Robinson with a record of 1-4, that has to be the first time in at least 2 decades they have started so poorly.

This team has some talent, are they having problems adjusting to the new coaching staff. Is this a young team buying time for the next few years?

I read where Coach Bendorf said that this team was ready to compete for the region title, before he retired. All the pre season publications seemed to agree with him, as they were ranked in the Top 20.

The new coaching staff was at Woodson the past few years and did a good job over there, I cant understand why they are not winning.

maybe because Taylor and his staff are know-nothings at football??......

Did Woodson win tonight

The only reason - absolutely only reason Woodson had any success under Robinson's current Coach was named Connor Reilly - now a QB at Temple, plus some very good players (Sweeney, Johnson, Logan etc.), all NCAA quality players (I think all but Sweeney are at least at DIV IAA - Sweeney chose not to play).

This coach is a great position coach (line), but a lousy play caller and scheme guy.

If Robinson had done any research at all (other than looking at the Woodson record), they would not have come near the guy they eventually selected.

Same applies to south County and look at how they are doing.

Robinson has a coach who in addition to the above, is not a good head coach. As has been noted ad nauseum on other posts, his only success was because of his good fortune (and Woodson's) to have a number of great athletes come through during his tenure. Last season as his number of good players dwindled, so did team success.

Why is he doing so bad with the great group of athletes he'll have every year at Robinson? Makes you wonder what a good coach would have done with Woodson two years ago when they played for the region championship. Bad schemes and play calling equals bad results even with good players.

Oh, and by this will continue, because, as also noted many times, this coach never substitutes players, even in blowouts, so next year, when the senior starters leave, they will be replaced by players who have never played a varsity down, and thus, each year will be a rebuilding year. Sorry, Robinson, this is a long term thing.

As was already stated, Taylor cant coach. He isnt a team leader. He cant teach. Many of the players hate him and the D-coordinator. Even many members of the staff cant stand the guy. Robinson admin is really regretting ever hiring this guy. Woodson won with him because of a few players they had. There is a reason he was 3-7 last year at Woodson. He cant coach. The weird thing is that there IS talent at Robinson. So he is much worse of a coach than even I thought he was. He friggin needs more than just talented guys to win, he needs future D1 players to win. Pathetic. I wonder when the admin will do us all a favor and get rid of him?

So, what do you think...Robinson 1-9 this year?

taylor is an awful coach, bullies people and just flat out doesnt know what he is doing. he honestly should get fired after this year. its a good thing that robison is "the most talented team hes ever coached" according to him because that just shows how bad of a coach he is. the guy deserves nothing because he is an asshole and puts people down to feel better about his fatass self. he isnt a man hes a damn coward.

Face the truth Rams fans... the team is way short of talent this year. In the past, the Rams have usually had a running game with some breakaway ability... and a modest, but efficient passing game. This year (and next) they have NO running backs who can break a long run. And, they have no throwing threat at QB. Sure, they have a solid defense and offensive line, but they cannot generate enough points to compete against Concorde District teams.

Times have change for old Robinson, not only in football, but all other team sports. Look at the teams this fall - field hockey (bad), volleyball (bad), and football (bad). In the winter basketball (girls and boys) will be average at best. In the spring baseball (made a playoff good run last year after a losing reg season) is in trouble, and boys/girls lax will both be way down. And who cares about soccer.

Bottom line: Robinson is down for a while at least. New families relocating to NOVA no longer move into affordable Rams' neighborhoods to get their kids on top teams. They move to Ashburn (Stone Bridge), Chantilly (Westfield), or further out (Gainsville - Battlefield). Robinson and its once massive and effective booster program has faded... at least for a while.

Thats not true, Robinson has some talent, they should at least be competing.

I understand when you replace a coach from outside of the program, it usually takes 2 years for the new staff to get buy in from everyone. However, Robinson should be a 6-4, 5-5 team, currently I dont see that happening.

I wonder if Taylor is still getting support from the boosters and admin. It looks like the fans have turned on him, you could hear the boos the other night.

Clearly, Robinson did not make the right hire for this job. I am not sure if hiring from within was an option. However, you have to give the staff at least 3 years to turn this around.

get real- i agree with you. Robinson doesnt have the talent they use to have. And for everyone that is saying Bendorf told ppl this team had the talent to win the region then why did he retire last year and not stick it out one more year to win the region?? Give the woodson coaches time to build up the program their way and forget about bendorf. Its time for u to move on from that era and start new. It might take awhile but thats the fact of sports.

