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Programs turned around

Started by beach bum, January 18, 2019, 02:49:20 pm

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beach bum

This includes all classifications to discuss.....

Seeing all these coach openings year after year has me thinking. How many programs in the last 25 years have legitimately been turned around? I am not talking about good programs throughout history who went through a couple bad years just to get it back on track. I am also not talking about programs who did it for just one or two years and went back to stinking. I am talking about programs who have greatly improved through the years. This can even mean going from being a 2 win a year program to a 6 win a year program. In my book that equals success. Also, the programs who went from 6 a year to 10 a year. In college you can recruit to turn things around. High school is even harder because of district lines. That's why in my opinion you have to give a high school coach 5 or even 6 years to see what he is all about. Here are some examples in 4A I know right off the bat.


Pea Ridge- Travis was the guy who got the program to first take a new step in the right direction. They used to be bad to average most of the time in the past. They landed in the NWA population burst and their community and school did all the right things to take advantage of that and take their program to a solid level.


Prairie Grove- I am kind of fetching here cause they have been solid for about 20 years now. Until about 1995 or 1996 this was one of the worst in the whole state. Coach Abshier changed the culture there, and has long time assistants now to have the vital stability.


Pottsville- Didn't they start their program later than most? Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I remember them being horrendous as a program at first. That Perry kid coming through along with staff consistency has made them at least decent every year at worst when they first starting as a laughing stock.




beach bum

Arkadelphia is obviously another. They did not win a lot of games in the 2000's to now in this decade taking it to another level completely.

What about Warren? I don't want to sound ignorant, but not being from south Arkansas what was it like before Hembree ?  Let's say in the 1990's for them? Even if Warren was let's say a slightly winning program and good, they still have to be on this list too cause they're on a whole different level than most programs can even dream about.

friscokid

Pottsville was virulently anti-football in the early 1990s, but at the same time they were as small as Hector but good at all the other sports without the pigskin.

Once a new HS was built at the George Jones farm and certain boosters came on board, football became a possibility and they hit a home run right off the bat with Phil Collins. (Two musical names that have the Apaches singing a happy tune today.)

So yes, Pottsville has a young tradition but give them time.

x14113

Dardanelle only had that mid-'80s flash to hang its hat on in 1994, but it has since developed to a perennial playoff qualifier and, eventually, conference title contender.

A payoff year is particularly anticipated in the coming fall.

HorseFeathers

Pottsville started football around 01....Unlike most small schools starting football hasn't hurt the basketball team. But maybe that's cause the school is the fastest growing school in the area..

beach bum

Thanks for the input so far from both and I totally agree.....


Also, we can add in programs that have fallen off map in the last decade from which were giants in their past. The main example of the opposite of a program that used to be a powerhouse which is now a shell of its self is PB Dollarway. My word, what used to be a program which others feared is now a perennial drum that its opponents beat up on. Not as severe but below are some programs headed in the wrong direction the last few years to half decade and need to be turned back around...


Star City, Carlise in 2A, Malvern, Camden Fairview in 5A, Lake Hamilton in 6A used to challenge and now is stringing together losing seasons, and in 7A FS Southside was a state power now just in mediocrity

Maybe people more familiar with those situations can chime in on why they may be headed in the wrong direction?

beach bum

January 18, 2019, 06:01:00 pm #6 Last Edit: January 18, 2019, 06:03:39 pm by beach bum
And I had no clue that Pottsville has grown so fast in the last two decades.... Thanks again for all the input so far as you folks more local to certain situations know much more than I could know about those particular schools!

HorseFeathers

I don't think dollarway school district will be around much longer....money and academic issues in that district I believe

HorseFeathers

Quote from: beach bum on January 18, 2019, 06:01:00 pm
And I had no clue that Pottsville has grown so fast in the last two decades.... Thanks again for all the input so far as you folks more local to certain situations know much more than I could know about those particular schools!

Senior class of 2005 had 57 in it haha.. this years is listed on ADE site at 126, and there are some 150+ groups in 3-7th grades.

