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Really cool stories from high school football
Posted on 9/17/20 at 2:45 pm
Posted on 9/17/20 at 2:45 pm
Anyone got any great stories from high school football days? This is one of the coolest stories from small town Mississippi football.
LINK
You may have seen the story last week about Vardaman High football coach Brennan Pugh, quarantined because of COVID-19, who coached from a rented lift from his backyard near the field. The story went viral, which perhaps really isn’t the best way to describe anything during this pandemic. Nonetheless…
Pugh’s story brought back memories of another Mississippi high school football story that went viral before viral was a thing. This was back when newspapers were still read from ink on paper. Back when the Internet was in its infancy, available almost exclusively to universities and governments in possession of huge, cumbersome super computers.
This was in 1988 when a 46-year-old man named David Lee Herbert, stricken with ALS, coached at tiny Tishomingo High in the northeast Mississippi hill country.
This was mid-November, last game of the season. Tishomingo was playing at Falkner. A berth in the state playoffs was on the line. Tishomingo led Falkner 16-14 with seven seconds left and Tishomingo had the ball at the Falkner 35. But here’s the deal: To advance to the playoffs, Tishomingo had to defeat Faulkner by four points and led by only two. Nobody in the town of Falkner could kick a 52-yard field goal.
A field goal try was no option. He could try to throw a “Hail Mary” against Falkner’s stout defense but that was the longest of long shots. But David Lee Herbert came up with another idea that he described in a phone conversation days later. “We weighed our chances of scoring on one play and knew they weren’t very good,” he said. “We decided to go the other way.”
The “other way” was 65 yards backwards for a safety that would score two points for Falkner and send the game into overtime, tied at 16. Then, Coach Herbert thought, his team could score a winning touchdown and advance to the playoffs. Yes, it was a long shot, but Coach Herbert determined that it was his team’s best shot.
LINK
You may have seen the story last week about Vardaman High football coach Brennan Pugh, quarantined because of COVID-19, who coached from a rented lift from his backyard near the field. The story went viral, which perhaps really isn’t the best way to describe anything during this pandemic. Nonetheless…
Pugh’s story brought back memories of another Mississippi high school football story that went viral before viral was a thing. This was back when newspapers were still read from ink on paper. Back when the Internet was in its infancy, available almost exclusively to universities and governments in possession of huge, cumbersome super computers.
This was in 1988 when a 46-year-old man named David Lee Herbert, stricken with ALS, coached at tiny Tishomingo High in the northeast Mississippi hill country.
This was mid-November, last game of the season. Tishomingo was playing at Falkner. A berth in the state playoffs was on the line. Tishomingo led Falkner 16-14 with seven seconds left and Tishomingo had the ball at the Falkner 35. But here’s the deal: To advance to the playoffs, Tishomingo had to defeat Faulkner by four points and led by only two. Nobody in the town of Falkner could kick a 52-yard field goal.
A field goal try was no option. He could try to throw a “Hail Mary” against Falkner’s stout defense but that was the longest of long shots. But David Lee Herbert came up with another idea that he described in a phone conversation days later. “We weighed our chances of scoring on one play and knew they weren’t very good,” he said. “We decided to go the other way.”
The “other way” was 65 yards backwards for a safety that would score two points for Falkner and send the game into overtime, tied at 16. Then, Coach Herbert thought, his team could score a winning touchdown and advance to the playoffs. Yes, it was a long shot, but Coach Herbert determined that it was his team’s best shot.
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Posted on 9/17/20 at 2:47 pm to anc
I don’t have any.
Posted on 9/17/20 at 2:49 pm to anc
that's a cool story 
Posted on 9/17/20 at 2:51 pm to anc
My senior season (1986) we were playing against the #3 team in the state at their place. We had rotating captains, and it was Toby's turn to be captain. Before they went out for the coin toss the coach told him, "Toby...if we win the toss we want to defer to the 2nd half".
