[RunItUpTheGut]

I see what you are both saying, but let's be blunt... Highlands is more the exception rather than the rule.

IMHO, what separates Highlands and has allowed their success begins and ends with Highlands being an elite "program" from top down and having that consistency for decades. Success breeds success. Coaching stability to the max,, even when a great coach like Duffy is no longer there they hired the right guy to replace him who didn't try to tear the whole program down and re-build it all over again. Amazing feeder system, community support, administrative support, and conditioning programs for years. Success sending kids to play collegiate football which has caused parents specifically to send their kids to Highlands and even move there pre-Freshman year (by no means is the a "recruiting" remark.. it is a compliment). Highlands has been good for decades and now you see countless 2nd generation players who have known only success from their father down.

Highlands consistency in all these things is unmatched, even by X and Trinity who dont have the luxury of a true feeder system, and this consistency from top to bottom sets Highlands apart from other "elite"programs even with the absence of true physical specimens and athletes.

Look at the top programs in EKY and a couple more examples in comparison:

Bell County- Success began with Dudley Hilton..his first retirement they had a lull..he returns and they enjoy perhaps their best run ever... he is gone again and once again they are backsliding.

Belfry- Coaching stability has been there, but feeder system and the conditioning programs have not always been elite. No surprise that Belfry has elevated their program to new heights as a result of Middle School Consolidation, better facilities, and more access to outside influences for strength and conditioning. Belfry is also seeing more 2nd generation players who have known only success. Fairly high clip of people who re-locate Pre-HS to bring their kids up through belfry's feeder system

Rockcastle County/Harlan County- Success begins and ends with Tom Larkey. Rockcastle emerged as a state contender prior to his departure, they have drastically trended down as Harlan County's program has ascended.

Johnson Central- Was one of the weakest programs in EKY pre-Matney.. Now potentially the best team year-in-year-out. Revitalized feeder system is one of the best in the state. Drastically improved strength and conditioning programs. Still lack those 2nd generation players and the Eagles are just starting to see kids who have literally grew up through their entire program from Pee Wee to Senior in HS. More and more people moving in Pre-High School from surrounding areas.

Pikeville- Under Hilliard Howard was a 1A Blue Blood. Howard retires and they take a step back. Two coaching hires of guys who basically try to reconstruct the entire program their way that fails. The HS team and Feeder System is set back a full decade before the stability of McNamee has them returning to prominence.

Pulaski Southwestern- Not an elite program, but an interesting example. Southwestern has possibly the best Middle School program in the State. Southwestern has sent a surprising number of kids to play D-1 ball. Southwestern has not had the coaching stability or community support and it has basically translated to mediocre at best performance at the HS level.

To bring it together,,athletes certainly help, but a true program can excel without athletes. Paducah Tilghman is arguably one of the state's 2 or 3 most athletic teams year in and year out, but their success has been underwhelming by and large. If athletes alone ruled KY HS Football then Louisville Western would be an elite program. For these EKY teams to catch up it simply requires continued stability, parents willing to go the extra mile in developmental camps, and a program that is constantly evolving itself to push ahead. Dale Mueller is an innovator and starts the trends and uses a machine of a program to give him the kids to mold how he wants..that is why Highlands transcends.

Nicely Said.

[Gummie Bear]

Look, you two could go on forever like the Hatfield's and McCoy's. However, all things (good or bad) come to an end. You guys (Harlan Co) have bigger fish to fry and hopefully you all do well. I want to see you all make it to Bowling Green, and with the caliber of players you have, you could. As for this game, it's over and has been for a while now. I'm sure Coach Larkey and his staff have moved on as well as the kids. Let it go...best of luck the rest of the way. See you next year.

No one is fighting just commenting and that it was these baords are for to talk. Im not coaching so I have nothing else to talk about except for last weeks game because Ive never seen our next opponent play so what fun is that to talk about when you know nothing about them. I like to talk about what we or i actually saw.

[Lynch47]

OK. I found that one....You don't have anything else or you would have put it on there.

Don't need to HDE (Harlan Dailey Enterprise??, you have to come up with a better acronym than that.), already proved you wrong. I got bigger fish to fry than to deal with a HC fan(reporter) that is butt hurt. All that matters at the end of the day is that JC is now 4-0 and HC is 3-2 after bulldozing the mountains pre-season Goliath. Best of luck to you all this week and the rest of the way.:igiveup:

[Granny Bear]

^^
I can tell you unequivocaly that HDE is NOT John Middleton.

I have enjoyed the banter and debate from 6 of my favorite posters, and I urge you to make another thread for this debate. I've enjoyed reading, and even learned a few things.

But it's time for this thread to die!! Everytime I log on and see that score at the top of the title page, I go into a deep depression!!

[Emmit Brown]

No one is fighting just commenting and that it was these baords are for to talk. Im not coaching so I have nothing else to talk about except for last weeks game because Ive never seen our next opponent play so what fun is that to talk about when you know nothing about them. I like to talk about what we or i actually saw.

