LHAC Coach of The Year

[CoffinCorner]

What in the world does some one being a good college player have to do with coaching?  And aren't we talking about football so who cares about track teams?  Being a nice guy does not mean your team wins.   Ridgely chose to take the BC job he knew exactly what he was getting and why Craig left and why Greg Snyder was getting out as well, Charlie Koren took it out of embarrassment that he was an administrator at a school that was horrible at football and in his third season he went to the playoffs, and once he righted the ship handed the reigns to Craig.   Sorry but BC is a long way from the playoffs, and if you have actually seen BC play this year the only one of the 17 coaches on the sideline who is trying to make these kids better is Phil Woo.

Don Bailey's last title is five years ago so to say he "is " the best coach might be a stretch, was the best may be more correct.  

The Ebensburg duo may have been good coordinators but as far as being good head coaches not so sure you can make that argument.  It would appear that the real coaching at CC was the "Buzz"

as far as these coaches doing everything for the kids, go back and read the Tribune Article on Xree Lowe verbally committing to Pitt, Tony Penna himself states that Xree's dad took him to camps and got him involved, does not sound like Penna was the reason he got to the D1 level. Sounds like his parents got involved and helped him get there. 

[youngbuck]

Guru, why does someone's accomplishments as a track coach matter in football and as for there accomplishments as a player, not sure what the correlation is with coaching either. With CC last district title being in 2000 tell me more about these great teams that he coached while at Central Cambria.
You can be devils advocate but really you stated a bunch of none coaching related things that don't make a argument for him being a good coach
1. His playing credentials
2. Being a track coach
3. Being a nice guy

What about running an offense that fits his kids, being fundamentally solid, or even showing improvement over the season . you mention none of those things.
As stated previously he took the job willingly and has no ties to the school, obviously there was a reason Corrente got the CC job and not him, they already knew he was not the answer

[ElMoldova]

Does anyone have preseason rankings for the LHAC?

[Footballfans4life]

Guru. Studs at BG? What about studs at Bedford and the studs at Somerset. What about the D1 athletes that every year come out of Jtown. That is why I said and expectations. Bedford was supposed to be #1 because of their studs. Somerset #2 because of their studs. BG and Jtown were 3 and 4 again because of their studs. BC was expected to not win a game and they haven't. Etc. etc. my point is that BG is playing better than expected on O and D. D6 page has them scoring 50 a game and giving up 3. They are also have very good special teams from the game I saw. Coaching can turn a very good team to great and coaching can turn a very good team to good. As for who couldn't win 8-10 games with the studs at BG. Probably everyone could but who could win 16 and a state championship and then follow it up with 8-0 this year, Coach Wheeler. That's why he is my coach of year and Barron should be depending on next few weeks be a very very close #2.

[GoldenEagleAlum]

Did BG get 2 300 pound lineman transfers from Altoona and Holidaysburg this year?  I heard about that before the season, but then never heard of it again.  If you look on their Hudl tapes though, all of their highlights are from those 2 schools. 
If that's true, I'd say that kind of throws the measure of where BG was supposed to rank preseason vs where they are now out the window... wouldn't you? 

[silentbob]

BG- I was wondering when someone was going to hit them on the transfers. They seem to get a pass compared to BM with posters on here. Either way Wheeler is a very good coach. If he can recruit also he is going to be very dangerous in A ball for years to come.

Somerset- Has studs, Landis is good also. But they aren't as good this year as last and probably will drop a little next year also.

Bedford also has guys back and they are studs. Have played without their best player all year and according to people like West33, TAHS Alum, Everett among others they couldn't play D, were to cute on O and everyone was crazy if they thought Bedford was the team to beat this year. Look at posts from a couple months back....

J-town my sleeper pick.... What a disappointment. So much talent there. I really thought this was the team that could come out on top in the LHAC. Hopefully J-town can get rolling here and make some playoff noise.

westy- I guess you have to give Barron credit..... But.... Still don't think they are very good.

[GoldenEagleAlum]

I had heard about the BG transfers elsewhere, but never heard about it anywhere on here so didn't know if it was true.  

In that case, you'll have to forgive me for not voting to crown Wheeler coach of the year or anything else.  Not saying he's not a good coach, but can you imagine what either Bailey, Landis, Bedford, or even Johnstown could do with an extra pair of stud lineman??

My vote would be for Steele.  Bedford is REALLY good and uses their players' skills really well.  Everyone with half a brain that saw them last year knew they'd be good this year.  I know they were expected to be that good (I wouldn't put too much weight in West33's opinion), but that really shouldn't disqualify a coach for COY because he developed his players from scratch instead of just found a couple of AAAA players who just magically decided that a A school was a better choice-for purely academic reasons I'm sure--.

[CCDevil2012]

I think that's a valid point, it's one thing if there are low expectations and the team does well, yes the coach will get the credit. But just because everyone knew a team would be good doesn't mean that the coach wasn't good as well. I look back to the 2011-2012 Red Devils who were a favorite in the LHAC and ended up going 2-8. Coaching can impact a season big time whether the talent is there or not. 

[Guru]

Let me know about all of those D1 kids at Jtown...  I'll believe it when I see it.  They have (1) right now.  Also, I hope there are a ton of them and that they all make it!!!!  I am a fan of the kids in the area, no matter the school district.

Justin Wheeler is a great coach.  I didn't mean to infer anything otherwise.  He is also the consummate professional.  He pulls his starters early and often.  Oh.. he was a pretty good player too... but that doesn't matter. 

I am so over the recruiting talk.  Let it go.  We all know those kids transfer to the Bishops for a faith based education so lets leave it at that.

As for non-football related coaching, and what kind of player coaches were in college... It does matter Youngbuck, it is part of the entire package.  Obviously you have an issue with my praise for a guy who spent 30 years at CC, just winning, and then chose to take his talents to BC. 

**Just to be clear, Coach Ridgeley didn't apply when the job opened and Corrente was hired three years ago.

[SFB14]

BG did get one 300# lineman transfer in from Altoona. The rest of their OL & DL are all kids who came up through the BG system. There is no doubt that the player they got from Altoona is helping them this year.