2020 Union City (TN) Football Preview Section

Ready...SAFE

Cover trio rested and ready to lead in

When COVID-19 shut down high school sports in March, it meant football teams would not have spring practice.

So, players were on their own to stay in shape.

The three players on the cover of this year’s football preview section did that, and they used the extra time to relax, pick up new hobbies and take care of some projects around the house.

Neil Brown of Union City, Obion Central’s Brennan Finnell and Garrett Slaughter of South Fulton — all linemen — used their time wise ly. Not only were they in shape and ready to take on leadership roles for their respective teams when condi tioning drills were allowed in May, they were mentally refreshed after spending time on everything from yard work to fishing to developing some musical skills.

The trio is smart, evidenced by their interest in math and history classes, and diversified in their tastes in music.

Each has had an exciting run in high school with some great moments. Brown worked his way into the starting lineup during the playoffs of his freshman year and helped the Golden Tornadoes win their fourth state championship in 2017, that same year Finnell and the Rebels advanced to the sec ond round of the postseason, and Slaughter was involved in a regular season thriller last season when the Red Devils rallied for a two-over time win over Fulton County.

They have played against some of the state’s best, too.

Brown and Slaughter pointed out that their toughest opponents won state titles last year — Trenton Peabody for Brown and Lake County for Slaughter. Meanwhile, perennial state elite Haywood tops Finnell’s list as toughest foe.

In a year that has already been unprecedented and unexpected, this year’s cover threesome brings some normalcy to the scene. The following is a closer look at the young men who grace this year’s cover.

NEIL BROWN Union City

• In addition to staying in shape for football, what did you do dur ing the COVID-19 quarantine?

Picked up music and mode beats/ song with friends; looked for new shows with my girlfriend.

• What is your most memo rable football moment?

Freshman year (2017), I started the whole playoffs, and we ended up winning the ’chip.

• Favorite non-football activ ity?

Pick-up basketball, video games.

• What is your favorite class in school?

Junior year, it was Pre-Cal.

right now?

GHOST by Earl Sweatshirt (fea turing Navy Blue).

• Most-called number in your cell?

My girlfriend, by far.

• Toughest team to play?

Over the years, Trenton has been very high-tempo and a great chal lenge for us.

• Favorite vacation destina tion?

New York City (pre-COVID).

• Plans after graduation?

Attempt to enroll in honors pro grams and play college football.

BRENNAN FINNELL

Obion Central

• In addition to staying in shape for football, what did you do dur ing the COVID-19 quarantine?

I mostly did yard work, but I also had a program of push-ups, sit-ups and running with my sister.

• What is your most memo rable football moment?

Freshman year (2017), when we

playoffs.

• Favorite non-football activ ity?

Hunting and fishing.

• What is your favorite class in school?

Math.

• What’s your favorite song right now?

One Margarita by Luke Bryan.

• Most-called number in your cell?

My mom.

• Toughest team to play?

Haywood.

• Favorite vacation destina tion?

Mexico.

• Plans after graduation?

Go to college and build my future.

GARRETT SLAUGHTER

South Fulton

• In addition to staying in shape for football, what did you do dur ing the COVID-19 quarantine?

I went fishing with my friends

• What is your most memo rable football moment?

Our comeback double-overtime win against Fulton County (last sea son).

• Favorite non-football activ ity?

Hunting, fishing and hanging out with the boys.

• What is your favorite class in school?

I’m a big U.S. History guy.

• What’s your favorite song right now?

More Than My Hometown by Morgan Wallen.

• Most-called number in your cell?

Probably my main man, Jared Knott.

• Toughest team to play?

Most definitely Lake County.

• Favorite vacation destina tion?

All the national parks and sites out west.

• Plans after graduation?

Staying

I usually begin working on the next football preview section as soon as the last one goes to press.

So, already I am working on ideas for 2021.

For now, I’m hoping all the work done on the section you are reading was not wasted.

Sadly, the 2020 season is still in doubt. At the college level, some teams and conferences have scrapped football in the fall with the hope of playing in the spring.

Before this preview section was finished, some of it became irrel evant. More of the same was pos sible as it was being printed.

Hopefully, the teams you will be reading about today will be in action tomorrow and for the next 16 weeks. It still could be, however, merely wishful thinking.

But, let’s be optimistic and believe that Union City will kick off the Nick Markle era on Aug. 28 against USJ after its game against defend ing Class 1A state champion Lake County was canceled, that Obion Central will get off to a good start against Gibson County and that a talented and experienced South Fulton team will be up to the chal lenge of Stewart County as the Rebels and Red Devils open Friday night at home.

And, let’s really be optimistic that everyone — all players, on all teams — stays safe from injuries as well as the cause of all this pessimism in the first place: COVID-19.

In this section, you will see preview stories on Obion County Central, South Fulton and Union City. Those programs’ respective head coaches — Paul Decker, Eric Knott and first-year man Nick Markle — again provided access when ever I called, showing patience and appreciation for the coverage their teams get in our outlet.

We worked out times for inter views and team/individual photo shoots, and each coach was on

board with my selections of players for the cover. I chose OC’s Brennan Finnell, SF’s Garrett Slaughter and UC’s Neil Brown not only because of what they bring to the field but what they mean to their teammates, what they contribute to their com munities and what they will do in the future.

They are three fine young men from three teams filled with fine young men. And, they were wide awake and ready to go for the early Saturday morning photo shoot.

While UT Martin, Murray State and the Ohio Valley Conference did not have media days to preview the upcoming season — more victims of the corona virus — we were able to gather up enough information for inside looks there as well.

Should college football be played, UTM will have the dean of OVC coaches in Jason Simpson, and Murray State will have a Dean, as in Dean Hood, as its new head coach. The OVC championship race should be a year-long battle.

This section also has a feature series entitled “Faces Of History” with a look at some excellent play ers, and great moments, at the three local schools and UTM.

I traveled to St. Charles, Mo., just outside of St. Louis, and to Nashville for two interviews, while the other two were done in nearby Martin and Troy.

The results of my travels are four stories on four fascinating men.

We take a look at how the local teams handled COVID-19 and all the safety guidelines that have been put in place, and we preview regions 7-2A, 7-4A and 7-1A with schedules of each team.

We also preview Tennessee and the SEC — sort of — as we look at the revamped schedules while hop ing the season actually gets played in the fall.

Should college football be post poned until the spring of 2021, then just consider this to be one of those “Way Too Early” previews.

The Messenger has continued its excellent tradition of putting out one of the best football preseason sec tions in Tennessee.

The 2019 tabloid was named best in the state in the Tennessee Sports Writers Association con test.

Many peo ple played a role in this publication.

While I am now the front man, an entire staff of people inside the office and contributors from the out side deserve credit.

David Fuzzell’s talents as a pho tographer are seen throughout the pages, and his advice on what to do and how to do it are just as invaluable.

Editor David Critchlow and senior staff writer Chris Menees gave the section their fine-tooth-comb treat ment prior to printing, and then Dennis Castleberry and the press crew made the ink line up and the colors pop.

Shannon Terrett and Trevor Thralls added their technical skills throughout the section as well.

Local photographers Teresa Hutchison, Jake Clapper and Heather Hobbs have also contribut ed their work, and will do so during all prep seasons in the fall, winter and spring.

Mike Hutchens, who built the cul ture of excellence in this paper’s sports department, is now a major asset in his position as commu

nications director for Union City Schools. I’m going to say this now: Every school system needs a com munications director.

And, Jason Aldridge is pure magic with the camera and the computer. Do the covers look good? Well, thank Pops. He took my photos and turned them into high quality works.

Speaking of the cover: Those masks were provided by Kizer Pharmacy in Union City.

Advertising is the key to every thing in the newspaper business,

and Todd Tilghman was able to sell enough ads to keep this at 32 pages despite the struggles in our local economy due to the corona virus. Lisa Wilson did good work designing those ads.

Finally, none of this is possible without you, the readers.

It’s our job, duty and pleasure to bring you the best high school sports coverage from within the borders of Obion County, and we think we do it pretty well.

So, enjoy and be optimistic. This, too, shall pass.

Luck to all

season!

teams on

ACCEPTING TENN-CARE PATIENTS

By KEVIN WEAKS Messenger Sports Editor

There’s a rare sight at the Union City football camp this season: A first-year head coach.

Nick Markle was hired as the Golden Tornadoes’ new boss in February, replacing highly-success ful Darren Bowling.

In taking the top job, Markle becomes the 23rd known coach in program history, which dates back nearly 120 years and has posted over 650 all-time wins.

But, more indicative of the stabil ity within the tradition-rich program, Markle is only the fifth head coach since 1975.

So, over the past 45 years, UC’s first-year coaches have been Larry Shanks (1975), Randy Barnes (1982), Jimmy Fishel (2003) and Bowling (2008).

That group combined for a 382151 overall record and all 28 playoff appearances. Bowling led the pro gram to all four of its state cham pionships, while Barnes and Fishel took the Twisters to three runner-up finishes.

Markle, who was an assistant on the 2009 state title team, under stands the magnitude of his new position.

