Rankings don’t hold any bearing but guys like Brandon Smith (Tremaine Edmunds, Khalil Mack, Joey and Nick Bosa) almost always end up being stars wherever they go. Smith has more upside.
Louisa at Courtland
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@rainman17 I doubt you've seen Louisa this year. Are you saying a team like Louisa, that just went on a state run and would've beaten Highland Springs last year (just like Salem and the other top four Region 4B teams from last year would've), is a "marginal" team like John Marshall now? LMAO. Keep the Haterade stocked.
Brandon Smith is a whole different animal from Curtis Grant. For cryin' out loud, he's already 6' 4" 228 lbs before starting his senior season, runs and pursues like a deer and hits like a mack truck. Talk about the best laughs of the week! And at least Curtis Grant can say he got a free Ohio State degree, a National Championship, played in the NFL and owns a car dealership. How many people can say that?
1. No class 4 team was defeating highland springs last year, @springer76 might be able to attest to that as that’s his following more than mine. 1 loss in week 1 to hermitage and they avenged that in playoffs. Similar to the Salem team whom beat y’all who lost to Blacksburg and avenged their loss. Stop drinking the Kool-aid and really think about it. Back to back champs and could three peat, but would lose to class 4 teams as you stated was a larger reach than any statement I’ve made.
2. Reread what you put in bold in the first reply, not ability but size and skill. If we are speaking to those parameters then yes John Marshall has those same type of athletes on the edge as the schools you brought up. (Size and athleticism) didn’t say say their team success was the same. James Monroe has athletes who are similar in athleticism and size to highland springs and the list would continue to go on and on plug in any inner city school, or schools with a solid diversity level and that claim is a blanket one. William Campbell could make that claim this year for that matter and they play in class 1 or 2. Don’t be upset if the shoe fits just wear it, I’m using your quote remember that comprehension thing it works both ways.
3. Curtis Grant was the f’n #2 player in the country, 6’3” and 222 pounds coming out of HS (not too far from B smith) played sideline to sideline at the HS level and you’re claiming that Brandon Smith checks boxes that he didn’t please save me the laughter. At OSU a freshman who’s also in the NFL unseated him for the starting job (Raekwon McMillan). never knocked the education he received or what he won there just brought up the fact that the mans ranking and projected potential didn’t align with his production or career at Ohio state. As he was a once in a generation player many thought and the lofty ranking shows that. Where did my comparison fall short?
4. I’ll keep my fridge stocked and I checked out the lions last year so no I don’t go to scrimmages which hold no wins or loss value, I prefer to watch games. Brandon smith is exactly as advertised when I saw him but again high school football and college football are different, I can’t say what he will
Or won’t do but if I’m right what does that prove? Nothing just another opinion, I just want you to taper your expectations, the edmunds kids from Danville weren’t highly ranked I think the eldest had the highest ranking (216) but his younger siblings went round 1 (236) and unranked. Oldest and youngest were 4 stars and middle was a 3 star.
5. What’s your credentials Did you play d1? If you’re a fan that’s fine, but if you haven’t laced them up at the big boy level listen from experience as to what happens when you’re no longer a big fish in a small pond but a big fish in the ocean you aren’t the only one.
No Class 4 team would have beat them LMAO!!!!
Raekwon McMillan, look him up and see where he unseated Curtis and played similar amount of snaps as a true freshman at the same position.
@rainman17 plenty of people have agreed with me, including Richmonders and some posters on here that are not Louisa fans, that Louisa and the other mentioned teams would've beaten HS last year for multiple reasons. So I 100% disagree with you there. HS played no one, including in the playoffs last year, on the top 4A teams' level. They had never played anyone with the size and physicality of Louisa or that style of offense. They were young, pretty undisciplined and racked up penalties, and all the teams I mentioned played pretty mistake free football, and would've taken advantage and made HS pay. Especially Salem, they would've scored so quickly off every HS mistake. Teams like Hermitage had talent but couldn't do that. The top of 4A has been stronger than the top of 5A for a few years now. Monacan and Dinwiddie were hands down better than HS as well. I love what Coach Loren Johnson has done for the HS kids, community, and program, but strictly talking football, there were better teams in 4A.
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My mother used to always say if ifs and buts we’re cookies and nuts it would be Christmas everyday, it’s fun to say what could’ve happened or what might’ve happened but we just don’t know, some people thought the 16-0 patriots would run the table and blow out the lowly giants but look at what happened we can talk about hypotheticals all day but the truth of the matter is we won’t know you can go plug it into the simulator and see who would win my money goes on highland springs.
You were done when I saw how you dismissed all the logical points I made to bring up how you THINK they would best them, isnt that the same as a simulator?
Was Andrew brown a star at UVA?
And on the Curtis Grant subject
https://n.rivals.com/news/a-look-at-the-top-ranked-linebackers-in-rivals-com-history
I didn't dismiss them, I actually agree with some of your post, but the HS part is what I vehemently disagreed with, so I responded to that.
And it's not the same. A computer simulator doesn't take things into account like discipline, attitude, line play, size, speed, individual talent (like Smith, Bell, Ramsey, Pope and Fludd), coaching, player matchups, etc. that can be obvious with an eye test from multiple folks.