Does Lincoln qualify for this list....I mean it wasnt that long ago they lost 40 something in a row..

GRN R H-2 X-Deep Over

Does Springdale count for falling off with the split? They have not been a competitor since really. Har-Ber a bit too. One title and that is about it.

youhavenoidea

Quote from: beach bum on January 18, 2019, 06:00:04 pm
Thanks for the input so far from both and I totally agree.....


Also, we can add in programs that have fallen off map in the last decade from which were giants in their past. The main example of the opposite of a program that used to be a powerhouse which is now a shell of its self is PB Dollarway. My word, what used to be a program which others feared is now a perennial drum that its opponents beat up on. Not as severe but below are some programs headed in the wrong direction the last few years to half decade and need to be turned back around...


Star City, Carlise in 2A, Malvern, Camden Fairview in 5A, Lake Hamilton in 6A used to challenge and now is stringing together losing seasons, and in 7A FS Southside was a state power now just in mediocrity

Maybe people more familiar with those situations can chime in on why they may be headed in the wrong direction?
These schools that you mention can all go to a coaching change I believe. Sometimes your district makes a wrong decision after a change at a school, a successful coach retires or leaves for another opportunity and the administration decides that they can replace that coach with either an outside/new face guy because they don't think what coaches stayed can do it or they give it to a guy on staff that has no business running a program. Some coaches are great assistant coaches and should stay Assistant coaches, some coaches know the right people and get jobs they shouldn't. District administrators that don't have any coaching experience or very little coaching experience usually make some poor choices...of those schools you listed in my opinion that's the case for 3 if not 4 of them.

arkansasFBscoop

Quote from: beach bum on January 18, 2019, 06:00:04 pm
Thanks for the input so far from both and I totally agree.....


Also, we can add in programs that have fallen off map in the last decade from which were giants in their past. The main example of the opposite of a program that used to be a powerhouse which is now a shell of its self is PB Dollarway. My word, what used to be a program which others feared is now a perennial drum that its opponents beat up on. Not as severe but below are some programs headed in the wrong direction the last few years to half decade and need to be turned back around...


Star City, Carlise in 2A, Malvern, Camden Fairview in 5A, Lake Hamilton in 6A used to challenge and now is stringing together losing seasons, and in 7A FS Southside was a state power now just in mediocrity

Maybe people more familiar with those situations can chime in on why they may be headed in the wrong direction?

Star City and Camden Fairview's decline can be tied to Buck James leaving.  He's on a different level, which should be even more obvious given his success at Bryant now.

Carlisle's decline can be tied to poor administration.  Should have hired Drake Widener the year before he went to Des Arc.  Should have hired any of several others when they named Uhiren head coach.  That program is not coming back, not given the current state of things.  Its going to be a middle of the pack job in that conference for the foreseeable future.

While Malvern and Lake Hamilton has certainly slipped - a large part of that is everyone around them improving, IMO.  Malvern operating in a league where even the "bad" teams can slip up on your.  Similar, probably, for Southside. 

Dollarway's issues rest with school leadership.  Same struggle most Delta schools face.  Extremely difficult to get quality administration into schools in that area of the state.  If you don't have a strong administration, you will not be consistently competitive in high school football.  Just take a look at those schools mentioned as being on the upswing earlier in the thread - all have administrations that care and invest in the program.

Romeo

Before Coach Hembree took over, Warren was pretty much a middle of the road program. Prior to 2001, our last conference title was in 1963. We've now won 15 conference titles since 2001. Warren did advance to the semi-finals in 1997, but other than that, we had moderate/sub-par records in the 90s.

Hawk4L

Totally agree with your Pea Ridge assessment. I've lived in Pea Ridge my whole life. Graduated in 01 and we would have some decent seasons here and there but most year we were bad until Travis came.  School growth is the biggest factor in becoming good.  When I graduated in 01 we had 23 players on the team. Now we have 70-80 every year.

Coach DePriest, Sheridan

When Steve Janski took over Heber Springs, they were like 2-28 in the previous 3 years and were considering dropping football.  He turned them into a solid program with the help of support from the community, and the coaches since have done a good job keeping them there.

