All Gilmer's success should be attributed......

[Buckeye80]

to coaching. If y'all will remember, the 13-1 Buckeyes that lost to Atlanta last season consisted of 17 Senior starters. The 2004 Buckeyes have not only over-achieved, but overcome the loss of all but 5 starters from last year. I, by no means, expected the Bucks to be undefeated at this point, but having watched them play, it has never been a question in my mind that they are the class of Reg II, and I'm not surprised to see them in the State Semi's. Our boys are such a "team"! It's sensational to watch them play.

[Gilmer Buckeye]

Who are the five returning starters? The coach always says he lost 18 starters and sometimes says 19 because Manuel Johnson is not playing the position at which he started in 2002 and 2003.

Also, how does one count Cabrera? He was a returning starting placekicker, but yesterday was the first time they've let him try a field goal since maybe Week Zero. Or maybe it was his first attempt of the season. The kicking duties have mostly been handled by Harborth, as you know.

Traylor is a great coach. No one doubts that. But it's not just coaching. The coaching staff is excellent and the team-oriented athletes with which they have been blessed this season have been fantastic, but if we were still in 4A, we'd struggle to make the playoffs, although it wouldn't be as much of a struggle as it once was since the top three teams go.

Everything is so watered down now, from the three teams making the playoffs to the two champions in nearly every classification. I was hoping Palestine would beat Cuero (and it sounds like the 'Cats outplayed the Gobblers; just suffered too many turnovers) so that Gilmer could lay claim to being by far the best team in either Div I or II. I truly think Gilmer could have taken either division this season and we'd be playing for the state title one week earlier if we were in Div I.

BTW, do you know for sure that the game is at 7:30 p.m Saturday at Texas Stadium? That's what I've heard from multiple sources, but none of them can be considered official sources.

[Buckeye80]

Originally posted by Gilmer Buckeye
BTW, do you know for sure that the game is at 7:30 p.m Saturday at Texas Stadium? That's what I've heard from multiple sources, but none of them can be considered official sources.

Yes, the game is locked on for Texas Stadium at 7:30 for Saturday. It was on both KLTV and KETK last night, and I'm going to call a "very reliable" source today to get absolute verification.

As always Buck, I value your opinion as not only a Buckeye fan, but one of the few Reg II supporters on the down low. :p But, I will respectfully disagree with you about Gilmer barely making the playoffs in 4A. Of course we wouldn't be near where we are now in 4A. We probably would've lost in the first round, but I don't think we would've struggled just to get in. You and I both know that we have a very solid team that just refuses to lose (i.e. Pitt).
I think that we take care of the Tigers this week and put them on the flag, and then meet the Bulldogs or Panthers and decide this thing. We have just as good a shot as any of the four left. Viva la 1981!!:D :D :D :D :D :