Ouch. Robinson now 1-5. What is happening!?!?!

The worst part about it is that Woodson is also 1-5 and they have waaaay less talent than Robinson does. Hell, Woodson went 3-7 last season with less talent than Robinson does this year. This just wasnt a good hire for Robinson. Plain and simple.

please see post from "get real" above... it's not Taylor, it's the Rams' relative lack of talent AND the competition this year. Bendorf would have done no better with this squad. It happens. Take a look... there is not a single offensive skill player of note on Robinson... no All District players. The cupboards are bare this year (and next). Until/unless they find some speed at RB and playmaking ability at QB they are in the hurt locker in the Concorde. Maybe the DoD turnover next summer will save them, but as said above, newcomers now look at other schools for for their student athletes.

PS - look at Lake Braddock, same story... lost their QB and no speed in the backfield and a 3-3 record to show for it. They'll knock off the Rams next week, but will be out in the first round of the playoffs when they face a Concorde.

Don't know much about choosing school and where parents move to, but I do know a little about government and military workers moving in and out of an area. If I believe what "get real" said above, I would have to believe that up until this season all the great athletes at Robinson were children of transient govt employees and military families and that ALL govt employees and military families stopped moving into the Robinson district as of this year, all at once. Simultaneously, all the existing govt employees and military families moved out of the Robinson district at the exact same time - thus leaving Robinson with no athletes.

Sounds like a conspiracy theory to me. The circumstances noted above may actually happen, but it happens over time not overnight. I'm not buying it. You don't disappear as a powerhouse in high school sports because all your good athletes moved away all at the same time. Like I said, maybe over a few years or even a decade, but not all at once. If that was the case, the attendance would have tanked too.

Further, Robinson was good last year. You are telling me that somehow all the existing families knew it was going to tank this year so they moved away? All the new families knew it was going to be bad, so they went somewhere else?

I went back and read the many posters on this and other forums - we all know where to look regarding this problem.

By attendance, I mean the number of students enrolled in the school

Westfields seems to be improving each game and looks to be the front runner. When they play Centreville it will be their toughest competition, although I believe they will win by two scores. Oakton hasn't played a top team yet. Bendorf retired because of his 30th year came up, just like Westfields Coach did last year. I truly believe if he was still coaching the team would be very competitive. He was a master of getting the best out of his players. The Centreville team went from having a dismal year, to getting Fairfax's coach and made the playoffs. Don't ever underestimate the value of a head coach and his staff.

I do agree with the earlier post of the Burke and close surrounding areas have been hurt with older families and less new families moving in. Lake Braddock, Annandale, Woodson, Robinson, Fairfax have definitley suffered from lack of newer families with up coming athlete's. BRYC numbers have also dwindled from the past. It's a cycle, the turnover will come around again.

wake up sad sack Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> please see post from "get real" above... it's not
> Taylor, it's the Rams' relative lack of talent AND
> the competition this year. Bendorf would have
> done no better with this squad. It happens. Take
> a look... there is not a single offensive skill
> player of note on Robinson... no All District
> players. The cupboards are bare this year (and
> next). Until/unless they find some speed at RB
> and playmaking ability at QB they are in the hurt
> locker in the Concorde. Maybe the DoD turnover
> next summer will save them, but as said above,
> newcomers now look at other schools for for their
> student athletes.
>
> PS - look at Lake Braddock, same story... lost
> their QB and no speed in the backfield and a 3-3
> record to show for it. They'll knock off the Rams
> next week, but will be out in the first round of
> the playoffs when they face a Concorde.

Really? Not a single offensive skill player of note? What about this quote from the Fairfax Station Patch preseason preview:

"While winning seasons were encouraged at Woodson, they’re expected at Robinson.
...Joe Meier and Washington Post 2010 First Team All-Concorde District WR Patrick Baker will serve as the cornerstone of the team’s offense. Up front on the offensive line, center Calvin Shade, who also earned Washington Post 2010 First Team All-Concorde District honors, will pave the way for Meier and the stable of Ram running backs. In addition to Baker, David Cook and Turner Peterson are expected to contribute heavily to the team’s passing attack...
On defense, three of the four down linemen from last year’s team return. Washington Post First Team All-Concorde District player, Andre Kendall, leads the way on the defensive line."