The ref tosses the coin, we win the toss and Toby says to the ref, "We don't want the ball". We had to kickoff at the start of each half...and on each kickoff, the other team fumbled leading to short-field touchdowns. We won...probably because Toby didn't understand what "defer" meant.
The ref tosses the coin, we win the toss and Toby says to the ref, "We don't want the ball". We had to kickoff at the start of each half...and on each kickoff, the other team fumbled leading to short-field touchdowns. We won...probably because Toby didn't understand what "defer" meant.
Posted on 9/17/20 at 2:55 pm to Buyugurl
quote:
I don’t have any
quote:
Buyugurl
Checks out
Posted on 9/17/20 at 3:00 pm to madmaxvol
There were two schools in our area that were both pretty good small school football teams. A month before school started, one of the schools burned to the ground. A decision was made to combine the two small schools into one school and a really good football team was formed.
They kicked our arse all over the field for a decade. My junior season, we had a decent team and we thought we had a shot at them on the road. They jumped out 28-0 in the first quarter.
We kept creeping back in, and in the fourth quarter, we were down 35-31. They were running the clock out and we were calling timeouts and doing everything we were supposed to do.
3rd and long, they decided to pass for the first down. Somehow I got loose and got into the quarterbacks face and deflected his pass straight up and caught it. It was my only interception of my career. We didn't score, but I was a local hero for a couple of days for giving us a chance.
They kicked our arse all over the field for a decade. My junior season, we had a decent team and we thought we had a shot at them on the road. They jumped out 28-0 in the first quarter.
We kept creeping back in, and in the fourth quarter, we were down 35-31. They were running the clock out and we were calling timeouts and doing everything we were supposed to do.
3rd and long, they decided to pass for the first down. Somehow I got loose and got into the quarterbacks face and deflected his pass straight up and caught it. It was my only interception of my career. We didn't score, but I was a local hero for a couple of days for giving us a chance.
Posted on 9/17/20 at 3:07 pm to anc
Not cool, but kinda funny:
My first year on Varsity, we had a really good team, so I rarely got to play. But I looked forward to playing, because during film review, helmet stickers got handed out, the coach bragged on good performances, and the team celebrated the good jobs people did. I wanted to be in on that, especially since I looked up to the older guys.
Well, one game we were blowing someone out, and I got to play the whole second half. I had a monster game, with a couple sacks and a blocked punt. I knew I was finally going to be one of the guys at the film review.
The review goes as normal, with coach bragging on guys and giving out helmet stickers. Then, at halftime, he turns off the film and says "Nothing mattered in the second half, let's go practice."
My first year on Varsity, we had a really good team, so I rarely got to play. But I looked forward to playing, because during film review, helmet stickers got handed out, the coach bragged on good performances, and the team celebrated the good jobs people did. I wanted to be in on that, especially since I looked up to the older guys.
Well, one game we were blowing someone out, and I got to play the whole second half. I had a monster game, with a couple sacks and a blocked punt. I knew I was finally going to be one of the guys at the film review.
The review goes as normal, with coach bragging on guys and giving out helmet stickers. Then, at halftime, he turns off the film and says "Nothing mattered in the second half, let's go practice."
Posted on 9/17/20 at 3:11 pm to anc
quote:
Anyone got any great stories from high school football days? This is one of the coolest stories from small town Mississippi football.
LINK
You may have seen the story last week about Vardaman High football coach Brennan Pugh, quarantined because of COVID-19, who coached from a rented lift from his backyard near the field. The story went viral, which perhaps really isn’t the best way to describe anything during this pandemic. Nonetheless…
Pugh’s story brought back memories of another Mississippi high school football story that went viral before viral was a thing. This was back when newspapers were still read from ink on paper. Back when the Internet was in its infancy, available almost exclusively to universities and governments in possession of huge, cumbersome super computers.
This was in 1988 when a 46-year-old man named David Lee Herbert, stricken with ALS, coached at tiny Tishomingo High in the northeast Mississippi hill country.