“I definitely don’t take it lightly,” he said. “It’s an honor. Just to be inter viewed for the job was a privilege, and to be hired as the head coach of Union City High School is a very humbling experience. And, we’ve been welcomed with open arms in the community.”

With the culture of winning already firmly in place, Markle knows what comes with the job, and he believes his coaching travels have him pre pared to meet the challenge.

“It took me going in a roundabout way back to here,” said the coach, who spent the previous six seasons — the last four as head coach — at Munford. “Every stop prepared me for sitting in this chair. This pro gram’s not used to losing, so it’s a championship mentality.”

And, that is a mentality embraced throughout the school system.

Markle is all-in there as well.

“The motto here at the school is ‘No Excuses’, and that bleeds into every aspect of what Union City High School is all about,” he said. “From performing arts to academ ics to athletics, such a high level of excellence is expected. Losing is not an option around here.”

Despite the COVID-19 pandem ic that shut down the school and all athletic activities in mid-March, Markle has been spending his time putting his stamp on the program.

That means a different look on both sides of the ball while main taining the program’s trademark physical style of play.

“We’re definitely going to be more dynamic in what we’re doing,” Markle said. “I’m not going to change a whole lot in the mentality; the mentality is we’re going to try to dominate the time possession. We want to have long drives on offense, and we want to play stingy defense.

“We want to be physical. Union City has been known for its physi cality. I know in ’09 when we won the state title, we won because we were the more physical team than South Pittsburg. That’s something that’s going to have to carry on.

“But at the end of the day, I want these guys to have fun. That’s the ultimate goal. That’s high school football, and I can’t think of anything more fun than winning a ballgame on Friday night.”

MANY FACES

Markle will bring in a formationloaded playbook for the offense, which has been basic but highly effective in the triple-option attack of Bowling.

UC will line up in the shotgun and under center, moving the running backs and putting the backs and receivers in motion.

“We’re going to try to establish the run and throw the ball when the opportunity arises,” Markle said. “I think we have some kids who can cause some issues on the edges. We have some receivers who are tall and can cause some prob

lems to some of the corners in our league.”

After graduating nearly 3,000 rushing yards, the Twisters were destined for a new look in personnel on offense, starting at quarterback.

Wes Tilghman (6-0, 188), a senior, takes over at signal-caller and brings solid ball-carrying cre dentials and a good arm to the position.

A dynamic runner who spent the summer working on his throwing mechanics, Tilghman is a true runpass double threat.

He heads up a backfield that can outrun defenses.

At 6-1, 225, senior fullback Travon Westbrook passes the eye test. The Tornado offense will go as far as he can take it.

Junior Kyrell Littleton (5-10, 190) is a game-breaker with his speed. He is competitive, a great team leader who brings positive energy to practice and made huge strides in the second half of the 2019 season.

Neil Brown (6-5, 280), a senior, has a big-time look and will lead a solid offensive line.

Not only blessed with size, Brown is an intelligent player who picks up on instruction quickly. He has the physical skills and tools and has already played at a high level, hav ing started for UC throughout the playoffs of the 2017 state champi onship run.

Carter Bondurant (6-0, 240), a junior, is perhaps the strongest play er on the team who brings a wealth of experience to the trenches. Like Brown, he is smart, learns quickly and will be tough for opponents to handle.

Senior Jason Bone (5-9, 205) can play both guard spots and is being counted on to elevate his game after getting a good number of snaps last season.

Markle has two players compet ing for the center spot as UC transi tions to the shotgun look. Mason

THE

OPPONENT

Brinkley (5-6, 195), a senior, and junior Evan Alexander (5-11, 220) are getting reps.

Sophomore Hayden Kennedy (5-10, 200) has potential to be a big-time player up front. Though inexperienced, he comes from a football family and brings that type of intelligence to either a guard spot or possibly the center position.

Harris Cagle (5-11, 215), a junior, is another high IQ player who is picking up the fundamentals as he vies for time at left tackle.

In Markle’s offensive scheme, the wide receivers won’t simply be downfield blockers. Youngsters with upside fill those spots, and they will be expected to make plays.

James Burcham (5-7, 155), an inexperienced senior, is a scat back, slot receiver with great hands.

Another senior, Grant Jernigan (63, 175), has good size who could turn out to be a good possession receiver.

Vinson Burnett (6-3, 185), a senior new to the program, has the ability to go up for the ball and will cause problems for cornerbacks.

Kolby Craig (5-10, 170) is a soph omore with brains and instincts but few snaps under his belt.

ALL NEW LOOK

If the offense will have a different look, then the defense is in for a major overhaul.

“We’re changing everything that’s been done in the past,” Markle said. “I’ve basically given the keys to our defense coordinator, Wade Maddox, and pretty much told him it’s his baby. He’s done a great job of coaching it up, installing everything at a nice pace.”

Switching to a three-man front, Union City will have Brown putting pressure on offenses from a tackle spot.

Bondurant will be another handful at the other tackle.

Perhaps the player who might be the biggest factor up front will be nose guard Jamaal Cox (5-8, 280).

If Cox can force opponents to double-team him and both Brown and Bondurant draw plenty of atten tion, then UC’s linebackers could become tackling machines.

Kennedy will be on the inside and quarterback of the defense, while senior Alexander Cox (5-11, 175) moves at a quick tempo and is a positive leader.

Sophomore Gage Smith (5-10, 192) brings a quiet personality and a workmanlike attitude to the line backer unit. Markle believes he will be among the program’s great play ers by the time he’s done.

Donovan Martinez (5-8, 185), a senior, will be battling for time at the linebacker spots as well.

Kyrell Littleton is a hard hitter in the defensive secondary, which will have several players being looked at for all those backfield spots.

Craig and fellow sophomore Durrell Littleton (6-0, 180) have the potential to be standouts in the sec ondary but need to mature into the roles when the clock is running.

Burcham has good cover skills and will be counted on in the defen sive backfield despite his lack of experience.

Westbrooks and senior Jonathon Stone (5-9, 180) are currently shar ing time at safety, but Markle would like Stone to make the position his.

Hayden Moon (6-1, 210) and Carson Collins (5-8, 190), both sophomores, are trying to work their way into the rotation on both lines.

Jacob Arnold (5-8, 150) and Keaton Brown (5-10, 165) are fresh men who are looking for playing time, too.

GETTING THEIR KICKS

An injury against McKenzie brought an early end to the 2019 season for kicker Miguel Sanchez (5-10, 200), but the sophomore has worked his way back into shape and will be counted on for points.

He booted 41 extra points last season before the injury.

While Tilghman gives Union City a threat to fake the kick as the punter, Markle says that’s not likely to hap pen.

Kennedy looks poised to take on the long-snapping duties, while Craig and the Littleton brothers are tabbed as the return specialists.

We believe there’s more to high school football than Friday night games and letter jackets. This game teaches lessons that players carry with them thru all stages of life. It shows how hard work, discipline, and dedication can define your success.

the reason we look forward to sitting in the stands and cheering for our favorite team

We’re

the sense of pride we as a community feel as we watch their skills, determination, and grit play out.

And maybe, just maybe, there's more to this game than just numbers on a scoreboard.

One thing is for sure, high school football is a hometown tradition that we’re always ready to stand up and cheer for!

UNION CITY FOOTBALL STILL HAS SPECIAL MEANING FOR DILDAY

By KEVIN WEAKS Messenger Sports Editor

ST. CHARLES, Mo. — Bart Dilday has lived and worked in the St. Louis area since earning his degree from UT Martin.

He played four years of college football, has been married to Faye for more than 30 years and the couple has two sons who were also college athletes. There are also two grandchildren

Life is good in this St. Louis suburb.

Still, the former Union City High School football player says there was nothing quite like Friday nights at War Memorial Stadium.

“One thing I remember about Union City, I loved growing up there,” he said. “It was a great place to grow up. It kind of reminds me of Mayberry, Andy Griffith days or something. The support that town gave us, the booster club. We had a great booster club. They did so much stuff for us. I remember they made these ties for us, purple ties with Union City, I think, on them. It was awesome. Then the band, the support the band got. We had one of the best bands in the country, I think.

“Friday nights were a special time. With the band and the whole town out, it was an event. It was great.”

Dilday was a great player on a great team during a great time for Golden Tornadoes’ football.

He was a senior in 1976, the year Union City made its first state play off appearance.

That Tornado team had it all — talented and experienced seniors, strong junior and sophomore class es and a smart, enthusiastic coach ing staff that loved the game and enjoyed teaching it.

Jim Graves left after the 1974 season, Dilday’s sophomore year, and Larry Shanks came in with Randy Barnes, Donnie Jones and Tom Rice as his assistants. Dilday said the new staff made an immedi ate impact.

“I remember coach Graves as a great coach, but sometimes just a change infuses enthusiasm and it’s a new spirit,” he said. “I think that’s what happened. Those guys were younger and just brought a new energy to the team.”

Shanks and the staff switched from the wishbone offense to the veer, which Dilday said better suited the team’s personnel.

Along with Dilday, who played fullback, quarterback Dale Logan was a solid athlete who could run and throw; Bart White, a senior, was big and fast; and Obion County Central transfer Tony Hunt was another solid athlete.