Bottom line - they have many returning starters including 3 all district 1st team players. And :

"Key returning players: LB Joe Meier, LB Nate Holyfield, DL Andre Kendall, WR/DB Patrick Baker, WR/DB Turner Peterson"

This team who finished 9-3 last year should be better than 1-5 right now. Quit with the excuses. Those outside elements may come into play over the next few years, but a 9-3 team with so many returning starters does not collapse because not enough new families moved into the district.

get real

maybe the point was missed. read the full context of the statements above, "relative lack of talent AND the competition this year." This is a beast year in the Concorde. It's just Robinson's turn to be the doormat. And the fact remains the team has no offensive playmakers... zero. Not a criticism, just a fact. Three yards and a cloud of dust worked in the past for the Rams... BUT they had Valezquez or Caparelli to break off an 80 yard TD run late in the game, just enough to pull out a bunch of 21 - 14 wins.

Frankly, it's surprising a school of 3000 kids has no playmakers. Any idea why?

Here's an idea. The best players at all levels are helped by a scheme that maximizes the players ability. Robinson this year has a number of returning starters. Even a mediocre running back can spring a run with a decent O-line in front of them (Robinson has a line anchored by a player who was all district as a junior - that is impressive in itself) - but if the offense is predictable, it is less likely that even talented players can shine. This coach has a history of running laughingly predictable offenses. Anyone who plays a team coached by him knows that unless there is a D-I QB playing, they will face runs off-tackle all night. So, they stack the box and we all blame the kids (i.e. lack of talent)? How about bringing some creativity to the offense?

As I stated before - you don't go 9-3 and then 1-5 (who has Robinson played? a mediocre South County team, a horrible TC, Over-rated W.Springfield who has beaten weak teams, a decent Stone Bridge, and very good Westfield and Centreville teams.)

The competition argument only works for 2 maybe 3 of Robinson's opponents so far, because Robinson has only played 2 games in conference and been blown out both times.

A good coach can take a less talented team and make them competitive even against good teams. Not winners mind you, but great high school coaches can make their teams play better than they are. This team should end the year at least .500. Braddock is facing the same situation you talk about and they are managing a .500 year.

There are good coaches and there are pretenders.

Caparelli hasn't played since 05, so what about John Murry, Peter Ferrara, Wintyn Fox, Conner Riley, KB and a host of other kids that did very well in that very dusty system. Lotta 1000 plus yard rushers. Personally the talent pool in the Concorde right now isn't even close to what it was in 03-05. Velasques and Conner Riley both had over 1100 yards in the same season. If this new set of kids stayed in the same system with the same dedication and commitment of the last staff it would be doing very well. Why is it that there are more turnovers in one game than there were all of last year running the ball. That's teaching discipline and proper coaching of handling the ball. That starts top down. If Erbanick, Bendorf (Mark or Pete), and even Joe from Oakton, Dick Adams, coached this team it would be doing very well.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/2011 03:28PM by KeepitReal.

Who will Robinson beat this year? Anybody? Anybody? Mr. Beuller, anybody?

They will have a chance to beat Lake Braddock, Oakton, Herndon and a slight chance at Chantilly.

Since it doesn't sound like many of the previous posts played under Coach Bendorf, I thought I should add my two cents. I was a 4-year varsity player from 03-06. I have no direct experiences with Coach Taylor but his reputation blatently tells it all. However, I think we need to remember that the greatness of Robinson was an exceptional season of success under an amazing coach. The retirement of Coach Bendorf marks the end of an era, plain and simply. Although I would do anything to see my team on the top again, I cannot expect Bendorf-ball without Bendorf. As far as football is concerned, Robinson Secondary is a brand new school in Fairfax that opened in September 2011.

Once again, your criticisms are probably not misguided. It takes a lot of critique to forge a good football team. But in light of this first season with a new coaching staff, we can step back and see how really good we had it! We ought to gain greater respect and gratefulness for the extraordinary legacy we enjoyed from 1997-2010. In other words, revere the past but don't expect it to continue as if we're entitled to it!
Sincerely,
Former Ram

