VHS Hopes Thurman Can Lead Them To Salem
New Virginia High coach Chris Thurman wants to get one thing straight.
No matter how many yards and points his Gretna teams racked up in winning consecutive Group A Division 2 championships, defense was the foundation on which that dynasty was built.
"It sounds like a clich?," he said during the Bearcats' recent media day at Malcolm Stadium, "but you win championships with defense.
"Watching last year's team, that's the biggest thing I noticed. We have to become a better tackling team."
If Thurman's past is a guide to what lies ahead, VHS will turn things around -- sooner rather than later.
In his four seasons at Gretna, the 39-year old Thurman went 47-4. In the two state title seasons, the Hawks recorded 11 shutouts.
Sure, Gretna averaged nearly 42 points per game and more than 400 yards per contest. But not every score came as the result of a crisp 10-play, 80-yard drive.
"The defense was getting the ball back for the offense and giving them short fields," Thurman said. "You don't score that many points without help from the defense."
So Thurman and new defensive coordinator Chris Marshall have built from the ground up defensively. Installing the same 3-3 stack defense which Rich Rodriguez put in at West Virginia, the Bearcats hope to use their speed and improved tackling to better stop the opposition.
Marshall is encouraged at what he's seen so far.
"We keep throwing new things at these kids and they're soaking it up," he said. "Then they ask for more."
Linebackers Chris Doss and Dakota Dougherty should enjoy good seasons if linemen like junior Justin Lopez (6-foot-3, 270 pounds) and senior Josh Locklear (6-foot-1, 250 pounds) can win enough battles at the scrimmage line.
The most experienced unit is the secondary, where Charlie O'Bradley and Damon Dock are back. Fellow senior Antwone Hunt also figures into the mix.
Offensively, Thurman has put his stamp on what used to be a run-first, throw-only-when-necessary squad. Out is the Wing-T and in is the spread with four receivers.
Hunt, Bradley, Josh Jordan and Anthony McCoy give VHS what should be a speedy receiving corps.
"I like our receivers," Thurman said. "We're going to have some speed out there."
Andy Bowers returns at quarterback and should lead the Clinch Mountain District in passing, barring injury or some other circumstance.
Thurman takes over for Terry Smith, who went 21-33 in five years and never had a winning record. In fact, the Bearcats haven't finished on the sunny side of .500 since going 6-4 in 2002.
Conditioned to accept nothing but winning, Thurman's answer to a reporter's final question about a best-case scenario for his first VHS team was straight and to the point.
"We'll see you in Salem," he said.
That's the site of December's Group A football title game, where if Thurman's prediction comes true, he could run into the school he just left.
VHS will be a good team however after watching there 1st game online I do not think that there QB is a good enough passer to get past GC or Lebanon at this point.
That being said I think most bearcat fans will jump for joy if they can just make the playoffs
I'm sure what you're wondering about is the quote below. I see nothing wrong with it. He was asked about a best-case scenario, I think for anyone that'd be a best-case scenario. Of course, some of the Lebanon and especially GC folk on the CMD site that get butt hurt everytime some one doesn't think GC is winning the Super Bowl will blow it out of proportion and call him names and make the back handed comments about showing him or putting him in his place or bringing up this comment after GC beats them (that's a foregone conclussion). I think the guy has done great there already and it'll be interesting to see where they are in 3-4 years.
Originally Posted by Jason
"There he goes, one of Gods own prototypes. Some kind of high powered mutant never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die"
That didn't take long.
"There he goes, one of Gods own prototypes. Some kind of high powered mutant never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die"
I actually overlooked the part of the best case scenario. I now also see nothing wrong with it. I would have brought it up had Housewright said it the way I first took Thurmans comment. I still love the comment Phil Robbins made but in all honesty he is one of my more favorite coaches in the area. I feel VAHigh will be doing doing something in the next 3 or 4 years and will not be surprised at all if they win Region this year. People are saying GC is the team to beat now in the Region but I wont be convinced until they actually win Region. You remeber last year when they came up and beat Clintwood. When that team left Clintwood that night they made a right turn into Kentucky and was not heard from again. Region D this year is anyones to win. The team I have my eye on sneaking up are the Kelly Indians. They wont surprise me if the win the LPD and Region this year. I cant wait til they play Clintwood, Powell Valley, and Norton. I actually wouldnt mind seeing them win the LPD. When did they last win it?
The one that postedis nothing but a punk kid. I told him he needed to grow up and he went off. He is always on there downing other schools and even people from his own school. I give him my name and told him to look me up. Turned out I new his dad and sister. He will grow up one of these days I guess.he doesn't know how tough it will be yet without nick miller...lol...and the rest of the thourough bread stallions he had on that team.... that right their was hilarous, you just acted like he didn't have a great team that just droped down from AA behind him when he put up 52 on us...VA high is still a young dog learning new tricks...
thurman is a great coach and can't do a single thing on the feild...its about 50% coach 50% players after you think of all the intangables
Whoa friend-appreciate the vote of confidence,but we've played TW and Pound thus far.To hear someone say that they think that our kids can win the LPD in a rebuilding year though is a testament to the remarkable job that B.I. has done at JJK. After the horrible first couple years,folks in Wise were screaming for his head. I kept urging patience,telling people that Rome wasn't built in a day. There were a few of us in Wise that had sense enough to know that B.I. Salyers has been a winner his whole life. He was a winner as a player,and everywhere he's been as a coach as well. It takes time to get your kind of players in,get your kind of program established (especially when you walk into a bare cupboard at the high school level-not like you have D-1 schollie players ). This year's squad IMO is finally the bunch that fits the mold of what he's been looking for (although young in many spots-very fast and very hard-hitting). More importantly,he's teaching these young kids how to do things right. Did you all read Crabtree's quote in the Coalfield paper yesterday? He said that JJK was a class act,that JJK was the classiest bunch he'd ever seen. He said that because up 33-0 in the first,B.I. started pulling kids out. Guys,no disrespect to Pound,but honestly JJK could have scored 100+ Friday night. Playing the game with dignity,honor,and class means the world to me (and it meant the world to guys like the legendary Ralph Cummins). There's more-MUCH more to life than football (much like what Stacy Carter is teaching his kids at Sullivan South).
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Central Warriors. Respect the past,embrace the future
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