The Twisters were 7-4 in that first season under the new staff, posting a solid regular season before losing to a bigger Henry County squad in the Civitan Bowl.

Union City was poised for big things in the 1976 season. Even the preview section of The Messenger said as much, noting that “a storm was brewing” with that Tornado squad.

Dilday (5-10, 189) was part of a senior class that included Logan (5-9, 164), Hunt (5-10, 179), Mark Speed (5-9, 164), David Lynch (5-9, 165), Derek Raines (6-1, 169), Ricky Wallace (6-0, 182), Terry Cochran (5-4, 159), Rodney Bass (5-9, 179), Leland Davis (5-10, 190), Roger Hornsby (6-2, 193) and Tim Nipp (6-2, 192).

They were talented, for sure, but they weren’t very big.

“We had some really good ath letes, but we were all small,” Dilday said. “We used to joke about it: There must be something in the water in Union City that kept us all from getting tall because we all wanted to be 6-foot, 6-foot-2, but with a few exceptions that didn’t happen. We had a lot of talent, but we didn’t have much size. The class behind us had a lot of size for our classification and also had some talent.”

Greg Zipp (6-4, 225), Billy McElroy (6-5, 209), Kurt Rodenburger (6-0, 230), David Parks (5-11, 158) and

Terry Smith (5-10, 166) were mem bers of that junior class who were good enough to get on the field, while Billy Wilkins (5-11, 164) was a sophomore wingback who would turn some heads in ’76 and then really make a name for himself the following two seasons.

“One thing I remembered about that time, especially my class and the class below us, was that we had such great camaraderie,” Dilday said. “We grew up together, most of us, and we played baseball together from a young age. I’d been playing baseball with Dale and Mark and even Tony before he transferred to Union City. Tony played summer ball with us, so we had known Tony for a long time. David Lynch and Ricky Wallace, we had played ball together and had a good bond from

way back. We had known Billy a little bit from playing ball, too. He was younger, but we knew of him. He was quite an athlete. He was younger, so physically he wasn’t quite what he ended up being, but he was still pretty good.”

They were also willing to do what it took to win, even if it meant mov ing to a position where a small frame put the player at a big disad vantage.

Speed did just that, switching from strong safety to nose guard at Barnes’ request.

“Mark wasn’t a very big guy, but he was tough and fast,” Dilday said. “I haven’t seen many 155-pound nose guards, but our senior year he was willing to do it for the team. He proved to be very capable, more than capable. He really had an

impact in several games. He was so quick, he could get around the center and he was strong, too. That really helped our defense.”

While this newspaper pointed to a big season in the preview sec tion that was published in August, Dilday and his teammates could see something special was on the horizon a few months earlier during spring practice. Beating Dyersburg in a scrimmage was an early indi cation.

Then, after a week of fall prac tice, the team went to camp at Tennessee Military Academy, where Shanks and the staff worked the players four times on the first day and three on the next before realiz ing that two-a-days might be best.

Dilday remembers scrimmaging every day against good teams from

across the state and dominating the camp, winning every scrimmage session.

When the season finally rolled around, Union City was ready.

The Tornadoes opened with a 19-9 win over rival Obion Central in a game that, according to Dilday, wasn’t that close and followed by whipping Martin Westview — coached by Graves — 51-6.

Trenton Peabody, the defending conference champion, fell 34-0 the next week. It was a game the team dedicated to Shanks, who had spent much of that week in Nashville with his father, who had suffered a heart attack and was in a hospital.

“They were good, but they weren’t

MAKING HISTORY — Former Union City High School football standout Bart Dilday looks through the game program from the 1976 state playoffs recently from his home in St. Charles, Mo., near St. Louis. A power runner at fullback, Dilday scored 12 touchdowns and had three 100-yard rushing

games as the Golden Tornadoes rolled into the playoffs from the Mid-West Conference with a 9-1 record before falling in a heartbreaker to Memphis Mitchell at Martin. Dilday went on to a stellar college career at UT Martin, playing for three head coaches.

Union

as deep as we were, and we were really up for that game,” Dilday said. “We really wanted to win that one for coach Shanks.”

Now 4-0, UC went into a show down with Humboldt ranked No. 7 in the Associated Press poll while the Vikings were ranked No. 3. Shanks’ father passed away that week, and an emotional Tornado team claimed one of the biggest wins in the program’s tradition-rich history with a 28-7 victory in front of more than 6,000 fans at Humboldt.

Dilday was mostly held in check but did have a two-yard touchdown run, while Logan threw a TD pass to Nipp, Danny Virgin had a scoring pass to Hunt, who also kicked four point-afters, and Wilkins had a 13yard TD run.

“Yeah, I think I had something like 13 carries for 12 yards or some thing,” Dilday said. “I played in col lege with Mike Poteete, who was Humboldt’s quarterback. He told me later that they were keying on me the whole game, had someone assigned to me every play. They said during films that it was going to be ‘kill day for Dilday.’”

Junior Reid, who went on to play at Tennessee under Johnny Majors, had the Vikings’ only score on a 45-yard run.

“Humboldt had probably the best high school player that I’d played against in Junior Reid,” Dilday said. “The guy was the fastest human I’d seen. He was just so hard to get a clean hit on.”

That win pushed Union City to fourth in the polls, behind No. 2 Milan and ahead of No. 6 Brentwood Academy.

UC then pounded Lake County 41-0 on homecoming. Dilday, who ran for 108 yards and a touchdown, remembers the Falcons being a lot stronger than the score indicated.

“They were good, and they were pretty good that year,” he said. “I don’t remember it being a lopsided game. They were competitive. They were always tough.”

After an off week, UC had a lackluster 28-6 win over Jackson Southside, a game that doesn’t stir up many memories for Dilday. Three days later, on Oct. 11, T.F. Wallace, the longtime and highly successful UC coach from 1929-44, died at the age of 71.

Union City traveled north of the state line to play Caldwell County in Princeton, Ky., suffering a 20-17 loss.

Al Giordano, a former Union Citian, was the Tigers’ head coach. Typical of those type games, the home team held a distinct advan tage in penalties, UC flagged 12 times for 85 yards while Caldwell County’s one penalty came late in the game.

UC quickly turned it around the following week with a 49-7 win over Munford, Dilday and Smith each scoring twice with Dilday rushing for 130 yards on 11 carries.

UC earned at least a tie for the Mid-West Conference champion ship based on Westview’s stunning 27-6 upset win over Milan. A loss by Briarcrest helped Union City’s playoff hopes under the TSSAA’s complicated power points system in place at the time.

On Oct. 29, Union City played its biggest game of the season and rose to the challenge with a 14-10 win over Milan and legendary head coach John Tucker.

Milan’s Dale Oliver returned a fumble 16 yards for a score on the game’s second play, but UC got two TD passes from Logan, while Lynch had four sacks to shut down the Bulldogs’ offense.

After a 34-14 win over Savannah to close the season, UC’s players learned they had made the play offs when the power point system went to its tiebreaker, the Tornadoes earning the spot over Huntingdon.

The first-ever TSSAA playoff game for Union City would be played on a frigid night in Martin, where an unseasonable snow had fallen ear lier in the week, against a tough and talented Memphis Mitchell team.

“What I remember about that game was our coaches told us they were good but they were beatable, they were very beatable,” Dilday

said. “We play our game, we’ll win. I think we were pretty confident going in. I remember, it seemed like we moved the ball pretty well against them the whole game; I don’t think they ever shut us down really. I think we shut ourselves down.”

Union City dropped a bitterly dis appointing 22-20 loss, suffering four turnovers in the first half and trailing 20-6 at 10:50 of the fourth quarter before mounting two long, but quickstrike scoring drives to pull within 22-18.

UC got one more chance with 2:39 to play, moving from its own 19 across midfield before throwing an interception. Mitchell took a safety on fourth down to provide the final score.

Dilday had a one-yard TD run in the game but was also clotheslined — an illegal tackle that wasn’t called.

The Tornadoes had 348 yards of offense to Mitchell’s 235.

“I’ve thought about that game a lot because that was a big disap pointment,” Dilday said. “I thought really we were the better team, and I think we could have made a run. As close as we were as a team and as talented as we were, I thought we could have done more.”

Mitchell lost to Brentwood Academy in the semifinals, and then Brentwood fell to Maryville in the state championship game.

UC players picked up several postseason honors, highlighted by Logan’s selection as the AP’s firstteam all-state quarterback in Class AA after throwing for 1,631 yards and 13 TDs. Dilday, Hunt and Zipp also earned numerous honors, Zipp a second-team all-state (all classifi cations) pick by the sports writers.

Dilday went on to UT Martin, where he was a fullback for four seasons under three head coach es — George McIntyre, Vester Newcomb and Lynn Amadee.

Dilday ranks McIntyre high on his list as someone who influenced his life, along with Shanks, who served as a sort of father figure during a time when Dilday needed one.

Fred Pickard, an assistant at UTM, was also a big influence for Dilday, and he had mostly good feel ings for Newcomb despite being in the coach’s doghouse as a sopho more.

Dilday was also mentored by one of his baseball coaches, L.H. Ladd. He was so revered in the Union City Babe Ruth circuit that the high school baseball field now bears his name.

