Jags904

Lol we are talking about high school kids, of course they talk trash. And yes you are correct, Broward and Dade are the prominent counties for football because they have a great pop Warner system, great coaches, and way more people. I think many in Duval would kill to just have those kind of sponsorships that you have in Lake City. Or the ability to not have to recruit your own kids to get them to stay.

The only consistent DCPS program since the 90’s has been Raines and they’ve even had some down years. It’s the nature of being in the Duval. It’s great to have tradition and be great for a long time but there’s something to be said for getting great after a long period of mediocrity or down right badness. Lee had been bad since Corky left but has been solid since OJ took over. Terry Parker had been bad since Christ was a child but now that Dorsey is there? They’re building a good program. Coaching is so important with these underfunded inner city schools. I know you’re young but I would’ve thought you’d have realized that by now. Maintaining a tradition is much easier in small town Lake City compared to Duval. And don’t compare to Miami, they have so much more talent and they have consistently been congregating at a certain few schools for the past 15-20 years

The school board got exactly what they asked for. Propst will never coach again and that’s great for HS football

As long as OJ is there and he can keep his staff together? They’ll keep winning. In some ways, city schools have a huge advantage (more people = more possible athletes) but also a huge disadvantage. I’m sure they have nowhere near the stability of a Columbia nor do they have the community support or funding. In fact, I’d consider Columbia a better job than Lee

They will certainly compete right away. Great program, great coach, and sounds like kids will be following him to Mainland.

Yes. Bryce Capers, S/LB from TCA, and Devin Smith, LB from Oakleaf. Both are 3 stars

Not quite that simple when it comes to schools and where you go in DCPS. The two best kids they’ve added are Capers from TCA and Smith from Oakleaf. Those are legit D1 guys.

That’s a good schedule to win 7-8 games as a first year program

Tocoi Creek will be an interesting school. The school is located in between St Augustine and Bartram Trail. They are primarily drawing students that were zoned for Nease. I think they’ll have some talented kids and it’ll be a great school...but going to be hard to win there

Oakleaf is the other team in region 1 that should be solid. Lots of talent on that roster

I would say Oakleaf and Sandalwood were the two most talented teams in the area last year and neither could make the playoffs. It’s clearly coaching. Columbia has enough talent on a year in year out basis to compete for a final four appearance, occasionally they have enough to win a state title. Whether they do it or not is up to a couple of factors, one of which is coaching

Sandalwood’s coaching is what holds them back from being a perennial state title contender

No chance of that. They are too far south. I have friends who live 20 minutes south of Bartram Trail and still 20 minutes north of Menendez. However, he will draw kids from St Augustine and Palatka. And if he’s a great coach, that will be enough to compete for a state title.

Has passed. He was 76. Prayers to his family, he was a great coach and builder of men.

Bates didn’t graduate, he went to Oakleaf. But you are correct, they won’t win without those kids. They’ve lost their 5 best returning players

Lee has lost three players to Oakleaf and at least two to the Sandalwood. They will be extremely DOWN.

Lee has lost three players to Oakleaf and at least two to the Sandalwood. They will be extremely DOWN.

When I originally heard the school was being built, I thought it was in Windermere. If that would’ve been the case, I think we would have seen them be quite excellent (on the state level) in your country club sports such as swimming, lacrosse, tennis, soccer, etc. Very similar to what Ponte Vedra has done up here in NE Florida

Found out his dad got a job in Jax. Nothing crazy

Ribault was the same way for years. Middleburg is that way with girls basketball right now.

As a coach here’s what I’d be looking for: 1. Supportive administration. Beyond important. Are they willing to hire coaches as teachers? To build good young men, you need to have multiple sets of eyes in the building. Are they going to have your back with parents? Then the general questions like: do I want to live here? Can my wife get a good job here? How is the talent? Etc

Yes it is. They do a complete disservice to the kids, I feel so bad for them.

It is certainly not the number one reason why Gateway schools have had very little success. It has much more to do with a lack of coaching stability (often times due to incompetent administration, for instance the Jackson coach Atwater being fired after greatly improving the team)

Duval