We do not have any kids who weigh 200, though one is close. We have another at around 180 and both are very good linemen. The very fast RB referenced above is as good a true RB as I have seen at the JH level. He is so good that most games he carries the ball only 4-5 times. We have 5 other boys who get regular playing time at RB and 3 at QB. This team is definitely one of the most talented, unselfish JH teams I have ever coached, and I have coached some very good JH teams.
As for the comments about JH football, in the Austin/San Antonio area I would say that we have several teams that are very good this season. Sure, some teams who graduated 10 or so 8th graders are down and some smaller teams with some huge boys are doing better than normal, but all in all I have seen some really solid football considering many of these boys have never played tackle football before. Unlike year's past, I have yet to see a game where a team is struggling to get a snap off, or half the players don't know the plays. I have also seen several teams with many younger boys who strap it on and give it their best with the bigger boys. These teams will be very good over the next two years.
One thing that was unusual this season is that for the first time in a few years we had several teams not make. This is always a concern for some of the smaller schools, but this year the South Texas Football Conference had 5 teams cancel before the season started and 3 of those teams were large-school teams (originally we divided our 25 JH teams into a 12-team large-school conference and 13-team small-school conference). And all three teams had been at the top of the standings over the past 5 years. Obviously, if we had these teams at full strength and still in the fold, the league would have been stronger.