I wore the jersey Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Since it doesn't sound like many of the previous
> posts played under Coach Bendorf, I thought I
> should add my two cents. I was a 4-year varsity
> player from 03-06. I have no direct experiences
> with Coach Taylor but his reputation blatently
> tells it all. However, I think we need to remember
> that the greatness of Robinson was an exceptional
> season of success under an amazing coach. The
> retirement of Coach Bendorf marks the end of an
> era, plain and simply. Although I would do
> anything to see my team on the top again, I cannot
> expect Bendorf-ball without Bendorf. As far as
> football is concerned, Robinson Secondary is a
> brand new school in Fairfax that opened in
> September 2011.
>
> Once again, your criticisms are probably not
> misguided. It takes a lot of critique to forge a
> good football team. But in light of this first
> season with a new coaching staff, we can step back
> and see how really good we had it! We ought to
> gain greater respect and gratefulness for the
> extraordinary legacy we enjoyed from 1997-2010. In
> other words, revere the past but don't expect it
> to continue as if we're entitled to it!
> Sincerely,
> Former Ram


Very well said. Allow me a couple thoughts. You wrote that Coach Taylor's "reputation blatently tells it all." I'm not sure what you meant. In 2009 at WTW he took a small school team (at the time the second lowest enrollment in Div 6) to the Regional title game. You might not know WTW's demographics, but the school does not have the football talent base to compete in Div 6 on yearly basis. On balance Taylor did a fine job at WTW in his five years there. That said, it does remain to be seen how he will do at Robinson.

Finally, as for Bendorf's role in the Rams' success, your compliment is at the same time a very harsh criticism (perhaps unintended) of the football program. It does not speak well of a school and community if they rely soley on a single individual (albeit a head coach) to maintain a winning football tradition, This is especially true at a massive "secondary school" where training/grooming of 7th graders is very easily done.

to ram watcher.

If all you look at in determining whether a coach is any good is the win loss record, then you are not getting a complete picture. Lets say, for example, the year that our school played for the regional championship, we had the players to have gone undefeated that year, but our less than stellar coach called incredibly weak games, so we ended up losing twice when we should have won.

There were 6 starters on offense that year who ended up at D-1 or D-1AA. You are correct, Woodson is a small school that rarely excels in football - the only time we do well is when we just happen to have a large group of good athletes attend all at the same time. Your coach was just in the right place at the right time.

Your new coach has some serious flaws as a head coach - if you would take some time and read some of the posts/threads here, you can get an idea of what people who actually know about this guy are talking about.

Unfortunately it seems this area regurgitates lousy coaches because DSA's also only look at win-loss records and don't consider the actual circumstances.

here is a good one for Robinson - besides the fact that your team this year is playing horribly with decent talent, next year it will get a little worse, then a little worse the following year. Why? because this coach (at least during his time at woodson - not sure what he is doing this year), never develops players. No matter how bad he is winning or losing, none of the backups ever get in the game (same at JV level). The result? Each year is a rebuilding year. You have 14 Senior starters this year? Next year you will have only 7 starters that have even played in a varsity game - so you are always in a rebuild mode.

You speak of training/grooming of 7th graders? LOL. That will never happen with this coach. He is incredibly short sighted.

Oh, and after he has unsuccessfully "gone for it" on 4th and 5 inside your own 35 about 6 or 7 times, you'll be tearing your hair out like all of us now bald parents at WTW.

I have not even started to get into the whole personality issue - I'll leave that for you Robinson parents/boosters to figure out. Just remember to tell your DSA to look beyond the win-loss record when they are looking for a NEW, new coach in a year or so.

WOW!!! WTW Parent (allegedly), please take a powder. From where does your anger arise? You are correct about many facets of Taylor's time at WTW, but what you ignore is the 50 year NON-history of WTW football. To blame him for having only 30 freshman trying out year after year is not his fault. Read what I wrote before you blow a gasket... "On balance Taylor did a fine job at WTW in his five years there."

Let's replay his time at WTW (all in DIV 6)... Year 1: inheirted a 2-9 team and went 5-5 with 8 seniors and NO talent. Year 2 - 5-5 with no QB and no talent. Year 3 - with a QB makes DIV 6 playoffs for first time ever at WTW. Year 4 - good talent (but no LEGIT D1 players) and makes Regional Ch game. Year 5 - no talent and a 3-7 record. My point, "a fine job." Not great, but better than most WTW football coaching eras.

And...once again, not one of my points was dealt with. Right place right time is all you considered. I offered specific examples of bad coaching - there are many more. Want to make a point, do more than respond to the one factor in his tenure that involved luck of the draw (the 3-7 year included a few good players)

No gasket blown here. However, if you look at Robinson fan posts, you are starting to see some gasket leaks.

We all want to give a new coach the benefit of the doubt. However, there is too much history to ignore in many of the local coaches who keep getting recycled.

