Augusta - you got a good one!

[MikeDiesel™]

Deerick Smith is a GREAT coach.  He understands the players and the game.  We are truly going to miss him in Blytheville.

[Marblehog]

Knows how to work with kids and very strong weightroom coach is what I here.  The two most important things for a high school coach.

[Lions84]

Congrats to the Red Devils.

[Prairie Duster]

Heard Augusta won't be fielding a team. That true?

[Dayton Kitchens]

Heard Augusta won't be fielding a team. That true?

They will field a team

[mriderpride84]

Augusta may have found them a great young coach. Wish he would have gotten my home town job , but my friend from bald knob said he was on campus today and admin loved him. I asked him but he isn't saying anything right now anyone know if it is official yet?

[footballfan-tastic]

I hear they are still interviewing.  How many applicants did they get, how many they interviewing?

[mriderpride84]

Wondering what the draw to this job would be? Guy I am talking about has a great resume, but not sure what would pull him to Augusta. I know I have read on here there is low numbers hate to see him get in a bad situation. But on the other hand his personality may be just what those kids need.

[gameoflife]

So is it official, I think they are still interviewing? Wouldn't be normal to interview if they had offered.

[Ball Hawk]

I heard Smith quit a couple weeks into job?? Not 100% sure but I know he had been hired as HC and now it's open

[Dayton Kitchens]

I heard Smith quit a couple weeks into job?? Not 100% sure but I know he had been hired as HC and now it's open

That was covered in another thread. 

http://www.fearlessfriday.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=151844.0

Coach Smith quit basically (according to him on social media) because not enough kids would commit to playing football in spring to have a team this fall.    He stated that he had come to Augusta to be a head senior high football coach and not merely coach of a Junior High.

IIRC,  his exact words were "enough players might show up in August  to field a senior high team,  but that's no way to run a football program".

[gameoflife]

Did he not know this was a possibility when he interviewed and accepted?  I can see not taking a job but you should know the situation and be prepared for it.  If he knew then accepted, hang in there and build it from the junior high.  But a guy has a right to quit. 

[Dayton Kitchens]

Did he not know this was a possibility when he interviewed and accepted?  I can see not taking a job but you should know the situation and be prepared for it.  If he knew then accepted, hang in there and build it from the junior high.  But a guy has a right to quit. 

From what I've heard second hand,  note I don't work there anymore though my daughter is a junior (now a senior I guess) in high school and my wife works locally,  but second hand is still second hand........

1) Four of Augusta's best senior athletes enrolled at other schools close by (McCrory, Newport, Searcy, Bald Knob)

2) At a spring football meeting (note I was told this by a person of some authority at the school) conducted by Coach Smith,  a substantial group of potential players made it clear to the coach that they would not play football regardless of who the coach was.

It is my understanding that after this meeting that Coach Smith decided that Augusta would be unable to field a senior high team for 2017.

3) Of additional note,  from what I was told,  due to budget issues Augusta does not plan to have a coaching staff for football aside from a head coach and the junior high coach.

4) And yes I applied anyway.   I have too strong a tie to the kids graduating next year along with my daughter and to the community as a whole.   

[mtindian42]

From what I've heard second hand,  note I don't work there anymore though my daughter is a junior (now a senior I guess) in high school and my wife works locally,  but second hand is still second hand........

1) Four of Augusta's best senior athletes enrolled at other schools close by (McCrory, Newport, Searcy, Bald Knob)

2) At a spring football meeting (note I was told this by a person of some authority at the school) conducted by Coach Smith,  a substantial group of potential players made it clear to the coach that they would not play football regardless of who the coach was.

It is my understanding that after this meeting that Coach Smith decided that Augusta would be unable to field a senior high team for 2017.

3) Of additional note,  from what I was told,  due to budget issues Augusta does not plan to have a coaching staff for football aside from a head coach and the junior high coach.

4) And yes I applied anyway.   I have too strong a tie to the kids graduating next year along with my daughter and to the community as a whole.

sad man I remember when the Red Devils was really good!

