Eagles vs. PA

[Kim_Day]

I don't know that much about Pulaski Academy, so maybe you guys could enlighten me. All I know is that we aren't favored to win. I'm surprised this thread hasn't been started already. Is it because there is not hope at all? I like to think that there is always hope. Are they as aggressive as Mills was? What are there weaknesses/strengths?

[heathwaldrop]

By victories I think that PA is the second-most successful program in the state over the last five years behind Warren.

PA is good at everything. EVERYTHING. I talked to some of the tennis players last week who said that PA swept all of its matches in the conference tournament. And it's not just sports...PA has an incredible academic reputation. A few years ago it had something like 16 National Merit Finalists in its senior class, and this is a senior class that has only around 80 students in it.

Yes, I think the reason why no one has bothered posting on the topic is because nobody thinks that Crossett has a shot.

PA's strengths: great offensive talent in spots (running back committed to Southern Cal, quarterback committed to Texas Tech after de-committing to Auburn), great scheme which it executes to perfection (as Crossett does, PA also runs the Spread, only along with Gus Malzahn at Shiloh Christian basically pioneered it in in Arkansas), fantastic coaching, smart players, very disciplined program, out-of-this-world student section at home games.

Weaknesses: Defense isn't very good. But it doesn't have to be because the offense just runs it up enough to win every game.

My opinion is that PA will be a semifinalist at least. Preseason I had PA's playing for the state title in December, and it's still a very real possibility.

I laugh at everyone who thought that PA didn't have a chance to compete at this level.

[old lion]

Unless PA has a new field (which I don't think they do yet,although 2 years ago it was alot of talk about one) don't wear any shoes that you don't mind getting wet. The last couple of times that I was there, the sidelines going to the visitor bleachers had water standing everywhere you were suppose to walk, and that too was without rain. Good luck to the Eagles on Friday Night.

[ctownvillian]

PA is going to pick on ower young secondary.

[Seminole Pride]

Broderick Green's a Monster in the backfield, hes rated the #5 HB in the nation by Scouts.com. He's basically a brute force that will run into anything thats in his way, standing at 6'1 230 lb's he's a 4.6 in the 40 but thats not the thing, Broderick ran all over Osceola's Defense in the Quarter-finals last year racking up I think over 200 Yards on our defense. So Crossett Eagles, you guys better be prepared because if you aren't then it might just get very ugly very quick.

[ctownvillian]

yeah but crosset is also starting out very young on the secondary. i think Pa will mix it up alot agianst crossett

[Kim_Day]

Last night was just an old fashioned butt whoopin'! Six touchdowns in the first quarter and almost as many turnovers makes your stomach churn. I just hated it for them. I saw a lot of good sportsmanship from both teams though. Alot of helping each other up and patting behinds (which I will never understand)! The opposite end of the spectrum from last week. One injury, Edmund ?...last I heard they thought he might have torn his ACL.

[heathwaldrop]

Your butt is about the only area of your body that isn't covered by pads in a football uniform.

[ctownvillian]

new pa would score allout never thought it owuld be a like that in the 1 qrt

[Ma & Pa of Milo]

Would someone tell me how in the world did we get moved up to 5A teams ???????? If you don't win a game all year , do you go back to 4A??????
Pa & I sat by the radio every minute not missing any of the game. These teams we are playing this year are like professionals. I just could'nt hardly stand it for the boys. What a Senior Year for those 8 .
The very best part was our defense Sacking the Quarterback at least 4-5 times. Pa said he thought the defense played their best game Friday Night .
Offense has too many penalties and fumbles it seemed like they were having problems connecting from our Quarterback to our receivers. If they have Kyle wrapped up , did that not mean other receivers are open to catch ??????? I, guess I did'nt learn much last year , Kyle was mostly on the sidelines and It was'nt that interesting. I tell him every Friday Night , play your best I Like hearing thingy-er-ham on the PA System. LOL

[Outlaw85]

gayla said:

Would someone tell me how in the world did we get moved up to 5A teams ???????? If you don't win a game all year , do you go back to 4A??????
Pa & I sat by the radio every minute not missing any of the game. These teams we are playing this year are like professionals. I just could'nt hardly stand it for the boys. What a Senior Year for those 8 .
The very best part was our defense Sacking the Quarterback at least 4-5 times. Pa said he thought the defense played their best game Friday Night .
Offense has too many penalties and fumbles it seemed like they were having problems connecting from our Quarterback to our receivers. If they have Kyle wrapped up , did that not mean other receivers are open to catch ??????? I, guess I did'nt learn much last year , Kyle was mostly on the sidelines and It was'nt that interesting. I tell him every Friday Night , play your best I Like hearing thingy-er-ham on the PA System. LOL

This years 5A is basically last years 4A. The mighty AAA(ARkansas Activities Association, split what was last years 5A and made it into 2 16 team divisions. 7A for the 16 largest schools in the state, 6A for the next 16 largest schools. Thus with those creations every other classification gained a letter.

