2023 LUFKIN PANTHER FOOTBALL TOPIC DISCUSSIONS

[PackAttack]

4 hours ago, Pack13 said:

You are justified in those feelings. I’m a big believe talent takes you a lot less further than it did 20 years ago. Coaches are coming up with better and better game plans. Overall athleticism of programs is rising making it harder to just win on talent alone. I think Lufkin will make the playoffs but that road gets tough fast. 

You know just making the playoffs, and then get knocked out the 1st or 2nd round just seems like a waste of great talent. If these coaches can't do any better than that with this talent, then they need to pack up the office.

[Pack13]

31 minutes ago, PackAttack said:

You know just making the playoffs, and then get knocked out the 1st or 2nd round just seems like a waste of great talent. If these coaches can't do any better than that with this talent, then they need to pack up the office.

But I have a feeling that will be acceptable. The expectation seems to be playoffs. Not playoff runs. It’s just fun to get invited to the dance. Not actually dance 

[PackAttack]

4 minutes ago, Pack13 said:

But I have a feeling that will be acceptable. The expectation seems to be playoffs. Not playoff runs. It’s just fun to get invited to the dance. Not actually dance 

Not saying it is that way in Lufkin. Let's be clear. Any coach anywhere with that kind of attitude needs to be doing something else.

[Pack13]

18 minutes ago, PackAttack said:

Not saying it is that way in Lufkin. Let's be clear. Any coach anywhere with that kind of attitude needs to be doing something else.

I don’t think it’s coaches. I’m more speaking overall culture of those that matter. Not saying Quick but board members. Community members that matter. Everything. 

[Lennie]

Love it can't hardly wait for season to start,Lp4L

[PackAttack]

35 minutes ago, Lennie said:

Love it can't hardly wait for season to start,Lp4L

Be very clear. My ???? are never with the talent or the kids on the team. I am quite ready to see these guys play. Have been waiting 2 years now to see them playing all together on the Varsity and having the same success they accomplished as freshman.  It's the other elements, some Pack13 eluded to, that have been frustrating as a Panther fan, and don't care what anyone else thinks, some has been the coaching. 

[Pack13]

17 minutes ago, PackAttack said:

Be very clear. My ???? are never with the talent or the kids on the team. I am quite ready to see these guys play. Have been waiting 2 years now to see them playing all together on the Varsity and having the same success they accomplished as freshman.  It's the other elements, some Pack13 eluded to, that have been frustrating as a Panther fan, and don't care what anyone else thinks, some has been the coaching. 

I want to add I hope we are sitting here in December and I am wrong. I’d love nothing more than to eat crow. I have faith in certain people. I don’t in others. I do trust this talent to carry us further than the past. I’m very high on Young, probably more than anyone on the board but I believe he is a difference maker. I could probably call an offense he’d be successful in and none of us want that. I just worry powers that be don’t care that much. 

[PackMan16]

10 hours ago, PackAttack said:

How many kids on this current Panther roster have DI scholarship offers??

We know Kendren Young, Zion Williams and Isaiah Menefee.

And i believe Longview has 5 (4 Seniors and 1 Junior), and Lancaster has 9 (6 Seniors and 3 Juniors)

[timeout!]

3 hours ago, PackAttack said:

You know just making the playoffs, and then get knocked out the 1st or 2nd round just seems like a waste of great talent. If these coaches can't do any better than that with this talent, then they need to pack up the office.

That would be about what we would expect from Quick and Co. Just continuing the status quo of the program. A 1st or 2nd round exit would be an improvement over the last two years. But it would be about what we would usually expect from them with decent talent. 

I think we should expect more out this group. They have been billed as the most talented group in over 15 years to come through here. And I can agree from what I have seen. PurpleNation was spot on with his assessment of many of the players from this group, especially Zion.  I think there are few he called out. That should've been giving more playing time this past year. The coaches left them on JV or didn't play them much on varsity for whatever reason. The team has enough to at least make a 3rd round appearance. Anything less  would be a disappointment for me. 

[wolfpack4life]

53 minutes ago, PackMan16 said:

And i believe Longview has 5 (4 Seniors and 1 Junior), and Lancaster has 9 (6 Seniors and 3 Juniors)

Longview has 6 with D1 offers (so far).

RB Taylor Tatum, WR DK Reese, LB Brenden Reese, S Chase Smith, S Buddha Garrett and S Willie Nelson.

More on the way. It would've been 8 had Alijah Johnson and Lebron Bauer not left for Aledo and Allen. But we'll be fine without them.

