IMG @ TCA

[TCMan]

Proset:  Hope you have been doing well - I'm still pulling for your Celtics by the way. I have watched every game for TCJax this year and would agree that they played their best game of the year ( they also played well against Ft. Pierce Central). Being at the game, you were able to feel the tension and occasional frustration from the IMG coaching staff and players. Make no mistake, they had their hands full with TCJax and were impressed with the talent and effort from the Conquerors. Would we lose ten times to IMG if we played them ten times? Perhaps....... But I am glad we have a coach that will play anyone, anywhere at any time. IMG is truly a different kind of team. They are not a high school football team in any sense of the meaning. They are a collection of all-star talent from around the country (and internationally). I was able to speak with one of their assistant coaches on the way out of the game for a bit ( great guy and former D1 college player by the way). He noticed my shirt and spoke first by saying how impressed he was with the athletes and athleticism of TCJax, especially for a 3A school. He said this ended up being one of the top tests IMG has faced on the season - he mentioned Centennial as well. I asked him if they were missing anyone and he told me that 4 players were out and unable play. He quickly added that with the size of their roster and depth of talent, that there's really not a drop off for them in those positions.  In the end, TCJax lost to this "super team" with an offensive line bigger than the Jaguars by a 13 point margin. The #11 team in the country (Grayson of Georgia) and the #15 nation team in the country (St. John's of Marland)  both lost by wider margins than TCJax.  This is not the TCJax team that lost to Cocoa in week one or Lincoln a few weeks after. This is TCJax team that is quickly hitting their stride and becoming formidable. I'm really proud of TCJax and their effort. Hopefully this 5-3 TCJax team that is ranked by many as the 3rd best team in Florida 3A can make it back to Orlando !    Should be fun to see how it plays out. 

[Proseteye]

TCMan, hope you don't think I was finding fault with TCA. I simply like to call things as I see them. TCA not only has very good players they have a very good coaching staff. As you and I both agree that TCA played what may be their best game of the last 2 or 3 years. However, in spite of this, they did lose to IMG. IMG is a college level team. I even think that they may defeat STA quite handily. IMG didn't play to their potential. Of course the strange offensive formations and a very strong defense, from TCA, may have had something to do with that. A combination of TCA playing their best game and IMG not playing that well made the score close. 

 

Appreciate your commiseration of my Celtics. However, they couldn't defeat TCA, or possibly avoid a running clock, on their best night. We will go out in the first round when we play Tampa Catholic. I can't believe I'm saying this.   

[Floridatech]

TCMan, hope you don't think I was finding fault with TCA. I simply like to call things as I see them. TCA not only has very good players they have a very good coaching staff. As you and I both agree that TCA played what may be their best game of the last 2 or 3 years. However, in spite of this, they did lose to IMG. IMG is a college level team. I even think that they may defeat STA quite handily. IMG didn't play to their potential. Of course the strange offensive formations and a very strong defense, from TCA, may have had something to do with that. A combination of TCA playing their best game and IMG not playing that well made the score close.

 

Appreciate your commiseration of my Celtics. However, they couldn't defeat TCA, or possibly avoid a running clock, on their best night. We will go out in the first round when we play Tampa Catholic. I can't believe I'm saying this.

 

If they are a college team well the why did TCA only get beat by two TDs

[TCMan]

TCMan, hope you don't think I was finding fault with TCA. I simply like to call things as I see them. TCA not only has very good players they have a very good coaching staff. As you and I both agree that TCA played what may be their best game of the last 2 or 3 years. However, in spite of this, they did lose to IMG. IMG is a college level team. I even think that they may defeat STA quite handily. IMG didn't play to their potential. Of course the strange offensive formations and a very strong defense, from TCA, may have had something to do with that. A combination of TCA playing their best game and IMG not playing that well made the score close. 

 

Appreciate your commiseration of my Celtics. However, they couldn't defeat TCA, or possibly avoid a running clock, on their best night. We will go out in the first round when we play Tampa Catholic. I can't believe I'm saying this.   

 

Proset: I didn't think that at all from your post...You always shoot straight in your post and I appreciate that quality.  IMG is mega talented.. no doubt about that fact. Their size up front is simply amazing in person. The smallest O-lineman is 6'4" 280.. the biggest is 6'8" 380 - all D1 commits. As far as why they don't simply slaughter everyone they play is a good question. Perhaps just assembling an entire roster of top flight talent results in a less than cohesive effort on the field. The point of my post was simply to point out that TCJax played with effort, passion and inspiration. They performed as well as any of IMG's top 20 nationally ranked opponents. I understand that Oxbridge, who was beaten by IMG by 38 points 7 days prior to the TCJax game, still seems to be everyone's pick in 3A this year. However, from what I am seeing TCJax is coming together and the right time and i just wonder.......   As far as your Celtics, they are a mystery to me. Great facilities, huge fan support, community buy in, etc..... A number of years back, they were as impressive as any high school team I had seen in person.  I'm sure they will be back. 

