Vinton County 2024

[Dundas]

The Vikings are coming off a TVC Ohio championship in 2023. They set the record for most points scored, 3rd in points given up and won the 7th title in school history. Head coach TJ Carper finished his 3rd season at the helm and amassed 21 victories in that span. The most wins in a three year span since coach Jack O’Rourke in the late 80’s to early 90’s. Coach Carper has decided to move on to Zanesville for 2024 and the Vikings will be looking for someone else to take the reins. Who will that be? We will find out soon. The Vikings will face the same schedule in 24 as they faced a year ago in 23. Can they defend their title with a new leader? Can the program continue its rise? Time will tell.

[GrumpyPundit]

Wow, bombshell! I hadn’t even heard whispers of him looking to move on.

[Albundy33]

Who is the front runner for the job dundas
Wish carper all the luck and thanks for the last few years

[Dundas]

Who is the front runner for the job dundas
Wish carper all the luck and thanks for the last few years

No clue at this point. He told his players and coaches this past weekend.

[Dundas]

Short list of candidates..

Jason Snider (1994 alum)
Nolan Yates (Coached VC from 2006-2009)
Marcus Games (2023 Offensive Coordinator)
Rusty Richards
Rod Bentley

[noreply66]

Go with Marcus Games

[Old Shorts]

The real short list:

Jack

[Dundas]

The real short list:

Jack

Jack lives in Florida. I’d say he’s not a realistic candidate.

[GRFan]

Tough shoes to fill.

[Dundas]

Tough shoes to fill.

Coach Carper has 3 straight years of above .500 football. That hasn’t been done since 1995-97. Football in VC was brought back to relevance with TJ.

[Old Shorts]

Tough shoes to fill.

Coach Carper has 3 straight years of above .500 football. That hasn’t been done since 1995-97. Football in VC was brought back to relevance with TJ.

So, is that like a three peat? And don’t forget they were TVC Champions beating all those tough league teams. Then held GA to 34 points in the first round of the playoffs.

[Dundas]

Tough shoes to fill.

Coach Carper has 3 straight years of above .500 football. That hasn’t been done since 1995-97. Football in VC was brought back to relevance with TJ.

So, is that like a three peat? And don’t forget they were TVC Champions beating all those tough league teams. Then held GA to 34 points in the first round of the playoffs.

3 peat of above 500 since the mid 90’s, yes. First TVC championship since 1999, yes. Pretty great accomplishments if you ask me.

Should he have gone 10-0 each year and won 3 straight state titles? Would that have been good enough for old shorts?

[VC94]

There is something more to him leaving. His wife recently took the VC volleyball job. Is he planning to commute to Zanesville? Recruiting issues with the ohsaa is whats going around town. He had 2 stacked classes at VC. Now when it’s time to really put in the work and rebuild he bails. Every 2-3 years VC is looking for another fball coach

[caitcarpcoachswife]

Let’s go over some facts.
- Yes, Tj took the job at Zanesville
- Yes, he’s going to commute everyday as I did just take a head coaching position at Vinton County and the kids and I do not want to leave right now.
- Tj felt like this was the best thing for him and his coaching career. He builds, restarts, renovates programs (how ever you want to word it) and that’s what he is going to do at Zanesville. He’s the man for the job, for sure! When we moved to VC (back home for me) we had no intentions of being here FOREVER. We initially moved home 3 years ago because my dad is sick. Then the football job came open and everything just sort of fell into place.
- This decision has nothing to do with “running away from Jackson and Warren” or “OHSAA Recruiting”. The teams he’s going to be going up against are much better than your average TVC team.
- And let’s stop with the rebuild at VC the cupboard is not bare for the next 5 years! Watch and see! He’s shown VC what it’s going to take to win I just hope everyone has taken note and will see it through now that he’s gone!
Anymore questions….feel free to reach out. We love to talk

[Albundy33]

Well put
I personally am a vc guy and love that football became relevant in vc again hey can’t blame the guy for trying to improve his and his family
So to the carpers congrats good luck I’ll check scores every week and hope to see a turn around in zanesville
As for vc you have to be realistic in your hire personal opinion try to keep the other coaches in place weather that is move on up to head and just add to fill or hire someone who will keep the staff together
I truly believe that the future is bright at vc on the grid iron just have to keep the kids coming out and support the new coach
I have talked to a few of the players and parents and they believe the answer is currently on staff keep the system going carper sat a standard let’s keep it and roll on

[vcgrad]

good luck to Carper---it will be a nice drive everyday to Zanesville....

[Honey Caadwell]

Let’s go over some facts.
- Yes, Tj took the job at Zanesville
- Yes, he’s going to commute everyday as I did just take a head coaching position at Vinton County and the kids and I do not want to leave right now.
- Tj felt like this was the best thing for him and his coaching career. He builds, restarts, renovates programs (how ever you want to word it) and that’s what he is going to do at Zanesville. He’s the man for the job, for sure! When we moved to VC (back home for me) we had no intentions of being here FOREVER. We initially moved home 3 years ago because my dad is sick. Then the football job came open and everything just sort of fell into place.
- This decision has nothing to do with “running away from Jackson and Warren” or “OHSAA Recruiting”. The teams he’s going to be going up against are much better than your average TVC team.
- And let’s stop with the rebuild at VC the cupboard is not bare for the next 5 years! Watch and see! He’s shown VC what it’s going to take to win I just hope everyone has taken note and will see it through now that he’s gone!
Anymore questions….feel free to reach out. We love to talk

Couldnt have said it better myself darlin. We have to protect our men on this cesspool site. I bet your guy and my guy have a lot in common. We should do lunch.

[Scotty Hobart]

It’s great that a couple of wives can get on here and defend their husbands. That’s what makes this site so great, that we can all express our opinions and respect those of others. I know there are some of us with different opinions on why the coach is leaving and we will all find out soon enough which is correct.

[Brownies1]

Wish Coach the best of luck as I do any coach who is willing to take the time away from his/her own family and take on the challenges of molding our youth. I will say Coach walked into a nice setup at VC with arguably 2 of the best classes VC has had in a long time as well as a few transfers/returns they added. Did coach add to that from a leadership role? I’m sure he did but let’s not act like he came into a bad situation and turned dust to gold. I’m not 100% sure but I believe it was his first HC job? If so then he did what every coach sets out to do….take a program who hasn’t won much consistently and guide them to 3 winning seasons and a league championship. Call it perfect timing or whatever you want to call it but he did it. Would i personally like to see him stay and show that it wasn’t a fluke? Yeah but I won’t fault a guy taking a bigger challenge. He will either prove that he is a legitimately rebuilder or not. I won’t fault a coach who wants to take on the challenge of rebuilding a bigger school in what is most definitely going to be an extremely tough challenge.

[Raider6309]

Hard to turn down a job like Zanesville