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Which programs overachieve? Who are sleeping giants?

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BobbyTheBuffoon

Freshman
Mar 16, 2021
59
94
0
Now that we are in the offseason and Edgy is updating the coaching vacancy list daily, I have been wracking my brain about schools that overachieve and schools that probably should be better. Not only in the wins and losses department, but participation, resources, kids going to college to play, community commitment, etc.

Also, what schools could be sleeping giants?

I am curious to hear what everyone's thoughts may be. I am not posting this to be disrespectful to any schools or coaches and this is definitely not to stir up direct attacks on school boards/administrations. Just looking for peoples opinions and knowledge.
 
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Still Missing34

All-Conference
Jul 12, 2005
2,564
2,121
113
I believe Yorkville is a program on the rise. Football is becoming more engrained in the community. They've had some recent success in building their program (next season could be special) and the community continues to grow.

I also think they are really well coached and well prepared every week.
 
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BretEpic

Heisman
Jan 27, 2005
16,866
22,190
113
No homer, Hampshire [and Burlington] will be very good in the coming years.
 
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Corey90

All-Conference
Aug 27, 2005
8,657
4,080
113
IMO
LWE definitely over achieved this year. Very young team and made it to the quarter finals. Lost to Loyola by 3 points away. East will be very strong next year.
 
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USD24

All-American
May 29, 2001
5,528
5,381
113
I'm gonna say Minooka is a sleeping giant. They seem to have everything you need to be a dominant program (demographics, numbers, community support, etc.) but just can't quite turn the corner. There is no reason they should not be like Oswego and strive to be Lockport.
 
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BretEpic

Heisman
Jan 27, 2005
16,866
22,190
113
USD24 said:
I'm gonna say Minooka is a sleeping giant. They seem to have everything you need to be a dominant program (demographics, numbers, community support, etc.) but just can't quite turn the corner. There is no reason they should not be like Oswego and strive to be Lockport.
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I was thinking Oswego.

They have a Lockport feel to me as in 1999 Lockport, the Duppong years, when Homer was blowing up.
 
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Crispy Linnetta

Senior
Sep 11, 2017
397
510
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USD24 said:
I'm gonna say Minooka is a sleeping giant. They seem to have everything you need to be a dominant program (demographics, numbers, community support, etc.) but just can't quite turn the corner. There is no reason they should not be like Oswego and strive to be Lockport.
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Good call. Not overly familiar with JCA’s roster from this season. Did they have any from Minooka that were major contributors?
 
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Corey90

All-Conference
Aug 27, 2005
8,657
4,080
113
USD24 said:
Maybe this year, but when I think of overachieving programs, LWE doesn’t come to mind.
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I get it and understand your thinking. That said if you are a LWE fan and you know their program you didn’t see them making it to the quarter final with this really young team. They definitely over archived this year and I credit the coaches and the players to get as far as they did this year. I think LWE will be very hungry coming into next season.
 
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johnndoe

Senior
Oct 19, 2019
1,238
880
113
Crete-Monee comes to my mind as somewhat of an over-achiever. They have been in the mix for many years going back seemingly without a great, obvious reservoir of advantages on which to draw. They schedule tough non-con openers like LWE and JCA this year, come out of a conference (Southland) that has had its share of warts over the seasons, yet have built a resume of deep playoff runs.
 
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M

MS4EVER

All-Conference
Dec 4, 2004
5,573
3,602
113
corey90 said:
I get it and understand your thinking. That said if you are a LWE fan and you know their program you didn’t see them making it to the quarter final with this really young team. They definitely over archived this year and I credit the coaches and the players to get as far as they did this year. I think LWE will be very hungry coming into next season.
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Ditto for MS.
 
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R

Rdooley1

Redshirt
Jul 25, 2019
19
19
0
USD24 said:
I'm gonna say Minooka is a sleeping giant. They seem to have everything you need to be a dominant program (demographics, numbers, community support, etc.) but just can't quite turn the corner. There is no reason they should not be like Oswego and strive to be Lockport.
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Next season is going to be a big year for Minooka. The staff is top-notch and the kids love em, they played a lot of juniors this season, and the sophomores coming up are for real (had a really good year). That along with their new state of the art weight room, and great new home stadium, have everyone around the program excited. The community support is as good as I've seen in our area. It just has that feel like it's coming......
 
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PowerI66_

All-Conference
Oct 11, 2012
3,943
2,894
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Rdooley1 said:
their new state of the art weight room,
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At the risk of derailment, any specifics or pictures of this? I feel like that phrase gets thrown around so willy-nilly. Saying this would mean they have similar facilities than an NFL team
 
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RetiredReferee

All-Conference
Aug 27, 2011
1,070
1,064
113
PowerI66 said:
At the risk of derailment, any specifics or pictures of this? I feel like that phrase gets thrown around so willy-nilly. Saying this would mean they have similar facilities than an NFL team
Click to expand...
 
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C

CougsX

Sophomore
Sep 26, 2018
135
105
43
Rdooley1 said:
Next season is going to be a big year for Minooka. The staff is top-notch and the kids love em, they played a lot of juniors this season, and the sophomores coming up are for real (had a really good year). That along with their new state of the art weight room, and great new home stadium, have everyone around the program excited. The community support is as good as I've seen in our area. It just has that feel like it's coming......
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Bolingbrook will beat Minooka by 30 again.
 
