Middle School Football in Campbell Co.

[devilcoach]

All this off season I've been thinking....All of the Scott Co. teams play each other, why doesn't Jellico play LaFollette and Jacksboro? We scrimmaged LaFollette and no one died. We had a great time at Jacksboro's passing league in the pre-season. I would very much like to play both LaFollette and Jacksboro in the upcoming season.
I know that both programs are good ones and you're both doing well. I constantly use your programs as a benchmark for our boys to shoot for. I think it would be great for all concerned to play each other during the season. We'll have a real young team this year, but that could work out well for us. If we cut our teeth on great teams, we'll have a higher goal to reach. If we play the smallest, weakest teams we can find, that's not much reason to celebrate. Being the "best of the worst" is not something I'd brag about.
In conclusion, I think a home & home series between Jellico, Jacksboro and LaFollette would be a lot of fun. It's not much of a bus trip, the gates would be good, and a lot of the kids will know each other so the competition should be fun too. That's my big idea....what do you think?

[lothar]

I think that is a great idea

[Ainge 4 Heisman]

When I was in middle school about. . . 7 years ago, we played Jellico all three years.

[thepat24]

I think it is good for the kids. It gives the kids at jellico some stiff competition. It gives all the schools a good home-away series. I

[Cougs]

For this to happen all that needs to be done is to get together during the scheduling meeting whenever Johnny B. has it.

[Ball Coach]

I do not think it helps the larger schools...i.e. JMS and LMS because generally Jellico is not on the same level...teams have to prepare for tough districts and then playoff games. Now on an up year it would be great. As a coach I do not think it could possibly help until Jellico improves. With that said all three schools should be young next year and should make for a fun matchup and a more level playing field. JMS will essentially be a 7th grade team with a few 8th graders mixed in unless the dynamic from last year changes.

[devilcoach]

Redhound is right, we're generally not on the same level as LaFollette and Jacksboro. That's exactly what I'd like to fix. Last year we scrimmaged LaFollette and their starters whooped us pretty good. BUT, we did have some highlights against their 7th graders and that really excited our kids. At this point in time I have no idea what next years team will look like. We have one 7th grader returning and 2 who'll be in 8th grade. Right now that's it. I went through the yearbook and there are 35 kids who ought to play. I just think that knowing the other kids through basketball or baseball or just being friends online or something should add to the competition.

[Ball Coach]

devilcoach said:

Redhound is right, we're generally not on the same level as LaFollette and Jacksboro. That's exactly what I'd like to fix. Last year we scrimmaged LaFollette and their starters whooped us pretty good. BUT, we did have some highlights against their 7th graders and that really excited our kids. At this point in time I have no idea what next years team will look like. We have one 7th grader returning and 2 who'll be in 8th grade. Right now that's it. I went through the yearbook and there are 35 kids who ought to play. I just think that knowing the other kids through basketball or baseball or just being friends online or something should add to the competition.

It is great to have that outlook, but how does one "fix" it by playing vastly superior competition and losing? I am not saying to play cupcakes, but to play a team that beats you year in year out can not help morale...i.e. UT/UK or UT/Vandy. This would give the kids something to shoot for, but I would wait until you build the program some...numbers, experience, etc. before playing with the "big boys". There were times last season when I think Jellico could have beaten JMS though...rough year. Did Jellico have a winning record this year? The time may be right to schedule such a game after a couple winning years and the kids have some confidence. I hope that day comes soon...I want every team that steps on the field to be able to compete because I have been on both ends of winning and losing badly, and it isn't really fun on the losing end...and you don't play the whole game on the winning end...hahaha.

[devilcoach]

I agree with you on a lot of points Redhound. Unfortunately, most of the teams in the area are vastly superior to us right now. We have Coalfield and Midway in our division and they are both very good teams. It is my philosiphy that you can't learn to swim in the bath tub. I don't like getting beat by 40 but there's no possible way for me to schedule 8 games with teams on the same level that we're at. It's not fun being at the bottom of the barrel. Jacksboro and LaFollette are in Campbell County and so are we. There's really no difference between our kids and theirs except for the coaching. The point I'm trying to make is there's really no excuse for our boys not being as good as LaFollette and Jacksboro.

[Ball Coach]

Certainly no excuse for the disparity in the programs. Now is Jellico going to be up every year...no. Why, because of the numbers game at small schools, but they should still be able to compete every season with solid coaching. Then on those up years the kids should excell and compete for division titles. I hope you get them going down there...everyone improves with good, clean competition.

[mightyman]

Jellico would normally get trounced, why dont you scrimmage them but do u want two for sure losses on the schedule, GEEZ

[devilcoach]

Allright mightyman, go ahead and rattle off 8 easy teams for me to schedule. Don't forget to add in Coalfield and Midway who are in my district. And after you bark those easy teams off, tell me all the good it did for the program to play a bunch of marshmallows. I was born in Halls and we used to play teams from Fulton in pee-wee ball. I remember a jamboree when Halls beat Fulton 48-0 in one quarter of football. Fulton has a great program now. Are you suggesting that if a team stinks they should just keep stinking from now on? I am not saying that Jellico can beat either of those teams. My point is that there is no valid reason for the boys from Jellico to be that much worse at football than the Jacksboro or LaFollette boys. In the past, we've had lots of excuses but the fact of the matter is that it's not possible for me to schedule an "easy" season, and to be honest with you I wouldn't do it if I could. Playing good teams like Jacksboro, LaFollette, Coalfield, Huntsville and Midway gives the boys a benchmark to shoot for. For the last 2 seasons our team has been looking forward to playing a team that stinks worse than we do. There's no such thing so we're changing our whole approach. We may not be at the level we want to be this coming season. But we'll be better than last year, and even better the next.

[thepat24]

I admire the heck out of you for wanting to build your program. Mighty Man just likes to stir and has nothing positive to say. I have always thought jellico has the potential to have some great athletics, not necissarily year in and year out but a stronger program.

[Rhino]

As bad as it pains me to say, we were beaten soundly by Jellico a couple of years ago in the season. I follow the philosophy of "if you want to be the best you have to beat the best". You should be commended for wanting to build a better program DevilCoach.

[devilcoach]

Thanks guys. I know that 2 winless seasons makes the Blue Devils an easy target for criticism. But Pat and Rhino seem to understand my position. Boxers don't get any better if they only fight cream puffs and football teams don't get any better playing other teams' scrubs. I'm not saying that Jellico can beat LaFollette and Jacksboro. Let me remind you that as of today I have 3 kids on the team. I have no idea who's going to come out for the team. But, whoever they are they'll be better football players if their goal is to be as good a team as Jacksboro and LaFollette. Look at Boise State. They came up to play with the Big Boys and they did just fine.