Some Greenwood folks could help me here, but I want to say they barely had .500 seasons in the 80's and early 90's until Peacock came.  I believe they won a state championship in 2000, survived the Welch years, then Rick Jones began the dynasty that we see today.

I don't believe PA had ever made the semifinals until Coach Kelley took over in 2003.

incogneto

Quote from: Coach DePriest, Shiloh Christian on January 20, 2019, 11:58:34 am
When Steve Janski took over Heber Springs, they were like 2-28 in the previous 3 years and were considering dropping football.  He turned them into a solid program with the help of support from the community, and the coaches since have done a good job keeping them there.

Some Greenwood folks could help me here, but I want to say they barely had .500 seasons in the 80's and early 90's until Peacock came.  I believe they won a state championship in 2000, survived the Welch years, then Rick Jones began the dynasty that we see today.

I don't believe PA had ever made the semifinals until Coach Kelley took over in 2003.
Greenwood PA LRCA and Benton Harmony Grove come to mind.  Although LRCA and Benton Harmony Grove are young programs.  Heber Springs under Janski is a good example as well.

STUNNA

Warren needs to go ahead and name the field after Hembree.

Coach Jones

Lamar has to be in the conversation.  I'm not talking about myself.  When Jay Holland came to Lamar there was only one season in the history of the school that they won more than 6 games.  More than once they owned the states longest loosing streak.   Even though now Lamar hasn't been a state power, Lamar has been very competitive in the last 11 years winning more than 6 games in 7 out of 11. 

1970  2-6
71: 0-9
72:  0-8
73  3-6
74  2-7
75  3-4-1
76  3-6
77  2-6-1
78  5-5
79  4-5
80  3-7
81  0-9
82  0-10
83  0-10
84  3-7
85  6-4
86  7-3
87  4-5
88  1-9
89  0-10
90  0-10
91  0-10
92  1-9
93  0-10
94  4-5
95  4-4-1
96  3-7
97  2-8
98  2-8
99  0-10
2000  2-7
01  1-8-1
02  1-9
03  2-8
04  0-10
05  3-7
06  6-4
07  6-4
08 11-2-1
09  10-2
10  4-7
11  5-5-1
12  8-4
13  9-2
14  9-3
15  10-3
16  5-6
17  5-6
18  10-3

So if anyone ever wonders why Lamar gets excited about a 10 win season and a conference runner up now you know. 

OB11

Joensboro Westside is a program that is trending up. Coach Engle has done a good job in fielding competitive teams and the talent level has risen some in recent years. It does help that their conference has been down compared to past years. That has definitely helped with their success. But the coaching staff has done a great job as of late.

Str8thug

Glen Rose.  traditional homecoming game, expected to win 1-2 games a year, to traditional top team in 3a

friscokid

Hector in the 1990s. They canceled their program for not enough players in 1991, brought it back in 1993, and 5 years later played Shiloh in WMS for the 2A state championship. They've been up and down since, but have been in the playoffs more often than not.

HorseFeathers

Quote from: friscokid on January 22, 2019, 05:54:10 pm
Hector in the 1990s. They canceled their program for not enough players in 1991, brought it back in 1993, and 5 years later played Shiloh in WMS for the 2A state championship. They've been up and down since, but have been in the playoffs more often than not.

Don't have to go that far back....Hector program crashed in 08(lost every game by 35+, most by 50+), dropped football shortly after. While maybe not a state power in the time since then they've won at least a share of their conference title 5 out of last 6 years...

friscokid

Quote from: HorseFeathers on January 22, 2019, 06:58:25 pm
Don't have to go that far back....Hector program crashed in 08(lost every game by 35+, most by 50+), dropped football shortly after. While maybe not a state power in the time since then they've won at least a share of their conference title 5 out of last 6 years...

That they've come back from the dead not once, but twice ought to end this thread.

