How did the Quad go today?
- Thread starter MCsoccerplex
- Start date
FH looked sharp. Another good stable of running backs. King is apparently the starting QB. He scored on like a 40 yd run and it's like all the FH fans held their breath. Lines are big and quick. Granted, this wasn't the toughest competition and probably the best thing to come out of it was no apparent injuries.
QUAD REVIEW
by yours truly
What a beautiful day for football. The weather was near perfect at the Quad scrimmage. FH wasn't far behind near perfect either when considering it was the first action of the season. Whatever anyone has to say it has to be noted that the competition in this year's Quad was definitely on the lighter side. In other words, FH would be a massively heavy favorite if they faced any of these teams in a real game. And I don't want the teams that were gracious enough to visit Cumberland to take insult, it just lacked another heavyweight.
FH pretty much blistered each opponent. If you were actually keeping score I think it was 13 touchdowns to 1 combined against the other three opponents. Petersburg put a score up in the last rotation with all the subs in for every team.
The Sentinels took on Fallston first. They had 20 offensive plays and scored on like 8 of them. 40 yard TD plays you could run Fat Albert through (Hey, Hey Hey), not the usual long sustaining drive stuff this wing T is accustomed to putting up. Which leads to the thing that catches most people's eye...FH is blessed with multiple speed players.
Probably the new guy story of the day was the running of young sophomore Breven Stubbs when he did get the handoff. He's fast. Fastest player on the team. Hand clocked 4.41 by coaches this summer. When he gets in the open field wave bye-bye. He actually took like a 30 yard gallop where he totally juke stepped a defender and then did the same to the second defender. All I heard from the crowd was Awwwww, then seconds later another Awwwwww. If they had left him in the game and fed him, he would have rushed for over 200 yards.
But it didn't seem to matter who touched the ball, they just ran all over the place...the junior Webb is elusive and is going to be a real good one before his time is done. Santmyire is quick and powerful, the senior fullback Snyder is a quick, elusive load. It's a long list of explosiveness.
On top of the noticeable speed differences is the youth movement. I saw a freshman in with the starting units (Willis - expect so hear that name for a long time), a couple more sophomores. Those dominating Patriot teams of recent were no joke, these young kids can ball.
However, if anyone asked me what the strength of this year's team is, that is an easy answer. The OL. It's very big and strong and probably more important deep. They have upwards of 9 kids who can be interchangeable up front. They were extremely crisp today for a first scrimmage due to the sheer experience. They put the 2nd group in and they were bigger than the first group.
THE WOW FACTOR
Out of everything I saw today while on the field though, the one that really had me saying WOW was Danny King at QB. Let the debates begin as to whether this kid should be doing anything but kicking the ball. Whether you support it or not, this kid is easily the best Fort Hill QB I have ever seen in the Quad over the last 11 years of its existence. It's only the first game I get that...so I did say the Quad. Maybe time will prove me right or wrong, but I would stake everything I have seen in football the last 42 years whether playing, covering or watching it to say this kid has the tools to be the best Fort Hill QB we have seen in a very, very long time. I know there has been some real good ones too. He has every tool but mostly because he is so quick. FYI, he is the 2nd fastest player on team. I don't recall FH ever having a QB this quick. And also because he was rolling right and left and dropping dimes in receiver's hands with ease. Everything he did was effortless and smooth. Unofficially I had him going 5 of 6 passing today. He continually dodges multiple pass rushers, scrambles and sees the first guy covered, the second guy covered and then dumps it to his third read. His eyes are always downfield even with a heavy pass rush. Reading the field is the most difficult thing for a passer, you either have it or you don't. He has it. Maybe it's his Harvard type SAT score. One play the receivers were covered so he took off for a 40 yard TD run as every coach was screaming for him to just get down. The kid is extremely quick and extremely smart. He doesn't have a cannon arm but throws a super soft catchable pass on the money. The weight room has even made him bigger. This guy is money, and I'm not just talking about booting 60 yard field goals...you will see.
Offensively, when you put a bevy of explosive ball carriers, a fast running/passing QB with an athletic 6'4 split end and a 6'4 tight end running routes behind this big and experienced offensive line cut out of the weight room, you're probably going to be pretty good.