This was mid-November, last game of the season. Tishomingo was playing at Falkner. A berth in the state playoffs was on the line. Tishomingo led Falkner 16-14 with seven seconds left and Tishomingo had the ball at the Falkner 35. But here’s the deal: To advance to the playoffs, Tishomingo had to defeat Faulkner by four points and led by only two. Nobody in the town of Falkner could kick a 52-yard field goal.
A field goal try was no option. He could try to throw a “Hail Mary” against Falkner’s stout defense but that was the longest of long shots. But David Lee Herbert came up with another idea that he described in a phone conversation days later. “We weighed our chances of scoring on one play and knew they weren’t very good,” he said. “We decided to go the other way.”
The “other way” was 65 yards backwards for a safety that would score two points for Falkner and send the game into overtime, tied at 16. Then, Coach Herbert thought, his team could score a winning touchdown and advance to the playoffs. Yes, it was a long shot, but Coach Herbert determined that it was his team’s best shot.
Thats actually really smart.
Posted on 9/17/20 at 4:00 pm to anc
Some spirit group borrowed a cannon from Millsaps for my first high school game. They were going to shoot it off after TD's. They had the black powder shots all prepped, but they bought the slowest dynamite fuse you can get to set it off.
We score the first TD, and the guys lite the fuse and nothing happens. The fuse was burning, but it wasn't getting anywhere fast. Now, no one wants to touch it, so they just watch.
Meanwhile, both teams line up for the kickoff, and I go in the game for my very first high school play ever. We kick off. The ball sails down to near the goal line, and the cannon goes off just about the time the ball gets to the kick returner. I was about the 40 when it went off, and it scared the shite out of me. I can't imagine what the returner thought when this cannon goes off about 20 yards behind him. He misplayed the ball. We recovered. Their coaches went ape shite. After about a 5 minute discussion, we got to keep the ball and scored again on the next play.
We score the first TD, and the guys lite the fuse and nothing happens. The fuse was burning, but it wasn't getting anywhere fast. Now, no one wants to touch it, so they just watch.
Meanwhile, both teams line up for the kickoff, and I go in the game for my very first high school play ever. We kick off. The ball sails down to near the goal line, and the cannon goes off just about the time the ball gets to the kick returner. I was about the 40 when it went off, and it scared the shite out of me. I can't imagine what the returner thought when this cannon goes off about 20 yards behind him. He misplayed the ball. We recovered. Their coaches went ape shite. After about a 5 minute discussion, we got to keep the ball and scored again on the next play.
Posted on 9/17/20 at 4:20 pm to anc
Back in my day we had an un-air conditioned school bus we traveled to games in. 10th graders had to ride on top of everyone’s equipment bags in the back of the bus. After road games the coach would always finish his post game speech by telling everyone who was riding home with their parents not to leave before we got the bus cranked. We had to push it to get it started. Now theses kids go back and forth in charter buses with a/c, TVs, and toilets, and everybody gets a seat. No wonder the world has gone to crap.
Not exactly sure that’s what you were looking for but felt like sharing.
Not exactly sure that’s what you were looking for but felt like sharing.
This post was edited on 9/17/20 at 4:21 pm
Posted on 9/17/20 at 4:28 pm to anc
(no message)
This post was edited on 9/17/20 at 4:35 pm
Posted on 9/17/20 at 5:23 pm to Harry Rex Vonner
quote:
Back in my day we had an un-air conditioned school bus we traveled to games in. 10th graders had to ride on top of everyone’s equipment bags in the back of the bus.
I have not thought about this in years and your post brought back memories. We called ourselves "cannon fodder" cause the varsity would put in some new play and coach would blow the whistle for us to line up on defense. We got slaughtered, as expected.
