Is Graham For Real

[hustla33]

WoW what about the steers 73-6 vs. ft. worth southhills and 49-12 vs. levelland. yea these arent the greatest teams to beat but the numbers are incredible, can these guys keep it rollin. with the athletes these guys graduated the past two years and to keep playin like they are they must have a garden where the coaches just go out there and pick the ripe athletes:D lol, anyway i dont think this is the best team they've had. the 2002-2003 team was great but could this be the team to break the curse and go past the first round, tell me what u think

[Keith7]

are they still an option based team?

[hustla33]

yea there still an option team. if someone would change that offense they would do something thats whats hurt them in the past there too predictible

[Gobbla2001]

Originally posted by hustla33
yea there still an option team. if someone would change that offense they would do something thats whats hurt them in the past there too predictible

Yah, Cuero ran the option a lot in the 90's... It's one of those offenses you have to 'live' and 'die' by...

[Chief Woodman]

I suspect they are for real. However, if the teams make the playoffs that should Graham will have a hard time getting past round 1 again this year. Looks like they would be seeing Gainesville in round 1.

[Z motion 10 out on 2]

Graham is the real deal and yes they live and die by that veer option. I find their defense to be most impressive. They have a great D and Vernon will have their hands full with the Steers again this year. I have been waiting for them to have a down year but it just won't come.

[Keith7]

I always liked playing Graham in high school, they always had a great team... and the option was always fun (but sometimes confusing) to defend

[Z motion 10 out on 2]

They have a very good FB and usually the line is a spot on match to their blocks. Then the FB (Condron..I think is his name) just runs through a huge whole and runs over the safety and in for a TD. He is a good size boy that has a lot of speed. The dive killed Vernon last year and the FB broke a 50 yarder.

Can't wait to see how they do against Decatur in a couple of weeks.

[Adidas410s]

Yes Graham is a good team, they are every year. However, they have one constant glaring problem that always henders them...their coaching. Bourquin (sp) has not really made ANY changes to his playbook and once the top teams in the region have had a chance to play Graham a few times over the years then they are able to beat them...except for Vernon as of late I guess! (sorry Z) They have plenty of talent but they need to develop a more balanced offense. To expect your FB to be able to carry your team is ridiculous...and they have a VERY good one this year. If they can go 3-1 over the next 4 weeks (Birdvile, Decatur, @ Wylie, Marlin)...then I will be very impressed. If they go 4-0 then maybe they will have a shot to beat Gainesville in round 1. That being said, I see this being the year where they finally lose to Vernon and then keep their 1st round playoff streak going.

Don't take this post as me "hating on Graham" because I am from Wylie. My little bros live in Graham and both play there and I hope for the best for them in all sports...except when they play Wylie! ;) I just think that one of two things needs to happen for Graham to "take the next step." They need to either a) have Bourquin change his playbook (and even more importantly his play CALLING...dont even get me started on this one) or they should b) get rid of Bourquin and get a coach in there that either has a more aggressive option-based offense or a coach with more of a 2 back "pro style" offense. I do not thnink that a wide open offense would work well in Graham because they have never really been blessed with the most talented receivers...alright better get back to this lecture before the prof figures out what I'm doing here!

[hustla33]

ya i use to play for graham i graduated in 03' and alot of the things that u said are very true. Keith when did u graduate.

[VWG]

Originally posted by Adidas410s
Yes Graham is a good team, they are every year. However, they have one constant glaring problem that always henders them...their coaching. Bourquin (sp) has not really made ANY changes to his playbook and once the top teams in the region have had a chance to play Graham a few times over the years then they are able to beat them...except for Vernon as of late I guess! (sorry Z) They have plenty of talent but they need to develop a more balanced offense. To expect your FB to be able to carry your team is ridiculous...and they have a VERY good one this year. If they can go 3-1 over the next 4 weeks (Birdvile, Decatur, @ Wylie, Marlin)...then I will be very impressed. If they go 4-0 then maybe they will have a shot to beat Gainesville in round 1. That being said, I see this being the year where they finally lose to Vernon and then keep their 1st round playoff streak going.

