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Post by FUBeAR on Dec 16, 2014 7:32:02 GMT -5
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Post by jackal on Dec 16, 2014 8:24:02 GMT -5
Interested to see how Hatcher does in his second go around in the SoCon.
Harder to recruit at Samford than it was at Valdosta State and even Georgia Southern. I do think he is maintaining the same defensive staff that was there under Sullivan, so that's good.
I do think he was not given a fair shake in Statesboro, as the GSU administration gave him an option team and asked him to run his air raid offense with no receivers, a 5'6 quarterback, and a offensive line built for run blocking.
Those Hatcher-era Georgia Southern teams were kind of an anomaly. Not great teams, but good enough to win playing with one outstanding player. Like watching a schoolyard football game - hand the ball to one guy no one can tackle and just see what happens.
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MU22
Baby Bear
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Post by MU22 on Dec 16, 2014 22:22:41 GMT -5
Hatcher will do much better in his second trip through the SoCon. For starters, he's jettisoned much of the defensive baggage he had in Statesboro, and assimilating the Samford defensive staff will instantly make it less likely they skip a beat. Offensively, even at GSU with all the run blockers, he had 2 very solid years offensively (2007, 2008) with the latter season splitting QB snaps between Antonio Henton and Lee Chapple. It was always his defense that did him in. 2009 was a pitiful year for the Eagles as none of the 2006 VanGorder signing class remained, and many of Hatcher's 2007 & 2008 signees were gone from the program. The program was washed out of experience and was dependent on playing many true freshmen WR at that point. That's a mess for that offense. They had some talent, but no strength and conditioning to match up to the relatively older rosters in the league that year.
His stock dropped at Murray the further he got away from his recruiting base and he became more dependent on Tennessee and Kentucky talent. It will be very interesting to watch the middle/central Georgia recruiting battles that heat up, as well as the continued fight in the Birmingham region. Bobby had recruited Birmingham well while at Furman, and Macon is Hatch's hometown. Expect it to be a dogfight for FCS level recruits in the region. With Keith Hatcher back at Mt. DeSales, he's got an inside play already in his back pocket.
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Post by FUBeAR on Dec 17, 2014 6:17:22 GMT -5
Sounds like we need a winner-take-all tag team Texas cage SoCon & GA HS family grudge rasslin' match pitting the Lambs (Mercer & Calhoun HS) vs. the Hatchers (Sammy & Mt. DeSales) at the SoCon Media Day next year! Losing SoCon Coach can't sign any players from the other's state until the rematch the following year. I would pay to see that!
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Post by jackal on Dec 17, 2014 8:02:40 GMT -5
Hatcher will do much better in his second trip through the SoCon. For starters, he's jettisoned much of the defensive baggage he had in Statesboro, and assimilating the Samford defensive staff will instantly make it less likely they skip a beat. Offensively, even at GSU with all the run blockers, he had 2 very solid years offensively (2007, 2008) with the latter season splitting QB snaps between Antonio Henton and Lee Chapple. It was always his defense that did him in. 2009 was a pitiful year for the Eagles as none of the 2006 VanGorder signing class remained, and many of Hatcher's 2007 & 2008 signees were gone from the program. The program was washed out of experience and was dependent on playing many true freshmen WR at that point. That's a mess for that offense. They had some talent, but no strength and conditioning to match up to the relatively older rosters in the league that year. His stock dropped at Murray the further he got away from his recruiting base and he became more dependent on Tennessee and Kentucky talent. It will be very interesting to watch the middle/central Georgia recruiting battles that heat up, as well as the continued fight in the Birmingham region. Bobby had recruited Birmingham well while at Furman, and Macon is Hatch's hometown. Expect it to be a dogfight for FCS level recruits in the region. With Keith Hatcher back at Mt. DeSales, he's got an inside play already in his back pocket. Not sure the MDS angle is a huge advantage. I have watched a lot of GHSA Class A football. You will find some Division 1 players (Nick Marshall at Auburn is a good example), but those players are usually spread pretty thin. |
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MU22
Baby Bear
Posts: 38
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Post by MU22 on Dec 17, 2014 18:48:59 GMT -5
No doubt, I wasn't implying MDS recruits are the linchpin in setting the SoCon world on fire. But, there is something to be said about those players at FPD, Tattnall, Stratford, Westfield, etc .. that escape the midstate and find their way onto rosters and contribute elsewhere. Hatcher holds that inner embrace for those overlooked players maybe not an inch tall enough or 10 lbs heavy enough to make that higher D1 eyeball cut, moreso IMO than your typical head coach, especially those tagged with the dreaded "but they did it against lesser competition" moniker.