Jsmith48

Are we talking about resurgence due to coaching changes only or what? Coaching is huge of course and Coach E and staff at Arky have been the difference. They are consistent in their approach and the kids know the expectations and know how to work. That being said some of the coaches that were around from the late 90's through the 2000's have gone elsewhere and have been fairly successful. So it's not all the coaches either. From 79 to 92 Arky won two state championships and at least one conference championship. After that though Reynolds Metals closed down, Levi's Jeans Manufacturing closed down, a sawmill closed down also. The town lost a ton of jobs therefore a ton of students too. Is this what happened to Dollarway, Carlisle, etc.?

bigchief72455

Quote from: OB11 on January 22, 2019, 10:25:30 am
Joensboro Westside is a program that is trending up. Coach Engle has done a good job in fielding competitive teams and the talent level has risen some in recent years. It does help that their conference has been down compared to past years. That has definitely helped with their success. But the coaching staff has done a great job as of late.
They have been finding more success the past couple of seasons. Just got to get over that first round hump.

Gray lizard

I would have to go with Dardanelle.  Beginning 2012 they have won a lot of games 8 wins or more in consecutive years.
Booneville has to be one of the most sound programs in the state.  They compete while bouncing up and down from 4A to 3A.
Pottsville has been competitive and most expect a winning season or just above.  I just do not know if they can make the next step to 7-10 wins a year for consecutive years.

Mulerider4Life

Quote from: Str8thug on January 22, 2019, 11:50:35 am
Glen Rose.  traditional homecoming game, expected to win 1-2 games a year, to traditional top team in 3a

Yep, they got lucky with that new realignment for conferences. They have a cake walk now.

Coach DePriest, Sheridan

Quote from: Jsmith48 on January 23, 2019, 07:05:06 am
Are we talking about resurgence due to coaching changes only or what? Coaching is huge of course and Coach E and staff at Arky have been the difference. They are consistent in their approach and the kids know the expectations and know how to work. That being said some of the coaches that were around from the late 90's through the 2000's have gone elsewhere and have been fairly successful. So it's not all the coaches either. From 79 to 92 Arky won two state championships and at least one conference championship. After that though Reynolds Metals closed down, Levi's Jeans Manufacturing closed down, a sawmill closed down also. The town lost a ton of jobs therefore a ton of students too. Is this what happened to Dollarway, Carlisle, etc.?
Wasn't Elrod getting things turned at Arkadelphia before Eldridge?  I believe Eldridge is the biggest factor, but Chris Babb taking over as AD that same year was big as well.  The administration and the school board deserve some credit for getting a good staff in there and doing what it takes to keep them, especially knowing they would take some backlash from it.

Oldbadger

The coach before Eldridge (Elmore) was making some inroads at Arkadelphia. Problems developed with the AD, Superintendent and the board. They got rid of the Superintendent. The Coach (Elmore) left for West Memphis (doing great there), a new AD (Babbs, a great choice) was hired when Eldridge (the final  key to success) came in. This was the catalyst for a resurgence of Badger football. The new interim AD (Williams, the basketball coach, another great choice) will only guarantee the continued success of the program. Arkadelphia seems to be overcoming the loss of manufacturing jobs (the population is holding its own) and looks to add to the population with more industry moving in (Paper mill seems to be still viable). If so, I look for the Badgers to be playing in 5A in a few years. All in all, the future is bright for Badger football.

SUGARTOWN

Quote from: Oldbadger on January 29, 2019, 11:46:09 am
The coach before Eldridge (Elmore) was making some inroads at Arkadelphia. Problems developed with the AD, Superintendent and the board. They got rid of the Superintendent. The Coach (Elmore) left for West Memphis (doing great there), a new AD (Babbs, a great choice) was hired when Eldridge (the final  key to success) came in. This was the catalyst for a resurgence of Badger football.

Elmore left Arkadelphia for Stuttgart.

HeberFan

Quote from: Mulerider4Life on January 28, 2019, 08:35:10 am
Yep, they got lucky with that new realignment for conferences. They have a cake walk now.

You think programs like Danville and Atkins are cakewalks?  Nope.