Posted on 9/17/20 at 5:41 pm to anc
I lived in Tishomingo when this happened. There is a book written about Coach Herbert and this incident and his life called "Playing for Overtime." Coach Herbert I believe was coaching from the back of a pickup truck that had been set up for him due to his ALS. His son was the QB. He sent in the play and the other players began to question the call. A pitchback to the tailback, one of the fastest players on the team. Run to the endzone and down the ball for a safety. But we're winning this game??? Yeah but to advance in the playoffs we have to win by four. My Dad knows what he is doing. The play went as desingned and the Faulkner coaches figured out what was going on and were screaming at their kids to catch him and tackle him. The safety was recorded and Tishomingo goes on to defeat Faulkner in overtime. Tishomingo no longer has HS football. It is known locally as "The Play." It's a really good book about life and football.
Posted on 9/17/20 at 6:09 pm to Floalareb
That’s awesome
The article said that they had to take two delay of game penalties in order to talk the rest of the team into it.
The article said that they had to take two delay of game penalties in order to talk the rest of the team into it.
Posted on 9/17/20 at 6:45 pm to anc
I'm not really sure about that. I certainly can see that happening. The Seniors that were on the team were definitely upset. If you have an opportunity to read the book it's a good read. Obviously, sad somewhat. Coach Herbert did live a long life. He really endured a lot of things that would have brought many a man down. He lost a daughter after a football game in a wreck as the team was going to celebrate a victory and a game where his star set state records. 7 touchdowns in one game. Scored in about every way that you could score. Eric Powell, goes on to play at OM and also I believe becomes a state senator.
Posted on 9/17/20 at 9:14 pm to Floalareb
Posted on 9/17/20 at 9:22 pm to DingLeeBerry
Craziest thing I’ve ever seen was at a 1A game in north Alabama 15 or so years ago. It is getting close to the end of the 3rd quarter and the visiting teams running back breaks loose and they run him down around the two yard line near the East end zone. The clock hits zero and the teams head to their sideline for the break between quarters. When they whistle to bring the players back on to the field both teams start heading to the west end zone.
The refs motion them back down to the East and everybody is thinking well guess the refs are too lazy to make the teams swap sides and are just gonna play going the same way. But oh no the refs have swapped sides for the teams and the team that should have had 1st and Goal from the 2 now are facing a 1st and 10 from the 2 yard line 98 yards from a TD.
Needless to say the visiting coach was going ape shite and I believe even the home team coach was trying to explain to the refs the error but they would not budge.
To this day I can’t phantom how 5 men can be that ignorant and refuse to see their error with the whole stadium either cussing or laughing at them.
The refs motion them back down to the East and everybody is thinking well guess the refs are too lazy to make the teams swap sides and are just gonna play going the same way. But oh no the refs have swapped sides for the teams and the team that should have had 1st and Goal from the 2 now are facing a 1st and 10 from the 2 yard line 98 yards from a TD.
Needless to say the visiting coach was going ape shite and I believe even the home team coach was trying to explain to the refs the error but they would not budge.
To this day I can’t phantom how 5 men can be that ignorant and refuse to see their error with the whole stadium either cussing or laughing at them.
Posted on 9/17/20 at 9:28 pm to Sput
Oh wow.
I once saw a 98 yard kickoff return that didn’t score. Caught it at 1 yard line and returned it to opposing 1.
Three plays later, due to a penalty, a bad snap, and a sack, they had to punt from midfield on 4th and Goal.
I once saw a 98 yard kickoff return that didn’t score. Caught it at 1 yard line and returned it to opposing 1.
Three plays later, due to a penalty, a bad snap, and a sack, they had to punt from midfield on 4th and Goal.
Posted on 9/17/20 at 10:34 pm to anc
We played ED Mayo in junior high in 70s and I remember most of their players had beards, and kids.
We almost beat Moss Point at their homecoming in 80s and they got mad and threw coke bottles at our bus, one smashed throw the window and coaches yell “ everyone put on your helmets”
We almost beat Moss Point at their homecoming in 80s and they got mad and threw coke bottles at our bus, one smashed throw the window and coaches yell “ everyone put on your helmets”
Posted on 9/18/20 at 5:45 am to Sput
East end zone? I thought all end zones were set up to be north and south?
I’m talking about outdoor stadiums only.
I’m talking about outdoor stadiums only.
This post was edited on 9/18/20 at 5:47 am
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