Over looking the champ....is it smart?

[nutcrackin]

Compliments of Eagle10 on Smoaky.com

Gilmer's defense will be equal or better than Longview or Kilgore...

Starting will be Dominique Buchannen (6'1 240)...a BEAST of a kid, who'll be a JR. He was a beast last year as a soph, and saw some quality playing time. This year, he has learned the defense (which is what kept him from more PT last season.) Next to him will be (in my opinion) the D1 surprise player of the year (I undestand K-State is already corting him) in Kendall Abron. This kid is BIG (6'3, 225ish...no fat on him)...and FAST (4.5-4.6 speed). He played mostly O-Line last season. He is also EXTREMELY intelligent, and will be a key leader for the BUX this year. Both Dominique and Kendall are EXTREMELY physical...but Daniel Dodd and KUI had noses for the football and TONS of HEART...(can't measure that in a 40 time.) We'll see if all that talent can fill those SIZEABLE empty shoes DD and KUI left behind.

I understand the 2005 motto for the BUX is "RELOAD"...well, there is no doubt that there are holes to be filled, and leadership roles to be claimed...but there's a REASON why Coach Traylor is staying put in his home-town...and it AIN'T his Mommas cookin! The next 3 years of Buckeye Football will be fun to watch. Come 2008, I think we'll all look back at the 2004 season and say, "In the beginning, there was Manuel, Kevin, Daniel and Tay...who begat Willie and Kendall, Dominique and Jemall, David and Justin, Donterius and Jamar..and, and, and, and, and."

There's a line in one of those "Can't Rap" songs, that says, "Now, you relax, while we reload, and when the lights come on, we go off and explode! Cause the PRIDE's back baby and it's here to stay, you better strap it up TIGHT if you came to play with these BUCKEYES!" (And the Army said....AMEN!)

[WOS92]

They're only returning 2 starters on each side of the ball. That probably has a lot to do with it. A lot of teams say, "We don't rebuild - we RELOAD," but it's tough to repeat with that many players gone. I'm not saying they don't have a shot, but I can understand the logic in not ranking them at the top.

[lostaussie]

Originally posted by nutcrackin
Compliments of Eagle10 on Smoaky.com

Gilmer's defense will be equal or better than Longview or Kilgore...
i'm a big fan, but i don't know about this statement

[HighSchool Fan]

Originally posted by WOS92
They're only returning 2 starters on each side of the ball. That probably has a lot to do with it. A lot of teams say, "We don't rebuild - we RELOAD," but it's tough to repeat with that many players gone. I'm not saying they don't have a shot, but I can understand the logic in not ranking them at the top.

using the logic about only 2 starters returning on both sides of the ball, take a look at cuero. DCTF says they have 1 starter returning on offense. should they be ranked that high with just 1 starter on offense coming back??

[WOS92]

Good question, but they are returning 6 on defense. A great D can make up for a lackluster offense. In 2000, we got to the state finals with NO offense whatsoever. It helped that we had the top D in the state. Our defense even scored about 1/3 of our points.
To answer your question, I dunno.

[lostaussie]

had to go over to smoaky's sight to check it out for myself. although eagle10 made some great statements about buckeye football and was very knowledgeable about the program, i didn't find anywhere that he made those statements about being equal to longview or kilgore's D. i saw kilgore last year and they were an unbelievable D. big, mean, fast, and definately not afraid of contact. those guys are the real deal.

[JHS_c/o_06']

no offense to Gilmer, cause i have much respect for them, but....what it appeared to me....is that in the big games....your goal was to outscore them. yeah you put 60 up on tatum....but they put 30 someting on yall. Yeah you put 49 on us....but we put 47 on yall. You are losing a good bit of your high powered offense....and a few defensive starters. If im wrong, i'll be the first to admit it, but i think 04' was your big senior laden season. Maybe you can pull a Jasper and come back in 05 and do even better (not sure how thats possible) but i dont see that happening. Sorry, no offense, you got your title, it's someone elses turn now.

[lostaussie]

no offense taken. looking at the numbers, it should be as you say. but remember, the buckeyes year was supposed to be in 04 until we ran into a very potent atlanta rabbit team. this group of coaches know what they have for the next several years. there is great talent who have played a bunch, but the real talent lies in the soph and fresh classes. 2 of the offensive linemen who played against ya'll were freshmen. what we are in desperate need of is leaders and i think traylor will find them. i do not forsee a state champ this year but never underestimate a school that is well on its way to becoming a powerhouse. the next several years will tell. just my opinion of couse.

[Gobbla2001]

Yah, 2-2 can say something, but doesn't mean too much... Though I can understand why they are not ranked because they only return 2-2, I still think they could be dangerous... just hard to blaim anyone for thinking otherwise when you lose that much...

Which leads to why I have been very surprised this offseason... no one has made a big deal about Cuero being numbre uno with only 6-1 returning... From the outside, I'd say 'that is insane'... But Cuero's offense wasn't a strong-point last year, the defense kept the offense in the games toword the end of the year, but I will say the offense showed up in the crunch-time... which is when you need it the most...

As for one returning starter, you can prolly add one of two more to the list that alternated at TE/WR etc... (and they were and WILL be very important)... And you can also add two more to the offensive list... Running backs Latreal Cooper and Dewone Williams... Latreal was injured during a scrimmage (would have started)... Dewone took over as the starter but only played in the first game (I believe he had 300 yards)... both of those guys are back so that should be interesting...

Also, one of the defensive starters is missing because he'll be playing a very important role on the offensive side of the ball... An all-district DT will be splitting ways between the offensive line and the defense, so he has experience... Then you have another OL that alternated when the other OL started huffin' (they were big dudes)...

Looks better this year than it did last year I'd have to say... but that's just me and Dave ha...

[lostaussie]

Originally posted by Gobbla2001

As for one returning starter, you can prolly add one of two more to the list that alternated at TE/WR etc... (and they were and WILL be very important)... ... a very good point. same for gilmer. we don't return lots of starters, but we return a truck load that played plenty and at key times. we played as many as 8 to 10 recievers in several games.

[Gobbla2001]

Originally posted by lostaussie
a very good point. same for gilmer. we don't return lots of starters, but we return a truck load that played plenty and at key times. we played as many as 8 to 10 recievers in several games.

It's a good thing to have coming back... but it is also one of those things that could go either way... the kid has never carried the full load, now he most-likely will, how will he react? Most of the time I believe it works out greatly... but I guess we can't expect that to sway the minds of the pollsters... I know I don't...

I still think Gilmer has a dang good season this year...

[lostaussie]

Originally posted by Gobbla2001
but I guess we can't expect that to sway the minds of the pollsters... I know I don't...

I still think Gilmer has a dang good season this year...

[lostaussie]

Originally posted by lostaussie
man i screwed that up. let me try again

[lostaussie]

Originally posted by Gobbla2001
but I guess we can't expect that to sway the minds of the pollsters... I know I don't...

I still think Gilmer has a dang good season this year... i agee gobbla. the guys doing the polls don't have a clue how much our underclassmen played. nor do most teams care. in the end it will play out. pollster smollster!!!!!!!!!

[ThreeKings]

One thing to remember about Gilmer is they only have a few starters back from the 03 team. Everyone said 04 would be a rebuilding year since they lost so many seniors, they turned around and won the state championship. Never underestimate that team.

I have heard that the soon to be juniors and sophomores are much better than the group that just won the state championship. I think Gilmer lost one game from the 7th grade to the 12th grade last year!