Update - Cato June's Anacostia HS Football
With only a single win over the prior two seasons and with Cato June in his first season as head coach, Anacostia HS posted a 6-4 record and qualified for the DC playoffs for the first time in 10 years. In a single season, Cato has changed the entire culture within and surrounding the program.
For those living in DC who are interested:
Seminfinals @ Cordozo HS (in NW): Saturday at Noon
Finals: Thanksgiving
Edit: Changed the semifinal game time and the topic no longer reads OT (I get a little paranoid about what's OT).
November 7th, 2012 at 11:09 AM ^
shows up once again. Hats off to Cato for turning around that program!
November 7th, 2012 at 11:13 AM ^
It is always great to see UM alum doing great things. Hopefully he will be able to continue to help out there and move up if he wants to.
Also is this really considered OT?
November 7th, 2012 at 11:41 AM ^
November 7th, 2012 at 11:51 AM ^
While that would be awesome to have Woodson back as a position coach, I think it would be more likely we see him on ESPN or one of the NFL pre-game shows.
November 7th, 2012 at 11:56 AM ^
I don't know. I'm always wary of saying that someone was a great football player, so they'll be a good coach. I think that's the mistake that the NHL has made with putting so many hockey legends in the front office/business side of the operation. I guess I haven't seen anything specifically to tell me that Woodson would be any better of a coach than any other former player.
At the same time, though, there ARE certain players who I do see going into coaching. Mike Hart is one of them, Kovacs perhaps another. But that's not based on how good they are, but how they approach the game.
November 7th, 2012 at 12:58 PM ^
For me, its a case by case basis. I think exceptional players sometimes stuggle with coaching later in life because they have unrealistic expectations on player capabilities and can't comprehend the need for motivational techniques (because motivation has never been an issue for them). So in the case of Woodson, its unclear in my mind whether he would be an effictive coach.
I also don't think coaching searches should limit themselves exclusively to UM players or family tree. See one Mr. Schembechler.
November 7th, 2012 at 12:00 PM ^
Is there only 1 division? Is there a DC championship? Seems like an interesting situation
November 7th, 2012 at 1:03 PM ^
There are 10 public high schools in DC that play in the DCIAA. There is an east and a west division and the top two teams from each division make the playoffs. Anacostia finished second in the east and goes up against Wilson HS who won the West.
The schools with football have between 700 and 1000 kids, with Wilson being the one exception having almost 1500.
The private schools in the DC area play in there own leagues and then Maryland and Virginia also run their own playoffs.
November 7th, 2012 at 12:08 PM ^
Anyone on his team D1 caliber? Would be great to establish a DC pipeline.
November 7th, 2012 at 2:18 PM ^
Currently, DC talent tends to go to the private schools in the area. Anacostia has a couple players to be sure, but nobody on Anacostia looks like D1 level.* However there is quite a bit of talent in the area, and an improved PSL could see more talent staying public.
*Disclaimer: I've watched them play a couple of times, but am no scout.
November 7th, 2012 at 12:15 PM ^
this is tangently related, but - I *can't wait* until Mike Hart walks the sidelines at UofM as a coach. Maybe Cato can join him some day.
November 7th, 2012 at 1:02 PM ^
There are 10 public high schools in DC that play in the DCIAA. There is an east and a west division and the top two teams from each division make the playoffs. Anacostia finished second in the east and goes up against Wilson HS who won the West.
The private schools in the DC area play in there own leagues and then Maryland and Virginia also run their own playoffs.
*This was meant as a reply to another post*
November 7th, 2012 at 7:17 PM ^
the best player/coaches are typically the one's that were never in the spotlight (i.e. Nick Sheridan apparently had the coaching gene) or had to work outrageoulsy hard for their success and always seemed to be technique driven guys (i.e. Mike Hart and possibly Kovacs in the future). After all, Hoke was a role player at best at Ball State, now he is having success as a coach at a mjor program. Just because Woodson was a beast at DB, it was more because of raw athleticism and talent......What would Woodson tell his DB's as a coach? "Go hover around behind the LB's and watch the QB's eyes and react off natural instinct like I always did. I I could do it, anyone could.".....Llyod Carr even said he allowed Woodson to basically react as he felt necessary becasue he knew he was that good, and he still does in the NFL. If you rarely ever had to be coached, you probably wouldn't make a great coach.
November 7th, 2012 at 10:54 PM ^
November 7th, 2012 at 10:56 PM ^