Okay, now I don't have a dog in this fight, so I can't say things one way or the other, but I read the thread and methinks ram watcher knows way too much about woodson to be just a Robinson fan - how did he know how many seniors woodson had in year one? I checked the woodson web-site and there were more listed than 8. So, if woodson actually only had 8 seniors that year, only the coach would know. Some general fan of Robinson would have no clue how many seniors woodson had that year. I did check how many freshman turned out and there were 49 in 2009, 31 in 2010 and 46 in 2011 - the other years weren't listed, but if we take an average of the years recorded, there an average of 42.

Like I said, no opinion one way or the other here, but ram watcher seems a little too close to the situation - maybe ram watcher = former woodson coach? just sayin'

Ram Watcher. Any insight as to why many good players decided to not return to play football at WTW as the program and Taylor's tenure progressed?

I notice the woodson kids want their old coach back. Funny, a poster pointed out that woodson with lousy players and allegedly bad coaching have the same record as Robinson who has much better players. Not sure they really want back their old coach.

The new norm has to end. If Robinson is lucky they will send Taylor walking sooner than later. He is in over his head and is recklessly using the players, at any expense, to try to dig himself out of the deep hole he's in. Unfortunately, he doesn't even have the sense to do that right. Bendorf's rising hopefuls, young stars that were bread to take over this year, are sitting on the bench while players three levels deep on last year's bench are starting, and they're not doing a thing. Taylor has established a pattern of bad play calling, players that are too small or too slow to penetrate (other than Meier), and a bench heavy with talent that is wasting away. At least he had the sense to try a new QB this week. Maybe he is softening up a bit?
How many times do you run into a brick wall before you try something new?
He is stubborn, a bully and seems insistent on doing things his own way-which clearly isn't working. Bendorf set this guy up. Instead of treading lightly and moving forward with the strong foundation that was laid, he moved right in and took over-to the detriment of Robinson football. This is more than a transition year, it's a disgrace.

BRYC watcher Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ram Watcher. Any insight as to why many good
> players decided to not return to play football at
> WTW as the program and Taylor's tenure progressed?

Throw me a bone... which "good players" decided to quit?

Didn't see the game, but looks like the new coach finally has the team rolling and we can all get off his back.

Thanks for responding to my comment. You added some great points. When I said that Coach Taylor's blatant reputation says it all, I mostly considered the various reports of his attitude, character, and football strategy. The key indicator comes from the kids, most of whom do not react well to Coach T. (second-hand info). The purpose of my first post was to promote patience with a whole new coaching staff. In other words, don't judge the first year by the record, which you seem to agree with. But if the kids are not getting onboard with his program because of Coach T himself, then I have no such patience. Once again, I don't have first hand experience, but that's the way I process it.
Regarding my compliments of Coach Bendorf, I in no way wanted to take away from the many other people and aspects of the school. I saw first-hand how supportive everyone was from the top down. The principal, teachers, athletic director, and student body were our indisposable platform. And of course Coach B couldn't have done any of that without the other coaches (e.g. Gorodnik, Francese, Hertz Sr., Hertz Jr.). And so many others. You're right, it's all part of the recipe for success. I just might say that Bendorf, not solely, but was primarily responsible for building that program for which we credit their success.

Former Player 03-06

That last post was a reply for "Ram watcher."

Really? We get pounded like this?

It's very upsetting to see the program go down the way it has this season. The season is rolling out just like they did for Woodson other than the 09 one. I agree there are a lotta kids in wrong positions, and definitely not putting in younger kids when they are winning. The QB Baker and LB Joe Meier stayed in the whole game against Herndon. You can't tell me there isn't a backup at those positions. Game experience is the most valuable tool to develop kids. I have talked to several players and parents that are also very disappointed with all aspects, and yes they are starters. The players had said that he is in over his head. After this graduating class, I expect a disaster next year. They have to stop the bleeding know so future years are not hurt. I have an idea that the turnout will be a huge drop off. I really tried to give this staff a chance and last night showed how they were once again out coached and out prepared. The seniors starters are great hard working caring guys, my heart goes out to them.

when we take a step back and look at preseason expectations, this year has played out exactly as expected for the Rams, with the only exception being the inexplicable loss to West Springfield. The Rams entered the season with NO gamebreakers and little talent at any of the offensive skill positions. (BTW - why is the WR now playing QB??) The Rams were expected to do just what they have done... get clobbered in the Concorde and lose to Stone Bridge. That's five expected losses at a minimum. The Rams would be a playoff team (7-3) if they played in the Patriot District and dumped Stone Bridge off the schedule (dream on). The Rams and Lake Braddock are very alike this year, but LB will be in the playoffs (despite losing to the Rams) and the Rams will be maincuring the field for the LAX season. The Concorde is tough and the Rams are taking their turn at the bottom. And, their relative lack of talent will keep the near the bottom of the Concorde until/unless the talent level improves. Unless the Rams have a blue chip QB or RB transfer in over the summer they will have another sub-par year next year, regardless of the coach.

