I think 2012 was a better butler team than the 2010, although 2010 was also very dominant.
You have to remember that 2010 had a couple close games against Mt. Tabor, and only beating Hibriten by 7 points. The 2012 team had every game won by basically half-time except for the East Forsyth game which was a game in which the staff was very conservative and the players seemed to play very tight with page 2011 in everyones mind. The 2010 team definitely had more depth than the 2012 team but half of those kids that Hokie listed on that impressive college list barley saw the field in 2010 so they did no good anyways. In fact many of them, including 6-2 Kam Billings, 6-2 Channing Strib, Malachai Hanes, Chad Garrett and many more were forced to also play JV even though they could have started on Varsity on many teams that year in the Mecklenburg County. 2012 was a whole lot more explosive and even though it is sad to say, the special team's lows did not even matter. Does anyone remember the hype that Vance had in 2012 after they beat indy 35-0? People were calling Vance to beat butler the next week on a different site...it was 31-0 at the half against a very talented Vance team that had Larenz Bryant. At the end of the day the 2012 team was just nasty and had the game won before the game was even started. Won't say any names but I talked to indy players in 2012 that wanted no part of butler they said, and weren't looking forward to rivalry week that season which is odd for that special rivalry. And the players that stated that were some big time players on that team that play college ball.
I do agree with Hokie on the 2010 butler/ 2013 MC comparison. They are self reflections of each other with really good defenses, sophomore QBs, and unstoppable running games.
A position breakdown in my opinion of Butler 2012 vs Butler 2010
QB- 2012. No comparison. Riley in 2010 was very nervous looking taking over for Lemay at times. He rode a good running attack and defense. In 2012, he was shredding even defense with ease. Picking everyone apart.
RB- 2010. Edwards and Walker (before the accident) were very productive. Walker was averaging 19 yards every time he touched the ball before he was kicked off the team. Edwards was a big body that HS kids simply couldn't tackle. He is now at the NFL combine this week. Good Luck to him. In 2012 we had Glisson and Benny Lemay as a freshman. Glisson was a load and was very talented. If he had the grades, I think he could have played at the D1 level, he eventually went to WSSU and played very good as a freshman but once again his grades got to him again and now he is not in school last I heard. Very talented back that had all the tools.
OL- 2012. They were a mean group. Joey Moody I remember wouldn't stop blocking until he heard the 3rd whistle lol. 2010 was very undersized and Edwards made a lot out of nothing because he was simply too big to tackle.
WR- 2012. Lemay, Billings, Stribling, Harrison, Ratliff-Williams were all at least 6-2 and FAST. I do like Zach Ferg and Kris Frost but they weren't on the level of 2012.
DL- 2010. I just like their group as they were a load and very complete with Parsons, polofsky and the others.
LB- 2012. This is not even close and they are the best group I have ever seen at the HS level. They were a NFL sized linebacker group in that 3-4 defense. Out of the 4 starters, 3 of them are playing D1 football right now. Stewart (Louisville), Kalambayi (Stanford), Wiggins (Ball st.). The lone star that isn't on a college roster, 6-3 230 Corwin White, was kicked off the team in the middle of conference play and was sent to alternative school for the rest of the fall semester I believe. He would have signed somewhere if he didn't have off the field problems. Kris Frost was very good in 2010 and now starts at Auburn.
CB- 2012. 6-2 Strib was shut down on one side and Moore on the other side benefited by racking up interceptions since nobody tested Stribling. Strib is at Michigan now and Moore is at Ball st. Not many HS teams have a D1 corner on each side. in 2010 Bridges and Brewer were really good but weren't elite as a group as Strib and Dave Moore.
Safety- 2010. The reason 2010 is better than 2012 is for one simple reason, and his name is AUSTIN STEWART. That guy was a straight baller. If he was at butler all 4 years he would have signed to a SEC team. He is now at Texas Tech. The other safety in 2010, Mal Jenkins was a weak link in the defense that was never exposed that season. He was exposed his senior year in 2011 in week 1 against MC. He was benched after that game by Shaugnessy. In 2012 Hanes who played in week 1, the indy game, and all of the playoffs was solid and so was Todjeri Graham. But they were no where on the level of Stewart and his coverage range.
Special teams- 2010.
2012 simply dominated every team. Just think about how dominant 2012 MC was excluding the 2 butler games, then take a loos at the 2 butler games. 2010 was better than 2009 and is in a toss up with 2013 MC. You can make a argument for 2013 MC or 2010 Butler. 2012 Butler was better than both of them and is the best team in Meck county history outside of that Joe Cox indy team his senior year in 2004.
Also the 2012 butler team was NEVER healthy and never missed a beat. RF with a thumb injury and broke his hand missing a couple weeks, Polofsky tore his ACL in the indy season finale, Corwin White was kicked off, Gross broke his arm, Lemay was suspended for 2 games for getting ejected, Stribling missed most of the state championship game, so they put in a freshman in Clifton Duck who was 5-8 at the time, and he locked down a 6-3 WR who was committed to NC State, Malachi Hanes missed 8 games with a kidney problem, the starting Center Mike Mcaughtry played the whole playoffs with a torn knee ligament which I though was unbelievable. This team was beat the hell up and most teams would have folded up and went home, instead all they did was continue to dominate.
This post was edited on 2/22 3:30 AM by Wiseman83