Ugly in Danville
- Thread starter BoKnowsSports
- Start date
I think there has been a disconnect for quite a while in Danville masked by playing in one of the weaker districts in Virginia in any classification.
I agree. I go back and forth with positivity and optimism but I have to agree with you on the decision not to hire Ferrell Edmunds after Dan Newell left in 2009. We’re seeing the fruits 15 years later. We can go back and forth on possible solutions but one thing’s for sure, GW’s play calling sucks and player development are worlds behind the Varina’s and Dinwiddie’s of Virginia. In my lifetime GW was one of the best 6A teams in the state every year for damn near every sport. Football, girls and boys basketball, track, and baseball. Years and years of DPS incompetence has GW a bottom dweller in the state. Sad times in Danville.
Your next to last sentence is the crux of the matter, in my opinion. It is the entire leadership from city government to DPS and its board to inside the building. Things just continue to deteriorate. While our numbers continue to dwindle, those of us still around from the 60s(or before) know the program you described that once existed.
G.W. is no longer a large Division Six-size school. We are division four. People need to realize that we simply don't have the numbers to two-platoon and do things like they were done in the "good old days." A lot of people are having a hard time reconciling these facts.
Chuck I have nothing but respect for all you do for the city of Danville. Hell you’re one of the last best things we have. I will argue that our numbers don’t anything to do with the product we see on the field/court. Years and years of no optimist league football/basketball, playing teams like Patrick County, Martinsville and Tunstall (and celebrating beating them), our coaching staff not adapting their schemes to our personnel, and very little to no player development from year to year are prevalent when looking at the past 10 years. GW isn’t good because of smaller numbers, we’re not good because a lot of things that once made GW a state power, were ruined by the powers to be in Danville.
On the other hand, we have to call it what it is. GW’s staff does a lot of great things for the kids but how much longer can we excuse the fact that we’ve had so much talent every year just get humiliated by Salem or underperform and get sent home by a lesser opponent? I mean it’s the same script every year. We’ve accepted mediocrity and excuses. It’s quite embarrassing. There’s a major disconnect.
On the other hand, we have to call it what it is. GW’s staff does a lot of great things for the kids but how much longer can we excuse the fact that we’ve had so much talent every year just get humiliated by Salem or underperform and get sent home by a lesser opponent? I mean it’s the same script every year. We’ve accepted mediocrity and excuses. It’s quite embarrassing. There’s a major disconnect.
Districts are established by the VHSL so you play who you play. GW staff has continued to play a tough out of district schedule and up until the last 2 years have pretty much held their own. Yes, Salem has had their number in the playoffs but GW wouldn't be the only school that has fallen to what is one of the best models of stability and consistency in high school football.
Also, curious Bo, what do you mean by disconnect and what schemes have the GW coaches failed to adapt to their personnel? Just wondering. I've read a lot of your posts through the years and you are always a pro.
Also, curious Bo, what do you mean by disconnect and what schemes have the GW coaches failed to adapt to their personnel? Just wondering. I've read a lot of your posts through the years and you are always a pro.
Hey Bo I know you are very passionate about your home town but Danville has changed I remember the days of the Petersburg Crimson
Wave when coach Norman Jenkins had them dominating the state but Petersburg is not where they used to be as far as Ferrell Edmonds goes check his record at Dan River and Ferrell is a fine
Man and a proud former GW Eagle but strictly looking at the numbers Coach Anderson is on the path to becoming the coach with the most wins in
GW history as far as the schedule you have to play the VHSL assigned district schedule the Eagles have played Glass and Dinwiddie out of District and going into the 4th quarter the score with Glass was 13-7 I think looking At GW over time they only have 1 state championship in school history and that was a team that had 2 future NFL players on it Ferrell Edmonds and Mike Brim if I’m not mistaken and several other
D1 guys
Wave when coach Norman Jenkins had them dominating the state but Petersburg is not where they used to be as far as Ferrell Edmonds goes check his record at Dan River and Ferrell is a fine
Man and a proud former GW Eagle but strictly looking at the numbers Coach Anderson is on the path to becoming the coach with the most wins in
GW history as far as the schedule you have to play the VHSL assigned district schedule the Eagles have played Glass and Dinwiddie out of District and going into the 4th quarter the score with Glass was 13-7 I think looking At GW over time they only have 1 state championship in school history and that was a team that had 2 future NFL players on it Ferrell Edmonds and Mike Brim if I’m not mistaken and several other
D1 guys
GW is four vs. six as you state. Being able to platoon is not as significant doing things similar to the "good old days" as actually being relevant at the state level in whatever class you are competing in. Reconciling those facts requires you to acknowledge that has not been a reality in quite a while. Reconciling those facts also requires you to acknowledge that every time GW loses a game it is not because the opponent was the equivalent of the Dallas Cowboys or the officials were awful but, that they just did not get the job done. Reconciling facts involves honestly interpreting reality versus making excuses for it.