Don't take this post as me "hating on Graham" because I am from Wylie. My little bros live in Graham and both play there and I hope for the best for them in all sports...except when they play Wylie! ;) I just think that one of two things needs to happen for Graham to "take the next step." They need to either a) have Bourquin change his playbook (and even more importantly his play CALLING...dont even get me started on this one) or they should b) get rid of Bourquin and get a coach in there that either has a more aggressive option-based offense or a coach with more of a 2 back "pro style" offense. I do not thnink that a wide open offense would work well in Graham because they have never really been blessed with the most talented receivers...alright better get back to this lecture before the prof figures out what I'm doing here!

I agree with some statements but on the other hand.....
You can't argue with Bourquin's record. 5 straight district titles and he gets kids out for football every year. His playoff losses have been to very good teams, such as Wylie last year in OT, Sweetwater a few years back, etc.....
The talent over in Graham is very good. Just look at their standings in the Lone Star Cup over the last few years. Basketball, Baseball, Track...etc....
I do agree though that their offense needs some "evolution".
You are correct in that the better defensive teams can shut Graham down if they defend the option up front. They've got some horses in the backfield. How about running the Power I, or some screen passes to those RB's that can bull over DB's and leave them in the dust?
The problem with some high school coaches is that they will live and die by their systems. Look at teams that run the spread offense when their QB really isn't suited for an all out passing game. Look at teams that run the ball over 75% of the time but their QB has a great arm, and could probably utilize it more but due to their offensive strategy they pound the ball on the ground.
I love what Iowa Park is doing with several offensive sets. Spread offense, Wing-T, Pro-set, etc....
Sandifer at Wylie does a fantastic job of play calling. He mixes the run and pass and finds a defensive weakness, and then exploits it.
I also think that Vernon as well as some other teams in the area of Region I are too one dimensional. Jackson at Sweetwater keeps the ball on the ground, and can be shut down as well as Vernon's Wing-T.
Anyway... we all could go on and on with this subject but yeah I think Graham has a good team this year, like every year. What they do with their success in the regular season has to spill over into the playoffs though for anybody in the state to give them some recognition.

[shortbag33]

Listen to what ya'll are saying. You are talking about a team and coach that has 5 consecutive district championships. Then you say that the offense is predictable, you need to become adefensive co. and go work at the schools that they hung 76 and 49 pts. on. I am a defensive coordinator, the option when ran right,and you have a guy behind the center that can make the correct reads is tough to handle. On any given play if you do not take care of the dive, QB and pitch it could mean 6 pts.
The fact is they have faced some pretty good football teams in the first round. They will win another district championship and then face Gainesville in the first round. If they do not get buy Gainsville then you will be posting again saying they need to fire the coach and change the offense. You won't give Gainesville any credit. I am not from Graham I want someone to tell me how successful the football program was before Bourquin got there.

[VWG]

Originally posted by shortbag33
Listen to what ya'll are saying. You are talking about a team and coach that has 5 consecutive district championships. Then you say that the offense is predictable, you need to become adefensive co. and go work at the schools that they hung 76 and 49 pts. on. I am a defensive coordinator, the option when ran right,and you have a guy behind the center that can make the correct reads is tough to handle. On any given play if you do not take care of the dive, QB and pitch it could mean 6 pts.
The fact is they have faced some pretty good football teams in the first round. They will win another district championship and then face Gainesville in the first round. If they do not get buy Gainsville then you will be posting again saying they need to fire the coach and change the offense. You won't give Gainesville any credit. I am not from Graham I want someone to tell me how successful the football program was before Bourquin got there.

I hear you, but shouldn't you have another plan of attack if you're getting dominated and your pitch/dive offense isn't working?
And yes, before Bourquin Graham has had some success.
If I am correct they made the playoffs in the 80's and early 90's before Bourquin's tenure. I think Bourquin is a good coach and he deserves some respect for the district titles he has won at Graham. On the other hand... you also need to make some noise in the playoffs. If Jackson (Sweetwater), Sandifer (A. Wylie), or others out there won district titles but never made it past the first round of the playoffs then they would come under the same criticism that Bourquin has come under. Don't you think?