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JCHillmen

All-Conference
Nov 30, 2001
3,377
1,350
0
CougsX said:
Bolingbrook will beat Minooka by 30 again.
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Minooka seems to have been at the doorstep of success for decades now. They are finally at a position where they should be able to see continued success in their conference. However, that conference has had significant issues competing or making any real runs in the postseason. Oswego has obviously had some nice runs of late and a few titles before this conference formed, but even their big postseason runs are quite a few years removed. Oswego East has no real postseason track record despite some decent talent. Plainfield North has one run to a title game, and even that was mired in controversy. Minooka had two semifinal runs under Sharp and Briscoe in smaller classes.

I guess what I am saying is that Minooka has had an uphill battle to sustain success the last three decades. They finally have some facilities and a stable staff and should compete to be near the top of the league regularly. But the league itself struggles to be relevant in the bigger classes, so they will have to be the first in the league to prove they can make a true run in 8A.

I see them winning 6 to 8 games next year and then likely winning a round or so in the playoffs before getting thumped by someone who has been playing better teams all year long. Just my thoughts as a fairly neutral observer. I want to see them break out of their rut as a casual observer but I also know their continual malaise is incredibly beneficial to my alma mater most years, in that their sputtering drives student athletes to the local private schools. Even that seems to have gotten better for them the last 2 years or so, but if they bow out in round 1 or 2 again the next few years, much of that progress becomes lost.
 
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MS4EVER

All-Conference
Dec 4, 2004
5,573
3,602
113
MS is finally getting a new weight room. For years college coaches have come to MS and laughed at our setup. Not pretty but it gets results.
 
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M

morrisfan

Redshirt
Aug 28, 2001
359
24
0
Rdooley1 said:
Next season is going to be a big year for Minooka. The staff is top-notch and the kids love em, they played a lot of juniors this season, and the sophomores coming up are for real (had a really good year). That along with their new state of the art weight room, and great new home stadium, have everyone around the program excited. The community support is as good as I've seen in our area. It just has that feel like it's coming......
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Aren’t they losing two division one receivers?
 
K

kpjasion

Senior
Oct 12, 2014
1,201
932
113
Sleeping Giant - Don't mean to be a homer or all "Bartlett freshman"y, but Palatine has some scary good talent in their frosh/soph/juniors - next 2 or 3 years should be really exciting.
 
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R

RetiredReferee

All-Conference
Aug 27, 2011
1,070
1,064
113
Crispy Linnetta said:
Beats the heck out of the 2 benches, 1 squat rack, and 1 Nautilus station we had back when I was in high school. Lol
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As it turns out, it just happened that the locker rooms we were placed tended to be near the weight rooms and there are a ton of great setups. Obviously I would have no way of knowing how old each room is, but most are very impressive. Especially because the weight room at my high school seems pretty similar to what you had.
 
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colin2229

All-Conference
Jul 23, 2005
2,642
1,852
0
What’s the deal Thornton? Isn’t there loads of talent in those hallways?

0-9 and only 12 points scored all year
 
C

Cross Bones

All-Conference
Aug 19, 2001
53,160
4,215
113
colin2229 said:
What’s the deal Thornton? Isn’t there loads of talent in those hallways?

0-9 and only 12 points scored all year
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Consider this. A couple years ago TT's head coach was Dontrell Jackson Sr. Marist has a player named Dontrell Jackson Jr. While Jr. Was at Marist there was a kid named Sam Jackson playing QB at Naperville Central. There is also a school in that area that until last year had an influx in talent that went back down to normal levels this year.
 
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colin2229

All-Conference
Jul 23, 2005
2,642
1,852
0
Cross Bones said:
Consider this. A couple years ago TT's head coach was Dontrell Jackson Sr. Marist has a player named Dontrell Jackson Jr. While Jr. Was at Marist there was a kid named Sam Jackson playing QB at Naperville Central. There is also a school in that area that until last year had an influx in talent that went back down to normal levels this year.
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So Thornton’s HC sent his kids elsewhere. I don’t have any problem w this. We also don’t know what district they live in.

What is your last sentence referencing?
 
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Corey90

All-Conference
Aug 27, 2005
8,657
4,080
113
colin2229 said:
So Thornton’s HC sent his kids elsewhere. I don’t have any problem w this. We also don’t know what district they live in.

What is your last sentence referencing?
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If I am reading into what he is saying the Dad/coach doesn’t want his own kids going to the school or playing for them.
 
C

colin2229

All-Conference
Jul 23, 2005
2,642
1,852
0
corey90 said:
If I am reading into what he is saying the Dad/coach doesn’t want his own kids going to the school or playing for them.
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My first thought here is the Ivlow kid from JCA who’s dad was the HC at the Brook. Sometimes the family doesn’t live in the district the father coaches in.

I wouldn’t assume the dad doesn’t want his kids in his program.

I refuse to believe that.
 
C

Corey90

All-Conference
Aug 27, 2005
8,657
4,080
113
colin2229 said:
My first thought here is the Ivlow kid from JCA who’s dad was the HC at the Brook. Sometimes the family doesn’t live in the district the father coaches in.

I wouldn’t assume the dad doesn’t want his kids in his program.

I refuse to believe that.
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I was thinking that also but didn’t know if schools have some sort of contract with teachers etc. In any case I hope you are right.
These times nothing surprises me unfortunately.
 
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