The defense was stout. Shut out everyone, but the subs against Petersburg gave up a score. Getting a first down against them was an accomplishment. I don't want to ignore that side of the ball but unlike last season, they are likely to experience more growing pains. After all, they lost pretty much all 11 starters. It was hard to get a read on where they might be since again the competition wasn't testing them today.
I think one of the things I enjoyed seeing the most was Coach Appel on the field. Everyone knows he goes to the press box to call plays for real games. But today, with all coaches allowed on the field, he was playing deep safety with headphones on literally. Running and screaming out calls as the play was happening. He really looked like the captain of the team playing DB. Coaching at FH can test and wear on any human. You could have asked the former greats like Lattimer or Calhoun. It a'int easy and takes its toll especially after 23+ years of being in the system. Knowing Todd pretty much my entire life, his soul seems to be most content when the ball is being snapped. That's his sanctuary. No noise or extraneous chatter but the sound of pads popping. He knows what every kid is supposed to do on every single snap and formation. He's crazy good at what he does when that ball is snapped. Believe me on that.
Did I see any weak spots? Honestly not really other than some missed assignments that would be expected this early. FH was exceptionally crisp for a first scrimmage. I cannot stress enough however that these Positive Pete things I keep spitting out have to be taken with a MASSIVE grain of salt. They were just so far superior to the other teams at the Quad. It will be really interesting to see how they man up with some bigger dogs. With a stretch that includes consecutive games versus Morgantown, Hollidaysburg, Cathedral Prep and Hedgesville - with three of them on the road, we will certainly find out.
I had a coach from Fallston come up to me after the scrimmage to say, "We knew Fort Hill was very good but we had no idea this good." Luckily we saw no serious injuries today other than a Fallston player who may have broken his wrist.
It's going to be a fun year. FH is as stacked as any team they have had because it starts up front. In a nutshell, FH for a 1A school is very big, very quick and very deep.
Enjoy and thanks for coming out to see the Quad again.
by yours truly
What a beautiful day for football. The weather was near perfect at the Quad scrimmage. FH wasn't far behind near perfect either when considering it was the first action of the season. Whatever anyone has to say it has to be noted that the competition in this year's Quad was definitely on the lighter side. In other words, FH would be a massively heavy favorite if they faced any of these teams in a real game. And I don't want the teams that were gracious enough to visit Cumberland to take insult, it just lacked another heavyweight.
FH pretty much blistered each opponent. If you were actually keeping score I think it was 13 touchdowns to 1 combined against the other three opponents. Petersburg put a score up in the last rotation with all the subs in for every team.
The Sentinels took on Fallston first. They had 20 offensive plays and scored on like 8 of them. 40 yard TD plays you could run Fat Albert through (Hey, Hey Hey), not the usual long sustaining drive stuff this wing T is accustomed to putting up. Which leads to the thing that catches most people's eye...FH is blessed with multiple speed players.
Probably the new guy story of the day was the running of young sophomore Breven Stubbs when he did get the handoff. He's fast. Fastest player on the team. Hand clocked 4.41 by coaches this summer. When he gets in the open field wave bye-bye. He actually took like a 30 yard gallop where he totally juke stepped a defender and then did the same to the second defender. All I heard from the crowd was Awwwww, then seconds later another Awwwwww. If they had left him in the game and fed him, he would have rushed for over 200 yards.
But it didn't seem to matter who touched the ball, they just ran all over the place...the junior Webb is elusive and is going to be a real good one before his time is done. Santmyire is quick and powerful, the senior fullback Snyder is a quick, elusive load. It's a long list of explosiveness.
On top of the noticeable speed differences is the youth movement. I saw a freshman in with the starting units (Willis - expect so hear that name for a long time), a couple more sophomores. Those dominating Patriot teams of recent were no joke, these young kids can ball.
However, if anyone asked me what the strength of this year's team is, that is an easy answer. The OL. It's very big and strong and probably more important deep. They have upwards of 9 kids who can be interchangeable up front. They were extremely crisp today for a first scrimmage due to the sheer experience. They put the 2nd group in and they were bigger than the first group.