Ladd used to call Dilday, who wore No. 13, “Lucky,” and once pointed out that he had Dilday’s name, along with those of several other players, listed on a piece of paper that he kept in his Bible.

Dilday has carried those Union City values throughout his life .... a good life indeed.

Sports editor Kevin Weaks can be contacted by email at kweaks@ucmessenger.com.

Bart Dilday in action during the state playoff season of 1976 at Union City High School.

CENTRAL

STATE OF MIND

Rebels have physical tools to contend

By KEVIN WEAKS Messenger Sports Editor

Paul Decker believes his Obion Central program has the physical part of football on track.

The mental game is still a work in progress.

“We talk about it all the time,” the coach said. “We talk about how things aren’t going to turn around here until we win a close game. We’ve been in so many games, and now it’s just about turning that cor ner. These guys deserve to win.”

Against a brutal schedule in 2019, the Rebels posted a 2-8 record.

OC’s opponents had an overall record of 77-46 with nine of the 10 reaching the playoffs.

Trenton Peabody won the Class 2A state championship with a 15-0 record, while Haywood and Crockett County — both 7-4A foes — made it to the semifinals and quarterfinals, respectively. Dyer County reached the semifinals in Class 5A.

Gibson County, the lone team on last year’s slate that did not reach the playoffs, finished 6-4.

Still, the Rebels were literally inches from a playoff berth. OC was stopped at the goal line as time ran out in a 28-27 loss to Ripley.

In addition, Central had Dyersburg on the ropes early before falling 42-24 and rallied against Crockett County before dropping a 41-21 decision.

Decker, entering his sixth year at the helm of his alma mater, feels his weight program and the work ethic of his players are on par with the top teams in Region 7-4A and the elite programs in West Tennessee.

He believes the only thing miss ing is a little dose of success.

“We work just as hard, if not hard er, than those guys, and I’m trying to get our players to understand that,” Decker said. “Every game, we’re trying to have an opportunity to win. I can truly sit here and say since I’ve been here, I feel like the majority of the games we’ve played, we have had that opportunity.

“It’s a mindset more than any thing else. In the weight room, I’d

put us up against anybody. It’s men tal — being able to have the confi dence of walking out there knowing, ‘Hey, when you come to our place, you’re going to walk out of here with a loss.’”

The following is a look at the 2020 Rebels.

ON THE EDGE

The triple-option offense, by definition, has three main options. Decker believes his team can actu ally use all three effectively this season.

Predominantly a quarterback/full back team in recent years, Central will get the slot backs more involved as the team plans to utilize the pitch option more often.

“We’re trying to get the ball on the edge a little bit more than what we’ve done in the past,” Decker said. “It’s true triple option, but we don’t seem to take advantage of that last option. We don’t pitch the ball a whole lot. Since I’ve been here, we have put our offense where that quarterback and the fullback are the main two runners.

“But this year, we have some good athletes at slot. Preston Correa, at quarterback, understands the offense, and so we’re really trying to work on getting to the third phase of that triple option.”

Correa (6-1, 190), a senior, has taken some snaps at QB in a backup role, but he moves to the position full-time after starting the past three years at receiver.

A triple-option offense, where the quarterback takes a hit on every play, needs quality back-ups. And in the coronavirus era, that becomes even more important.

Decker has two quality athletes ready to take over if necessary in junior Emerson Fussell (5-8, 180) and sophomore Ben Sharp (5-11, 165).

Both are high-level athletes with good football smarts, and each will see a lot of time at other positions. The pair will see time at slot and receiver as Decker looks to make those positions interchangeable.

Devon Kerns (5-8, 185), a senior,

has bounced back from an ankle injury and is expected to be a team leader from the fullback spot. Not big in size, he hits the hole quickly and hard.

Another senior, Seth Mangold (511, 185) was hampered by an injury in the second half of the 2019 sea son, but he is also back healthy and provides the Rebels another strong fullback candidate.

Two sophomore back-ups with great upside, who will also see action at other positions, are Johnny Light (6-2, 190) and Drake Hamilton (5-10, 180).

Decker has several good reasons to put more emphasis on the out side running game, and that begins with Nick Chappell at slot.

A senior, Chappell (6-2, 185) is not only one of the team’s best ath letes, he also one of the fastest.

Hunter Burpo (5-10, 160), a junior, has made stunning progress from a knee injury and will be in the lineup for Friday’s opener against Gibson County.

Senior Eli Baldwin (5-10, 175) and sophomore Chase Rudd (5-6, 160) are getting practice time as back-ups at the slot positions.

The ceiling is high for sophomore Jamaad Mosley (6-2, 180) at receiv er. He is one of the better athletes on the team and has good hands.

With his speed and running abil ity, Mosley will see some time at slot.

Another sophomore, Alex Fowlks (5-6, 140), will see some time at receiver as Decker uses a four-man rotation that will also include Fussell and Sharp.

Senior Dakota Petty (5-11, 200), returns as the starting center but will miss the first game as he finishes up rehab following off-season foot surgery.

Tavion Alexander (5-10, 180), a junior, will fill in at that center spot and then move back to guard when Petty returns. Undersized for the line, Alexander makes up for it in

sheer determination.

Warren Malone (6-1, 220), anoth er junior, earned praise from his coaches for his team-first mentality, moving to guard from the backfield out of necessity.

Perhaps the team’s best line man and strongest player, senior Brennan Finnell (6-0, 255), will line up at tackle.

He has played guard and tack le during his prep career, and the coaches know that the team needs a good year from Finnell to be a playoff contender.

Ethan Buchanan (6-3, 185), also a senior, is another player who moved to the line, filling a tackle spot in a switch from a skill position.

Petty’s early-season recovery has opened a spot up front for senior Chase Sheppard (5-10, 200) at guard. He will take Alexander’s guard spot early and then see plenty of action up front, maybe even as a starter on occasion, at other trench positions.

Chris Baker (6-2, 185), a junior, and sophomores Michael Screen (6-1, 300) and Jagger McClain (6-0, 245) will all get playing time up front as well.

TRACK ’EM DOWN

That better team speed on offense will move over to the defensive end as well, giving the Rebels what the team desperately needs in Region 7-4A where speed kills.

Playing an odd-man front, based out of a 3-4 look, the Rebels have solid down linemen, mobile lineback ers and fast defensive backs who can keep plays in front of them.

With the speed of Haywood and Ripley and the skill of Crockett County and Dyersburg standing in the way of a playoff berth every year, a split-second here and there will certainly help.

And, Decker says this should be his fastest defense since coming home to his alma mater six years ago.

“I think across the board, espe cially up front, we’re quicker and faster than compared to what we’ve had up there before,” the coach said. “Since I’ve been here, we’ll put the fastest defense that we’ve had out there.

“I feel like we match up better now. We feel like that we have enough speed that we don’t have to give up the 80-yard touchdowns. For us, we have to be fundamentally sound.”

In other words, make a stop and play for another down.

Sheppard, who will take the lead at nose guard, and Malone, at a tackle spot, both have a quick first step and stay low.

Malone excels on the defensive side and is poised to have a break out season.

Finnell, a three-year starter, will anchor the line from the other tackle spot.

Screen, McClain and Petty will see action in reserve roles up front.

Alexander, another player who could have a big season on defense, returns as one inside linebacker, while Buchanan moves to the inside this year but can also return to the outside if necessary.

Baker and Baldwin will also see action at the inside linebacker spots.

Kerns and Mangold will split time at one outside linebacker spot, while Light, who has shown his skills in the preseason, will start at the other outside spot with Rudd also serving in a reserve role.

Chappell and Fussell will play the cornerback positions, while Mosley and Burpo will line up at safeties.

Chappell can move to safety, and Sharp can fill several spots in the defensive backfield.

Hamilton will also spend time in the secondary.

FEELING SPECIAL

Chappell will handle all the kicking chores — place-kicking, extra points and field goals, and punting — while also lining up as a return man, along with Sharp and Mosley.

He does a good job of getting air under his punts, and that trio have good speed to make plays on returns.

Mangold is a solid snapper, and Correa will be the holder.

Best Wishes to all our area athletes on an injury free season!

“No athlete is truly tested until they’ve stared an injury in the face and come out on the other side stronger than ever!”

BOUCHER

By KEVIN WEAKS Messenger Sports Editor

Troy Boucher is 35 years removed from his days as a high school foot ball star at Obion County Central.

He’s still at his alma mater, he’s still a Rebel and he’s been married to his high school sweetheart for 31 years.

Boucher has traded the football for a softball and has moved up the hill from Rebel Field to a diamond that didn’t even exist when he was in school.

He has even stayed close to the OC football program, serving more than 30 years on the sideline chain gang.

As the Lady Rebel softball coach, as well as the Hillcrest middle school skipper, Boucher the coach tries to pass along the lessons that Boucher the player learned — and, in some cases, didn’t.

Playing for head coach Jim McPeake, as well as assistants Tommy Victory, Jim Hatley and Charlie Morris, Boucher learned plenty.

“He was super,” Boucher said of McPeake, the country boy who played defensive end at Murray State in 1971-73. “He was a good guy to play for. He got stuff out of you, and I enjoyed it.”