It's high school football. Get over it already.

"It's high school football. Get over it already."

Get over what? This is idle chatter, nothing more "BruinFan." Do you want to shut down the forum or simple discuss the latest police helicopter sighting?

Robinson will be back next year, Coach Taylor is getting the house in order.
He has a really good class of juniors and sophomores that will be able to run his offense and defensive schemes. This year, he never got the buy in from the seniors and the parents. He will have a full year to prepare as well as the new rule changes with the coaches working with players in the off season.

Since this season is basically over, The parents and players are really excited about next season and cant wait to get started. ROBINSON FOOTBALL will be back in 2013!

The crackdown on steroids and PEDs has ruined the Robinson football program. Principal Meier knows about this more than anybody....some kids were spoon-fed PEDs by males in official positions.

Taylor is a jerk, we should have won at least 6 or 7 with the talent we have.

Word was Principal selected Taylor without consideration of AD who wanted to open up the position for other candidates. Now the mistake must be realized and open it for someone new next year. There is a great defensive co-ordinator at West Springfield who has the experience and knowledge to place the Rams back into Concorde contention.

Really "the new norm"? No skill position players? There were all-conference players on this team. There were returning starters on this team. This team barely has a better record than Woodson who is terrible, awful. Woodson is terrible,awful for a number of reasons. However, a very important one is that the only experienced players they started with this year were those who started last year. The Robindson Coach never, ever, ever, ever, substitutes his players. he never thinks past the next play. That is why even when being blown out and facing other team's backups and third stringers who are getting some game experience so their team can improve next season - HE NEVER GETS PLAYING TIME FOR HIS BACKUPS!!!! This coach never substitutes - EVEN IN BLOW-OUTS. So, next year, only those who started this year will have any experience. Every year with this coach is a rebuilding year.

Your kidding right, most of the starters on this team have worked their ass off since they were freshman. This season was the inability to recognize who belonged where and making those changes way too late. Again inability to recognize talent and what they can do. Between passing league and Gameday camps all of this should have been solved back in June. The team was set up for a good coach to come in an succeed. They should have been 7-3 or 8-2.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/31/2011 11:02PM by KeepitReal.

I happened upon this string and am very intrigued at the insight Robinson fans have already gleaned about this coach. Coach Taylor seems to be a good guy, but in my opinion, is in way over his head as a head coach. He was the beneficiary of a class of real top quality athletes during the middle of his "reign" at Woodson. The years Reilly (QB now at Temple) was at Woodson, a bunch of D-1 and D-1AA players also happened to be there. As a players parent I watched as lousy decision after lousy decision was overcome by players who are right now scattered in college programs all over the mid-atlantic region.

Here are some things to be concerned about, Robinson parents: While at Woodson, Coach Taylor ("CT") never put a "don't hit" practice jersey on his QB's. One practice a couple of years ago, he lost his 2nd and 3rd string QB's in two successive plays because the green light was always on as far as hitting the QB in practice. Never heard of such a thing.

The poster who talked about backups never playing hit the nail on the head. My son was a second string player - not a great HS football player, but a number 2. He never played the two years he was a number two. He did not get any game experience in a varsity game. He fought for the number one position his senior year, but lost out to another kid who also had never played a varsity down.

I am not a complaining parent about my kid not playing - we all recognized he had limited skills. However, we'll never know if one of those kids just needed a chance in a game to find themselves.

This was a consistent puzzle to me - even when winning by several touchdowns, or being blown out last year, CT never put in the 2's. Woodson went 3-7 last season and was blown out in almost all the losses, but neither my son or any of the other 2's ever got in a game unless the guy ahead of them was injured.

