Congrats Zach Blevins on 2 D SWD offense and defense player of the year

[Jollay, living rent free 120]

well deserved!!

[Deleted Account 5,203]

That’s a pretty big breach of historical etiquette.  Though the voting happened a while ago, teams and accolades customarily are not released until the final district team is eliminated from the playoffs or wins the state championship.  Given that a couple of other worthy candidates are on Graham’s team, I’m a bit disappointed in the timing.

[Gridiron60 2,555]

1 hour ago, UVAObserver said:

That’s a pretty big breach of historical etiquette.  Though the voting happened a while ago, teams and accolades customarily are not released until the final district team is eliminated from the playoffs or wins the state championship.  Given that a couple of other worthy candidates are on Graham’s team, I’m a bit disappointed in the timing.

I don't believe this information was released by Graham or their coaching staff. Not sure where the breach occured but you're on point. 

[Mountain Football 1,533]

10 minutes ago, Gridiron60 said:

I don't believe this information was released by Graham or their coaching staff. Not sure where the breach occured but you're on point. 

Did someone mail him the plaques?😂

[Gridiron60 2,555]

25 minutes ago, Mountain Football said:

Did someone mail him the plaques?😂

Who knows what happened? I'm like UVAObserver, it's typically not made puic until last district is out or playoffs have ended. I guess the cat is out of the bag though. 

[CPF 417]

37 minutes ago, Mountain Football said:

Did someone mail him the plaques?😂

Must've cause he posted a photo of both on his Twitter page.

[Mountain Football 1,533]

1 minute ago, CPF said:

Must've cause he posted a photo of both on his Twitter page.

Leave it to the mailman to screw things up.

[T8KNDookeez 100]

You can't blame the kid, he's proud of his accomplishment. I'm sure no one told him to keep it under wraps. 

[Dobb83 48]

4 hours ago, UVAObserver said:

That’s a pretty big breach of historical etiquette.  Though the voting happened a while ago, teams and accolades customarily are not released until the final district team is eliminated from the playoffs or wins the state championship.  Given that a couple of other worthy candidates are on Graham’s team, I’m a bit disappointed in the timing.

Sure if it was someone from Tazewell you wouldn’t have been disappointed. Come on man. Just be happy  

[Dobb83 48]

If it was a big deal or the swd didn’t want it known they would not have mailed the plaques! 

[SwvaOG 603]

So much for Meadows breaking through the skill position chokehold.  Does anybody be else think Cassius Harris had an argument here?  He did set two state records and carried Tazewell. I think his teams record and relative lack of TD’s per catch hurt him.  

[BigWinners 1,643]

1 hour ago, Dobb83 said:

If it was a big deal or the swd didn’t want it known they would not have mailed the plaques! 

They may have erred and sent the plaques early. It's not common to announce any POY awards if any team is still playing. Like the M7 could announce POY awards but the SWD usually wouldn't. Same with 2D and then All State, announced when the last team in the covered area is finished.

[Gridiron60 2,555]

37 minutes ago, SwvaOG said:

I think his teams record and relative lack of TD’s per catch hurt him.  

I believe you nailed it. It's hard to give POY to him with Tazewell finishing 4th in the district. No slight on him or his accomplishments plus he's not a senior which I guess technically you don't have to be to get POY. 

[BandanaVTDavis4321 1,719]

You guys know how I feel on POY.  I've mentioned Meadows more than a few times, but as far as deserving it.  I think it would be hard to argue that Blevins doesn't deserve it.  The same could be said for Lomax on offense, Bradshaw, Meadows, the Ridgeview QB, Harris, Thomas, even Carson Jenkins, Beavers, Sage Webb.  All of them worthy.  Defensively, this is where Blevins is equally elite.  Kid has a nose for the ball and brings the wood when he gets there.  Still, a guy like Meadows is worthy as is Bradshaw on defense as is Tester from Wise and even Lomax on defense.  I wish there was stats on defensive tackles.  I wouldn't be surprised if Tester from Central led the region in tackles.  

Blevins is worthy for sure, but with all the talent in Region D, Class 2 this year, I would have like to seen the award on O and D go to two different kids.  But again, I can't argue that Blevins isn't worthy because he's a baller, but I can argue there are others equally as worthy of the award.  On more thing on Blevins (pure opinion and speculation here).  He's a winner.  He's a winner in the sense that he's not just a great football player.  He's the kind of kid that will nail you and beat you in the clutch.  You know what I'm saying?  The kind of kid down 20-17 in table tennis and he reals off 5 straight points for the win.  He's a momentum taker and makes big plays at the crucial times, and I think Appo has a problem here with Blevins.  If all things are equal, Blevins is kind of the kid that just won't let Graham lose, and players like this are special.  

[T8KNDookeez 100]

4 minutes ago, BandanaVTDavis4321 said:

You guys know how I feel on POY.  I've mentioned Meadows more than a few times, but as far as deserving it.  I think it would be hard to argue that Blevins doesn't deserve it.  The same could be said for Lomax on offense, Bradshaw, Meadows, the Ridgeview QB, Harris, Thomas, even Carson Jenkins, Beavers, Sage Webb.  All of them worthy.  Defensively, this is where Blevins is equally elite.  Kid has a nose for the ball and brings the wood when he gets there.  Still, a guy like Meadows is worthy as is Bradshaw on defense as is Tester from Wise and even Lomax on defense.  I wish there was stats on defensive tackles.  I wouldn't be surprised if Tester from Central led the region in tackles.  

Blevins is worthy for sure, but with all the talent in Region D, Class 2 this year, I would have like to see the award on O and D go to two different kids.  But again, I can't argue that Blevins isn't worthy, but I can argue there are others equally as worthy of the award.