Understood but a human has bias where generally a computer just spits out from statistics, truthfully it’s a toss up, depending which set of analytics you want to look for, I just feel like until you line up there is no clear way to determine who would be right or wrong you’re entitled to an opinion. Mine just favors the team in the larger classification with a deeper team/talent pool that’s proven back to back years they were the best at their level.
For the record I would love to see the Smith kid flourish and I’m cheering for him to do so, as I have no ill will towards any student athlete, I also have seen how people place expectations on someone and those expectations aren’t realistic or take into account that a lot changes at the next level. I don’t doubt he can be a star but it takes more than somebody saying you can be great to become great, and the team system plays a large part. I felt Grant would’ve been more successful on field at a different place statistically speaking, but I don’t diminish what he accomplished there or in his life. Many VA kids aren’t necessarily the best fits in big 10 football, but some flourish I wish the kid nothing but the best and an injury free season and college career.
I think once you get to the 4A level, depth and talent cancels out when looking at the top teams' 11 vs 11 over the last few years. And I never think "man, teams like HS are better simply because they're bigger schools", never had that kind of viewpoint when strictly analyzing a game. The last three Appomattox teams were right there with anyone in the state in any class as well, and they're 2A.
Well Penn State already has a recent history of making VA kids thrive, so I don't see how your argument supports or fits Smith's situation.
Those appomattox teams wouldn’t have stayed within 21 points of Westfield, HS, or Salem. Remember they played heritage and lost 30-14. Whom i think was shutout in the class 3 state championship. Yes teams are good but there’s a reason there isn’t one uniform champion in VA like there is in Ohio.
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Offensively yes there’s been success but name me VA defensive kids who’ve been successful recently in the big10 especially in the front 7.
Offensively yes there’s been success but name me VA defensive kids who’ve been successful recently in the big10 especially in the front 7.
CURTIS GRANT! He literally started in, and made a bunch of big plays in the National Championship game. Maybe K'Vaughan Pope can do the same at OSU.
I’m not the only person who thinks what I think about Curtis. Please look at this and inform me where I’m wrong his best season he racked up 69 total tackles which amounts to approximately 4.5 a game in a 15 game season.
If that’s the case why was he undrafted and his back up went 54th overall?
https://n.rivals.com/news/a-look-at-the-top-ranked-linebackers-in-rivals-com-history
Wasnt saying he was ranked incorrectly or anything, just was wondering why it would have changed.
I don't pay that much attention to Big 10 football (I watch it, but watch more ACC and SEC) and never watched the rankings that much until Smith blew up, so I can't answer.
Ok back to the Courtland Louisa conversation... what will Courtland have to do to win? What will be the key for each team?
Courtland has to have a hat on smith every offensive play they run, and defensively tackle well.
Louisa find ways to grind the clock and let Smith flourish making plays on defense, if they can find some help for him and keep him free he will impact the game.
Louisa find ways to grind the clock and let Smith flourish making plays on defense, if they can find some help for him and keep him free he will impact the game.
Courtland needs to force the new Lion QB Rob Allinder to make plays. He's completely unproven, and this isn't the best game to open with for him. They also need to get pressure on the new Lion O line.
Louisa has to contain Zin White and make Courtland's other players beat them. They also can't give up any big pass plays and fall into an early hole.
Turnovers and any fumbled snaps will also play a huge role.
Louisa has to contain Zin White and make Courtland's other players beat them. They also can't give up any big pass plays and fall into an early hole.
Turnovers and any fumbled snaps will also play a huge role.
You think? If they beat Louisa they are an automatically favorite over EV? IDK, it sure makes things a hell of a lot more interesting and what is C’ville beats Glass?
This not always true hammy. You assuredly remember Dylan Rivers senior season. Despite that immense talent things didn’t got as planned for Sherando that year. Louisa has one super talented kid but the maturity of the rest of the inexperienced Lions will determine their season.
Smith probably at next level above Rivers . Yet to be seen , but it sounds like Smith is special , like George Aston was for Sherando a few year ago.
Ouch. I think Smith makes everyone better on defense but the Lions are going to have to win some of these early games ugly until the O catches up. Talent is there just young/inexperienced.
Coaching will be fine. Patrick was for almost all purposes the HC last year so he will be fine. DC is a head coach in the making, so again not a concern. They did lose a top asst coach in Donald Moore which limits the WR/DB play early so that is something to watch for.
Don’t get me wrong ,Rivers is a great player . But according to Hoos Smith is probably better. I trust his opinion , he saw Rivers , I never saw Smith .
We'd have to see how the first few weeks play out before calling a favorite. There are early key injuries to every team mentioned, so a Courtland win this week, and even an EV loss, wouldn't predict anything significant besides 4B seeding implications.
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Woke up this morning to see we got way to off topic LOL...
Good reading tho
Good reading tho
I would disagree. Louisa has a new head coach and a bunch of new starters. I don't think it's an upset at all if Courtland wins this game at home. They were winning at the half of their playoff game last year before the wheels fell off. At the very least I look for this game to be close.
I don’t know enough about Louisa to speak on them in this situation. As for EV I have my concerns for them after seeing the last scrimmage. So far I’ve seen some big defensive issues with EV but I will withhold my comment on this until after 2 games. To be continued....
Don’t think it’s an upset either but the Louisa coach pretty much ran the team last year. That should translate into this season.
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