THE WOW FACTOR
Out of everything I saw today while on the field though, the one that really had me saying WOW was Danny King at QB. Let the debates begin as to whether this kid should be doing anything but kicking the ball. Whether you support it or not, this kid is easily the best Fort Hill QB I have ever seen in the Quad over the last 11 years of its existence. It's only the first game I get that...so I did say the Quad. Maybe time will prove me right or wrong, but I would stake everything I have seen in football the last 42 years whether playing, covering or watching it to say this kid has the tools to be the best Fort Hill QB we have seen in a very, very long time. I know there has been some real good ones too. He has every tool but mostly because he is so quick. FYI, he is the 2nd fastest player on team. I don't recall FH ever having a QB this quick. And also because he was rolling right and left and dropping dimes in receiver's hands with ease. Everything he did was effortless and smooth. Unofficially I had him going 5 of 6 passing today. He continually dodges multiple pass rushers, scrambles and sees the first guy covered, the second guy covered and then dumps it to his third read. His eyes are always downfield even with a heavy pass rush. Reading the field is the most difficult thing for a passer, you either have it or you don't. He has it. Maybe it's his Harvard type SAT score. One play the receivers were covered so he took off for a 40 yard TD run as every coach was screaming for him to just get down. The kid is extremely quick and extremely smart. He doesn't have a cannon arm but throws a super soft catchable pass on the money. The weight room has even made him bigger. This guy is money, and I'm not just talking about booting 60 yard field goals...you will see.
Offensively, when you put a bevy of explosive ball carriers, a fast running/passing QB with an athletic 6'4 split end and a 6'4 tight end running routes behind this big and experienced offensive line cut out of the weight room, you're probably going to be pretty good.
The defense was stout. Shut out everyone, but the subs against Petersburg gave up a score. Getting a first down against them was an accomplishment. I don't want to ignore that side of the ball but unlike last season, they are likely to experience more growing pains. After all, they lost pretty much all 11 starters. It was hard to get a read on where they might be since again the competition wasn't testing them today.
I think one of the things I enjoyed seeing the most was Coach Appel on the field. Everyone knows he goes to the press box to call plays for real games. But today, with all coaches allowed on the field, he was playing deep safety with headphones on literally. Running and screaming out calls as the play was happening. He really looked like the captain of the team playing DB. Coaching at FH can test and wear on any human. You could have asked the former greats like Lattimer or Calhoun. It a'int easy and takes its toll especially after 23+ years of being in the system. Knowing Todd pretty much my entire life, his soul seems to be most content when the ball is being snapped. That's his sanctuary. No noise or extraneous chatter but the sound of pads popping. He knows what every kid is supposed to do on every single snap and formation. He's crazy good at what he does when that ball is snapped. Believe me on that.
Did I see any weak spots? Honestly not really other than some missed assignments that would be expected this early. FH was exceptionally crisp for a first scrimmage. I cannot stress enough however that these Positive Pete things I keep spitting out have to be taken with a MASSIVE grain of salt. They were just so far superior to the other teams at the Quad. It will be really interesting to see how they man up with some bigger dogs. With a stretch that includes consecutive games versus Morgantown, Hollidaysburg, Cathedral Prep and Hedgesville - with three of them on the road, we will certainly find out.
I had a coach from Fallston come up to me after the scrimmage to say, "We knew Fort Hill was very good but we had no idea this good." Luckily we saw no serious injuries today other than a Fallston player who may have broken his wrist.
It's going to be a fun year. FH is as stacked as any team they have had because it starts up front. In a nutshell, FH for a 1A school is very big, very quick and very deep.
Enjoy and thanks for coming out to see the Quad again.
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They looked pretty good, but I'm going to refrain from reading much into it considering the level of competition they were up against
Yep. When you put a team like Cathedral Prep or maybe a Dunbar up against this same team all of the sudden they don't look quite as fast. That is the deceiving part about speed - the competition level.
What was with the competition level this year Todd? Were we late to the punch getting teams to come up and play in this thing?