Str8thug

Quote from: Mulerider4Life on January 28, 2019, 08:35:10 am
Yep, they got lucky with that new realignment for conferences. They have a cake walk now.

they won the 5AAA the last year they were in it.  the program has been up and running since 2003 was the first turnaround season from the dark days of GR.  a handful of years since they they have had losing seasons, but since 2007 have averaged 9-10 wins per year.

Mulerider4Life

Quote from: HeberFan on January 30, 2019, 09:16:38 am
You think programs like Danville and Atkins are cakewalks?  Nope.

Yes sir. Compared to playing Fountain Lake, and Prescott yes sir they are. Glen Rose has speed, and the Saline County choice. Glen Rose will dominant most years, with Danville  winning a year here and there.

Oldbadger


Romeo

There's a lot of debate about how programs get turned around or win consistently. I feel the head coach is the most important aspect of a program. They're like the CEO. That's why it's important for athletic directors and superintendents to take the hiring process seriously. Some schools don't and they end up with the wrong hire or they have the good ol' boy system still in place. After seeing how Coach Hembree has built Warren into a top program and watching other successful programs like Greenwood and Pulaski Academy, I believe there's four things every great coach does that can turn around or keep a program consistent: 1. They have a clear vision of where they want the program to be and they are able to get their players to buy in to that vision. 2. They hold every person in that program to the same standards and expectations. 3. They aren't just a teacher but a student of the game. They never stop learning and trying to improve as a coach. 4. They have the ability to build lasting relationships with players and the community.

I think a majority of coaches would say number four is the most important. I don't think there has ever been a championship team that hasn't enjoyed playing for their coach. Players simply won't care what you know until you show that you care. I read an article about Coach Jones of Greenwood where he said you know you've made an impact when you have second and third string players coming to see you after you graduated. I think that's part of the reason why Greenwood has stayed successful.

Mulerider4Life

I think most can agree that Benton High School has made a turn around.

hogfan10

Quote from: Oldbadger on January 29, 2019, 11:46:09 am
The coach before Eldridge (Elmore) was making some inroads at Arkadelphia. Problems developed with the AD, Superintendent and the board. They got rid of the Superintendent. The Coach (Elmore) left for West Memphis (doing great there), a new AD (Babbs, a great choice) was hired when Eldridge (the final  key to success) came in. This was the catalyst for a resurgence of Badger football. The new interim AD (Williams, the basketball coach, another great choice) will only guarantee the continued success of the program. Arkadelphia seems to be overcoming the loss of manufacturing jobs (the population is holding its own) and looks to add to the population with more industry moving in (Paper mill seems to be still viable). If so, I look for the Badgers to be playing in 5A in a few years. All in all, the future is bright for Badger football.

I agree that Eldridge deserves a lot of the credit (for the reasons mentioned above), but the biggest factor is the group of kids coming through. The upward tick in football success coincided with an upward tick in baseball success. A lot of kids play both sports. Since the 2012/13 school year the badgers have 4 state championships (2 baseball, 2 football).

RZback

Quote from: HorseFeathers on January 18, 2019, 08:10:04 pm
Does Lincoln qualify for this list....I mean it wasnt that long ago they lost 40 something in a row..

Lincoln probably doesn't meet the criteria of a turnaround.  More of a few good years here and there.  Last 18 years listed on FF.  With 6 wins being a winning season, they have 3 winning seasons and on 5-5 season during those 18 years.  Prior to that they had 3 winning seasons over roughly 25 years.  The winningest years,
2011- 7 games
2012-5 games
2013-11 games
2018-8 games
With the exception of 2013 they have never gone beyond the 1st round of playoffs. 
During Brad Harris's tenure they had a very good 3 year run 2011, 2012, 2013 where they won a combined 23 games and made it to the quarterfinals in 2013.  In the 5 seasons since 2013 they have  a 20/34 record.  With 2018 being 8 wins and losing in the first round of the playoffs. 
The lack of consistency is still the problem for Lincoln. On the other hand, they have been to the playoffs 5 times, 4 of those are in the previous 8 years, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2018. Only 3 of those years were winning seasons.  Still missing back to back winning seasons during its football history.  If you count the 5-5 years then 2011, 2012, 2013 would be 3 winning seasons in a row and by far the best run in school history.  It's the best run in school history any way you add it up.

