oldschool2

No question. The other "guys" don't compare to a 6'6 D1 prospect, but each of them are still outcome changers for sure. It doesn't necessarily take a college prospect to make the difference between a great season and a mediocre one. It happens all of the time. Another thing that happens all of the time (in pretty much any sport) is a team will have a fantastic year, then the coach will be in an exact conversation like this, then lose one or more good players to graduation and it's a whole new group of "best coaches" the next year. I've always argued that a combination of talent and coaching is absolutely necessary. I love when coaches do more with less. I'm more impressed with that than anything.. watching a game where one team has no business even being in it, yet strategy and preparation keeps it interesting. I get bored with the best players always beating worse players lol. How fun is that..

To be fair, this statement could be said about most of the coaches I've seen listed. Take their "guy" off the team and it's a COMPLETELY different outcome. EC had a guy.. Huffman had a guy.. HD had a guy.. Lumberton had a guy. Remove said guy from the roster and is the coach even in this conversation? Btw.. I HATE these conversations. There are probably coaches in the area that accomplished things (though not significant) with absolutely nothing. It's much easier to win games with the best player(s). What about teams that are competitive when they shouldn't be? That's the sign of a good coach also.

Exactly. And with the way kids are improving their skills these days.. better have a plan for when the "we have superior athletes" mentality isn't working.

Well.. you definitely can't do it when you don't have the kids. What I'm saying is that even when you think you do.. it's working less and less.

I've thought for years that the "out athlete everyone with a press" philosophy is working less and less. Especially in the deeper games when you see good ball handling and/or basketball IQ. There's a reason that college/pro teams don't press back to a zone trap the whole game.

I was asking if you thought I said that.. I didn't. He's a better coach than he was when he won his first title ...no doubt. His players stink right now.

That's what I said?

I believe that's definitely true as well. It's a great fit for all involved. I'll say that I always see a "team first" mentality exhuming from the kids.

The handful of times I've seen one of his teams play I've left with the same reaction. No matter the skill level he's working with or the level of competition.. It's the same every time I've seen.

I hate the idea of rating the skill of a coach solely on wins/losses. Keven Foster is without question the best coach in the area and arguably anywhere in the state for these reasons: Character and effort of his players, adaptability midgame, experience, poise, and yes.. success. What a great coach and better person. Big Sandy is very fortunate to have him. It sounds like this would've been an excellent game to be at.

What were you saying? It would appear as if HD ran out of fortunate events. Great season nonetheless.

Flatonia played HD in the second playoff game in two consecutive days. That's a fortunate event.. for HD. Was it the difference? I'm not saying that, but they literally had zero days to rest or prepare. Mumford played HD on one day's rest/preparation. They played a single digit playoff game on 2/25, then another on 2/27. That's a fortunate even.. for HD. Again, was it the difference? I'm not saying that. It definitely helps, though. HD overcame a 17 point 4th quarter deficit to win their second consecutive playoff game by 1 point. That's a fortunate event that statistically, normally doesn't happen. Calm down, Karen. I'm not saying they didn't earn the wins. Just that some things went right that normally don't and it needs to happen again. AP will be a test.

I have never said coaching doesn't play an important part. I'm saying that without kids, coaching isn't enough to matter. Case in point.. we have here one of the arguably best coaches in the area for sure. More than one state championship... how many region appearances? District titles? What happened? Same coach. Same tradition. Same culture. Same expectations. Is he a worse coach? I don't hardly think so. The only thing that changes from year to year is players. So it should come as no surprise when I run to the defense of a coach when they're bashed by a parent/fan. Blaming the coach is a poor excuse to the possibility of perhaps the players just aren't good. Are their bad coaches? Sure. But bad coaches can still be successful with good teams. Good coaches can NOT be successful with bad teams. I don't care how much winning experience one has.. you aren't winning a horse race with a donkey. Period.

Go get em, Coach DD.

Or down one more.

Just patiently waiting for folks to admit that players have more to do with wins/losses than coaching. Not taking anything away from the success of the coaches involved... still waiting nonetheless.

I always pull for the underdog.. but I'm not putting money on it. Good luck HD. Definitely need for another series of fortunate events.

There are many more factors than just the coach. I will say this.. Carthage had 8 football players sign on national signing day. That's also a factor. Community support is a factor. Facilities is a factor. Assistant coaching is a factor (both number of and ability).

Still waiting for your answer to me as well. Tom Westerberg won 4 state titles.. including 3 in a row. So. When will Westerberg win his next one? Or is he not an elite coach anymore?

Prayers sent. Rest In Peace.

Dominant at the line of scrimmage? Yeah I guess.. don't forget, also had the most prolific high school quarterback that the state of Texas has ever seen. Currently starting in the NFL.

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If a coach wins it all.. and then later in his/her career does anything at all that isn't agreed with by the fans, they'll forget. Even Tod Dodge left Carrol and was let go from his next job for going like 1-19 over two years. Trust me, there are plenty of coaches that may have been lucky enough to "get a sniff of the big dance" that may have later been ostracized for "underperforming". And I didn't say he couldn't win at another school.. I said he wouldn't win one at Travis High School. Just like the countless other schools that wouldn't win with their current circumstances with any coach. I'm not taking away from anyone.. just being realistic.

Tod Dodge is without question a legend in the coaching world. This year beating his son in the title game is up there with one of the better stories in the coaching world. I will also include that neither Southlake Carrol nor Austin Westlake were strangers to success before he took the helm. There are affluent areas of the state currently that just have a better environment for building that kind of success. Will it change? Eventually, as does with every time it occurs. Could Tod Dodge leave Austin Westlake right now for Travis High School and win a state title within the next 5 years? The schools are like 20 minutes apart.. Spoiler Alert: He couldn't. That's kind of what I'm talking about.. it takes more than just coaching. Yes, this individual is still coaching. You're avoiding the question that I asked.. someone else, btw. "Earning" an elite status doesn't change it. Are you assuming that once a coach reaches that status then it's ok if they never get close again? Seems contradictory to me.

There's a coach currently in this area that won a state championship multiple times at the highest level in the state. When can we expect a state title from him? Since it's all about coaching I mean...