As long as King wishes to QB, and is not pressured, it’s his call.
Personally, I would just keep my “golden ticket” as safe as possible. His back up can’t be awful. Not like the passing game is a major part of our offense.
Personally, I would just keep my “golden ticket” as safe as possible. His back up can’t be awful. Not like the passing game is a major part of our offense.
I believe Danny wants to be the qb and he looked pretty damn good out there. You run the risk of injury at all positions on the field. Kickers and punters also are more vulnerable when they're extended to leg injuries. I say suit up and have some fun.
Even though I've often said using the qb for things like defense is crazy when you are one injury away from being an average team when you lose one player, two positions, and you are a small school...you could get hurt falling down stairs, car accidents, lightning...whatever is going to happen is going to happen...so I'm with you - have fun!
If a QB already has a scholarship offer should he not play his senior year of high school?
While I do understand what you're saying and agree for the most part.
This is a kid that is small and a kicker going to WVU
Now Kicker playing QB puts him at risk that it could all be over in a blink of an eye, this is more comparable to taking RB Ty Johnson his senior year and having him playing Offensive Line
Or maybe like having the number 1 QB in the entire country, and moving him to WR.
The kid has a golden ticket... and if used correctly will be doing it as a kicker on Sunday. Unless we have ourselves another Kordell Stewart on our squad... I think this young mans entire future is more important than FH having a passing QB...
Again, this is how I feel, but if King is all about it, then let it be. He knows the risk.
The kid has a golden ticket... and if used correctly will be doing it as a kicker on Sunday. Unless we have ourselves another Kordell Stewart on our squad... I think this young mans entire future is more important than FH having a passing QB...
Again, this is how I feel, but if King is all about it, then let it be. He knows the risk.
Can’t live scared in a bubble, many things can happen. The kid has to live and have fun.
Unfortunately that “bubble” is the Cumberland area, and most people’s advice keeps most of us here. That’s the only motive behind my feeling, ... to see great things for this young man.
This argument has been going on a long time. Let's face it, just in the last few years alone many many fh players have went off to college only to return home in the first year. There's no guarantees. If it was me I wouldn't risk my golden ticket for the opportunity to play qb. On the other hand, it's his choice and if him and his parents feel this is the best choice then who are we?
“Many” is quite an overgeneralization, nova.
There are some who went to college, played football their first year, and remained at the college but chose not to play football anymore. There is not anything the matter with that.
I didn't say there was anything the matter with that. I also didn't say anything about anybody quitting football and staying at school. Fortunately Gen, whom I was responding to, understood exactly what I meant and thanked me.
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Maybe they are like Andrew Luck and just decide not to take the punishment to their body anymore. After 2-3 concussions one should highly consider stepping away. At age 19-22 a kid has only lived 1/3-1/4 of their life.
For those that never played, they don’t understand the physical toll. The concussions, the torn muscles, the ligament tears, the shoulder injuries, broken bones. CTE is real.in the 70’s and 80’s you led with your head. It was the way things were. There were many undiagnosed concussions I assure u. Bo Jackson said he would smack his kids in the mouth if they said they ever would want to play football.
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No, you simply made an overgeneralization that “many fh players have went off to college only to return home the first year.”
Yes, I am challenging your statement. It is not true. The few that have gone to play at the collegiate level have played all four years or chose to end their football careers and remain in college. The “many” that you have indicated are the very few of the few.
My statement is true. The many is a number that I feel is accurate and even though your opinion has no bearing on a comment between two people who understood each other perfectly you are entitled to it.
Again, there are many, far too many that return home for various reasons which is why I don't think you can depend on somebody going away and instantly having success There are numerous ways to have things not end well, injuries, health family, etc.
You seem to need to be right about my opinion on what is "many" and "overgeneralizations"...don't be so sensitive. There are many of your posts that I find simply juvenile and irrational but I didn't comment on them because they are yours and they are words that one can just choose to ignore. You on the other hand seem to need something from this board and it's not just to post your opinion but it seems like it's for others to agree with it, very sad. Grow up and find somebody else to try and bully or demean, I'm done giving you any more time.