LH_DAD

Quote from: arkansasFBscoop on January 19, 2019, 09:52:37 am
Star City and Camden Fairview's decline can be tied to Buck James leaving.  He's on a different level, which should be even more obvious given his success at Bryant now.

Carlisle's decline can be tied to poor administration.  Should have hired Drake Widener the year before he went to Des Arc.  Should have hired any of several others when they named Uhiren head coach.  That program is not coming back, not given the current state of things.  Its going to be a middle of the pack job in that conference for the foreseeable future.

While Malvern and Lake Hamilton has certainly slipped - a large part of that is everyone around them improving, IMO.  Malvern operating in a league where even the "bad" teams can slip up on your.  Similar, probably, for Southside. 

Dollarway's issues rest with school leadership.  Same struggle most Delta schools face.  Extremely difficult to get quality administration into schools in that area of the state.  If you don't have a strong administration, you will not be consistently competitive in high school football.  Just take a look at those schools mentioned as being on the upswing earlier in the thread - all have administrations that care and invest in the program.
I would say that the 6A West was pretty competitive. IMO.  Lake Hamilton lost their coach of over 20 years.  Most wins in the history of the school, but also lost the majority of the Asst. coaches on that staff as well.  Coach Bales, Leatherwood, Welsh. & Coach Mac all gone as well.  One thing that you could always count on with those teams before the transition was that they were well coached.

Beaver Fever

Lake Hamilton is has been down for awhile. Look at Clays last four years and it's about the same as the last 2 or 3. It happens, it will turn around.

Sports Guru

Crossett fell off after 2003 before then the Eagles has some insane talent playing football now we are trying to build ourselves back up and win more than 6 games at least. Crossett used to smoke Hamburg every year nearly now we are the ones being beaten by them 9 years an running. We gotta get back to Eagle ball for sure.

boogercat

El Dorado before the Scott Reed era and when he got there.

prHOG13

Quote from: Crossett Eagle on February 13, 2019, 03:17:34 pm
Crossett fell off after 2003 before then the Eagles has some insane talent playing football now we are trying to build ourselves back up and win more than 6 games at least. Crossett used to smoke Hamburg every year nearly now we are the ones being beaten by them 9 years an running. We gotta get back to Eagle ball for sure.
Crossett had some monster athletes in basketball when I was in HS and we played them in 2003

LH_DAD

Quote from: Beaver Fever on February 12, 2019, 06:37:11 am
Lake Hamilton is has been down for awhile. Look at Clays last four years and it's about the same as the last 2 or 3. It happens, it will turn around.
Look at all of the Assistant Coaches that left during that period.

Beaver Fever

That should tell you something.  Get out while the getting is good.  They probably saw the writing on the wall.

beach bum

Quote from: Beaver Fever on March 25, 2019, 06:28:54 am
That should tell you something.  Get out while the getting is good.  They probably saw the writing on the wall.

Exactly.... Coaches know exactly what they are doing when they see very little talent and/or work ethic between 7th-10th grade classes at their school. That's the exact time to get out while you can if you're coming off some solid seasons to land a slightly better job.

HeberFan

And then, there are coaches who make very successful careers by staying in one spot.

SUGARTOWN

March 26, 2019, 06:11:26 am #47 Last Edit: March 26, 2019, 07:45:48 am by SUGARTOWN
Who's going to turn around Monticello? Their last hire didn't quite work out. He was a one and done.

HeberFan

Quote from: SUGARTOWN on March 26, 2019, 06:11:26 am
Who's going to turn around Monticello? Their last hire didn't quite work out. He was a one and done.

Monticello not far from Stuttgart... maybe the Birds could give advice on building The Machine!

Trojanbird

Quote from: HeberFan on March 26, 2019, 10:45:52 am
Monticello not far from Stuttgart... maybe the Birds could give advice on building The Machine!
That made me laugh!

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