It was just SWD award, not Region.

[BandanaVTDavis4321 1,719]

1 minute ago, T8KNDookeez said:

It was just SWD award, not Region.

Ok, that makes sense.  As for the SWD, still the same for me.  Guys like Webb, Harris, Meadows, Bradshaw also deserving and I still would have liked to see on of those kids as another option on O or D.  Harris will get his though.  He's back next year and with the improvement of Tazewell's QB and their OL which will surely be better, he will get his next year for sure.

[SWVAgridiron 1,469]

9 minutes ago, BandanaVTDavis4321 said:

You guys know how I feel on POY.  I've mentioned Meadows more than a few times, but as far as deserving it.  I think it would be hard to argue that Blevins doesn't deserve it.  The same could be said for Lomax on offense, Bradshaw, Meadows, the Ridgeview QB, Harris, Thomas, even Carson Jenkins, Beavers, Sage Webb.  All of them worthy.  Defensively, this is where Blevins is equally elite.  Kid has a nose for the ball and brings the wood when he gets there.  Still, a guy like Meadows is worthy as is Bradshaw on defense as is Tester from Wise and even Lomax on defense.  I wish there was stats on defensive tackles.  I wouldn't be surprised if Tester from Central led the region in tackles.  

Blevins is worthy for sure, but with all the talent in Region D, Class 2 this year, I would have like to seen the award on O and D go to two different kids.  But again, I can't argue that Blevins isn't worthy because he's a baller, but I can argue there are others equally as worthy of the award.  On more thing on Blevins (pure opinion and speculation here).  He's a winner.  He's a winner in the sense that he's not just a great football player.  He's the kind of kid that will nail you and beat you in the clutch.  You know what I'm saying?  The kind of kid down 20-17 in table tennis and he reals off 5 straight points for the win.  He's a momentum taker and makes big plays at the crucial times, and I think Appo has a problem here with Blevins.  If all things are equal, Blevins is kind of the kid that just won't let Graham lose, and players like this are special.  

Have you watched Bradshaw play defense? 🥴 I agree 100% about him having an argument for offense but from what I’ve watched on defense he puts in zero effort and just waits until someone gets past him then he runs them down. 

[BandanaVTDavis4321 1,719]

28 minutes ago, SWVAgridiron said:

Have you watched Bradshaw play defense? 🥴 I agree 100% about him having an argument for offense but from what I’ve watched on defense he puts in zero effort and just waits until someone gets past him then he runs them down. 

I know he has quite a few pick 6's.  And when another team's receiver goes out for a catch, they don't get open much.

[SwvaOG 603]

14 minutes ago, Gridiron60 said:

I believe you nailed it. It's hard to give POY to him with Tazewell finishing 4th in the district. No slight on him or his accomplishments plus he's not a senior which I guess technically you don't have to be to get POY. 

I don’t like the senior bias…happens every year.  Seems like once you establish yourself in a season it carries the rest of the career.  I value head to head, data/ numbers and the subjective value to your team.  Harris scores a TD roughly once every 10 catches while Beavers and Bradshaw are roughly once every three touches.  Compare Lomax’s YPC vs Jenkins and the TD rate.  Then you say….if Lomax didn’t play this year…how many games does Union win.  If Beavers’ doesn’t make some crazy catches they don’t beat Richlands.  If Bradshaw doesn’t play does Graham go undefeated?  Maybe so.  If Blevins doesn’t play….they probably lose a couple of games and maybe the playoff game against RV.  

[SWVAgridiron 1,469]

1 minute ago, BandanaVTDavis4321 said:

I know he has quit a few pick 6's.  And when another team's receiver goes out for a catch, they don't get open much.

Perhaps he has gotten better since I watched him earlier this season but at one point I was questioning why they had him out there because he was putting in zero effort. 

[SwvaOG 603]

1 minute ago, SWVAgridiron said:

Perhaps he has gotten better since I watched him earlier this season but at one point I was questioning why they had him out there because he was putting in zero effort. 

He isn’t a defensive minded player…not physical..doesn’t like contact.  I think they should have used him as a shutdown CB….he was a waste at S due to not being willing to come down in the box and stuff the run.

[SWVAgridiron 1,469]

Just now, SwvaOG said:

He isn’t a defensive minded player…not physical..doesn’t like contact.  I think they should have used him as a shutdown CB….he was a waste at S due to not being willing to come down in the box and stuff the run.

Yep that’s what ive been saying. 

[Mountain Football 1,533]

26 minutes ago, BandanaVTDavis4321 said:

Ok, that makes sense.  As for the SWD, still the same for me.  Guys like Webb, Harris, Meadows, Bradshaw also deserving and I still would have liked to see on of those kids as another option on O or D.  Harris will get his though.  He's back next year and with the improvement of Tazewell's QB and their OL which will surely be better, he will get his next year for sure.

Maybe this is for another thread and I shouldn't hijack this one. 

What does Tazewell have coming back on the line? I know they lost Armstrong(Sr), Cochran(Sr), and one other Sr. I can't think of his name. That's 3 seniors on a "young" offensive line they lose. 

[EH31 2,532]

28 minutes ago, Mountain Football said:

Maybe this is for another thread and I shouldn't hijack this one. 

What does Tazewell have coming back on the line? I know they lost Armstrong(Sr), Cochran(Sr), and one other Sr. I can't think of his name. That's 3 seniors on a "young" offensive line they lose. 

None of those guys started on the offensive line during the second half of the season. On the “young” (as you say) offensive line they started 2 juniors, 2 sophomores & 1 freshman.  

[Deleted Account 5,203]

4 hours ago, Mountain Football said:

Leave it to the mailman to screw things up.

Your pass sailed too high above its intended target.  🙂