What state has the Best High School Football?
- Thread starter MikeStew
- Start date
There was clearly more than 44,000 at the SLC/Trinity game. I was there. I had a seat in the lower deck on about the 15-20 yard line.
It was amazing how the crowd kept growing as the game progressed. The traffic was so bad, when the game started the Trinity band had not arrived yet. The SLC cheerleaders got there minutes before kick-off. Both of these groups left their schools hours before gametime expecting to arrive an hour before kickoff.
I'd guess there were 25,000 there at kick-off. 45,000 were seated by half time. 55,000-60,000 were there by the end. Every section was full. The only empty seats were "ones" and "twos" scattered throughout.
It was amazing how the crowd kept growing as the game progressed. The traffic was so bad, when the game started the Trinity band had not arrived yet. The SLC cheerleaders got there minutes before kick-off. Both of these groups left their schools hours before gametime expecting to arrive an hour before kickoff.
I'd guess there were 25,000 there at kick-off. 45,000 were seated by half time. 55,000-60,000 were there by the end. Every section was full. The only empty seats were "ones" and "twos" scattered throughout.
Bordertown
New member
My understanding Texas Stadium counts gate sales to half time. So 45,000 makes sense. Folks coming after halftime are arriving to stake out seats for the next game and catch the end of the prior game. After halftime the tickets sold and collected are for the next game attendence. That is why schools encourage ticket sales prior to game day to get credit to offset the stadium cost.
RidgePride
New member
I live about 25 minutes from Texas Stadium - So I left two hours early so that I would be early to the game.
I sat in traffic so long that I was going to miss the entire game. So in desperate times, I parked at a hotel about a mile away and paid 20 bucks for it.
I missed the entire 1st quarter and half the 2nd.
TheFan2117
New member
Hey what happen to NJ, I mean they represented well in last years challenge. Can we give NJ some props in here!
HORNPRIDE398
New member
No.
Yeah, and when you got in, probably 1/2 of the fans were still outside.
I left less than two hours early but got off of 114 an exit early and took the back roads to the stadium. I was seated almost 30 mins before kick-off. When I sat down, I thought the talk of a huge crowd was overblown. As it turned out, the crowd was much bigger than anyone anticipated.
It was an amazing experience to be there. My seats were about 10 rows up on about the 10 yard line so I had a terrific view when SLC scored in the first quarter and also when they came roaring back in the 4th qtr. Most of their points were scored right in front of me.
Here is how the Freeman model ranks the top 50 teams in each state:
Rank........State........Average Rating......Average Schedule Strength
1............California..........42.4..................26.1
2............Texas...............42....................27.4
3............Pennsylvania.....37.9..................22.1
4............Ohio................37.8..................23.4
5............Illinois..............37.2..................21.2
6............Florida..............34....................18.9
7............New York..........33.8..................20.8
8............Tennessee.........33.4.................20.8
9............Washington........33.2.................19.7
10..........Alabama.............33...................19.8
RidgePride
New member
I think it goes
Texas - Puts out the most 'very good' teams in the nation
California - About equal talent to Texas - not as many 'very good' teams though.
Ohio - 2nd in fan craze and hysteria - talent is 4th because of size.
Florida - Maybe the most talent, just not enough community support to get good coaching and facilities
Texas - Puts out the most 'very good' teams in the nation
California - About equal talent to Texas - not as many 'very good' teams though.
Ohio - 2nd in fan craze and hysteria - talent is 4th because of size.
Florida - Maybe the most talent, just not enough community support to get good coaching and facilities
please get your computer stuff out of here.
#1 Florida, Texas depends on who you ask
#2 Florida, Texas depends on who you ask.
#3 Cali
#4 ohio.
Those are the top 4 states for football. So your computer is lying to you again slcdad.
This is difficult unless you agree on criteria.
If you go by talent, then the best are actually the smaller states in the Southeast. Per capita, they put out a ton of talent.
But if you combine talent, teams/programs, coaching, fan/community support and tradition, and then also consider that the smaller states i just mentioned don't have what I'll refer to as "critical mass", then I'd say the following:
1) Texas: Has it all and is a big state. Where does Texas have a true weak spot?
2) Ohio: Lacks the $$$ that Texas throws at the hs level. More tradition/history though. Arguably the most tradition in the nation, in fact. Ohio in unsurpassed in coaching. Many top/famous programs. Texas and Ohio can argue about fan support and passion all day long. Florida and Cali are left in the dust as far as that goes.
3) Florida/Cali: Turn out lots of talent, but then again are big states (enormous in the case of Cali). Relative to Texas and Ohio, lack the "football culture". I think most knowledgeable people wouldn't put the big schools in Florida or Cali over Ohio's, despite their size advantage. Whereas Texas almost certainly beats Ohio on depth.
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As I am homer, I would choose Ohio.