Once the opposing team sees him kick a long field - then realizes its the same kid taking the snaps - he will have a target on his back. As I see it , the goal here though is to have a quarterback that makes you competitive... say.... with a Cathedral while any other consideration is... well... no consideration at all, even if you may lose those 'gimme' field goals and a quarterback with an injury. FH will still run over the usual 1A teams for the title game without perhaps the best high school kicker in the country who happened to also be a passing quarterback.
Was there anything I said in response to your post that was offensive or inaccurate pertaining to what we were discussing? I am curious because sometimes others feel the need to jump in and insist you bow down to their viewpoints and dismiss your own. I thought I was being factual and informative thus adding to yours...good grief some old men just can't stop being mean and grouchy and leave others alone!
For those that never played, they don’t understand the physical toll.
Not a criticism, just a suggestion: read "I never played the game" by Howard Cosell. I believe it to be the best sports book ever written. It covers boxing, football, franchise litigation and highlights the now gone aura of Monday Night Football.
I think what MCSoccer is getting at is that you can't simply say "many" with no actual proof outside of your opinion, and then claim he/she can't contradict you. Whether MC is also stating opinion or not, its just as valid as yours.
There are definitely some that return or do not continue to play football, some transfer to other schools, some continue their degree without playing football, and others withdraw to go to work...or perhaps to return at a later date. The term many is your opinion. MC does not agree with your opinion. And its a public message board, so your opinion (just as mine has and will continue to be) can be challenged by anyone on the board.
I happen to agree with MC that "many, many" as you initially stated is an over generalization. But it very well may be the general perception. We don't usually get the stories of the kids who continue on and finish their degrees or transfer without playing football. We have some anecdotal stories of a few, and those are the ones that seem to represent the general consensus, even if they dont represent the actual numbers.
There are definitely some that return or do not continue to play football, some transfer to other schools, some continue their degree without playing football, and others withdraw to go to work...or perhaps to return at a later date. The term many is your opinion. MC does not agree with your opinion. And its a public message board, so your opinion (just as mine has and will continue to be) can be challenged by anyone on the board.
I happen to agree with MC that "many, many" as you initially stated is an over generalization. But it very well may be the general perception. We don't usually get the stories of the kids who continue on and finish their degrees or transfer without playing football. We have some anecdotal stories of a few, and those are the ones that seem to represent the general consensus, even if they dont represent the actual numbers.
I will. I don’t mean that those that haven’t played don’t know anything. I hope that’s not how anyone read that.
I think you are misinterpreting what Nova said. His original statement was, " Let's face it, just in the last few years alone many many fh players have went off to college only to return home in the first year."
If you look at the FH players in the last few years that went to college with the opportunity to play football and then returned after one year, the term "many" is not an over generalization, it's actually very accurate. This is not an opinion because we can actually look at the numbers and it's very clear what players are currently playing football. I believe this was discussed in a thread last week and we could only find two players.
The introduction to the conversation of the kids that remain in school and are paying tuition like everybody else isn't what Nova was talking about. This is a football message board. If those young men are pursuing their academic degrees it's a beautiful thing but superfluous to the conversation. I don't even understand why we are discussing those students?
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Name the “many many” players, Boyz.
I will wait.
Based on a quote from you last week, I am quite surprised you would agree with “many” let alone “many many.”
Quote from Boyz: “You say FH should get 4 or 5 kids in per year? Even talking D2 and FCS colleges that's totally unrealistic.”
Two of the very players mentioned last week are college freshman. It is clear one chose not to play, and the other is doing his required mission work, so he can’t play this year. That leaves two still playing and two who are no longer playing...certainly not representative of “many many.”
A reminder...
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/many
I have no more to say about the topic. Believe what you will, regardless of whether it is true or not.
Peace to all.
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You brought up a quote from me from last week totally out of context with this conversation. But if you want to revisit it, yes, it's totally unrealistic that FH or any MPSSAA 1A high school is going to produce 4 or 5 college players per year. Even most 4A and Private schools can't do that. I'm not sure what your point is.
