Who's Winning 2D Coach of the Year

[BandanaVTDavis4321 1,717]

This one might be tough to score.  Tazewell, Gate City, Richlands, and Lee High (improved a bunch) are off the table because their records just aren't good enough.

Central, RV, Union, Graham, Virginia

I think Union at 7-3 is probably a no.  Central, even though 7-3 lost absolute nailbiters.   You talk about teams using the excuse, "we were a couple of plays from being........."  well, it actually kind of applies here.  Central is so well coached in every aspect, fundamentally perfect.  Luke took what he learned under Beamer, Charlie Wiles, Foster, Billy Hite and company, and has made it work, and he presides over one of the best (in my opinion) Class 2 coached football teams in the state of Virginia)  RV, also 7-3, a better case for their HC if they would have pulled the win over Bluefield, but again, a freshmen QB ( I think he's a freshmen, maybe a sophomore) and the loss of a 4 star player, and to still be that good is impressive.  Graham is Graham, and Palmer and staff do a solid job.  10-0 (assuming the impossible doesn't happen tonight) is hard to beat.  With that written, Graham has some serious horses in the pen, and the old "but they have so much talent argument" is at least some factor.  They have 2 P5 players on the team, but Graham did the only thing it could, win all 10 games, and outside of Union, had zero close games.  Kind of like 9 blowouts, outside of Bluefield which was still a vicious beating.  Other than the Union thriller, Graham has not had a game within 25 points all year.  Lastly, the argument for Va High.  If they beat the Blues, and considering their turnaround, their HC is heavily in the mix.

No offense to the M7 which is incredibly solid and I think for most 2A districts in Virginia (many which have class 1, Class 3 and 4 teams mixed in) the M7 might be the best district in the state.  But, the 7-3 records will hurt the chances of getting Coach of the Year.  I think it comes down to Graham's HC and Virginia's HC.  Va High also returned a bunch from what I understand, but the turnaround is obvious, and when voting for Coaches of the Year, "turnarounds" hold lots of weight.  So do Perfect Records.  To close to call in my opinion.   Lastly, I guess it depends when the vote occurs.  If Ridgeview were to win the Region, considering they lost Adkins, hard not to vote for them, or any other team mentioned.  

[Mountain Football 1,532]

Good points. Just because I'm a Graham guy I hope it's Palmer. With that said, if Va High beats Richlands and a playoff game I think it will be him. Even though their schedule wasn't that hard,  winning games that you "should" win is always a positive. He's done well for his first season at Va High. Didn't hurt that he walked into a team with quite a bit of talent either lol.

[Union_Fan 2,155]

Not that it usually goes this way, but COY should be someone that does the unexpected or far exceeds the expected. In 2D, I think that should be Va High or Lee. I think Union and Central both underachieved slightly. GC, Tazewell, Marion, Graham and John Batle are about as expected. Ridgeview slightly overachieved and Richlands underachieved.

Va High and Lee are clearly products of a coaching change this year. The Bearcats' record and game performance speak for themselves, and while Lee didn't blow anyone's doors off, it was evident that they improved throughout the season.

[TaterHater 89]

My bet is on the coach who holds the Region D trophy up after the Region D championship game 🙂 

[cityofRaven 2,444]

My vote would be Virginia High.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

Carroll should win it, but Patterson will.

[redtiger 1,740]

Patterson will probably win it and he's done a fine job, not a bad choice at all but the impact Carroll has had at Lee is significant. Its obvious in the Win column but also in the way they're playing. A HUGE step in the right direction for a program that wasn't competitive at all a few months ago. 

[IRISH-FAN18 323]

Tony Palmer & his staff could win this award every season. 65 wins since 2015 is a impressive record for any coach!

[Gridiron60 2,555]

Of course, I’d want Tony Palmer to get it as a Graham fan but Patterson has turned a dismal VA High program into contenders. Their schedule was weak but they definitely overachieved compared to years under Crist. If he gets it, I understand. 

[BigWinners 1,643]

Patterson at VHS would get my vote, with Carroll at Lee second. 

[Real Sasquatch 1,865]

See how the regional playoffs pan out.  My money is on the coach from VHS.  Heck of a turn around.

[BandanaVTDavis4321 1,717]

I agree on Lee High's Coach, but I just think he's one win short.  Hard to get it with a losing record, not that he doesn't deserve it, but it's just tough to go 4-6 and get that award.  But, it's possible and not saying he's not one of the guys that deserves it, but tough at 4-6.  5-5, chances way up, 6-4, he gets it.  Only my take

[Fairlawncat 252]

It's probably very close and so close that games down the stretch like VH-Richlands, and if VH wins, VH vs Ridgeview in game 1 of playoffs, or IF Graham wins the Region and wins it's convincingly (not terribly close games).  All of that stuff could make a difference either way.

[BigWinners 1,643]

3 hours ago, Fairlawncat said:

It's probably very close and so close that games down the stretch like VH-Richlands, and if VH wins, VH vs Ridgeview in game 1 of playoffs, or IF Graham wins the Region and wins it's convincingly (not terribly close games).  All of that stuff could make a difference either way.

