timeout!

Another issue we have is inexperience. We have a bunch of talented seniors, but they have ZERO playoff experience. The only thing they have close to it. Is having to win the final few games the last couple of years to make it. And still failed to even do that. I can understand losing a couple of close games to Lancaster. But losing to McNorth both years, one game being at Abe and then coming up short to Tyler High is inexcusable. I place most of that blame on the coaching staff. Especially the loss to Tyler High, who had an entirely new staff. But I called that one before the season even started. Anyway...new district, region and Qb this year. A plethora of talent to lean on and players wanting to change the narrative about Lufkin football.

That was one huge issue. The threat of Young should've been used to set up other stuff. Instead we just kept running him into brick walls. A lot of what he did was from raw talent. I watched several Longview games and they hardly ever ran him into the ground the way Lufkin did with Young. They will usually have 2-3 guys they keep in the mix. Green never really tried to ease the work load for Young.

Scary to think how good he could be at LB with that speed.

I'd be surprised if we do. I think 2011 was the last time I remember Lufkin consistently using a TE. I can't remember the kid name. But he was an athletic WR with some size. We would also split him out occasionally. He was with that group that lost to Westfield @ Sam Houston. I do remember Cox was the Qb at the time. I'm a little iffy about Gavin being at TE..I don't mind him doing it occasionally. Just to help out with some blocking on certain plays. Him and Chinn providing a 1-2 punch at RB would be my preferred way to utilize him. Putting him at TE would be his 3rd different position playing at the varsity level. The kid hasn't had a chance to get a full year in learning any one position on varsity. Thats just a lot to ask for IMHO. I know he lined up a few time at TE last year. But thats still little to no experience playing the position.

Expecting great thinks from him and Parks this year. Still think we need one or two more pieces around him to really push some of those better teams.

Lufkin is loaded with skill guys. I almost get excited just thinking about the possibilities. But I have to temper my excitement until after the season is underway. Taylor, Preston, Gavin, Johnson, Lil Hoop, and Waters should be more than enough for Green work with. Just need the Oline to hold up. Defense should be just as loaded if not more. Add in a favorable district and region...Everything is pretty much there for this staff.

The BH coach has had success outside of BH. Had a decent team last year and I'm sure his staff is tweaking things for whatever holes they have to fill. I'm sure that confidence trickles down to how his guys play. Not sure where Lufkin will finish in this district. I think we have the talent to challenge for district champs. But it's always hard to tell with teams from the bigger cities. Things are always so fluid with those programs. You have kids and coaches shuffling around from area schools.

I think the staff could've given him a lot more touches last year. Especially after we lost Gavin for the year. I think him and Young would've made a good 1-2 punch and RB.

Thinking it would be neutral if it's an out of state team.

I said at the end of the season. I thought the staff had done you a disservice. Everything you said about this group about talent held true. I know I'm down on the staff and hope they prove me wrong and you right about where our season ends. The defense has all the potential in the world to be downright nasty. Big Hoop really came on strong the second half of the year. I'm really high on our secondary too...Young, Timmons, Waters and the safety(can't remember name) could be lights out. I heard they will find a way to put Alexander on the starting line this year. I would prefer him and Zion anchor the middle in a 4-3..but thats not happening. Does anyone know how we are looking at the LB spot outside of Hooper? I would like to see the Jones kid from JV in the rotation this year. That kid is a head hunter and really impressed me last year.

You are right about TJ PA. The kid was a hard worker, and I believe he poured his heart into the position. I don't think the staff done him any favors either. Put him behind a component Oline and staff in Longview and I think he fairs a lot better. He was just too limited for this staff to depend on him in this program. Johnson the ability to bail them out when plays break down. My biggest concern with Johnson is experience and him staying healthy. I have never seen him try to avoid contact. He tried to run through LBs and Forney secondary on several plays. Hopefully they have talked to him about going down or getting out of bounds. Those hits add up quickly over the course of a season.

Lufkin was close last year, just as the were the year before. They played Lancaster well in both meetings. And if we being honest..Longview is the only team that completely dominated us in that district. All the other games were competitive except for a few head scratchers that got away from us. Mainly the two games against Forney, in which we came out slow in the first one and played tough undermanned in the second. My issue has nothing to do with the kids potential or talent. There have been decisions made by this staff, that I feel has greatly contributed to the lack of success by this program. I fear that some of those same decisions will bleed over into this year. One being with Johnson at Qb. He should've been allowed allowed the majority of snaps at some point last year. I would've had handed over to him after dropping 0-2 in district against Forney. He showed me enough in limited action during that game to become full time starter. The remaining district slate would've given him invaluable experience heading into this season. And also given him and the coaches more film to see what he needed to focus on in the offseason. They decided to stay with the starter instead. Who they knew was on his way out and what his ceiling was. So now we are left with Johnson having to use the first half of this season, taking his lumps as a full time varsity starter. And don't let me get started on them wasting Gavin Phillips on JV his sophomore year, playing a position they had no intentions of him playing on varsity. Just too much mismanagement for me to have much faith in this staff. And let us not forget them not utilizing Preston more.

Kinda funny seeing A&M Consolidated being ranked #9, considering we have beat them the last two years. Maybe they just didn't match up well with us. But just shows you have to be consistent playoff contenders. Most of those teams listed are perennial powers. Just hard for me to see Lufkin turning on a switch and being in that mix this year. I think we have the talent to compete with just about anyone. Just not sure the program has the proper infrastructure to maximize it. I would feel different. If Lufkin had taken steps or showed some progression leading into this year. Unfortunately it has been mostly the same the last several years. With just minor flashes of potential.

So we turned down a week 3 opponent? Any reason why we didn't accept? Because it sound like we were scared of playing some tough competition. I hope that is not the reason.

I saw a recent article about A&M being in the hunt for Zion. And it got me to thinking. We identified several kids in this senior group as being possible P5 signees. Outside of Zion, has anyone else been offered D1 scholarships? I feel like Preston has the talent, but was grossly misused his sophomore and junior season. Not his fault. Hopefully he can put together a great senior season and get some more looks. Seem like I'm missing couple of more. Can't remember who the other players were. Guess I'm to assume the Wallace kid decided to stay put? I remember some talk about him maybe coming back. I always felt he would prob stay down in the Houston area. We still have a good group at the RB position.