Boucher said the staff knew when to buckle down and when to lighten up. They were stern leaders, he said, but they made the game fun. It’s something he tries to pass along to his high school and middle school players.

“They were serious coaches, but we had fun at practice,” Boucher said. “I tell my kids all the time that if you’re not enjoying what you do, then don’t do it. It has to be fun. If you don’t like this anymore, then it’s time to find something else to do.”

A kicker as well as a quarterback, Boucher has great memories of punting and throwing competitions with Victory during practice.

“We’d see who could turn a punt over, or he’d be right there running drills next to me,” Boucher said. “It was a competition thing, and he made it fun. It made me better.”

Boucher puts classroom work and enjoyment at the top of his list as a coach.

“That’s what I try to instill in my kids, about keeping their grades up,” he said. “I got letters, I still have a stack of them, from Arkansas State, wherever. But, I didn’t study. So, I stress that to kids: Go to school if you want to go play ball some where, unless you’re running a 4.3 (seconds in the 40-yard sprint).”

Boucher gave college football a try but soon saw the size and speed at that level.

“The only one that really offered to do anything with me was down in Senatobia, Miss. I went down there and tried out as a kicker, and I worked with the quarterbacks just a little bit. They had two or three kids who were 6’4” just throwing it everywhere. I went with the kickers, and they had a couple of big guys booming them from 50 yards like there was nothing to it. I could kick a few with them.

“But, when I lined up to run the 40, they were timing it. There were guys running it faster backwards than I was running it frontwards, I figured college football wasn’t for me. But grades; that’s what I try to tell the kids I coach. You have to keep your grades up. Even at the junior high level, keep your grades up.”

As a senior, Boucher knew his way around a playbook. The Rebels ran an intricate, multiple offense and changed it from week to week.

The coaches handed Boucher the keys to that car in 1985 and gave him the green light to make some adjustments during games.

Boucher handled it so well that the Rebels went 6-4 in the regular season and earned the first state playoff berth in school history.

“We’d run the veer out of every thing,” he said. “We’d run the bone, the wing-T, we got in the dead-I and the power-I. We could do so much. Every week, coach McPeake would put in a different set. Coach

McPeake and those guys were some good coaches.”

The Rebels mainly wanted to run the ball with Rich Montgomery, Kevin Darnall and Allen Gatewood carrying the load. The passing game had a West Coast look, based mainly on short outs and slants.

They lined up behind a solid offensive line that included Mike Arnett at center along with John Kevin Jones, Ken Weber, David Isbell and Tommy Akin.

Scott King, just a freshman and probably the fastest player on the team, and Clint Jett were Boucher’s top targets in the passing game.

There was one other lesson Boucher learned as a quarterback: Survival.

“I was a typical quarterback,” he said. “I didn’t want to get hit. I knew where the sidelines were.”

Before Boucher could be ready to guide his Rebels to a playoff spot, he had to heal up from a shoulder

injury that cost him the final three games of the 1984 season, a year that saw Central lose those three games after a 4-3 start.

Treated at the Campbell Clinic in Memphis and choosing rest instead of surgery, Boucher was in an arm sling for 13 weeks.

It caused him to miss the 198485 basketball season. As a guard behind Cannon Whitby, who was already well on his way to becoming one of the most prolific scorers in Tennessee high school basketball history, Boucher ultimately gave up basketball to concentrate on his first love — football — as well as baseball.

As it turned out, he missed being a member of the Rebels’ Class AA state championship team the follow ing season.

It’s all good, Boucher says now. He was more interested in getting healthy in time for spring practice.

“My biggest thing was getting

back to where I could throw a foot ball,” he said. “Baseball was a side thing. Football was what I loved to do.”

There wasn’t much to love about the 1985 season opener, a surpris ing 37-20 loss to Fulton County.

Afterward, McPeake said his team overlooked the Pilots, and Boucher agreed.

“Overlooked them, and that was a game where maybe heat was a factor,” he said. “I remember getting sick in the middle of the game.”

It also triggered something in the Rebel team, especially Montgomery. After seeing the game’s statistics in the newspaper, Montgomery’s switch turned on.

Montgomery ran for 88 yards, while Boucher threw a touchdown pass and kicked an extra point.

“When we got back to the film room on Monday, and I had a newspaper, I’m reading the stats,” Boucher said. “Rich leans down and

says, ‘They keep up with this crap?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ The next week, I think at Trenton, he had 250 yards and four touchdowns. He loved reading his name in the paper. And that’s what kind of got us going.”

For the record, Montgomery had 177 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries as the Rebels whipped Trenton Peabody 35-6.

Darnall added 125 yards on 17 carries, while Sterling Wright had six tackles and a fumble recovery on defense.

Boucher kicked field goals of 25 and 40 yards as well as three pointafters.

Kicking was just something Boucher loved to do from his days growing up in Jackson, Mich.

“I was probably the only kid in Michigan that had an official goal post in his front yard,” he said. “It

GLORY DAYS — Former Obion County Central quarterback Troy Boucher looks through his scrapbook recently from his playing days in the mid1980s. Boucher, who now works in the county school system and coaches

softball at Obion Central and Hillcrest middle school, helped lead the Rebels to their first playoff appearance in 1985. He was an All-District 13AA selection and the team’s Most Valuable Player.

was just something I loved to do. Dad bought me my first square-toe shoe, I was probably 11, 12 years old. I’m a Michigan fan. I would turn a Michigan football game on Saturdays, put the speaker in my window, and I’d go out and kick and listen to the whole ball game. I would kick from 20 yards, 30 yards. I’d have six, seven different size footballs. Some of them would be flat, some of them not. And I’d kick them, walk down there with a little bag, get them all and bring them back. I’d do it all day long.

“I’d come home from school with nothing to do, so I’d go kick field goals.”

He was good enough to earn AllDistrict 13AA honors as placekicker that season.

Boucher missed a potential game-winning field goal the fol lowing week, though, his 43-yard attempt against McNairy Central going wide left.

It didn’t matter. Boucher had a touchdown run, along with Montgomery, and two PATs while completing 6-of-14 passes for 61 yards as the Rebels won 14-13 in overtime.

Chris Underwood was the hero, making a tackle on McNairy’s try for a game-winning two-point conver sion in the extra period.

The following week was a washout, the Rebels falling to No. 1ranked Milan 55-15 in a district game. OC’s only scores came on kick returns by Montgomery, who had over 300 yards on returns in the game.

“I remember it — we couldn’t do anything,” Boucher said. “They were good. They had coach (John) Tucker back then, and you just didn’t go into Milan and win very often.”

Gatewood rushed for over 130 yards, and Corey Montgomery had two interceptions as the Rebels got back on track the next week with a 26-14 win over Caruthersville, Mo.

Central followed that with a 27-20 win over Covington on homecom ing, rallying from a 20-6 deficit in the third quarter.

Boucher had a touchdown pass, a scoring run and three PATs. He completed 7-of-11 passes for 95 yards.

“Back then, if you threw it 20 times, you threw it a bunch,” Boucher said. “It’s not like now where some of them are throwing it 50 times a game. If you completed 50 percent, you had a pretty good night.”

OC lost another lopsided decision the next week, falling 62-35 to Lake County, ranked No. 2 in Class A at the time.

“It seemed like every time we scored, they scored twice,” Boucher said. “We could never stay with them. I just remember that they were big and they were fast.”

The heartbreaker came the following week, a 27-20 loss to Humboldt.

The Vikings’ Joey Elmore took a Boucher punt 70 yards for the win ning touchdown with 12 seconds remaining.

Boucher remembers it all too clearly.

“We called time-out, and coach McPeake and coach Victory both come up and said, ‘Kick it out of bounds, don’t even let him have it.’ I said, ‘I got it, I got it.’ They snapped it and I turned around, and I hit probably one of the best punts I had all year long. That thing turned over, and he caught it about the hash mark — I wasn’t anywhere near kicking it out of bounds.

“When he turned to go across the field, I saw what was happening plain as day. They set up a wall, and I was the last one, and there wasn’t nothing I could do but just watch him run by me. And, I remember the last thing they said to me — ‘Kick it out of bounds, kick it over our heads.’ Man, I boomed it. It was pretty. I turned that one overand it spiraled perfect. He caught it, and I knew we were in trouble.

“Just kick it out of bounds. That’s all I had to do, and I didn’t do it. You sit back and laugh about it now, but at the time it was tough.”

Boucher rode home from that game with his girlfriend (now wife)

Joanie.

“I somehow talked coach McPeake into it, or he may not have wanted me on bus,” Boucher said. “I just remember I was upset.”

Boucher has that game, and most others from his playing days as well as several from his days of playing for his father in youth league foot ball, on video cassettes. He hopes to get them transferred to DVDs or digital someday.

With two games remaining and sporting a 4-4 overall record, OC’s playoff hopes were in jeopardy.

A 21-13 win over Westview, where Boucher had two interceptions from his defensive back position, set up a showdown with Union City.

“I liked it because I liked playing center field (on defense),” Boucher said. “I didn’t have to cover any body, and I could read it.That’s how I got those interceptions — just go to the ball.”