7 of 11 starters on Longview's defense currently have some sort of college offer, including the entire secondary.

[PackAttack]

2 hours ago, Pack13 said:

I want to add I hope we are sitting here in December and I am wrong. I’d love nothing more than to eat crow. I have faith in certain people. I don’t in others. I do trust this talent to carry us further than the past. I’m very high on Young, probably more than anyone on the board but I believe he is a difference maker. I could probably call an offense he’d be successful in and none of us want that. I just worry powers that be don’t care that much. 

I have no issues with Young , his talent to produce, I think he is underrated a bit. My concern for him his how well he is protected by the OL. If they turn out to be a little better than average, I'm good to go and so is Kendren Young and the rest of the offense.

[PackAttack]

40 minutes ago, wolfpack4life said:

More on the way. It would've been 8 had Alijah Johnson and Lebron Bauer not left for Aledo and Allen. But we'll be fine without them.

I believe losing those two guys do not help the depth and experience for Longview, couple that with an untested QB.  I think Longview is fine, will vie for the district title again.  Whether it's Longview or Lufkin or anyone, losing DI talent in a  transfer is never something you like to see before a season.

[PackAttack]

As you know Lufkin ISD voted last year to name the Lufkin Indoor practice field, the T. J. Turner Training Center. The signage went up this week.

[wolfpack4life]

1 hour ago, PackAttack said:

I believe losing those two guys do not help the depth and experience for Longview, couple that with an untested QB.  I think Longview is fine, will vie for the district title again.  Whether it's Longview or Lufkin or anyone, losing DI talent in a  transfer is never something you like to see before a season.

Alijah transferred, yes.

But now Longview is about to use '25 LBs Brenden Reese and Kason Brooks... and/or possibly '26 Mason Washington at FB. All 3 are D1 prospects, so it's not the end of the world. 

All the transfer did was open up an avenue for other talented players to see the field. I mean, seeing a 6'1 220 D1 LB in the backfield is not going to be fun for opposing defenses. Taylor Tatum and Boosie Washington will already be enough to deal with.

Bauer was '26 and more so effected Longview's future than it did the current team. It would've been nice to keep him because I've never witnessed a Lobo secondary with 4 D1 players, but even without him, we'll have 3 D1 DBs (Buddha Garrett, Chase Smith and Willie Nelson) to go along with 2 others with D2 offers (Jaiden Simmons and Javion Robertson). Jaiden Simmons is a 3 year starter and those D2 offers could turn into D1 offers at some point. I didn't even mention '25 Jailynn Taylor who transferred in and will play next level as well. He was a varsity starter last season as a sophomore. 6'0 180. Secondary is solid.

Would I have preferred to keep Johnson and Bauer? Yep. Will the train derail because of their absence? Nope. We're ranked 2nd in the state without them so that says a lot.

[Lennie]

11 hours ago, PackAttack said:

Be very clear. My ???? are never with the talent or the kids on the team. I am quite ready to see these guys play. Have been waiting 2 years now to see them playing all together on the Varsity and having the same success they accomplished as freshman.  It's the other elements, some Pack13 eluded to, that have been frustrating as a Panther fan, and don't care what anyone else thinks, some has been the coaching. 

 Feeling is mutual just entertaining to read since Lufkin daily don't cover every day. But your right everyone has an opinion  and no one on this board is a professional sports analysts but very entertaining until season starts keep the comments going LP4L 

 

[LufkinPack]

Let’s see if I can ruffle some feathers. Lufkin will continue to be Longviews bytch until this staff is gone. Idc how much talent is coming up 🤷🏻‍♂️

[PackAttack]

52 minutes ago, LufkinPack said:

Let’s see if I can ruffle some feathers. Lufkin will continue to be Longviews bytch until this staff is gone. Idc how much talent is coming up 🤷🏻‍♂️

Its the 6-9 playoff record question that stick out like a red flag. No one wants to jump in to explain what the difference will be, because talent has been there for much of the past 11 years.  A few on the site have stated 2020 and 2021 were down years for talent, particularly senior talent. Although there were decent players on those teams, neither of those years ended well.

Hard to figure a 6-9 playoff record with players coming through the Quick program like KeKe Coutee, JaBryce Taylor, Ja Lynn Polk, Isaiah Phillips, Kordell Rogers, Tyler Stubblefield, Jordan Moore, Caleb Berry, Malik Jackson, Dhalion Phillips, Erik McCoy, Jerrin Thompson, Javasia Brunson, Braylon Garcia, Kahlil Brown, Terry Mark, Jamal Jeffery and Bronson Massie just to name a few really good Panther players.  Most of those guys mentioned played in college, and two are currently in the NFL from the Coach Quick era.

