above: 

#88 Pyne completed the fake punt. #12 Culbertson threw the incompletion on the HB pass a couple plays before. 

[Leatherhead Larry 530]

4 hours ago, Union_Fan said:

 

I can't speak to their showing against GC, but they don't appear to have the talent this year that they've had the last several.

Aparently no one believes what I say. I tried to tell em. 

[Gridiron60 2,554]

4 hours ago, Union_Fan said:

 

I can't speak to their showing against GC, but they don't appear to have the talent this year that they've had the last several.

It might have a bit more to do with Richlands HC getting rid of the team's defensive coordinator of over two decades. When you're known for a consistently strong defense, you probably should leave it alone. That decision is catching up to them this year, just my opinion but my cousin is a former player and he said, worst decision ever.  I think Blues will have a hard time with Blacksburg. 

[Jason 299]

30 minutes ago, Leatherhead Larry said:

Just a correction for a convo above: 

#88 Pyne completed the fake punt. #12 Culbertson threw the incompletion on the HB pass a couple plays before. 

Shows how my memory is. lol

[tbgfan 855]

11 hours ago, Gridiron60 said:

It might have a bit more to do with Richlands HC getting rid of the team's defensive coordinator of over two decades. When you're known for a consistently strong defense, you probably should leave it alone. That decision is catching up to them this year, just my opinion but my cousin is a former player and he said, worst decision ever.  I think Blues will have a hard time with Blacksburg. 

Isn't the former DC's brother now the current DC?

Bleacher coaches are some of the best.  Perfect game calling, plans and development of players, while occupying their seats for 2-3 hours on Friday nights. 

No ill will intended toward anyone, past or present.