JC3

November 23rd, 2009 at 3:40 PM ^

Next week Jones and the boys will face Byrnes.. who has, what, 7 division 1 recruits? Yikes. Still, good to hear they've made it this far - nobody gave them a shot going into the playoffs.

Joined: 07/17/2009

MGoPoints: 1351

Clarence Beeks

November 23rd, 2009 at 3:49 PM ^

A couple of things that the article doesn't bring out (I'll number them just to keep organized): 1) All four teams left in the state playoffs are in Spartan High's conference. The other three teams left in the playoffs account for 4 of their 8 losses (another was to Sumter, the team they beat on Friday). Just to give some perspective on the 3-8 record. 2) A lot of the regular season struggles were definitely confidence related. They would be either up in a game or at least in a game with very good teams and then have one bad thing go against them and it was all down hill from there (kind of reminded me of this year's Michigan team). However, they were also play-calling related. Brown has (finally) taken the reins off of Jones and allow him to use his athletic ability. I have no idea what they were thinking all season. 3) It's Conelius, not Cornelius. 4) This win wasn't nearly as shocking as last week's win over Rock Hill. Spartan High should have beaten Sumter during the regular season. 5) The next game is against Byrnes (#3 in the nation). Byrnes won the regular season match up and it wasn't even close. This game should be a lot closer IF they keep letting Jones play the way he can and not get tight with their play calling. 6) " Sounds like Coach Rod, once again, has found a diamond in the rough." I'm still fairly certain he won't play QB at Michigan, but there's always the chance. Like I said at the beginning of the season in my diary posts: the kid definitely has some phenomenal athletic ability. This is only his SECOND YEAR OF ORGANIZED FOOTBALL and for him to be doing what he is doing against the talent he's doing it against is impressive. I think our coaches were either very lucky or very good to get in on this kid so early. The in-state programs (USC and Clemson) shied away from him early on because of his past and that might prove to be a HUGE mistake.

Joined: 09/06/2008

MGoPoints: 22732

StephenRKass

November 23rd, 2009 at 3:56 PM ^

Wow, that is incredible. I find it very interesting that so many good teams are in one area. I'm in a suburban area of Chicago that has a number of teams still in the finals. Have noticed the same phenomena in the Houston area. With Tate Forcier, Denard Robinson, Devin Gardner, and Conelius Jones, something has got to give. This will be a forum topic by itself.

Joined: 07/15/2008

MGoPoints: 22989

umjgheitma

November 23rd, 2009 at 4:04 PM ^

In other positions you just have to know your spot for that side of the ball. If Jones goes to DB he'll know what coverages gave him trouble or even at WR (although not likely with the WRs in this class) he'll know what he liked from his WRs he threw to. Good to have a fantastic athlete, from a talent rich HS division, that knows how the game works from all angles. This sounds like the low recruiting rank type of kid a North Carolina/Virginia Tech/Oregon team would pick up that randomly turns into a mid second rd draft pick.

Joined: 12/02/2008

MGoPoints: 2388

jokenjin

November 23rd, 2009 at 5:15 PM ^

First of all, let me say that I am pretty highly impressed by this kid and I can't wait to see what he can do. My question is this - how did his team even qualify for the playoffs? I have no idea what the South Carolina high school playoff system is like - does every team make it and then you are seeded accordingly? Maybe I'm just too used to only teams above .500 making it to the playoffs. Any information would be welcome.

Joined: 07/29/2008

MGoPoints: 371

myrtlebeachmai…

November 24th, 2009 at 1:25 PM ^

Try this... http://www.islandpacket.com/1383/story/1010775.html no one down here gets it... Worse than the BCS... I will say howver, that that area is by far the best of the state (has the population, the cities, and the farmboys). They deserve more teams, but you can get killed "in division" and still be up there in the rankings ofr the state.

Joined: 09/02/2008

MGoPoints: 997

Clarence Beeks

November 24th, 2009 at 1:52 PM ^

This is actually a pretty terribly written/researched article. Obviously that's just my opinion, but a couple of things: - When you consider that the four remaining teams in 4A are from the same region in the upstate, it makes sense to assign points on more than just wins and losses. When you have a region that is so substantially superior to the rest of the other regions you can't just go on wins and losses. - "There are people -- people who are smarter than I am, or at least more devoted -- who have crunched the numbers and projected how the Class 4-A playoff brackets will shake out, and they say Boiling Springs, the eighth-ranked team in Class 4-A in this week's McClatchy Prep Writers Poll, won't make the playoffs. That obviously doesn't seem right, either." It seems wrong until one takes into account that Boiling Springs was DISQUALIFIED from making the playoffs this year.

Joined: 09/06/2008

MGoPoints: 22732

myrtlebeachmai…

November 24th, 2009 at 2:27 PM ^

I don't totally disagree CB, I even mentioned that, hands down, they play the best football up there, especially at the big school level. I do think there needs to be some more clarity at the HS level. It's HS, all areas should get more equal representation. Also, I've heard a lot about complaining down my way about not being able to play teams from up there. Call it distance-prohibitive, or call it the upstate not wanting to "share the wealth" (i.e. let the low country earn those hgihly valued wins by avoiding scheduling them), or call it fine how it is. I do think it's kind of ridiculous that a 1-4? in conference team (S'burg) makes it. I mean, the best of the conf should represent, no doubt, but c'maon. Just IMO.

Joined: 09/02/2008

MGoPoints: 997

Clarence Beeks

November 24th, 2009 at 3:26 PM ^

I don't totally disagree with what you are saying either and I wasn't meaning to start a low country versus upstate argument. There is equal representation in the current system, aside from the fact that our region gets one extra spot. Beyond that, each region gets the same number of teams and then the at-large spots are distributed based upon points. I do agree it would be nice if the upstate and low country schools could play more during the regular season, but that whole problem is going to get worse next year when the reshuffle the upstate regions and upstate schools will be forced to use their non-conference slots just to maintain traditional rivalry games. I suppose I would normally tend to agree about a 1-4 in region team making the playoffs, but that perspective becomes a bit different when three of those losses came against the other three teams left in the playoffs (with the other being to Mauldin who was pretty good this year). They actually were 1-5 (not 1-4) against the region because the first Dorman loss didn't count as a region game. All that said, (1) it's probably more info on our state's system than anyone here cares about (or will read) and (2) I think the system is fine the way it is considering the concentration of the talented teams in 4A in the upstate.

Joined: 09/06/2008

MGoPoints: 22732

k06em01

November 24th, 2009 at 1:30 PM ^

i've been trying to spread the word about jones for a while now. he was one of the first guys rich rod ever offered. he offered him a scholarship before he had even played a varsity football game. now, if that isn't a sign of pure friggin athleticism...then i don't know what is. he said to a local paper the other day that he was going to be starting off as a db. lord knows we need athletes like him back there. at 6-2, 200lbs, and with his speed, he could probably play just about anywhere in the secondary.

Joined: 10/31/2009

MGoPoints: 452