OTS Sports Network Statewide Poll: Week 9

[dfactor26]

Your example of 3 NFL players at Fort D versus the continual great players at Byrnes/NW being the criteria for more success would be like the person that says Cal has better overall players than Alabama due to the fact that Aaron Rodgers is the best NFL player currently? Yes, Aaron Rodgers himself might have been a better player than any to come out of Alabama in the last 25 years, but Cal does not have better OVERALL players than Bama. Obviously we jsut aren't going to agree on this. I am assuming you are never going to answer my question about how Laprad keeps his job with, what according to you is clearly the best talent in the state, yet can't win at the statewide level.

But seriously start a FireCoachLaPrad.com website. Obviously he is not a good coach since Fort Dorchester CLEARLY has the best talent in the state over the last decade and all he can manage is one state semi-final appearance.

Hey, just checked the website is available on GoDaddy. Get it before I do, or else I will charge you big dollars to buy it from me.
https://www.godaddy.com/domains/searchr ... LaPrad.com" target="_blank

I don't know what you want me to say here. Fort's best players have been better than Northwestern/Byrnes best players the past 10 years and at the highest level of football Fort Dorchester has more representation in the same 10 year span. This year is no different, go on any player ranking sites and look at class 2016-2019 for SC. You will see that Fort currently has 3 players ranked - John Simpson (Class of 2016, #3 in the state), Chris Morales (Class of 2016, #35 in the state) and Dakareon Joyner (Class of 2018, #4 in the state). Byrnes has 1 player ranked - Chavis Dawkins (Class of 2016, #43 in the state) and Northwestern also has 1 player ranked - Logan Rudolph (Class of 2017, #8 in the state). This doesn't mean anything in terms of which team will be more successful - but as far as player rankings go Fort Dorchester has more ranked players than Northwestern and Byrnes combined for the next 4 years. Again, I don't know what else you want me to say here.

[Rebel-Fan-74]

My take on your discussions and your points in those discussions leads me to this conclusion:

Over the past 15 years...

Fort D has produced more INDIVIDUALS who have gone on to become all stars at the next levels
Byrnes/Northwestern have produced better HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS

[dfactor26]

My take on your discussions and your points in those discussions leads me to this conclusion:

Over the past 15 years...

Fort D has produced more INDIVIDUALS who have gone on to become all stars at the next levels
Byrnes/Northwestern have produced better HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS

Absolutely, no argument from me on that.

[FootballFan4343]

Your example of 3 NFL players at Fort D versus the continual great players at Byrnes/NW being the criteria for more success would be like the person that says Cal has better overall players than Alabama due to the fact that Aaron Rodgers is the best NFL player currently? Yes, Aaron Rodgers himself might have been a better player than any to come out of Alabama in the last 25 years, but Cal does not have better OVERALL players than Bama. Obviously we jsut aren't going to agree on this. I am assuming you are never going to answer my question about how Laprad keeps his job with, what according to you is clearly the best talent in the state, yet can't win at the statewide level.

But seriously start a FireCoachLaPrad.com website. Obviously he is not a good coach since Fort Dorchester CLEARLY has the best talent in the state over the last decade and all he can manage is one state semi-final appearance.

Hey, just checked the website is available on GoDaddy. Get it before I do, or else I will charge you big dollars to buy it from me.
https://www.godaddy.com/domains/searchr ... LaPrad.com" target="_blank

I don't know what you want me to say here. Fort's best players have been better than Northwestern/Byrnes best players the past 10 years and at the highest level of football Fort Dorchester has more representation in the same 10 year span. This year is no different, go on any player ranking sites and look at class 2016-2019 for SC. You will see that Fort currently has 3 players ranked - John Simpson (Class of 2016, #3 in the state), Chris Morales (Class of 2016, #35 in the state) and Dakareon Joyner (Class of 2018, #4 in the state). Byrnes has 1 player ranked - Chavis Dawkins (Class of 2016, #43 in the state) and Northwestern also has 1 player ranked - Logan Rudolph (Class of 2017, #8 in the state). This doesn't mean anything in terms of which team will be more successful - but as far as player rankings go Fort Dorchester has more ranked players than Northwestern and Byrnes combined for the next 4 years. Again, I don't know what else you want me to say here.