People expected Graham to compete for and possibly win a region title. Not many people had VHS as SWD2 and Lee almost stealing playoff spot. No shot at Palmer, just that there have been other coaches greatly exceed expectations

[one1 1]

Schedules play a big part in how a record for a coach is made.  How do you define a good record, great, or improvement?  Great is winning your district and region and winning a state playoff game.  Good is competing with teams your size and winning games.  Beating smaller schools and bad teams but not able to compete with schools your size is not real improvement. Letting teams s core 42 + points before halftime and keeping your first team on field entire second half against the other teams JV to score a few points.  Is that improvement??  A bad season - not being compete and win games.

[packattack2021 0]

May have missed this, and this may not be the place, but speaking of Lee......heard that Lee is going to be M7 4 seed over GC?  Even though GC beat them and finished with a better district record?

[Gridiron60 2,555]

24 minutes ago, packattack2021 said:

May have missed this, and this may not be the place, but speaking of Lee......heard that Lee is going to be M7 4 seed over GC?  Even though GC beat them and finished with a better district record?

If M7 goes strictly by power points then I think yes. If they go by district ranking like SWD, then no. 

[generallyspeaking 39]

With the talent at VA High you would expect them to have the kind of season they have had even without their cupcake schedule and new coach, but the biggest competition they have had all year beat the brakes off of them (Graham). Lee on the other hand is extremely young and has nowhere near the caliber of athletes that VA, Graham, Union and the rest of the M7 has but were still able to string together 4 convincing wins against a TOUGH (for lee high) schedule, albeit against lackluster teams. They would not have won those games with the coach they had last year, trust me. Lee’s turnaround is more significant based on their history with bad coaching and county politics and it is because Carroll came in and positively changed the culture of the program, all the way down to the pee wee league. I know this doesn’t play a factor in this year’s choice for coach of the year but just watch and see next year when Lee continues to improve while VA High drastically drops off when they lose their loaded senior class. 

[goose111874 967]

1 hour ago, generallyspeaking said:

With the talent at VA High you would expect them to have the kind of season they have had even without their cupcake schedule and new coach, but the biggest competition they have had all year beat the brakes off of them (Graham). Lee on the other hand is extremely young and has nowhere near the caliber of athletes that VA, Graham, Union and the rest of the M7 has but were still able to string together 4 convincing wins against a TOUGH (for lee high) schedule, albeit against lackluster teams. They would not have won those games with the coach they had last year, trust me. Lee’s turnaround is more significant based on their history with bad coaching and county politics and it is because Carroll came in and positively changed the culture of the program, all the way down to the pee wee league. I know this doesn’t play a factor in this year’s choice for coach of the year but just watch and see next year when Lee continues to improve while VA High drastically drops off when they lose their loaded senior class. 

But will they keep him.  Seems to be an issue down there

[BandanaVTDavis4321 1,717]

Just my take, could be wrong, but yea, VH has some talent, but they have HAD talent in the past and still not won.  I believe VH is MORE than just talented upperclassmen.  They are very, very well coached and I don't see the drop off.  Next year, would bet a bunch, no worse than 7-3.  The guy they have now won at Holston, and he's winning at Va High.  Va High has had many, far more talented teams in their history than this one, and they didn't win.  I'm telling ya, as long as VH keeps their coach, they aren't going anywhere.  Actually, they are going to get better.

[generallyspeaking 39]

23 minutes ago, GilesDavis4321 said:

Just my take, could be wrong, but yea, VH has some talent, but they have HAD talent in the past and still not won.  I believe VH is MORE than just talented upperclassmen.  They are very, very well coached and I don't see the drop off.  Next year, would bet a bunch, no worse than 7-3.  The guy they have now won at Holston, and he's winning at Va High.  Va High has had many, far more talented teams in their history than this one, and they didn't win.  I'm telling ya, as long as VH keeps their coach, they aren't going anywhere.  Actually, they are going to get better.

Maybe “drop off” was the wrong choice of words because I was also thinking 7-3/6-4 over the next couple years. Not saying Patterson is a bad coach by any means but Holston is winning like they were last year so you could crack that up to their talent as well.  How much better they get depends on who they schedule, if they play and win against some top M7 teams in the regular season and if they can keep it within 2-3TDs against Graham next year then they are on their way up. 

[appyvol 23]

2 hours ago, Gridiron60 said:

If M7 goes strictly by power points then I think yes. If they go by district ranking like SWD, then no. 

M7 is using strictly powerpoints. Last spot could go either way. 

[BandanaVTDavis4321 1,717]

Just now, appyvol said:

M7 is using strictly powerpoints. Last spot could go either way. 

I hear what you are saying, but just to be clear, there are perhaps 5 posters on here over the past week who have stated the exact opposite.  

[Mountain Football 1,532]

8 minutes ago, GilesDavis4321 said:

I hear what you are saying, but just to be clear, there are perhaps 5 posters on here over the past week who have stated the exact opposite.  

I think the confusion is this. The region decided to take the top 4 from each district regardless of points. The M7 district has decided the top 4 from their district will be chosen by points. If I'm wrong on this someone correct me. 

[one1 1]

Lee not as young as most think.  Most play makers are seniors and no jv team to develop for next year.  See if schedule or coaching made difference down the road.