2-1 Fanning County GA at 2-1 Murphy
- Thread starter BK13T-$
- Start date
Should be a much better game than last year. Fannin was the better team a year ago, but on top of that, they were at home and they caught every break in the book early on and got out to a huge lead before the bus even had time to cool off. Add to that Murphy losing RB Ty Laney the week before and it was just the perfect storm. Fannin’s coach showed his behind after the game during the handshake so I’m sure that coach Watson and his staff and players haven’t forgotten. I’m sure this one has been circled. If you don’t have a game to go to Friday, this might be one you want to come and see! Should be a fun atmosphere to say the least.
They’re about 900. One of the bigger 2A schools in GA. It’s really more like 3A with GA having two divisions in 1A.
Fannin lost a ton of players….they still have the QB.
Lost 2 leading rushers, 3 leading receivers, and most of their defense…except they’re 2 leading tacklers who were sophomores. Lost all their kicking game too.
Couldn’t believe how many touchbacks on kickoffs they had against Murphy last year….that young ‘Un is gone.…so maybe y’all can have better field position this time around.
I think it’s gonna be a better game
I’m taking Murphy…if y’all lose…I can talk some crap to ole BK….you know…fannin the flame. 😂
It can’t get any better than that. 😉
Lost 2 leading rushers, 3 leading receivers, and most of their defense…except they’re 2 leading tacklers who were sophomores. Lost all their kicking game too.
Couldn’t believe how many touchbacks on kickoffs they had against Murphy last year….that young ‘Un is gone.…so maybe y’all can have better field position this time around.
I think it’s gonna be a better game
I’m taking Murphy…if y’all lose…I can talk some crap to ole BK….you know…fannin the flame. 😂
It can’t get any better than that. 😉
Fannin big time!! Murphy’s run game could be effective but I think the competition the rebels have played trumps the competition the bulldogs have played. Rebels 56 Bulldogs 20.
If I remember correctly, Watson and the dogs were scoring and acting cocky and thumping their chests against fannins jv squad… Watson had to save some face on the scoreboard..
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Previous competition won't be a factor, both squads have played one good team and that one good team Murphy played (Commerce) would thump any team Fannin has played, including Union.
With that said I think Fannin wins a high scoring game. Murphy is weak on the interior d-line and has struggled mightily to stop any good rushing attack they've faced since Coach Nelson left, apart from the Robbinsville game last season. It doesn't help matters that Murphy's stud RB/S still isn't completely healthy and Murphy's FB/OLB is out injured.
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Fannin may win because Murphy is very young and in a transitional period, but historically Murphy is the superior program and has owned Fannin head to head. Fannin may win, Fannin may not win, but they won’t beat the Dogs 56-20 at the Hill.
You realize that Murphy was severely banged up and missing some of its best skill players in that game, right? The game was effectively over after the first quarter. Murphy wasn’t coming back, but Watson needed to work on some stuff and build his team’s confidence for the upcoming conference schedule. I guess Fannin’s coach didn’t like that and thought Murphy should just run some draws and take some knees.
It’s not necessarily what they ran that I have a problem with, it was the way the coaches and players acted when doing it.
Just because Commerce steam rolled murphy doesn’t make them good in the grand scheme of things. Who knows they could beat Fannin or Union but I highly doubt it..
Nope. You got it backwards. Fannin won an overtime game at home in 2011 by 3, and won big at home last year. That’s two wins for them. Murphy blew out Fannin at Murphy in 2010 and 2013, and blew them out in Blue Ridge in 2012. That’s three wins for Murphy.
This century, Dogs 3 Rebels 2
Steamrolling Murphy doesn't make them a good or a bad team, but yes they are absolutely a good team. I've seen enough quality high school football over the years to know what a good team looks like, I know that's probably a novel concept as a Basin fan.
Commerce have an electric junior RB that got his first D1 offer a few weeks ago. Rest assured he would run all over Fannin and Union too. Far from a one man show, their fullback is a monster too. They have plenty of speed on defense and are physical.