[Chief Ohera]

I understand what everyone is saying. What is misunderstood is how the teams that are winning all the playoff games are the teams that run "shot-gun based offfenses that mix it up and have a balanced attack, take a look at the previous state champions, except Katy.
Bourquin is an average coach. He brought the 70's Houston Veer offense with him and he won't let it go. I have some people that I know down in Graham and keep up with their sports program. They said that they and a lot of people of Graham do not care for Bourquin a bit. Graham has great athletes and has always had great athletes, it's not that Bourquin brings them out it is because it's Texas Football.

The school district has been in a tough position because how can they fire a coach for 5 straight district titles.
I don't know you tell me.

[Keith7]

What i really want to know is where does Graham get there players?? they always had what seemed to be twice as many football players then we did.. does e verybody go out for football there???

[VWG]

Graham probably has on average around 80-85 kids from soph. to sr. out every year for football. I would say they also get about 45 out for freshman football. This is a "guesstimate" as I don't know the real numbers but I had a buddy of mine who had a kid that played a few years back for the Steers and these were the numbers then, and Graham's enrollment hasn't changed that much since then. Their total athletic package over in Graham gets good numbers. Basketball, baseball, track... heck even the golf team gets quite a few kids out every year. Again, their standings in recent years in the Lone Star Cup surprise me, but it's a tribute to the work the coaches and kids do every year in all sports.
Just as any other school with overall successfull athletic programs.

[shortbag33]

That is right VWG. You can tell who the coaches are on this board. They are the ones that give credit to other coaches and don't bash them. The #'s are up in all programs and they are successful. You can't be successful with out teaching the players discipline, responsibility, respect etc... I had no idea that a 3A program could have that many kids out for football. That should tell you that they are doing things right and that is a direct reflection of the coaching staff.
Some of you are saying that this means nothing unless they win a first round playoff game. If they won the first playoff game all five yrs. and lost the second you would be saying they have got to do something different or get rid of the coach because they
can't get past the second round. All the negative people on this post who are not coaches need to get your degree and get a squad. You might just see how hard it is to win a district championship. My bad I mean 5 in a row.

[hustla33]

yeah well im from graham i graduated in 03' yea i played ball and i still do in college. but anyway we had alot of success before borquin was here so dont tell me he just changed our program around. i have a lot of respect for him, im not saying that, i just think there should be some changes because im not just saying this but my soph, jr, and senior years we did not lose to a team in the playoffs that was just flat out better.

[DOGFAN]

Being from Wylie I know Graham is for real every year, and it is hard to criticise their offense because they can really wear down a defense. Makes it tough to come back if they fall behind early though and that is one reason Wylie has had their # in recent years. If they would have made it through Wylie last year I feel pretty sure that they could have gone as far as Wylie did losing to Gainesville in the semis.

[Z motion 10 out on 2]

Originally posted by DOGFAN
Being from Wylie I know Graham is for real every year, and it is hard to criticise their offense because they can really wear down a defense. Makes it tough to come back if they fall behind early though and that is one reason Wylie has had their # in recent years. If they would have made it through Wylie last year I feel pretty sure that they could have gone as far as Wylie did losing to Gainesville in the semis.


I agree. Both teams are good every year. Can't wait as Vernon gets to play both this year.

[VWG]

Well, not trying to beat a dead horse......
The comment from one guy from Wylie was also dead on. Wylie got up on Graham last year and with the split veer it's damn tough to make up ground quick... especially when the other team's defense is stuffing your option. That is where your diversity in the playbook needs to come in.
On the defensive side of the ball if the offense is moving the ball on you... you try and change things to make plays.
You wouldn't set back in a 5-2 or 4-3, etc... and just get hammered all night. Adjustments would be made. You have to make plays.. on both sides of the ball. Graham's success... and failures have come from the split veer offense. Heck, I think guys who run a total spread attack are foolish to just work on that one offensive scheme. When you put all your eggs in one basket (whether it be by the ground or the air) you give the defense all week to prepare for that one look they will see all night.

[zpiber]

Yeah M square Bulldogs will find out PDQ.