Again, the focus is on 2-3 players over a 3 year span. By better players I am talking position by position, that is what makes success. Not 2-3 great players over a 3 year span. Here is a copy of the State newspaper's article from 2013 of the best 150 players in South Carolina history.

I have totally agree that Fort Dorchester's recent 3 players mentioned have had great NFL success, and probably the best of any school in the state over that period. But, NW also boasts 5 first round NFL picks, no other school in South Carolina has more than 2 I believe. But NFL players are not what makes Byrnes or NW successful, it is the PLAYERS on the team, overall.

That is the point I have been trying to make, OVERALL Byrnes and Northwestern have better players. Just go down the line position by position. That is how they win. Fort Dorchester doesn't average a 7-5 record over the past 10 years due to extremely poor coaching, just as Byrnes doesn't average a 12-2 record and NW a 11-3 record based on great coaching. Its more than that, its the overall players are just better. Yes, Fort D has had 3 GREAT players over that span. But overall, their players are not at the same level as Byrnes or NW.
Also, your stance continues to slowly change as you respond. At first you said even the BEST years for Byrnes and NW, the talent was nowhere near Fort Dorchester. Now it has changed to Fort's BEST players have been better than NW's best and Fort's BEST have done better at the next level. By changing that statement, it changes the whole argument. I totally agree that Fort D's BEST are better than Byrnes and NW's BEST. But that doesn't mean that overall Fort Dorchester has had better players than Byrnes/NW which is what my original statement was.

[dfactor26]

Just for fun I looked at player rankings for class of 2016-2019 on 247sports and looked at player rankings and which school they went to and here is what I found.


-Fort Dorchester has the most ranked players of any 4A team with 3 ranked players.
-Hilton Head has the most ranked players in 3A (and more than any classification) with 5
-Lake Marion has the most ranked players in 2A with 3
-All three teams are undefeated at the moment
-Byrnes, Northwestern, Spartanburg and Dorman all only have 1 player ranked

[Fridaynightfan]

I disagree with the Statement that Byrnes and Dorman have better athletes. Sure, there have been a few D1 prospects, but for the most part it is a team effort and great coaching that makes the difference.

Since 2009, Byrnes has won two state championships, 2010 and 2011, and has been "in the hunt" every year, but has only one player that I can remember go to a major D1 school (FBS) :

2014 Tavin Richardson (Kentucky)

Sure, you need to have numbers to field athletes, but more importantly you have to have a coaching staff, a school, and a community that all foster interest in the program. Many schools out there have enough 6-3 250 lb kids walking the hallways to be competitive, they just dont get them all out on the field. That is the key.

By the way, in our best years at Byrnes, we had great offensive lines, that were small, strong and fast. Lots of 6-0 230lb guys that would pull and hit. It doesnt always take D1 monster size to be competitive.

[dfactor26]

I disagree with the Statement that Byrnes and Dorman have better athletes. Sure, there have been a few D1 prospects, but for the most part it is a team effort and great coaching that makes the difference.

Since 2009, Byrnes has won two state championships, 2010 and 2011, and has been "in the hunt" every year, but has only one player that I can remember go to a major D1 school (FBS) :

2014 Tavin Richardson (Kentucky)

Sure, you need to have numbers to field athletes, but more importantly you have to have a coaching staff, a school, and a community that all foster interest in the program. Many schools out there have enough 6-3 250 lb kids walking the hallways to be competitive, they just dont get them all out on the field. That is the key.

By the way, in our best years at Byrnes, we had great offensive lines, that were small, strong and fast. Lots of 6-0 230lb guys that would pull and hit. It doesnt always take D1 monster size to be competitive.

I definitely agree with you here, most schools in the country have enough athletes in the halls to field a talented football team, but a team doesn't just win with athletes alone. Schools like Byrnes field top 10 teams every year for the past 15+ years because they have a program built on a foundation that allows them to get the most out of the players, not because they just have the best players. The coaching, support from the community and just the general attitude of the people involved at schools like Byrnes is I feel plays a larger role in their success than actual great football players.