You could try to find something out about them. However, you're right. It was getting to the point of almost a school yard shouting match to see who could get the last word in. Just agree on the fact to disagree. Best of luck to Harlan County and the Black Bears.

[HDE]

Don't need to HDE (Harlan Dailey Enterprise??, you have to come up with a better acronym than that.), already proved you wrong. I got bigger fish to fry than to deal with a HC fan(reporter) that is butt hurt. All that matters at the end of the day is that JC is now 4-0 and HC is 3-2 after bulldozing the mountains pre-season Goliath. Best of luck to you all this week and the rest of the way.:igiveup:

You're about the 100th person that thinks he's smart by figuring that out. I made it obvious by choice. Of course, most of the others could spell daily.
Not wrong. Like I said, one for loss and several other no gains (statistically anyway). The best you've got is a minus three-quarters yard at best.
Sorry Granny. I'll try to stop now.

[charlie22]

Many people believe that this year's JC could be their best and the 2006 team that lost to Covington Catholic was better than Highlands that year, IMO. I trust Matney to make the coaching decisions that will give the Golden Eagles their best opportunity to win each game on the schedule. People like yourself who second guess Matney's approach to the game cannot cite any examples of teams in Highlands' class over the past few years beating them by employing a more balanced attack because there are none.

A great Covington Catholic team won a state title in 2006 but it was Johnson Central, not Highlands, which gave the Colonels their biggest challenge that season and they did it with a punishing running attack.

Highlands is not invincible and so far, there is no evidence that this year's Highlands offense is better than it was last year or the year before last.

As to the bolded, you aren't correct; or at least I wouldn't consider you to be correct. In the regular season game between Highlands and CovCath in 06, CovCath scored on the last play of the game to win by 5. Can't play a team any closer than having them beat you on the last play of the game. CovCath did beat Highlands by 10 in the playoffs; a game that causes me to vomit each time I think about it because we played so poorly. Highlands should have won the regular season game (why we choose not to double team CovCath's best receiver on that last play and matched up a 4 or 5 inch shorter DB on their best receiver that last play still puzzles the hell out of me) and I believe that if we had won the regular season game we would have won the playoff game. If that had happened, a Highlands vs. Johnson Central matchup would been a quick game, as like Johnson Central that year Highlands ran the ball a whole lot.

[maximus73]

:biggrin:As for me , I love seeing us banging heads with CC and FTH for the last 6 years. Our day will come eventually.

[Black Bear Cuz]

Oh really? Maybe you need help with yours so hopefully this will refresh your memory.



These are just two and there are several more from Mr. Ward. And the "Filthy Animal" defense got shampooed and conditioned, then rinsed off with the garden hose, as shown by Mr. Belcher. Best of luck the rest of the year.

That last play on this video(the 84 yd td run up the middle) is a pretty major indictment on our defense. Our mlb gets fooled by the fake handoff which can happen, but who knows what our olb's and db's are doing on the play? It kinda looks like none of them want to get involved in a big collision in the middle of the field? Looks like they are all trying to get away from the runner instead of getting to the runner? Unreal... That is exactly what happened 2 or 3 times in the 2nd half against Belfry. It just doesnt look like we are looking to hit people in the mouth defensively IMO, that along with being extremely undersized is a lot to overcome on the defensive side of the ball.......

[Black Bear Cuz]

:biggrin:As for me , I love seeing us banging heads with CC and FTH for the last 6 years. Our day will come eventually.

Very good point sir, you guys have come a long way having to deal with programs like that! I hope you guys have a breakthrough year very soon, maybe this year. One thing is for sure, you people have played some serious football over there the past few years and this game kinda shows the entire mountain area how far you have come! Hats off to your program over there!!! Go get you a state Title!!!

[sstack]

Oh really? Maybe you need help with yours so hopefully this will refresh your memory.



These are just two and there are several more from Mr. Ward. And the "Filthy Animal" defense got shampooed and conditioned, then rinsed off with the garden hose, as shown by Mr. Belcher. Best of luck the rest of the year.

On two D plays the defenders did not have one finger of a block on them, very poor blocking by offense more so than good D. On the long TD, a guy who runs a 5.0 forty could have run that thing. Poor poor D, LB ran himself out of play to right and safety ran himself out of play to left, left a hole big enough to drive a truck through.

[honestjchsfan]

Check the state records each year and you will be lucky to find 3-4 sub 11 runners every year in the entire state. There is not many of those guys no matter where you go in the state. And I would say Highlands is lucky to have one guy a year that is a 4.4 or 4.5 guy in the 40. They have good over all team speed but not as fast as you are saying. This year I would say Green is the only 4.4 guy on the team ( he was state champion in 400 meters in sub 50, have to be able to fly to go sub 50).