In terms of this conversation, you still seem to be confused. Nova clearly said, "over the last few years," if you look at all of the Times-News award winners from the last 4 years and you currently only have 2 players on college rosters it's pretty obvious who the "many many" are. It's not complicated. This is not opinion, this is factual. Nova's comment was very accurate. You can play games and say the kids didn't really return home like Nova said because now they're enrolled academically, but you know he meant they only lasted in the football program for a year or less. Everyone knows the players that didn't even finish the fall semester.
The young man who is doing missionary work, very noble. But he isn't currently in the football program. Did he even get a scholarship? The other "chose not to play"? That has nothing to do with what Nova is talking about. He wasn't at college for football. Why did you bring him up? Are you just talking to hear yourself talk?
Thanks for at least attempting to make what I was trying to say clearer. Some people just don't want to hear anything that is not positive about FH, period. It would be very easy to say you prove me wrong. You list all the players that have returned, give me the total number, and prove to me that it is not many. I don't have to prove anything to anybody but if somebody wants to disprove me go ahead, but not with terms and opinions, with numbers that they are so caught up on.
Again, when somebody seems so intent on disproving you wrong but they don't do so with facts, perhaps a nerve was hit, perhaps they are one of the ones who left and couldn't hack it and had to return home. Maybe it was their child who disappointed them so they are angry and frustrated and need to take it out on somebody else. For whatever reason they have I have empathy for them because the truth can hurt.
I have nothing more to add... I was in a bad mood and was short last night. My feelings I voiced about King’s future however, remain true. Hope you all have a great night
Let the hype (and the debate) begin!!!
Sacrifice is a wonderful thing.... self sacrifice that is, if done by someone who is willing and capable of fully understanding the gravity of their decision. We now have kickers in the NFL with 33 million dollar contracts (Sebastian Janikowski – $33,000,000). So, consider the potential for young King and whether he, at his age, is qualified to sacrifice his mega-million dollar leg? Young folks always see themselves as indestructible.
Obviously the coach, who could never dream of such a personal financial reward, is willing to sacrifice something not his own. And obviously the parents would never buck the coach nor would the red-jackets in this forum.
This year, taking one for the team may have a whole new meaning in Cumberland.
Its football let the kid play you think if one of kick offs doesn't make the endzone somebody ain't going to take a shot at him on the return. Maybe he should be wrapped in bubble wrap. If he is the best qb on the team and wants to play yhen let him.
Ah I see...you operate under the "I'll make a very broad, far-reaching statement that is my opinion, and if no one proves me wrong, I'll just claim it is fact."
Doesn't work that way. What MC, and now I, am saying is you can't just say something is true only because no one proves you otherwise.
I DONT (as in DO NOT) disagree with you that some players that originally go into college playing football, end up not continuing to play football. BUT...the statement by Nova is that "many, many" players go to play football and return after one year.Return where, home? Never complete their degree?
Is the problem that kids go to college and DONT play football? Or the problem that kids go to college to play football and end up NOT? I just think what we should be focusing on is how many of the kids who leave the FH football program go on to get a college degree, regardless of whether they play football or not.
I really don't care how many players get money for college because of sports or because of financial need or because of scholarships. Is is NOT a factual insinuation to say that MANY football players go on to college and don't finish their degree. SO maybe we're debating two different things, but I stand firm behind saying that the issue of players continuing to play football for 4 years in school is not directly related to how many earn a degree.
I'd like to see those numbers. I know in particular one fairly recent FH football graduate who initially went to play football and after a couple years decided that was too much on his body, transferred to FSU and got a Bachelors degree. Inferring that is a negative, because he didn't play football all four years, is quite frankly asinine.
Let me just say that many kids that come out of FH and anywhere else playing football or any other sport find out real quick the level of commitment one must have to be a college athlete. This has been touched on many times in this forum. Some finish and some don't. I don't know how many don't finish and I don't know why the ones that don't finish, finish. Injury, family issues, burn out, there are many different reasons a young man may opt out. I believe that as long as the individual does something productive with their life, then who cares? I do think it is a tremendous accomplishment to play a sport in college for four years and get a degree. A young person that does that should be very proud.
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