Since no one else has said it, let me be the first to say how great of a job the GW coaching staff has done this year. Good luck in the championship game.
GW Coaching Staff
- Thread starter FootballArmy
- Start date
The silence of affirmation is deafening. Amazing how so many of the GW football all-knowing fans can’t seem to swallow their pride and congratulate the coaching staff they have bashed for years on this board. Not one of you thought GW would be in the state title game this year.
Actually, Boog, there's a fair amount of folks around here that felt like we had a very good chance of making it to this point. We returned nearly everyone and had nice showings against quality teams in Mt. Airy and Union in scrimmages, and was also very competitive against Radford in week 1, who had talent all over the place. Yes, there was some adversity. Yes, we had to get over the Galax hurdle. And yes, there was some concern about facing Stephen for the second time in a season in the regional title game. But it was never a foregone conclusion that we couldn't.
Very much agree with your statements about the job Harner has done, specifically in the last 4 seasons or so. I've said for a good while now, I was not wild about the trajectory of the program early in his stint here. I was genuinely concerned he wasn't going to get it figured out. But he ultimately surrounded himself with a good staff and wasn't afraid to lean on advice from guys like H.S., Stephen, and Quentin Hensley. A lot of folks forget that the GW job is his first head coaching job. There were growing pains. At this juncture, though, there are very, very few coaches in the area I would consider swapping him out for. I can count them on three fingers or less lol! He may not be perfect, but he's absolutely put everything into preparing the kids during this playoff run. He without a doubt deserves a tip of the hat.
Very much agree with your statements about the job Harner has done, specifically in the last 4 seasons or so. I've said for a good while now, I was not wild about the trajectory of the program early in his stint here. I was genuinely concerned he wasn't going to get it figured out. But he ultimately surrounded himself with a good staff and wasn't afraid to lean on advice from guys like H.S., Stephen, and Quentin Hensley. A lot of folks forget that the GW job is his first head coaching job. There were growing pains. At this juncture, though, there are very, very few coaches in the area I would consider swapping him out for. I can count them on three fingers or less lol! He may not be perfect, but he's absolutely put everything into preparing the kids during this playoff run. He without a doubt deserves a tip of the hat.
Well said @gw_loyal. Teams don’t make deep playoff runs without quality coaching so that staff has definitely done good work.
"This bunch is a threat to win it all if and only if they play like a team and continue to believe in themselves and their teammates. They are my pick to represent this side of the state in Salem."
Alot of us picked GW to be in Salem we as GW fans usually know what we've got on the sidelines. Btw that's my quote from weeks ago picking GW to be in Salem and I also picked them earlier this season. And about GWs coaching I'm still 100% of the belief they are suspect at best I'll give them credit they've done a good job most of this season. It's by far the best showing for our coaching staff I've seen since Harner took over. They're actually making adjustments now and they're actually managing the clock in the right way. Imo this is the first season I've seen improvement among the coaches at GW in a long time. And no I'm not saying that because we're playing for a state title tomorrow I'm saying that because they've actually improved.
Alot of us picked GW to be in Salem we as GW fans usually know what we've got on the sidelines. Btw that's my quote from weeks ago picking GW to be in Salem and I also picked them earlier this season. And about GWs coaching I'm still 100% of the belief they are suspect at best I'll give them credit they've done a good job most of this season. It's by far the best showing for our coaching staff I've seen since Harner took over. They're actually making adjustments now and they're actually managing the clock in the right way. Imo this is the first season I've seen improvement among the coaches at GW in a long time. And no I'm not saying that because we're playing for a state title tomorrow I'm saying that because they've actually improved.
Yet you didn’t respond until now. Funny how it takes longer to give a compliment than it does to bash the coaching staff.
GW fans have always believed they win despite their coaching "flaws". GW has always spouted the mantra of having the "best athletes" in Single A and that the only reason they don't win every year is due to some inept coach. You will be hard pressed to find GW fans that attribute winning to their coaching.
When this is your foundational belief, you can ALWAYS find blame; they should have called this defense, they should have called a TO at this exact time, they should put this kid at this position. This takes the blame off the kids, who actually drop passes, miss assignments, miss tackles, etc....
The saying of "It ain't about the x's and the o's, it's about the Jimmies and the Joes" is very true at the high school/college level.
When this is your foundational belief, you can ALWAYS find blame; they should have called this defense, they should have called a TO at this exact time, they should put this kid at this position. This takes the blame off the kids, who actually drop passes, miss assignments, miss tackles, etc....