There YOU said it yourself, "Highland is lucky to have one guy a year that is a 4.4 or 4.5 in the 40" JC has NEVER HAD A REAL 4.4 in the 40 guy period (from Johnson Co)! 4.5 guys are as rare as hens teeth! The JC school record in the 100m dash was in the Mid 11's for the Past 30 years, then a few years ago the kid from Florida transfers in and ran it like 10.8. There have been guys that claim a 4.4 but when they came out for track the ran 11.6 at 100m. Some people claim you can run 4.4 and not run Sub 11, I say BS! Take Randall Cobb, he ran 10.75 in HS, he also ran a high 4.46 at the NFL combine. If a guy can run a true 4.4 in the 40 and can't run sub 11@100m, I wouldn't want him on my football team because he lacks the heart to run a 100m at full speed! JJ Jude's junior year Highlands had a LB I would bet was a easy 4.55, they also had a little DB that was probably 4.4. Yes sub 50 @ the 400m is smoking fast! Don't play down the type of athletes Highlands has had, heck a guy from Highlands held the state record in the High Jump for a coons age, I bet he held over 25 years. Yes Highlands is way ahead of JC and the rest of the state in Football but 35 years ago a kid from JC thought the Fall was time to dig taters and didn't have a clue how to play football. JC has closed the gap and hopefully coach Stoops will help all the HS coaches in the state teach and understand pass D better kind of like what Hal Mumme did for the passing game.

[dns]

That last play on this video(the 84 yd td run up the middle) is a pretty major indictment on our defense. Our mlb gets fooled by the fake handoff which can happen, but who knows what our olb's and db's are doing on the play? It kinda looks like none of them want to get involved in a big collision in the middle of the field? Looks like they are all trying to get away from the runner instead of getting to the runner? Unreal... That is exactly what happened 2 or 3 times in the 2nd half against Belfry. It just doesnt look like we are looking to hit people in the mouth defensively IMO, that along with being extremely undersized is a lot to overcome on the defensive side of the ball.......

Didn't wont their but knocked down. I knew the kid was strong but not that that fast!!

[Dogg52]

JC there the real deal...................

[Dogg52]

Belcher for JC is the RB in EKY...............................................

[sstack]

There YOU said it yourself, "Highland is lucky to have one guy a year that is a 4.4 or 4.5 in the 40" JC has NEVER HAD A REAL 4.4 in the 40 guy period (from Johnson Co)! 4.5 guys are as rare as hens teeth! The JC school record in the 100m dash was in the Mid 11's for the Past 30 years, then a few years ago the kid from Florida transfers in and ran it like 10.8. There have been guys that claim a 4.4 but when they came out for track the ran 11.6 at 100m. Some people claim you can run 4.4 and not run Sub 11, I say BS! Take Randall Cobb, he ran 10.75 in HS, he also ran a high 4.46 at the NFL combine. If a guy can run a true 4.4 in the 40 and can't run sub 11@100m, I wouldn't want him on my football team because he lacks the heart to run a 100m at full speed! JJ Jude's junior year Highlands had a LB I would bet was a easy 4.55, they also had a little DB that was probably 4.4. Yes sub 50 @ the 400m is smoking fast! Don't play down the type of athletes Highlands has had, heck a guy from Highlands held the state record in the High Jump for a coons age, I bet he held over 25 years. Yes Highlands is way
ahead of JC and the rest of the state in Football but 35 years ago a kid from
JC thought the Fall was time to dig taters and didn't have a clue how to play
football. JC has closed the gap and hopefully coach Stoops will help all the HS
coaches in the state teach and understand pass D better kind of like what Hal
Mumme did for the passing game.

You misunderstood me. I meant that Highlands is lucky if they have a guy run a 4.4 any year. I would not be surprised if Green from this year does but could not think of another guy as long as I have been following HHS. I am a big track follower and hold school track record so i like to keep up on the fast
guys at the school. Everybody use to think Collinsworth was crazy fast but was no where near a 4.4. He was lucky to break 12 in 100 metters in track, but had the best cuts on the field of any RB I have seen at the school. Like I said before Highlands has good overall team speed but but not the 4.3/4.4 speed guys. Like you said if you are running a 4.3 forty, you would be running a 11.0 100 metters and there has only been one guy since 1980's who has done that.

[dns]

On two D plays the defenders did not have one finger of a block on them, very poor blocking by offense more so than good D. On the long TD, a guy who runs a 5.0 forty could have run that thing. Poor poor D, LB ran himself out of play to right and safety ran himself out of play to left, left a hole big enough to drive a truck through.

Yes, but he would have got run down!!! LOL

[dns]

On two D plays the defenders did not have one finger of a block on them, very poor blocking by offense more so than good D. On the long TD, a guy who runs a 5.0 forty could have run that thing. Poor poor D, LB ran himself out of play to right and safety ran himself out of play to left, left a hole big enough to drive a truck through.

Also before i forget it. Ward was the best Lb on the field Friday night!

[charlie22]

Also before i forget it. Ward was the best Lb on the field Friday night!

Certainly looked good in the clip posted above.

[MonsterMan]

I did not get to attend this game but have seen some of the film. This is the most domination of a ranked oppent I have seen in the time I have been following JC football, impressive.

The key difference in these teams comes down to on simple item, speed. This JC defense has more speed than any I have seen. JC always had size, but the FTH and Cov Cath teams that have beat us were quicker. Makes me look forward to the playoff this year!

Size is good to have but in speed wins games.