The result was when Reilly and all the talent graduated, the cupboard was empty - very few experienced players. Here is the dirty little secret only Woodson parents know - the 2's barely even got to practice. CT would have the first team O versus the first team D and they got most of the sessions during the scrimmage portions of practice. The 2's and 3's would get thrown in for a few plays against each other, but almost never against the 1's. How does a player get better when he never gets challenged beyond his level of ability? He doesn't. That is one of the reasons Woodson is so bad this year. It is a team of almost no experience - even in practice. I suggest some Robinson parents going out to practice and see if the backups are even getting reps in practice. Remember, this means that next year, your new starters hardly have even practiced before - and never against the starters. So, your new starters have no game experience and almost no practice experience, and what they have is against other guys with no game or practice experience. This is a recipe for a lot of future blow-outs.

At Robinson here is what you can expect: since backups don't play, you will have only those returning starters with any experience. By the way, this no backup plays rule also applies to JV - so there is never a chance a young player who is not a star from day one will ever get the opportunity to develop.

CT does not develop players - he simply uses what he knows, and he only knows those who start. The new fill-in replacements each year may or may not be "gamers" they are simply those guys who make a good first impression on a coach who doesn't want to bother building a program - just playing the next game.

Another thing to expect is very little creativity in game planning. I used to observe other parents a Woodson games playing a little game of whether the next play would be a run to the left or to the right. Even with Reilly, the system was mostly run/pitch option left or right. The fact that Reilly would hit long passes when given a chance kind of hid the fact that CT rarely really let Reilly just go fling the football. One game a couple of years ago against stone bridge, Reilly (junior year I think) got a chance to pass (because Stone Bridge was unstoppable), Woodson lost, but scored about 50-60 points on Stone Bridge - who had a very good team. Reilly was unbelievable. Who knows what would have happened if CT had taken the reigns off Reilly. a good coach sees something special when it is right in front of him and adapts a little to take advantage of that player's skill. CT adapted just a tiny bit. It was always run, run, run then maybe pass. Reilly could throw 65 yards to a spot and did so whenever allowed, but was only allowed to do so about half as often as he should have been. That is why he is at Temple and not a BIG 10, ACC, or other higher level Conference.

Game decisions use to drive the parents nuts - CT would go for it on 4th and a few yards, no matter where the team was on the field. I remember one time he did this when the ball was on the Woodson 22 or 23 yard line, and they needed to get 4 or 5 yards. What!? He used to do this all the time. Sometimes they would succeed, and many times they failed and gave the ball up. Never figured that one out.

Another thing I cannot understand, CT is a great coach from the perspective of weight training. His players all improve strength and size significantly over their time under him (this is probably his greatest attribute). His players must all come in early twice a week to lift. Those who don't want to go to school at 6 am, can take an elective "Personal Fitness" class and get their lifting in during the school day.

Here is the weird part. On Fridays, if you had Personal Fitness, you still had to lift. This sounds like no big thing - but these players would be sore after these classes. CT really worked the kids. Then on game day, he'd work them just as hard just a few hours before the games. A significant number of his players took this class. And they would even have "Max days" just a few hours before a game.

As an experienced weight lifter, I know that it is less than intelligent to ask a player to do a full weight-lifting workout which requires 24-48 hours of recovery, then ask the player to play a football game 8-10 hours later. Makes no sense. Not sure if this "tradition" continues at Robinson - but parents need to be aware of this. Your best running back could be wobbly from a heavy squat day, then have to run and make cuts at full speed? Anyone who has ever done squat workouts knows what I am talking about. CT also knows as he was a competitive lifter. Why he has his kids do this makes no sense. Check it out.

Sorry to ramble, but after three years of frustration as seeing what I saw at Woodson (not just on behalf of my own son, but for all players and parents), I wanted to give you some things to think about and look for. Bottom line, Coach taylor is a decent man who is a great position coach and weight training coach, but to this point not fulfilled expectations as a head coach. He has been the beneficiary of some great players while at Woodson, but observers of his coaching there would question whether he got the best out of that great group of players who came through for those 2 successful years.

Hope things improve for you.

Very well written and this seems to be the same opinion from several parents that I know from Woodson of both starters and non starters. It seems to be this way at Robinson as told to me by some players.

despite all the complaining, thanks to the skewed playoff scheme, the soon to be 3 - 7 Rams will have a chance to prove their worth in two weeks when they will travel to Westfield to play the Bulldogs. At this point of season it's up to the players to play and it's time for the parents to stop complaining... plenty of time for that in the off-season.

hopefully they can be competitive tomorrow