So let's revisit: big time skill players ✔️, good upfront ✔️, physical and fast on defense ✔️. That's the basis for pretty much any "good" football team...
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I would bet that neither Fannin or Union has anywhere near the talent in the backfield that Commerce has. Not even close.
Fannin has a talented and athletic QB and RB duo, but no, they're not close to Commerce's RB/FB combo. And that will remain the case even if Fannin drops 50+ on Murphy tomorrow night.
It’s certainly not a novel concept. Before the private/public split we were in district/conference with private schools Boyd-Buchanan, Silverdale, and Grace Baptist. I would take a traditional Boyd team over anyone in the SMC. I do realize top to bottom the SMC is 100x’s better than the district we are in now with the exception of South Pitt, you guys won last year against them whatever, and my prediction was wrong but that Pirate team was very under achieving. I’ll stand on the hill that the pirates would probably own a 10 year series between the bulldogs if that was possible.Just saying! I know we will never see that but still. We can revisit the dogs shouldn’t be in 1a and wouldn’t be in Tennessee also if you need to be in reminded.
I can’t speak for the rb/fb duo in Commerce, I’ll take your word. Fannins backfield is talented too.
If 9-3 and 4-0 in your district is underachieving then what the heck is normal. I know many schools that would be happy with that kind of record in any season and a 2nd round in playoffs. In that particular game against South Pitt, Murphy showed a lot or resiliency losing their star RB and out one of their top pass catchers to beat a powerhouse in South Pitt.
Everyone can play the "what if" games all you want but as of now.. Murphy has a 1-0 record against South Pitt and all trash talking is usually played on the field last I heard.
As far as Fannin, they caught Murphy last year on an emotional game where they were out several key starters and running off a hangover from their win against powerhouse South Pitt. That isn't any excuse for a loss but Murphy since Gentry left (all-time winningest coach in NC history), has not been Murphy and really been inconsistent each week; you really don't know which murphy team you will get.
As far as the series goes, Murphy won back in 2013, 2012, Fannin won in 2011, Murphy won in 2010 and Fannin won in 2022 (thats as far back as 2005). Not sure if they played any games before that. But Murphy owns a 3-2 advantage.
Like I said the competition is extremely weak in our district. It’s easy to go 4-0 if you’re the Pirates. Normal for the pirates is a trip to the quarter/semi finals and they didn’t do that last year and I can speak for the pirate fans that they weren’t too happy and they know they underachieved.
I agree ever since Gentry left the Bulldogs have been inconsistent, I’ll say again that the dogs should’ve hired Nelson. The team would be alot more disciplined in my opinion. I saw Watson’s 12u baseball team play this past season and a few of those kids had mouths like a sailor. So if that’s what Watson lets 12 year olds do I can only imagine the high school level. So I’m sure alot of the problem is lack of discipline.
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Interesting note: Fannin is 3-1 against Robbinsville since 2005. I know you had it backwards but when looking up the games, I did find that interesting. Now granite, I know Robbinsville wasn't Robbinsville during those years early on but that was interesting.
This is 2023. What they did over last 20 years won't carry over to Friday night. Expect a good game.
Very true.. but BK brought it up hence the continuous conversation about it.
This aged well lol
If anyone here wants to watch it, go to this link and scroll down to and click on demand, Murphy- Fannin is the first listing.
Congrats to the dawgs on their win last night. Looking like the pre ordained Smc champs ( Robbinsville) better not count their chickens before they hatch. Murphy has always been one of my favorite teams to follow. Miss seeing coach gentry patrolling the sidelines. The SMC is setting up to be a dawg fight. Swain / Murphy / Robbinsville look to be equals at the moment. What’s the projections after big non conference schedule showings by all three. Fingers crossed that all 3 come out of conference schedule injury free, it’s good for us small town football fans to see the Smc team’s healthy and coming out of the mountains wreaking havoc come playoff time . (EXCEPT WHEN COMING TO MA) . Some of my favorite football memories are traveling around watching the Murphys va albelmares and swains vs Monroe’s , Murphy vs MA , robbinsville vs MA. . Just fun atmospheres and great football games