They actually have 2 state championships and several other state semifinal appearances playing at the highest classification. Moreover, they competed in a district that was strong and over periods where playoff berths were earned only by winning the district as opposed to handed out just for being able to fog a mirror.
And again you have to play the schedule you have
And the district your in was the 1968 State Championship in 2a? Was Langston still in existence then as a high school or had they consolidated at that time ?
And the district your in was the 1968 State Championship in 2a? Was Langston still in existence then as a high school or had they consolidated at that time ?
It was 1968 and in those days there was not a formal multi week playoff. I think it was also a single classification termed 1A and all the large schools and GW was known as the Cardinals.. John M. Langston was still open and a state level program as well talent wise and when the two combined they became the Eagles with the silver and blue color scheme. In those days the old Western District was loaded and the playoff berth generally went to a 10-0 undefeated district champ and, at worst, a 9-1 district champ decided on points.
I appreciate the compliment bro. I say disconnect because we’ve had some teams in Danville that had significantly more talent than teams that we’ve played and teams that won the state championship. Reason #1 why I don’t buy the enrollment narrative. Remember in 2018 we had the Pooles, both Watlingtons, Willie Edmunds and Wesley Graves in our backfield, probably the biggest offensive and defensive line in C4 and lost in the first round to Pulaski? The 2015 team was probably the most loaded team since the 2007 team and we lose in the second round. The 2013 and 2014 teams may have been just as good. Just years of underachieving with all of that talent. There’s a disconnect.
As far as schemes go, the playcalling has left a lot to be desired for a while. This year we may have the worst passing attack since the Tim Moore/Kevin Shuler days in 2009. The young man GW has at QB is a fine young man and great leader, however the staff is putting him in situations that he isn’t capable of achieving. He was 8-21 passing against Dinwiddie, 15-39 passing and 5 picks against Amherst, and played a lot better against Glass. We have a significant physical line, two very very good running backs in Eli and Mabin and we’re chucking the ball to players who aren’t fortunately the normal Malik Clements, Shawn Watlington, Donald Smith or Tim Glass that we’ve been blessed with. Even in 2021, we had Salem on the ropes and Willie was killing them, we started throwing the ball and it took us out of the game.
Yosome
You make some good points Bo but I want to counter. The current QB is a fine young man and he is the best they have. I saw him last year a couple of times as a sophomore and the difference in him then and now is remarkable. He's a much better player this season. Also, to be fair, several of his interceptions have been on balls that went through receivers hands. That does reinforce the idea that maybe the Eagles should not be throwing to some of those guys but if the ball hits a guy in the hands and then deflects off and turns into an INT anyone that has watched football knows you can't blame the QB.
I don’t place blame on the QB, I place it in the staff as they have to adjust. Cabell is a good QB. Just doesn’t have the weapons that other GW QBs have had.
Maybe he doesn't but this thread is about it being ugly in Danville. As has been noted there are a lot of reasons why GW has failed to win a state championship in awhile but I think the coaches are the least of the problem. The play calling as I see it hasn't been the issue. There are always going to be people that think you should run when you pass and vice versa. Execution has been the issue. Coaches are always held responsible in the end but again, those that know football and I think you do, know that the players are the ones ultimately responsible for carrying out the game plan. My assessment so far of the 2023 Eagles is this:
Dinwiddie- got beat and got beat badly by a better team.
Amherst- Turnovers were difference.
Glass- 14 penalties against GW, 3 for Glass (???)
Staunton River- tough win on the road against a proud and well coached team
Let's see what happens the next 6 weeks before we pass too much judgement.
