Pre-Pre season SMC favorite
- Thread starter Pantherdad13
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Robbinsville or Murphy. Right now no one else in the league is close.
On a side note...has Swain named a new HC yet?
On a side note...has Swain named a new HC yet?
Not sure how it all went down but I heard Swain had their man..then a week later he notified Swain officials he had decided he couldn't take the job..he was a Black Knight.
Murphy's got a lot coming back but still big question marks on player front as well as the coaching staff with Coach Nelson moving on and Coach Thompson retiring, that's 30 years of Murphy staff experience that needs to be replaced and it won't be easy.
As far as the players themselves are concerned Murphy is paper thin in the backfield, I know I've said that a few times over the last couple of years but this fall is a different level of thin, they're as shallow back there as I've ever seen with Ledford out for the season and Wood, who a lot of people thought would come back out, transferring to Rabun Gap. They're one significant injury at tail, full or wing from being in a world of trouble. As of now they have nothing behind the presumed starters at any of those three spots. It will be difficult to keep all three of those kids healthy all season when presumably all three of them are going to have to play both ways given Murphy's situation at linebacker with Rathburn and Jordan graduating and Ledford out for the season. That's your three top linebackers graduated or out, so linebacker is a question mark too.
Bottomline Murphy really needs a RB/LB to either come out of the woodwork or move into the district. This team is only about two pieces away from being very good in my opinion, be a shame for it to not work out when they're that close.
As far as the players themselves are concerned Murphy is paper thin in the backfield, I know I've said that a few times over the last couple of years but this fall is a different level of thin, they're as shallow back there as I've ever seen with Ledford out for the season and Wood, who a lot of people thought would come back out, transferring to Rabun Gap. They're one significant injury at tail, full or wing from being in a world of trouble. As of now they have nothing behind the presumed starters at any of those three spots. It will be difficult to keep all three of those kids healthy all season when presumably all three of them are going to have to play both ways given Murphy's situation at linebacker with Rathburn and Jordan graduating and Ledford out for the season. That's your three top linebackers graduated or out, so linebacker is a question mark too.
Bottomline Murphy really needs a RB/LB to either come out of the woodwork or move into the district. This team is only about two pieces away from being very good in my opinion, be a shame for it to not work out when they're that close.
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that makes two or three kids from the SMC to transfer in the last two years, crazy these schools can recruit with no limits.
Looks like another year with Murphy and Robbinsville battling for the top spot. Both squads are losing some great players. Murphy needs another solid RB/LB and Robbinsville will need a QB. Whichever team fills this need the best will probably win. Going to keep my eye on Andrews in their games with Murphy and Robbinsville to see if they close the gap some.
I heard from a Swain guy that the Robbinsville guy's wife worked for a big Rville donor and they told her they'd fire her if he took the job. Don't throw darts at me, it was a Swain coach who told me.
That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!
My unbiased opinion? Its murphys conference to loose.
I think the knights graduated too much talent to compete. I don't see it even being competitive. I hope I'm wrong but it may be a 2016 type season all over again.
I think the knights graduated too much talent to compete. I don't see it even being competitive. I hope I'm wrong but it may be a 2016 type season all over again.
Had not been for so many injuries it would have been very competitive..Knights would have brought back 7 starters on each side of the ball with the best running back tandem in the conference returning..don't get me wrong, losing Collins, Hooper and Edwards is big but we could have been very competitive. Murphy is 1 injury away from being in the same boat we are.
I fully agree with this, Murphy has no depth again. and Rville is beat up before the season ends!
1. Murphy
2. Robbinsville
3. Andrews
4. Cherokee/Hayesville
5. Hayesville/Cherokee
6. Swain
I think the days of the big three consistently finishing in the top three are over with.
2. Robbinsville
3. Andrews
4. Cherokee/Hayesville
5. Hayesville/Cherokee
6. Swain
I think the days of the big three consistently finishing in the top three are over with.
Very possible. Cherokee is going to be pretty tough this year. I would say Hayesville shouldn't be anything to worry about, but they did beat Swain (granted the worst Swain team in a long time) and they were very young. They can only get better IMO. I don't see anything improving for Swain this year. The biggest problem they have is just numbers. If they can get out more warm bodies, they might be able to go back to being a little more like the Swain we all know and jump a few spots on this list.
I'm just a lowly outsider but they did get a shellacking handed to them at seasons end by a young Hayesville team and the lose of Losiah can't help them. I could be very wrong but I just don't see them getting a conference win.
What is the problem with numbers all of a sudden???
Not long ago they easily had 40 to 50 on the roster every year
I think Cherokee was one of if not the most improved teams from start to finish last year along with Hayesville being very young i think the conference could be in store for a change up over the next few seasons like the which of the early to mid 2000s which I believe was when the SMC had its best run of parity. I dont know for sure but I wouldn't say the odds are stacked against it by any means.
Cherokee players staying home?/s
Rabun Gap is wanting him to be a day student to preserve funding for others who live far away. I've told them he won't drive an hour and a half each way daily. It's unsafe and it will not benefit him academically. Coach Watson has built a good relationship with him and that weighs heavily with #30. There's benefits either way for him individually. If they let him board, the decision is ultimately his.
I'm sorry but if a player doesn't know where he wants to play high school football, he has NO business playing High School football..there is wayyyy more to this SMC football than people give it credit for..its more about traditions,heritage and commitment. I don't want a player that don't bleed black and white and I'm sure Murphy doesn't want one that doesn't bleed black and gold
I can promise you any team would gladly take the fastest kid in the west, if he committed to it.
Give me heart any day of the week over speed and I will destroy your team.
I'd rather have both Gentle
. You and I both know that the best Murphy teams have had both. The fastest Robbinsville teams I recall have generally been some of your best teams. A team can have all the heart in the world but if you have a bunch of plow mules at the skill positions it will be nearly impossible to beat top teams no matter how much heart you have. You don't need typical piedmont or eastern speed top to bottom to win at the 1A level but you'd better have at least some speed where it really matters.
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2009 Robbinsville Team was really good. Lost to Mount Airy by 1 pt and Mount Airy lost the state championship to Wallace Rose Hill by 1 pt in OT
Mount Airy scored 1st kicked extra point in OT then WRH scored and went for 2 and won by 1pt in OT. Box score doesn't show it but both games may have gone to OT. I know the WRH game did.
Mount Airy scored 1st kicked extra point in OT then WRH scored and went for 2 and won by 1pt in OT. Box score doesn't show it but both games may have gone to OT. I know the WRH game did.