That said, Texas would be #2.You don't hear much argument from people that the football cultures and atmospheres in these two states are the top two in the country. In Ohio you also have the advantage of having "concentration of wealth". Within a 10-mile or so radius in Cincy you have Elder, X, Moe and Colerain. In Cleveland you don't have to drive far to see Eds, Ignatius and the talent at Glenville. Not to mention the likes of Benedictine. Massillon and Canton are not far. Even the most distant big school powers are no more than 4-5 hours drive apart.
WrongPerson
New member
Texas's weakspot: Private schools...easily
or defense
Queue the irate Texan response....
5, 4, 3, 2, 1.....
footballfan09
New member
it;s Cincinnati man...sorry it's my home town
climbingwalls24
New member
I think I agree with concha. MS/LA put out crazy talent per capita.
Many Texans would argue the tradition angle, but I think it is a valid discussion point. Most of the traditional schools have fallen somewhat off the map, and while you have some great rivalries, they don't quite stand up ti some of those in Ohio.
Many of the best schools in Texas were not in existence 25-30 years ago or in many cases very very small.
As far as the defense crack, while I think that might be overplayed, it is hard to deny the offensive explosion in the past 10 years. There was an interesting thread on another board that displayed that fact very clearly.
Where would I live, Texas. Good question and I think concha came up with a reasonable response.
I live in the DFW area. I can drive a short distance to get to some of the small towns you think about where it is the last person out turn out the lights. The DFW area is one of the nations hotbeds for recruiting talent and I can choose to go that route if I want on a Friday night.
In Texas you are pretty much guaranteed to have 2-3 top National teams each year. The teams may change(w/the exception of SLC the past few years) but you know there will be several candidates.
When the playoffs start, I can park myself at Texas Stadium for a triple header. I can expect at least one huge mathchup drawing 40k. I can see drill teams, 500+ member bands and fans creating crazy racket w/propane tanks filled with ball bearings.
I can also see some of the finest offenses in the nation.
footballfan09
New member
hahaha true true true
climbingwalls24
New member
everybodys thinking it, im just saying it. but if their only weakness has nothing to do with football, what does that say about texas football...
:soapbox: its such a religion they're all too busy watching football on friday night to be catching the people who hop the fence to get in this country. (step off soapbox)
now might be a good time to que a agreeing texan/irate hispanic response
5...4...3...2...1...
WrongPerson
New member
It might be overplayed, but in my short experience at texas games (only 10 or so games) the defense just seems like they dont want to be there, DBs are constantly going for the big hit instead of wraping and driving. Too many games I've been to were "who is gonna score last" kind of games, which is exciting, dont get me wrong, but it just isn't sound football.
The lack of defense makes me wonder if it is just a good offense pounding on the terrible defense, or is it truely great offense...lots of room for doubt.
As for the private schools I mentioned earlier, they kind of show you what Texas football would be without the resources they put into it.
climbingwalls24
New member
ladies and gentlemen, proof that computers can be wrong...
I don't think the coaching has changed, fundamentally, but the philosphy has. I think more and more coaches have out their better players on the offensive side of the ball.
You must be a private school guy and really nto that familiar with Texas. Do you think that if prvate schools were more prevalent and competed in the UIL that they would not have equal to better facilities as their public counterparts?
WrongPerson
New member
I went to St. X, so I guess you could call me a private school guy, and yeah I am new to the Texas high school system, but don't get me wrong...I like good football from either public or private...I really don't care.
I really don't see what you're trying to say...private schools would have worse facilities no matter what sports league or what have you they are in. The private schools just dont have close to the money that public schools have since, as far as i know at least, they are given any money by the state.
I really don't see what you're trying to say...private schools would have worse facilities no matter what sports league or what have you they are in. The private schools just dont have close to the money that public schools have since, as far as i know at least, they are given any money by the state.
Yeah, right. It's not my computer.
Massey rankings say the same thing as Freeman except they don't include California.
At least the computers don't have a homer bias like the rest of us. In fact, I think the computers do a very good job overall. (Better than any human poll.)
I couldn't agree more. Very objective post.
You mention the depth of Texas. The depth and sheer size of Texas are the reasons for the strong strength of schedule ratings that the computer models produce for Texas. When a team advances deep in the playoffs they are at the end of a massive bracket which computers reward. Unlike Ohio, where the strength of schedule in the regular season is unreal for some of the top teams.
Speaking of Texas defense, a VERY poor REL team held Colerain to one of their lowest outputs of the season in 2005. Yeah, I know you will say the Colerain called of the dogs but if that's true are we to believe that Colerain did that only in the REL game and not in their other games? You should see what the other teams on REL's schedule did to them. It wasn't pretty.Texas's weakspot: Private schools...easily
or defense
In Texas, for the most part, a team needs to have a multifacited offense to be successful. If the defense can key in one area, the team is usually doomed. There are a few notable exceptions (like 2006 Cedar Hill) but this point is very true for most of the good teams in Texas (SLC, Trinity, Katy, Lufkin, etc.) I attend mostly SLC games. When I see an opposing team that isn't balanced, I just wait for the slaughter to begin. Happens every time, even deep in the playoffs.
None of the private schools in Texas have great football teams. I can't think of even one.