Aside from maybe Magna Vista can you really be certain the next six weeks will really tell you anything? If execution looks better can you attribute that to GW as opposed to the level of the competition?
Rival I couldn’t have said it any better and Bo
The boys need your support your a Danville Advocate keep supporting the Eagle players and coaches these guys have had a rough two years no home games last year no locker rooms this year with all the renovations weight room got moved to Bonner had to practice at Bonner all summer and weight lifting there as well with two porta johns for 100 kids in 90 degree heat no AC at Bonner Gym and all the plumbing being redone
The football team has to lift at 6:45 every morning at Bonner the ride a bus back to GW for their classes they done get out of school till 4:00
Since being moved to 7 period day so by the end of practice these kids have worked a 12 hour day and are back in the old Memorial field house for locker rooms with 100 kids doubling up in lockers
The boys need your support your a Danville Advocate keep supporting the Eagle players and coaches these guys have had a rough two years no home games last year no locker rooms this year with all the renovations weight room got moved to Bonner had to practice at Bonner all summer and weight lifting there as well with two porta johns for 100 kids in 90 degree heat no AC at Bonner Gym and all the plumbing being redone
The football team has to lift at 6:45 every morning at Bonner the ride a bus back to GW for their classes they done get out of school till 4:00
Since being moved to 7 period day so by the end of practice these kids have worked a 12 hour day and are back in the old Memorial field house for locker rooms with 100 kids doubling up in lockers
The next 6 weeks isn’t going to compensate for the negligence of the past 15 years though which will continue to plague the program moving forward. The program isn’t in a good spot and there’s not any David Wilson’s ready to save GW anytime soon. I will stand on the statement that there’s a major disconnect between the staff, the talent they have/had, and the results on the field. We’re a lot better than these results. Talent wise, GW is a top 12 team in C4 this year and they are 1-3 (and struggled with a terrible Staunton River team; Magna Vista beat them by running clock).
When the new renovations are done and the new field house is done it will be nice as fAr as Neo at QB he has gotten a lot better he is the best QB in the program right now the Covington kid is a freshman Kemori Dixon is still slowly coming back
Javion Inge is out with a knee injury as well as Chase Lewis I think if you look at the Amherst game the GW defense held Amherst to 65 yards rushing and 175 total offense anGW Offense rolled up almost 400 yards the turn overs were the difference
Javion Inge is out with a knee injury as well as Chase Lewis I think if you look at the Amherst game the GW defense held Amherst to 65 yards rushing and 175 total offense anGW Offense rolled up almost 400 yards the turn overs were the difference
All commendable. I’ve supported GW for over 20 years and when I started working, monetarily. I know they have some really good kids and talent within the program. Even with all the population loss, GW is a program that should reload and win every year.
Nick Anderson’s record at a glance
13 10-2
14 12-1
15 13-2
16. 7-5
17. 10-2
18 8-3
19. 9-4
20 6-2
21. 9-2
22 3-6
87-29 record at GW
13 10-2
14 12-1
15 13-2
16. 7-5
17. 10-2
18 8-3
19. 9-4
20 6-2
21. 9-2
22 3-6
87-29 record at GW
You better check the record for 15. The reality is when your district lineup pretty much guarantees you 5 or 6 wins a year the overall record becomes much less of a measuring stick than what you do against quality out of district opponents and in the playoffs.
It looks like with the exception of last year they have.
Also, as much respect as I have for you as a poster it's a crazy statement to say MV wins w/ a running clock. I'll take the Eagles at home. Who has MV played. Only common opponent was Staunton River. That game was tight into the 2nd half. Had it not been for a number of questionable calls against the Eagles, last night's score in Moneta would have resembled the one in Ridgeway a month ago.
This week's game will determine the district champion and GW will be ready.
No, I said Magna Vista beat SR by running clock (41-6). I think GW will probably beat MV as the Warriors have played a very easy schedule. I do think MV is better than Amherst so GW will have to play mistake and silly penalty free football.
My apologies, Totally misread.
I do want to comment on something someone said regarding whether or not the the next 6 weeks tell us anything about execution? Of course it will.