[Pack13]

Lufkin has plenty of athleticism. They have enough that missing the playoffs for two straight years doesn’t make sense. They have big guys to play line. They have kids with natural speed. Something is just missing. It’s probably a lot of something’s. 

[PackAttack]

1 hour ago, Pack13 said:

Lufkin has plenty of athleticism. They have enough that missing the playoffs for two straight years doesn’t make sense. They have big guys to play line. They have kids with natural speed. Something is just missing. It’s probably a lot of something’s. 

June is about over now, we are two months exactly from kicking off the 2023 HS Football season.  Just need to get all the coaching questions out of my head. Let's hope I can achieve this.  I'm ready for the season to begin, want to witness this group play, we have been expecting and waiting to see the last two years. If your like me, just ready to bury the last two seasons, I figure the Panther program is feeling the same way.  So many good things said about these kids playing this year and next, the confidence level is high. People tell me they are not just good football players they are good kids off the field. Some of the best talent collectively we have had in Lufkin since the 2017 -2018 season,  possibly somewhere between that 2017-18 group and 2004 team???  If these guys are let loose to fully play, it's going to be a fun year of football. To be clear, whatever coaching reservations I may have, has nothing to do with the defensive side of the ball, where I believe the Panthers will be very strong.  We haven't talked much about those D guys, they will be a dominate group IMO. Special teams kicking will be excellent this year too. On offense, there is not a single thing wrong with the skilled players on that side of the ball, they could all be very dynamic if used properly.  The play and consistency of the Panther OL and QB will be the key to how potent the Lufkin offense will be. We know all about Kedren Young, but he can't be the only option no matter how good he is as a RB.  T J has about a year and a half experience under his belt.  A QB always looks as good as his OL. Right?

The sky is the limit for this 2023 group,  I just need to put my reservations away and enjoy this group play.  Go Pack!

[Pack13]

If we want to look at where the flaw is in the Lufkin system. Let’s ask? If Longview and Lufkin swapped teams last year. Would the results have been different?

[PackMan16]

1 minute ago, Pack13 said:

If we want to look at where the flaw is in the Lufkin system. Let’s ask? If Longview and Lufkin swapped teams last year. Would the results have been different?

I think Lufkin's roster with Longview's system and coaches would've went 8-2, and made it to the second round. Longview's roster with Lufkin's system and coaches would've went 6-4 and bounced the first round.

[timeout!]

58 minutes ago, PackMan16 said:

I think Lufkin's roster with Longview's system and coaches would've went 8-2, and made it to the second round. Longview's roster with Lufkin's system and coaches would've went 6-4 and bounced the first round.

That pretty much sums up. Although I think King would prob squeeze out more than 1 playoff win. Especially if he has them in his system from the time they are freshmen. Losing in the 1st round isn't something King has done often. Even when Longview has had down years. Them 1st round exits is a Lufkin thing.

[PackAttack]

2 hours ago, timeout! said:

That pretty much sums up. Although I think King would prob squeeze out more than 1 playoff win. Especially if he has them in his system from the time they are freshmen. Losing in the 1st round isn't something King has done often. Even when Longview has had down years. Them 1st round exits is a Lufkin thing.

Both good points.. The bubble screen man is my dubious thorne in the side. Don't want to think about the frustration of it all right now. Need to keep positive thoughts until November. Then, I'll deal with either Thanksgiving Panther playoffs again, or burning my Panther Stadium seat for the 6th year in a row. Yep, have already bought a new one for this year, lighter fluid TBD later if needed.😈

[PurpleNation]

On 6/27/2023 at 2:05 PM, Pack13 said:

You are justified in those feelings. I’m a big believe talent takes you a lot less further than it did 20 years ago. Coaches are coming up with better and better game plans. Overall athleticism of programs is rising making it harder to just win on talent alone. I think Lufkin will make the playoffs but that road gets tough fast. 

This !!!

The floor is so much higher then 20 years ago. The metroplex schools just have so many kids to choose from. Kids and parents teaming up and sending kids to certain schools. 

[PurpleNation]

3 hours ago, Pack13 said:

If we want to look at where the flaw is in the Lufkin system. Let’s ask? If Longview and Lufkin swapped teams last year. Would the results have been different?

I imagine the same thing if Georgia switched with Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt would likely at the minimum make the playoffs and probably win it. I imagine that's what it would look like if Lufkin and Longview switched in this hypothetical. Im absolutely on it's about the Jimmy's and Joe's at the end of the day.