[Tica]

This has been brewing for 2-3 years. Even in the state championship year, there was constant turmoil: 12-14 players quitting; Wyatt was suspended; parents meeting with the supt. Then there was the firing of the booster club officers. Wyatt has an intense, confrontational style that is off-putting to many who do not know him. The man knows speed and can coach speed. In retrospect, he probably made some staffing decisions out of loyalty and friendship rather than what was best for the program.

The primary issue - There has been a systemic breakdown in the teaching of fundamentals: of blocking, tackling and catching. Players reached the varsity level who did not know how to block, and thus, held. They saw nothing wrong with a late hit or chop block. Dropped passes became a chronic problem. There appeared to be constant confusion on the offensive side. As has been said, no one could figure out what Tilghman was doing, because Tilghman did not know what they were doing.

In the long haul, PT lost many games it should have won and won scant few games that it should have lost. The departure of Larry Shanks, and the subsequent poor showing in the Wayne game was probably the last link in the chain.

Not saying Tilghman would have beaten Wayne with Shanks coaching, but it would have been a different game. Tilghman's own players were tweeting before the Wayne game that they wanted Shanks back and thought Day was weak. PT lost that game before they came out on the field. (I do not know Coach Day - I am only relaying what the players were saying.) Larry Shanks lit a fire under these kids that no other coach was able to do.

One thing that always tainted the Wyatt era was the way he was hired, from basically a captive selection of an in-house search. That was always cited by his detractors. He won a lot of games but he also was blessed with a stable of athletes that could have won for any coach. By my count - he had one player on a D1 roster this year. That's not a lot for the quality players he has coached.

Tilghman needs to get the best pool of applicants they can. It has to be someone who can build a good program in a non-confrontational style. A leader who has discipline and respect, but who also is not a lightening rod for controversy. Someone like Steve Lovelace, just tossing a name out there. I sincerely hope the hire is not from within.

From what I hear, the talent level at Tilghman is going to fall off after this year unless new kids move in or physically grow. The next coach has his work cut out for him.