Again, people that know football know that teams that are getting coached show improvement over the course of the season. Sometimes its a matter of finding your identity or the right combinations. I think GW is just now learning who they are. The record may not show it but they have improved in a lot of areas since Dinwiddie. Last night I thought the kicking game was outstanding.
If they continue to struggle on offense especially against after this week, then there may be reason for alarm but if they start clicking and I hope they do, they will again run the table in the district and will be a tough team entering the playoffs.
Reminds me of Eastern View. Hit the snooze button in the regular season and coast to 9-10 wins but the POs come and suddenly things change.
You should probably read what I said again and try to actually understand it this time. Anybody that knows anything about football knows that level of competition absolutely impacts the evaluation of the true quality of execution and development.
You posed this question cutnjump. "If execution looks better can you attribute that to GW as opposed to the level of the competition?" If you are implying that any improvement would be due to level of competition then say so. You didn't state an opinion. You left it open to answer so I did. I say if you know football, figure you do; then you know that yes, even versus subpar comp you can tell if execution has improved. We all know sloppy when we see it.
Versus Amherst with the exception of the interceptions (2 off tipped/dropped passes) the execution offensively was good. No points for this but statistically speaking GW ran them out of the stadium. The Eagles were crisp especially compared to Dinwiddie game. Of course Amherst defense isn't Dinwiddie either.
Penalties more than turnovers hurt the Eagles versus Glass and gave some of us a heart attack last night. Some of those penalties last night were mysterious. Regardless, that needs to be cleaned up. Bo alluded to it earlier. That happens this week and MV will win.
We all want the same thing. Good, solid, championship caliber football from the Danville boys. Let's hope it happens sooner than later.
Versus Amherst with the exception of the interceptions (2 off tipped/dropped passes) the execution offensively was good. No points for this but statistically speaking GW ran them out of the stadium. The Eagles were crisp especially compared to Dinwiddie game. Of course Amherst defense isn't Dinwiddie either.
Penalties more than turnovers hurt the Eagles versus Glass and gave some of us a heart attack last night. Some of those penalties last night were mysterious. Regardless, that needs to be cleaned up. Bo alluded to it earlier. That happens this week and MV will win.
We all want the same thing. Good, solid, championship caliber football from the Danville boys. Let's hope it happens sooner than later.
I left it open because the question was meant to ask can you really differentiate what level of improvement in execution is attributable to actual development versus what may just be a function of the quality of competition, not that it would be wholly one or the other. I think we would both agree some level of execution is attributable to confidence and that confidence level is significantly higher against opponents you know you are physically superior to. We also know that penalties can be affected by trying to gain a jump/edge on physically superior opponents.
The most interesting part of your commentary is the interceptions at Amherst and to a similar but, less extent Glass. As you say the running game was working. I get trying to maintain some offensive balance but, when something is working and/or you have a demonstrated risk from historical results, going away from what is working, particularly after you have driven the ball the majority of the field, seems to not be the highest probability play. The old adage about doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result also comes to mind. It is just my opinion but, good, solid, championship football involves playing to and exploiting your team's strengths. While it may not always be sexy it is effective and, ironically, it is that commitment to doing what they do that had made Salem the bully on the block in 4D and a perennial Class 4 state contender.
GW has made it to at least the regional final level in 15 years since the modern playoff system started in 1970.
Pugh 6
Martin 3
Anderson 3
Newell 2
Woods 1
Pugh 6
Martin 3
Anderson 3
Newell 2
Woods 1
I am not a GW Danville fan, but I watched the Eagles play live against Dinwiddie and on video against Amherst and Glass. @cutnjump, I would totally agree with you about going away from the ground and pound game. Amherst couldn't stop the Eagles running attack and yet they decided to pass and it bit them in the arse. I agree with mixing things up, but if you have run for 300 yards keep hammering it until they stop it. I also have to acknowledge the GW receivers have struggled catching simple balls. I don't think the quarterback is the problem; however, he is certainly being put in awkward situations. Coach Anderson seems to be focused on the kids, community, and culture. He has a history of developing and putting kids in college. I would also have to say @BoKnowsSports, has a sound point about the talent not translating in big wins on the field. The Eagles have surely had their share of disappointments. GW fans keep your chins up. I still see potential in this team.
GW has a higher percentage of the student body playing football now than in the 1970s.