The saying of "It ain't about the x's and the o's, it's about the Jimmies and the Joes" is very true at the high school/college level.
Some of the years since Harner arrived the talent level wasn't as high as it was in past years at GW, they had a very talented bunch this year and look where they ended up. I've never thought he was as bad as some make it seem simply because the talent level wasn't as high as it has been at times at GW.
I'm certainly glad Harner almost meets your approval.I am sure Coach Harner lays awake every night wondering if he has met your approval whether he is doing a good job. Coach Harner has forgot more about football than you
.could ever learn
It's been said , " a good coach can take his and beat yours , then take yours and beat his " .
To an extent.... major talent discrepancy will ultimately take over. The issue is perception of talent. Many teams think they are more talented than reality. When that is their thought process they will die on that hill and look to blame other factors (coaches, refs, etc....).
I don't care who coaches RH, they wouldn't beat Phoebus. No amount of strategy, in game adjustments, etc... can make up for the talent discrepancy between teams.
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I did have a thought earlier in the week before this thread came about that I would love to hear some takes from those still holding Harner's feet to the flames about some of the coaches we've had back when we were the doormat of the New River District.
Long story short....other than Paul Wheeler, it wasn't pretty.
@FootballArmy the Billy Haun and Jim Dotson meltdowns would be legendary 🤣
Long story short....other than Paul Wheeler, it wasn't pretty.
@FootballArmy the Billy Haun and Jim Dotson meltdowns would be legendary 🤣
This is the first time in 5 years that there haven't been posts of people bashing Harner. Lol. It's been quite refreshing
I will agree ! They can compete with some teams at a higher level . When size and speed is as lopsided as to compare Riverheads to Phoebus in a matchup, this would be ugly . Riverheads has been really good against 1A teams . They compete at a high level with 2A teams and some 3A . Once you reach the 3A teams , no way can a single A team stay healthy enough to play all season and then the playoffs . 2nd and 3rd teams off the bench are a shadow of the first string in most cases . Coaching always is a huge factor at any level . GW will have a good chance in this one but if the kids are not mentally ready for the pounding over and over it could be a long day .
No I've stated multiple times on here this season that Harner has done a better job this year. And I didn't respond because I literally just saw your post when I responded believe me everyone here knows I absolutely zero issues saying what I believe to be true. I don't care who likes it or who hates it. My opinion is mine alone I've made it clear in the past that I believe Harner has held back some absolutely killer GW teams and I still believe that today. But as far as this season is concerned he has done a much better job of getting this team to play together. His defensive play calling has improved and he has actually made adjustments this year he has also done a much better job of managing the clock. So again I'm not giving him credit simply because he's gotten GW to the championship game I'm giving him credit because he's earned it this year.
Man I don't give 2 hobo shits what Brandon Harner thinks of me or my options or what his sleeping habits are. Nor do I give those same 2 hobo shits what you think and I've told you that many times before. And that's fine think he has go for it have fun doing it too. I know what I know and I've more than proven over the years that I not only do I know GW football but I know the game of football in general. Anytime you'd like recipes of that knowledge let me know there is over a decade of proof right he on preps. But you know one thing I know for sure? It's that I'm correct more times than I'm not when it comes to GW football. So with that information head to your nearest WalMart supercenter shuffle over to the pharmacy and buy yourself a massive container of Preparation H it'll help you soothe that throbbing sore case of butt hurt you seem to have come down with.
I know man it's crazy it's like he actually did a good job for once lol.
I'd like to buy you for what you are worth knowledge-wise of football and sell you for what you think you are worth!
When we win tomorrow....
*wink*
....You owe that man a big ass steak dinner and a very pricey bottle of bourbon. And I know you're good for it, because you know I'll split the cost with you 🤣
Not one of those killer teams would’ve beaten Riverheads, regardless of the coach. Unless of course you were the coach. It’s unimaginable how many state titles GW football would have if you were ever the head coach.
I agree with you. We at GW need to figure out some way to have him as our coach if we could kure him from his
present job; if he is employed.
Oh Lord several thousand if I had to guess in my honest opinion I think by this point I would've lead them to several national titles and even a few Superbowl victories by now.
I'll do it if you'll stand ass out at every home game so we can all see the spectacular case of butt hurt you have.
How many sandlot championships did your fat ass win as a coach?
You guys love each other , you must be brothers !
Thanks for those crappy memories with Haun and Dotson. LOL. What year did you graduate?