Believe it or not PA is really a 4A school. They were moved up to 5A with the AAA implementation of the 1.75 multipier. Which means they multiply there total number of students in the upper 3 grades times 1.75. The AAA did this to "level" the field of play between public and private schools.

Basically my opinion is the AAA thinks the privates are recruiting but can't catch them so they they came up with the multiplier to hang it to them. If anything i think the multiplier mght encourage some to recruit to stay on a level playing field. Although PA is already there. Not accusing them of recruiting , by the way.

[heathwaldrop]

The old Class AAA and the old Class AA also split and created a new classification, which gives us seven classifications now, as compared to the five that we had previously.

By straight enrollment figures I think that PA might even be the same size as the current 3A schools. But PA has good athletes and more importantly than that, great coaching in all of its sports. Wait and see what happens during basketball season. You're probably going to be looking at an all-Little Rock state-tournament representation from the Southeast, and that will include Pulaski Academy.

[ctownvillian]

well we see that stutgartis still in the 4A someone please explane that to me

[heathwaldrop]

ctownvillian said:

well we see that stutgartis still in the 4A someone please explane that to me

Because Class 4A now isn't the same thing as Class AAAA was before this year. It's closer to being the old Class AAA, but essentially its an entirely-new classification. The only level of play that really wasn't messed with much this year is the current 5A, which is almost entirely the same classification as the old Class AAAA.

[Mr. C]

Well, it doesn't get too much more complicated and confusing than that lol.

[heathwaldrop]

thatoneguy said:

Well, it doesn't get too much more complicated and confusing than that lol.

Yeah, I know. I'd suggest reading our story from Gridirion 2006 on the topic for more information.

Basically...

OLD SYSTEM
Biggest 32 schools, Class AAAAA
Next biggest 32, Class AAAA
Next 64, Class AAA
All other football-playing schools, Class AA

NEW SYSTEM
Biggest 16 schools, Class 7A
Next-biggest 16, Class 6A
Next 32, Class 5A
Next 48, Class 4A
Next 48, Class 3A
All other football-playing schools, Class 2A

With two new classifications you can see how there isn't a direct comparison between old and new.

[Mr. C]

Oh okay, that helps understand it. Makes more sense when you can see how it is all layed out.

[ctownvillian]

okay wel lhow does 7A have playoff and confrence with just 16 teams

[poppaeagle]

While on the subject of private schools.... you have to look at the cards being played as well as who is holding the cards. Yes, there are good athletes at private schools but the deck seems to be shuffled and stacked different than at most public school systems.

Having visited with one of the PA school employees, I am basing the following on some of the info gleamed from that conversation. ........

Pulaski Academy sits on one of the busiest (more expensive pieces of real estate in Little Rock).....PA just purchased the campus of Fellowship Bible church, next door, for a mere 40 million dollars.....That's $40,000,000.

For your child to attend PA, parents need to come up with about $3,000 to $6000 per month. If parents pay that kind of $$ (yes, per month), don't you think they expect academic results and sports results to be better than the expectations of your average public schools?

In talking with someone associated with the music program... it was stated their band director came from Batesville to PA.....rec'd a $7000 raise and has only 17 members in the "pep" band. Pretty good gig, get more money and you are working with a hand full of highly motivated rich kids.

For football coaches, I would imagine a similar situation....... good salary for coaches who have players who have opportunities most high school players wouldn't have access to in the way of individual training, facilities, diet, football camps, and instruction. You can't take away the fact they play hard and are good athletes. If you don't currently have the talent in your school system in a particular position....there are ways to look in the Little Rock and North Little Rock areas to make attending your private school seems like a good idea. I don't know enough about the Little Rock private schools to make any mention of recruiting, but private schools have opportunities to draw students from a broader range.

Are the private school athletes recruited more? Google the name Broderick Green....and you can see how many websites of major universities that his name appears. The quarterback from PA was good......he has also been highly recruited, but how much better is he than some of the other quarterbacks we have seen in our conference as far as speed, versatility, and throwing arm? Is he making up for all that with his academics, savvy and leadership on the field, as well as being a play maker?

Let's look at the situation from the view point of a coach from a major university. Look at a good athlete from a small town in the piney woods of S. Arkansas or in the delta .....or look at a similar athlete in the heart of Little Rock (not far from a major airport) who is attending a school with a great reputation in academics, athletics, and whose alumni and/or parents are sitting on an income that can contribute big $$ into the university athletic program. Which athlete is going to get the most attention?

All that being said...can Crossett compete with private schools in football and other sports. The answer is YES.....but you have to come with your team prepared to play hard and play smart. When it comes to football, it is still the basics of blocking, tackling, running and passing......we just may have to work harder and play smarter to get to most out of the hand we are dealt..... No matter have the cards are been stacked or shuffled.

[heathwaldrop]

ctownvillian said:

okay wel lhow does 7A have playoff and confrence with just 16 teams

It's a very watered-down system. Just two conferences and an eight-team playoff for both 6A and 7A. Incredibly stupid, in my opinion. I think that splitting Class AAA and Class AA and then recombining the leftovers into a new conference was the right thing to do, but splitting Class AAAAA up was just ludicrous.