[DisabledAccount]

Proset: I didn't think that at all from your post...You always shoot straight in your post and I appreciate that quality. IMG is mega talented.. no doubt about that fact. Their size up front is simply amazing in person. The smallest O-lineman is 6'4" 280.. the biggest is 6'8" 380 - all D1 commits. As far as why they don't simply slaughter everyone they play is a good question. Perhaps just assembling an entire roster of top flight talent results in a less than cohesive effort on the field. The point of my post was simply to point out that TCJax played with effort, passion and inspiration. They performed as well as any of IMG's top 20 nationally ranked opponents. I understand that Oxbridge, who was beaten by IMG by 38 points 7 days prior to the TCJax game, still seems to be everyone's pick in 3A this year. However, from what I am seeing TCJax is coming together and the right time and i just wonder....... As far as your Celtics, they are a mystery to me. Great facilities, huge fan support, community buy in, etc..... A number of years back, they were as impressive as any high school team I had seen in person. I'm sure they will be back.

This year seems to be shaping up with unusual circumstances so that one reason I see a lot of new champs being crown this year

[Proseteye]

Proset: I didn't think that at all from your post...You always shoot straight in your post and I appreciate that quality.  IMG is mega talented.. no doubt about that fact. Their size up front is simply amazing in person. The smallest O-lineman is 6'4" 280.. the biggest is 6'8" 380 - all D1 commits. As far as why they don't simply slaughter everyone they play is a good question. Perhaps just assembling an entire roster of top flight talent results in a less than cohesive effort on the field. The point of my post was simply to point out that TCJax played with effort, passion and inspiration. They performed as well as any of IMG's top 20 nationally ranked opponents. I understand that Oxbridge, who was beaten by IMG by 38 points 7 days prior to the TCJax game, still seems to be everyone's pick in 3A this year. However, from what I am seeing TCJax is coming together and the right time and i just wonder.......   As far as your Celtics, they are a mystery to me. Great facilities, huge fan support, community buy in, etc..... A number of years back, they were as impressive as any high school team I had seen in person.  I'm sure they will be back. 

After what I saw of them against IMG there is no 3A team that will challenge TCA the rest of this season. TCA will take apart whatever team meets them in Orlando, period. End of discussion. You notice how laid back the IMG players are. They don't get emotional and jump around jucking it in the end zone. They simply execute at whatever position they play. I doubt that one player goes both ways on this team. Their QB is top college and NFL material already. They have a couple of WR's that can literally fly and nobody, with the exception of TCA's DB's, can cover them. TCA has the best defense I have ever seen in HS football. I think that it may be a lack of true cohesiveness with IMG. They are all super stars and the "family" atmosphere be dammed. Yes, TCA plays as a family but they also play their positions superbly. The main reason that TCA was able to come back in that game, after being down by as much as they were, is that the "family" clawed their way back. Most other teams would have given up.

 

In 2014 OTC had a drastic change in their structure. Long time coach, and winner, John Brantley, departed. Most of his assistants also departed. A few players transferred to public schools or other private schools, including two 5 star D1 players. Joe Sturdivant. a defensive coach at IMG, was brought on board as HC of OTC. He had to quickly acclimate himself to the way things are done at OTC. He had to replace a bunch of assistants and work under an AD who, not only had his own way of running things but who was used to winning most of the time. Sturdivant revamped the entire football philosophy of Trinity Catholic, which encourages a more "family" oriented comradeship of sharing and not relying so much on individual capabilities (ie D-1). He implemented an entirely new offensive playbook, which does not rely so much upon the Proset I formations that Brantley used, but employs some aspects of the Wing-T and Single Wing, run heavy formations. Our defense, that used to be tough as nails and had a lot of speed, now has limited speed and allows a lot of yardage. We obviously have an OL that is not clicking. Our experienced QB is forced to scramble a lot of the time and cannot set up his pass plays due to lack of protection. Our QB is missing his receivers by inches because he does not have the time for any precision. I have no idea whether it is due to all of this upheaval, that is not allowing OTC to return to it's old self, or whether the HC and assistants are possibly not performing as they should. Either way I am hoping that some people will realize this to see what can be done about it.