[Dr. Defense]

sad man I remember when the Red Devils was really good!

Yea coach Shelton had them rolling up there for a while

[R. A.™]

Yea coach Shelton had them rolling up there for a while

I remember the days when Coach Wilson and Coach Jackson had them rolling....

[Dayton Kitchens]

I was told that the superintendent wants to hire a head football coach who could serve as High School Principal as well.

This has the potential to save the school tens of thousands of dollars annually.

But it radically reduces the pool of possible coaches.    Not that many people willing to work as head football coach also have administrator's certification and not many certified administrators have current coaching endorsements.

Not to mention it means doing basically two jobs for very little extra money.   It  would mean working for a full years contract as principal (240 days) with a stipend or two thrown in for the coaching duties.

[Wonderdog]

I was told that the superintendent wants to hire a head football coach who could serve as High School Principal as well.

This has the potential to save the school tens of thousands of dollars annually.

But it radically reduces the pool of possible coaches.    Not that many people willing to work as head football coach also have administrator's certification and not many certified administrators have current coaching endorsements.

Not to mention it means doing basically two jobs for very little extra money.   It  would mean working for a full years contract as principal (240 days) with a stipend or two thrown in for the coaching duties.

Thats how CT rolls. Good quality for a sup, in terms of budgeting, but probably not what is best for the kids in THIS situation.

[playmaker04]

Cross County looking for Scrimmage opponent because Coaches we're told Augusta not Fielding a team this season.

[gameoflife]

So Did they get a new coach, I heard they were going to play junior high?

[Dayton Kitchens]

So Did they get a new coach, I heard they're going to play junior high?

Yes they got a new coach.    They'll play a senior high season as long as sufficient numbers of players come out for senior high football. 

But that can't reasonably be determined until August. 

[Lumberjackfan1978]

Hope they can keep their numbers up

[mustang12]

They aren't putting their kids in a good situation by just picking up in August when most teams have been getting ready since school got out with weights, 7 on 7's, camps, etc. if the kids won't committ then why bother with it? It will be a cluster and embarrassing for the school once Carlisle, DA, McCrory and others come to play.

[Dayton Kitchens]

They aren't putting their kids in a good situation by just picking up in August when most teams have been getting ready since school got out with weights, 7 on 7's, camps, etc. if the kids won't committ then why bother with it? It will be a cluster and embarrassing for the school once Carlisle, DA, McCrory and others come to play.

In 2003,  Altheimer's coach couldn't get his players to come to any practices until school actually started.

So he cancelled all his nonconference games,   didn't start playing until conference games the fourth week of the season,  went six and one (losing only to Rison),  then made it to the quarter final round (3rd) of the playoffs with about 16 players.

[Pick_DA_EAGLES]

In 2003,  Altheimer's coach couldn't get his players to come to any practices until school actually started.

So he cancelled all his nonconference games,   didn't start playing until conference games the fourth week of the season,  went six and one (losing only to Rison),  then made it to the quarter final round (3rd) of the playoffs with about 16 players.

That would only bye him a couple weeks in this conference.

[Dayton Kitchens]

That would only bye him a couple weeks in this conference.

My first year of senior high football we only had one week of two a days though this was in large part because the first game of the season wasn't until the third week of school.

Of  course my senior year in high school we had four weeks of two a day practices.   Because the first game of the season was the Friday night BEFORE school actually started. 

[Jimbo Morphis]

They will field a team

Stated as a 100% fact.

[Jimbo Morphis]

Yes they got a new coach.    They'll play a senior high season as long as sufficient numbers of players come out for senior high football. 

But that can't reasonably be determined until August. 

Stated as someone with a future in politics.

[Dayton Kitchens]

Stated as someone with a future in politics.

Thank you.

[Pick_DA_EAGLES]

My first year of senior high football we only had one week of two a days though this was in large part because the first game of the season wasn't until the third week of school.