I can think of several kids I've watched play private school GHSA and GISA football over the past five years who simply gave up football after not considering the opportunity to play at a Samford/Furman/Mercer because they had too much love for UGA or Auburn or SEC football. It's a shame, because some of them would have been very good at the FCS level.
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Post by FUBeAR on Dec 17, 2014 20:12:11 GMT -5
No doubt, I wasn't implying MDS recruits are the linchpin in setting the SoCon world on fire. But, there is something to be said about those players at FPD, Tattnall, Stratford, Westfield, etc .. that escape the midstate and find their way onto rosters and contribute elsewhere. Hatcher holds that inner embrace for those overlooked players maybe not an inch tall enough or 10 lbs heavy enough to make that higher D1 eyeball cut, moreso IMO than your typical head coach, especially those tagged with the dreaded "but they did it against lesser competition" moniker. I can think of several kids I've watched play private school GHSA and GISA football over the past five years who simply gave up football after not considering the opportunity to play at a Samford/Furman/Mercer because they had too much love for UGA or Auburn or SEC football. It's a shame, because some of them would have been very good at the FCS level. Really? So, they are electing to pass on (or to pass along to Mom & Dad) roughly $200,000 worth of education and the amazing experience of playing college football because they are 'fans' of certain colors, logo's, uniforms, or mascots? I sure don't get that. I grew up a DIE-HARD fan of NC State - sold drinks in the stadium every Saturday, went to their camps every summer, etc. When they didn't recruit me, I just felt, "too bad; their loss," and was happy to accept a football scholarship elsewhere. Perhaps if Mom & Dad were rolling in cash, I may have felt differently, but I don't think so. My love for the game and a free education far, far exceeded my love for the Red & White. Different circumstances; different strokes, I guess. |
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MU22
Baby Bear
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Post by MU22 on Dec 17, 2014 20:46:05 GMT -5
I've seen it happen to a few kids, not meant as a blanket statement by any means or with any major frequency but yes it does happen. I know of one in particular (co-worker's son) that walked on at GaTech w/ the Hope scholarship instead of taking a full FCS ride out of state, he rode the pine as a freshman, hurt his back, struggled a bit with grades and ended up paying his full way after quitting the team, before transferring. Through the years I've seen a fair number of Savannah area kids shun local state offers hoping for that walkon at UGA which they usually get, then drop off the roster after a year or two. Rarely do they stick. No loss to UGA or Tech, if the kid has the grades for admission and they have Hope scholarship. Navy does the same thing, sends the kids to the Navy Prep school though to sort through them. Not saying I agree with those that make that decision, especially the paying part as a parent  My son has the measurables (6'0", 285, decent speed/strength for a C/NT) to probably attract D2 or FCS roster interest, but his proclivity for breaking bones forced him to give up the game two years ago as a sophomore. He's been admitted to a handful of schools in the state (Mercer included), and had he still been pursuing the game I'm fairly certain he'd take any offer to keep him playing. Now that playing is off the table, he's more dialed into the decision from an academic viewpoint and his planned major, for which I am quite grateful. |
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My son has the measurables (6'0", 285, decent speed/strength for a C/NT) to probably attract D2 or FCS roster interest, but his proclivity for breaking bones forced him to give up the game two years ago as a sophomore. He's been admitted to a handful of schools in the state (Mercer included), and had he still been pursuing the game I'm fairly certain he'd take any offer to keep him playing. Now that playing is off the table, he's more dialed into the decision from an academic viewpoint and his planned major, for which I am quite grateful.