The running backs had a big game again for the Rebels. Montgomery rushed for 191 yards and a touch down on 16 carries, and Darnall added 165 yards and two TDs on 20 rushes.

The Rebels needed a win over their arch-rivals and a Trenton win over Humboldt to make the play offs.

Check, and check.

Montgomery had 179 yards and a score on 35 carries, giving him over 1,300 yards and 21 touchdowns for the season, Danny Hutchins had 11 tackles, including two sacks, and blocked a point-after, and Boucher kicked two PATs as the Rebels beat

the Golden Tornadoes 16-6.

“That was probably the first time I’ve really been involved where a team gets up for something,” Boucher said. “It had been raining, had been all week, and I walked into the fieldhouse, and Chris Underwood and David Isbell, both linebackers, had found some kind of that face paint and were painting faces. The next thing I know, the whole team is painted up.

“I remember walking out there to do the coin flip, and they looked at us like, ‘These guys are crazy.’ And we were. It was almost like a pos sessed thing.”

After the game, the Rebel players found out that Trenton had beaten Humboldt 7-3.

Next up: The playoffs and Lexington.

Boucher had scoring passes of 50 and 85 yards and also kicked a 26-yard field goal, but Central dropped a 26-16 decision to the Tigers.

“I remember that was a really good Lexington team,” Boucher said. “They were big. It’s probably the hardest I’d been hit in a long time as far as football-wise. It was every play, whether you had the ball or not, somebody was hit. That may have been their game plan. Boy, I took a beating.

“I think that was the first time I realized what playoff football was all about.”

Another lesson learned.

Sports editor Kevin Weaks can be contacted by email at kweaks@ucmessenger.com.

Good Luck to all our teams!

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Troy Boucher during his playing days at Obion County Central.

SOUTH FULTON RED DEVILS SOUTH FULTON RED DEVILS

Loaded Devils have reason to feel good

By KEVIN WEAKS Messenger Sports Editor

Eric Knott found some positives out of what has been an extremely negative 2020.

Forced to cancel spring prac tice, work virtually through the early months of summer and then come back to live practice with no 7-on7 camps or scrimmages and no contact until three weeks before the season opener because of COVID19, Knott chose to look at what he could do rather than dwell on what he couldn’t.

The result was a detailed selfscouting report that covered every thing from overall philosophy to each play call from every game in the 2019 season.

It was an eye-opening study, to say the least.

The Red Devil playbook now has less quantity and more quality.

“What this forced us to do was condense the playbook,” said Knott, who enters his eighth year at South Fulton. “Nobody knows your job like you know your job. And when you try to explain that to someone else, it’s very hard for you to go back to the letter ‘A’ and start there, espe cially when you’re already on the letter ‘Q.’

“So, (assistant coach) Brent (Wilson) and I had to go back to the letter ‘A’ with our scheme and teach it from that. Even though you say you’re going to, you hardly ever actually do it because you don’t have the time or the patience. This has created both. So, that’s what we’ve done. Right now, we have three running plays. Three running plays and one pass protec tion, that’s all we have right now, and that may be all we have. Coach (Don) Coady said a long time ago, ‘Two schemes run perfectly are much better than 10 schemes run mediocre, or worse.’”

Offensively, the team will use a zone blocking scheme that enables Knott to show numerous forma tions.

Putting his linemen in situations

to block gaps rather than target specific defensive players gives the team freedom to run those few plays from the spread, shotgun, pis tol, under center and one-, two- and three-back sets.

“It allows for many things,” Knott said. “And, it also allows for me to get my best five linemen out there, not one that can base block, one that wham and two that can trap, et cetera. With the way that I’m teach ing the zone blocking, every kid can play every spot, except center on the shotgun snaps.

“What I like about zone is I don’t have to necessarily teach fronts every week. They have their rules, and the rules go with every front. And as long as they stay with that, and then we can work from there.”

The defense under Wilson will be handled much the same way.

South Fulton will base its look out of a 4-2-5 with hybrid defensive backs who can come up as big hitters in linebacker roles and step back in coverage.

“We’re based out of an even front and try to keep two lineback ers,” Knott said. “We try to keep the alleys filled with either safeties or outside linebackers.

“And, when we say outside line backers, they’re really hybrids. They’re safeties, safety types that have to play down there.”

The following is a look at the 2020 Red Devils.

SHOW ME MORE

The South Fulton offense was centered on Greg Davis the last two years. And, why not?

Davis rushed for 3,506 yards and 44 touchdowns in his four years, capping it with 1,253 yards and 16 TDs as a senior.

Although Davis is gone, the offense might be more explosive. It will certainly be more diverse.

With a senior quarterback, two senior wide receivers that stand at 6 feet, 4 inches, a lineman-turnedrunning back and three speedsters in the backfield, Knott has good reasons to show a multiple look with

many formations.

Bryce McFarland (6-1, 160) is back for his third full season as the starting quarterback (he also started a few games as a freshman) and will be given the leeway to make in-game changes.

Knott said his signal-caller knows the game, understands defenses and can make quick reads and checks to the right look.

Rider Whitehead (6-4, 170) and Brock Brown (6-4, 170) look virtu ally the same in their uniforms and play with distinct styles.

Whitehead is a master at the fade route and used his COVID-19 break to strengthen his upper body for the short routes.

Brown is a natural athlete with an unnatural work ethic. He has a drive to win not seen much at this level, according to his coach.

Both have excellent hands, mak ing McFarland’s job easier.

Three seniors will be battling for playing time at tailback, each likely to get plenty of opportunities throughout the season.

Dylan Ransom (5-9, 175) has the nod as the starter, Dalton Morris (510, 180) is eligible after transferring last season and Cade Malray (6-1, 150) is recovering from a shoulder injury but should be at full strength for Friday’s opener against Stewart County.

Freshman Will Clapper (5-9, 140) could also see some time in the backfield.

Those three combined, giving SF a tailback-by-committee look, should make up most of the yards and scoring lost by Davis’ gradu ation.

Mason Harper (6-1, 195), another senior, was so good at running the ball and catching it out of the back field when put there last year that Knott created the H-back spot just for him.

His jersey number 92 might look odd in the backfield, but it’s beauti

South

Loaded

ful to Knott.

Mason Gaskins (5-9, 200), a junior, will back up Harper in that role and the two will team up in the backfield in a “jumbo” package.

Drew Barclay (5-8, 135), a senior, and Conner Allen (6-0, 150), a sophomore, will back up Brown and Whitehead.

Barclay is a do-it-all player who can line up at multiple spots, includ ing quarterback, while Allen has excellent hands and feet with great upside. Allen, like Barclay, can line up at QB.

Eli Carlisle (6-2, 225), a senior, returns for his third year to start at tight end, giving the Red Devils a pass-catcher and solid blocker.

Gaskins and sophomore Bryant Kimmons (6-0, 145) will back up Carlisle.

Knott, who also serves as the line coach, likes the experience, size and ability of his interior linemen but notes that his tackle positions need to grow up in a hurry.

Senior Garrett Slaughter (5-11, 265) is a four-year starter and ranks as one of the smartest and best overall players at the position in Knott’s time as a coach.

Jaden Knott (5-11, 265), another senior, has mainly been at tackle during his three previous seasons as a starter up front but has good feet and mobility for his size as he makes the move to right guard.

Tyler O’Neal (6-0, 250), a senior, started to come into his own in the second half of last season, his first year to play football.

Sophomore Braden Costello (510, 185) will be at the left tackle, while sophomores Zach Hannon (5-11, 210) and Dylan Ruddle (59, 220), along with freshman Luke Morris (5-8, 210), are vying for the right tackle spot.

James Pergande (5-8, 145), a freshman, and junior Moses McKnight (5-10, 195) could see time in back-up roles up front, although Knott would prefer to keep McKnight on the defensive side of the ball.

Knott believes his zone blocking scheme develops depth because each player is learning multiple posi tions through the system.

STOP RIGHT THERE

Knott has several playmakers up front on defense, making that a strength of the team against a region that promises to be fast.

At tackle, Harper will be the bell cow of the defense, having led the team with 75.5 tackles last season.

Carlisle will start at one end spot, where he has been since earning a starting nod his freshman sea son. Costello will serve as Carlisle’s back-up.

Slaughter brings his intelligence to the defensive side as the other end, while McKnight is coming into his own at nose guard and has worked on being explosive on the snap.

Knott and O’Neal will serve backup roles in the middle of the front four.

Gaskins and Ransom fly to the football as linebackers, backed up by Kimmons, Hannon and freshman Jacob Nagel (5-11, 195).

Morris and Malray will fill those hybrid safety positions, tabbed because of their ability to step up and cover the run or provide cover age in the secondary.

Brown will be the free safety, while Barclay and Whitehead will line up at the corners.

Clapper, McFarland, Allen and sophomore Cody O’Bryan (5-8, 150) will be back-ups in the secondary.

SPECIAL FEELING

Knott has not felt very special about his team’s ability to kick the ball, so the team will go for two points following touchdowns.

In addition, the search is still on to find a place-kicker, that search pos sibly destined to take all season.