Of  course my senior year in high school we had four weeks of two a day practices.   Because the first game of the season was the Friday night BEFORE school actually started.

But like a previous poster said, you will be so far behind the better teams in the conference, the players confidence will be shot. Des Arc started a week after school let out.

[Dayton Kitchens]

But like a previous poster said, you will be so far behind the better teams in the conference, the players confidence will be shot. Des Arc started a week after school let out.

Starting late is not my preference.    But ultimately to field a team you have to have boys willing to play.    Unfortunately many have no interest in spring practice or are willing to commit their entire summers to lifting weights and running.

Coaches have to adjust to reality.

[Jimbo Morphis]

But like a previous poster said, you will be so far behind the better teams in the conference, the players confidence will be shot. Des Arc started a week after school let out.

Dollarway did it for years and started a little slow but came rolling late.

[AirWarren]

Stated as someone with a future in politics.

More time coaching. Less time browsing the forums.

[Cheek]

It is sad, but August School has more to worry about than football.  They are near the 350 mark and will be going to McCrory in the near future.  August will be join the likes of Altheimer. Gillett,  Holly Grove, Grady, Crawfordsville, Elaine and Parkin.

[Pick_DA_EAGLES]

Dollarway did it for years and started a little slow but came rolling late.

Let's not get this twisted, Augusta is not to be confused with a school like dollarway.

[Dayton Kitchens]

More time coaching. Less time browsing the forums.

I average posting something once every four days.

[Dayton Kitchens]

It is sad, but August School has more to worry about than football.  They are near the 350 mark and will be going to McCrory in the near future.  August will be join the likes of Altheimer. Gillett,  Holly Grove, Grady, Crawfordsville, Elaine and Parkin.

A championship football season could attract more students.

[panther07]

Who did they end up hiring?

[Jimbo Morphis]

A championship football season could attract more students.

From not fielding a team we have this solution?

[AirWarren]

From not fielding a team we have this solution?

Head coach talk.

[we_hate_the_band]

So who is the new guy?

[Pick_DA_EAGLES]

From not fielding a team we have this solution?

Yeppers, skip summer workouts and win a championship, the perfect recipe for more players.

[Dayton Kitchens]

Yeppers, skip summer workouts and when a championship, the perfect recipe for more players.

Definitely not one I or any coach I know or have heard of would ever recommend.

Yet.

Despite what many think the gap between the absolute bottom and the absolute top in football is not the yawning chasm that many think it is.   

As they say "any given friday".      Though to be fair you have to string a bunch of those together in sequence.

[Pick_DA_EAGLES]

Definitely not one I or any coach I know or have heard of would ever recommend.

Yet.

Despite what many think the gap between the absolute bottom and the absolute top in football is not the yawning chasm that many think it is.   

As they say "any given friday".      Though to be fair you have to string a bunch of those together in sequence.

The gap is pretty large unless you have a Kenneth Dixon or Monte Ellis and only 1 of those won a title.

[Dayton Kitchens]

The gap is pretty large unless you have a Kenneth Dixon or Monte Ellis and only 1 of those won a title.

Of course.    But as Hampton showed last year.    Great players do come along and they can instantly transform a team.

[Pick_DA_EAGLES]

Of course.    But as Hampton showed last year.    Great players do come along and they can instantly transform a team.

I doubt Augusta can recruit anyone's stud player to come play there though.

[Dayton Kitchens]

I doubt Augusta can recruit anyone's stud player to come play there though.

Recruiting is illegal under AAA rules isn't it?

[Lions84]

Bad news for the Red devils.

[Pick_DA_EAGLES]

Recruiting is illegal under AAA rules isn't it?

Only if you get caught without an alibi.

[HorseFeathers]

The gap is pretty large unless you have a Kenneth Dixon or Monte Ellis and only 1 of those won a title.

Monte Ellis plays in the NBA(gonna assume you meant Monta Thomas and kenneth Dixon is in the NFL....I'd take that pay check over a state title any day