[FootballFan4343]

I disagree with the Statement that Byrnes and Dorman have better athletes. Sure, there have been a few D1 prospects, but for the most part it is a team effort and great coaching that makes the difference.

Since 2009, Byrnes has won two state championships, 2010 and 2011, and has been "in the hunt" every year, but has only one player that I can remember go to a major D1 school (FBS) :

2014 Tavin Richardson (Kentucky)

Sure, you need to have numbers to field athletes, but more importantly you have to have a coaching staff, a school, and a community that all foster interest in the program. Many schools out there have enough 6-3 250 lb kids walking the hallways to be competitive, they just dont get them all out on the field. That is the key.

By the way, in our best years at Byrnes, we had great offensive lines, that were small, strong and fast. Lots of 6-0 230lb guys that would pull and hit. It doesnt always take D1 monster size to be competitive.

I never once said athletes. I said Byrnes and NW have better players. Again, go position by position and Byrnes and NW will have better overall players than Fort Dorchester. Size and speed doesn't make one player better than the other. We are talking who has the better high school players. I have said Byrnes and NW have better overall players than Fort Dorchester, across the board. We can talk about schools, community, programs all you want, but at the end of the day, the players play the game. All of those things can make players better, yes.

[FootballFan4343]

Just for fun I looked at player rankings for class of 2016-2019 on 247sports and looked at player rankings and which school they went to and here is what I found.


-Fort Dorchester has the most ranked players of any 4A team with 3 ranked players.
-Hilton Head has the most ranked players in 3A (and more than any classification) with 5
-Lake Marion has the most ranked players in 2A with 3
-All three teams are undefeated at the moment
-Byrnes, Northwestern, Spartanburg and Dorman all only have 1 player ranked

You also failed to mention they only rank 11 players for class of 2017, 5 for 2018, and zero for 2019.
Also, take note when it comes to rankings is they ONLY rank players that will qualify. So guys like Micah Young (Byrnes QB) and Traevon Hinton (NW LB) are not ranked. Yet, both of them are one of the best at their position in the state. That is the point I am trying to make. Byrnes and NW have GREAT players at every position, yes the coaches help that, but these guys are great. Its their HIGH school performance. If a kid doesn't have the grades to get to the next level then they face a huge uphill battle of making the NFL, even if they have the potential. Take a look at Kentrell Jones from Gaffney. VERY few people would argue that he was one of, if not THE BEST, High School Football player this state has ever seen. However, guy couldn't get into school and never went to college. He threw all over NW cornerback Derek Ross in the 1997 state championship. The same Derek Ross that played at Ohio State, was a 3rd round pick of the Cowboys, and finished 2nd to Julius Peppers for NFC defensive rookie of the year. Most would stack Jones up against any QB this state has seen. Golson, Worley, Bentley, Rudolph, whomever.
When determining High School talent, it has to be what they did during High school. Anyone can blow up in college and make it to the NFL.
In the case of the Fort D guys, they were great high school players as well. But those three don't make the overall players at Fort D better than Byrnes or NW.

[FootballFan4343]

Just for fun I looked at player rankings for class of 2016-2019 on 247sports and looked at player rankings and which school they went to and here is what I found.


-Fort Dorchester has the most ranked players of any 4A team with 3 ranked players.
-Hilton Head has the most ranked players in 3A (and more than any classification) with 5
-Lake Marion has the most ranked players in 2A with 3
-All three teams are undefeated at the moment
-Byrnes, Northwestern, Spartanburg and Dorman all only have 1 player ranked

So I decided to play this game using your rules for determing success who has the best players. I went back to 2006, the first year that the Fort D big three showed up and went through last season. Here are the numbers of ranked recruits (2006-2015)
Byrnes has an eye popping 23 ranked players in that timespan
Northwestern has 6
Fort Dorchester has only the 3 you keep mentioning.

So, even when you use your "recruiting" formula to determine who has the better players, it continues to show that your argument is based on 3 players who have gone on to successful NFL careers. How can you argue with 23 ranked players versus 3?