The Red Devils are set at punter, though, with Brown and McFarland handling those chores and taking snaps from Slaughter, an excellent long-snapper.

Brown and McFarland, with their offensive skills, give the team a legitimate threat to fake the kick.

Malray, Ransom and Brown will be the return specialists, each pos sessing the ability to catch the ball and run.

2020 SOUTH FULTON HIGH SCHOOL RED DEVILS

DOESN’T LET BAD

AT SF

By KEVIN WEAKS Messenger Sports Editor

NASHVILLE — Greg Hamilton chooses to remember the good times, the fun times and the some times hilarious times.

He was one of the best high school football players in the state of Tennessee for two seasons, help ing South Fulton to the best twoyear run in the program’s history.

Hamilton was one of the state’s leading scorers in both 1965 and 1966, and he was named to the AllState team and the West team for the annual East-West All-Star game following his senior season.

The fun — and funny — times for Hamilton came in being a major part of turning around a program that had gone winless prior to join ing the squad as a junior.

Charles Akers came in as the Red Devils’ head coach in 1964, replacing Ronald Bell, and promptly posted an 0-10 record. He urged Hamilton and two other black stu dents — Lee Ingram and James Bransford — in the recently-integrat ed school to come out for the team the next season, saying they would be the key to winning a Reelfoot Conference championship.

“He said, ‘I have three spots I need,’” Hamilton remembered. “He said, ‘I need Lee at end, Big Jim at tackle and I need you for halfback. I get those three spots, and we can win the conference.’ I laughed right there in his face. ‘Coach, coach, coach, coach. I went to all of your games, coach, and y’all didn’t win a game. Now you’re going to tell me if you get three more players on the team and you’ll win the con ference?’ Coach Akers had come from Kentucky, and he was used to coaching black players. He just said that these are the three spots I need. He already had it figured out.”

As he usually was during his coaching career, Akers was right.

The Red Devils posted a 9-1-1 record in 1965 and won the Reelfoot Conference. The next year, South Fulton was 10-1 and beat Milan in the West Tennessee Jaycee Bowl at Milan.

Still, there are the bad times that can’t be ignored. There are the shouts from the bleachers that can’t be unheard.

Hamilton hasn’t forgotten; he has simply chosen to rise above and move on.

In 1965, Hamilton finished as the seventh-leading scorer in Tennessee with 122 points, scoring 18 touchdowns and running in 14 point-afters — in those days, there were no two-point conversions, and teams could run, pass or kick for an extra point.

Despite those gaudy numbers, Hamilton was not selected by the league’s coaches for the AllReelfoot Conference team. In fact, no Red Devil player was selected. Reports in The Messenger at the time pointed out that race — South Fulton had the only integrated team in the conference — was the likely reason.

There were cheap shots on the field and vulgar yells from the stands — all based on the color of Hamilton’s skin.

Playing against Gleason, he was on a long run down the sideline in front of the Bulldogs’ bench when a woman began yelling to “stop that (N-word).” He took cheap shots nearly every game with the refer ees choosing to look the other way. He would walk from the bus to the field with his teammates, hearing the other team’s fans saying such things as, “We’re gonna get you tonight, boy. We’re coming for you.”

“I don’t think anything about it now,” Hamilton said. “It’s over; it’s done.”

That positive attitude speaks volumes about the content of the man’s character.

A basketball game that got a little too physical led Akers to ask Hamilton to come out for the foot ball team. That, in turn, led to a

visit to Hamilton’s house, where the coach met Hamilton’s aunt.

Hamilton and Ingram had been a little too rough with each other in a pick-up game in the South Fulton High School gymnasium, leading Akers to urge the pair to come out to football practice in the spring of 1965.

Ingram did, but Hamilton had to work.

So, Akers visited Hamilton at his house and met his aunt. Having seen Hamilton’s older brother go out for football only to watch the games from the sidelines, she had one demand of Akers.

“I went to work, and coach Akers came by to see my auntie, which is my mother. We call her Ma. And he said, ‘I’d like for Greg to come out for football.’ She said, ‘I’ll tell you what, he starts every game or he doesn’t play.’ I said, ‘Ma, I haven’t made the team yet.” “Doesn’t make any difference. You can always go to work.’”

So, Hamilton went to practice. Having never played before, he needed help putting on his equip ment correctly.

He was a quick learner. He was an even quicker runner.

When the 1965 season rolled around, Hamilton was the start ing left halfback. Johnny Lucy and Donnie Parr were battling for play ing time at the right halfback spot, Jack Simpson was at fullback and Steve Green was the quarterback.

Ingram and James Counce, who later distinguished himself in Tennessee as a highly successful prep football coach, were at the ends.

Bransford and Charles Pennington were the tackles, Larry Heath and Dickey Winters lined up at the guard spots, and Robert Moss was the center.

Akers’ offensive set was the straight-T and split-T, which fea tured Hamilton’s arm as well as his legs by utilizing the halfback pass often.

The Reelfoot Conference had no idea of what was about to hit it.

The 1965 season started with a 25-19 win over Lake County.

Despite seeing two touchdowns in the first half called back, South Fulton led 19-0 at intermission.

Hamilton scored on runs of 25 and 45 yards and set up one of Green’s two TD runs with a 25-yard pass to Counce.

The following week, Simpson picked up a fumble and ran 28 yards for a score with under two minutes to play to give the Red Devils a wild 26-20 win over Greenfield.

Hamilton added two more TDs

in that game, scoring on runs of 37 and 21 yards, and was named to the Associated Press checklist as one of the best players in the state for the week.

SF then whipped Gleason 48-7, Hamilton scoring on runs of 15 and 10 yards and a punt return of 80 yards while also adding four pointafter runs.

With a 3-0 record, the Red Devils had a showdown with conference co-leader Martin and led 20-7 before the Panthers rallied against the tired SF squad.

After that 35-20 loss, Akers added

a tough running regimen to practice to get his team in better shape.

It worked.

Nelda Clement was crowned homecoming queen the night Green ran for two scores and Hamilton had three point-after runs in a 28-14 win over Alamo.

Facing Fulton County’s loaded defense of nine, and sometimes 10, players at the line of scrimmage, Hamilton had touchdown passes of 35 and 45 yards to Counce while also scoring on a 35-yard run.

The Redmen rolled to a 40-13 win and followed that with a 25-14

win over Sharon, where Hamilton had three touchdowns.

SF then battled to a tough 2-0 win over Fulton City, the only score coming when Moss tackled the Bulldog quarterback in the endzone on the third play of the game.

A disappointing 13-13 tie with Obion Central came next, and the Red Devils closed the regular sea son with a 25-0 win over Dresden to gave SF the Reelfoot Conference Western Division championship and

THE GOOD TIMES — Former South Fulton High School standout football player Greg Hamilton looks through his scrapbook from his home in Nashville recently. Hamilton helped the Red Devils turn around from an 0-10 record in 1964 to 9-1-1 his junior year in 1965. A player on the only team in the Reelfoot

Conference that had black players, Hamilton and his teammates were shut out of the all-conference voting for the ’65 season. The following season, however, he was selected all-conference and all-state and was named to the West team for the Tennessee East-West All-Star game.

a spot in the championship game against Greenfield.

Hamilton ran for 169 yards against Dresden, scoring on runs of 67 and 62 yards and also adding a conver sion run.

South Fulton and Greenfield locked up in another wild game that went back-and-forth. The lead changed hands six times before the Yellowjackets moved out to a 28-18 lead. SF then scored twice to pull out a 31-28 win.

Green had three scoring runs, while Hamilton added two TDs and a point-after run.

The 9-1-1 Red Devils graduated Simpson from the backfield and some good-sized linemen. Hamilton didn’t think the team could be as good the next year; Akers thought differently.

“I said, ‘Coach, we losing all our big men. We aren’t going to be able to be that good next year.’ You know what coach Akers said? ‘We’ll be better. They were too slow. They were slowing you down.’ What? He said, ‘No, they were slowing you down. Greg, we’ll be better next year.’ I’m looking at him like he’s crazy.

“Well, anyway, that’s what hap pened. When we went out the next year, man, we were faster.”

The Devils rolled through the 1966 season with just one blemish.

SF started with another wild game against Greenfield, a 32-26 win, fol lowed by a 41-0 blanking of Gleason, a 7-6 win over Martin and a 48-12 win over Halls.

After a 20-6 loss to Lake County, the Redmen beat Fulton County 6113, Newbern 42-7 and Fulton City 34-14. SF claimed its first-ever win over Obion Central, 41-0, and then blanked Dresden 39-0 to close the regular season.

Hamilton ran for 142 yards and three touchdowns (30, 25 and 58 yards) against the Rebels and then scored on punt returns of 85 and 65 yards against the Lions.

Bill Robertson, who coached Union City to a 10-10-1 record in two seasons (1954-55), was in his first season as the head coach at Milan, and the Bulldogs were favored to beat SF in the West Tennessee Jaycee Bowl.

South Fulton was the dominant team, however, posting a 19-7 win.

There was no denying Hamilton and the Red Devils after that sea son. Hamilton, Counce, Pennington and Green were named to the AllReelfoot Conference team.

Hamilton finished the season third in the state in scoring with 169 points while also throwing three TD passes. He was named All-West Tennessee and Honorable Mention All-State and was also named to the East-West game.

His teammates on that all-star squad included Lester McClain, who went on to become the first black player at the University of Tennessee, along with Tim Priest from Huntingdon, Joe Thompson, Mike Beavans, Bobby Thomas, Butch Frost, George Silvey, James Woody and Wayne Spain.

Hamilton looked into going to col lege in North Carolina before choos ing Tennessee State. He went out for baseball, struggled to keep his grades up and would take jobs in order to raise enough money to pay for school and rent.

“But, I wouldn’t quit,” he said. “I just kept going until I inched out of there.”

After inching out of Tennessee State with a degree, Hamilton worked at a glass company, did some coaching, worked for the state and then went to Firestone. For the past 39 years, he has been working at Avco Manufacturing, which pro duces airplane wings.

Some of Hamilton’s friends, including “Big Jim” and Ingram, have passed on.

He was able to come home for a 50th anniversary, and he went to see South Fulton play in the boys’ basketball state tournament in the 1980s.

He prefers to go on living his life as best he can.

“I’ve seen it and experienced it, gone through it,” he said. “I don’t worry about it. Just keep going.”

of Tennessee players Lester McClain (33), Mike Beavans (51), Wayne Spain (20), Jim Woody (70), George Silvey (23), Tim Priest (10), Bobby Thomas (83), Butch Frost (74) and Joe Thompson (80), as well as Winston Gaffron

to Kentucky, and Dale Woodard (40), who went to

Tech.

was the first black player at Tennessee.

Skyhawks look to step forward

UT Martin took some big steps in 2019. The Skyhawks will look to take a few more this season.

UTM posted an unbeaten 5-0 home record to highlight a season that saw the Skyhawks finish with a 7-5 overall mark. The team knocked off Northwestern State 42-20, Murray State 40-7, Eastern Illinois 27-18, Jacksonville State 22-17 and Tennessee State 28-17 at Graham Stadium.

The Skyhawks also remained in the hunt for the Ohio Valley Conference championship for much of the season, using road wins against Eastern Kentucky (38-28) and Tennessee Tech (55-14) to stay alive and ultimately finish 6-2.

Disappointing losses to Austin Peay, which reached the third round of the FCS playoffs, and Southeast Missouri kept the team from captur ing the league title.

An experienced group returns for the season, leading to optimism for a league title and playoff berth.

The Skyhawks won’t get a chance to take that optimism to the field until the spring of 2021, however. Due to concerns over COVID-19, the OVC canceled all fall sports for 2020 with plans for football to play a sevengame, conference-only schedule in the spring.

Jason Simpson, the dean of OVC coaches, enters his 15th season at the helm and became the school’s winningest coach last season.

Looking ahead, the Skyhawks return several skill position players and linemen for a good balance.

Quarterback John Bachus III, run ning back and return man Peyton Logan, fullback Davin Dyal, and wide receivers Rodney Williams II and Donnell Williams highlight an explosive offense.

Tight end Colton Dowell and guard Aries Davis will also be counted on to lead the offense, while defensive back JaQuez Akins, linemen Austin Pickett and Korbin Harmon and line backer D’Carrious Stephens, a for mer Union City High School standout who is featured on the cover of this section, should lead the defense.

Bachus started all 12 games at quarterback, completing 188-of-332 pass attempts for 2,549 yards and 18 touchdowns to earn several post season honors.

He had good targets in Dowell, as well as Rodney Williams and Donnell Williams.

Dowell added to his preseason All-America and all-conference hon ors following a breakout season in 2019, where he ranked second on the team with 38 receptions for 765 yards and four touchdowns.

Rodney Williams started in three games, grabbing nine receptions for 111 yards with a season-high 52 yards against Southeast Missouri.

Donnell Williams played in all 12 games for the Skyhawks at wide receiver with a pair of starts, grab bing 13 receptions for 164 yards with a touchdown against Murray State. He averaged 12.6 yards per catch.

Logan posted a breakout sea son with 109 carries for 784 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 87.1 yards per game with four 100-yard rushing performances.

A multi-purpose back, he aver aged 10.8 yards per reception and 21.6 yards per kick return. His 784 rushing yards ranked second in the OVC.

Dyal played in 12 games for the Skyhawks while earning seven starts, helping block for one of the league’s top ground attacks while grabbing five receptions for 70 yards.

Davis, who played in and started all 12 games last season at right guard, will be counted on to lead the offensive line. Individually, he graded at 86 percent or higher per game while tallying 107 knockdowns in ’19.

The defense could be stronger as several players who came into their own last season are back as leaders in 2020.

With OVC fall delayed, UTM plans for spring

By KEVIN WEAKS Messenger Sports Editor

After last week’s decision from the Ohio Valley Conference to post pone all fall sports, UT Martin ath letic director Kurt McGuffin said it’s time to regroup and then restart.

The OVC announced last week that all fall sports, including football, will be postponed due to continuing concerns over COVID-19. Winter and spring sports are not affected by the decision and plan to start on time as scheduled.

For now, though, McGuffin is in charge of a department that will take yet another break after players in football, cross country and vol leyball had begun preparing for their respective seasons.

“We’ll take a couple of weeks away and allow the athletes some time to get acclimated to their online and hybrid academic schedules and then come back with eight-hour workout plans within the guidelines,” McGuffin said.

Football is the biggest sport impacted by the move, and McGuffin says there’s no perfect next step.

“The biggest (financial) impact will be playing football in the spring with no guarantee games,” he said.

“I want us to play. If we sit out a year, that’s not good for the kids. But, playing 20 games in the same year might not be good, either.”

The Skyhawks were scheduled to play Alabama and Memphis this season, but nether will happen, especially if the OVC plays a confer ence-only schedule in the spring.

Head coach Jason Simpson won ders what his roster will look like next spring. The football team has nearly a dozen players scheduled to graduate in December, and other players could also move on.

“We’re not at that point yet,” Simpson said about preparing a spring roster. “We want everybody who wants to come back to do so, but we don’t want anybody to pass up any opportunities, either. We’re just in Phase 1 of all of this right now. There are a lot of unknowns and a lot to think about.

“All I can do is treat fall practice like it’s spring and hope we can have a spring season.”

One of those players set to grad uate is former Union City standout D’Carrious Stephens. The lineback

er had a solid season in 2019 after waiting in the wings to make his mark, and he’s preparing to return to the team in the spring. Stephens indi cated that he has met with coaches and plans to enter the teaching program at UTM in preparation for a career after football, possibly in Murfreesboro where he has family nearby.

“I hate it for all the seniors,” he said. “There’s no guarantee I’ll play football after college, so I’ve been looking forward to one last season.

“And considering my process at UTM, from not playing my first three years to having my position changed and having a little success last year, I was looking forward to going out, and playing the game I’ve played my whole life one last time.”

Through workouts in June and July, Stephens said he had high hopes the season would be played but began to see the writing on the wall as camp progressed in August.

“I’d rather be safe than sorry,” Stephens said.

McGuffin has relied on his fall sports coaches to get the word out to their athletes throughout the everchanging sports cycle because of the coronavirus, and he indicated each one has stepped up.

“Our coaches have done a fan tastic job of communicating with the kids about what is going on,” he said. “We’re throwing a lot at these kids, and it’s going to be a difficult couple of months for them. They need to be smart, safe and organized.”

While those sports are technically postponed until the spring, there is a chance some of the fall sports could be played before the end of the 2020 calendar year, McGuffin indicated.

Otherwise, the schedule will be overcrowded in the spring, bringing another challenge for the league’s higher-ups.

“We’ve been looking at the pos sibility of football in the spring,” McGuffin said. “Then when you add the other sports, that puts a lot of pressure on everyone. There won’t be enough trainers at each event, not enough sports information peo ple to cover each one. So, the pres sure will be on the league to not schedule eight things at one school at one time.”

With more questions than answers right now, and more questions com ing every day, Simpson pointed out that UTM won’t have to go it alone in finding solutions.

“Our conference and FCS are all in this together,” the coach said. “We don’t have to come up with the answers by ourselves.”

Sports editor Kevin Weaks can be contacted by email at kweaks@ucmessenger.com.

Stephens switched positions heading into the 2019 season and proved dynamic at linebacker as he played in nine games, earning eight starts.

He compiled 24 total tackles, including three tackles for loss and one sack and three interceptions — he returned one 26 yards for a touchdown against Eastern Illinois.

Stephens also forced a fumble and had three pass breakups.

Akins earned All-OVC first team honors in his debut season after ranking second on the team and sixth in the OVC with 92 tackles.

The hard-hitting safety tallied 5.5 tackles for loss while forcing two fumbles.

He eclipsed double figures in the tackle column in games against Florida, Southern Illinois and Tennessee State with a career-high 12 stops against the Salukis.

Pickett had 38 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks last season. He maintained his pres sure with seven quarterback hurries along with one forced fumble.

Harmon played in 11 games for the Skyhawks on the defensive line with 23 total tackles. He caused havoc in the backfield, notching 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

He also left his mark on special teams, leading the nation with three blocked kicks.

OF

UT MARTIN LEGEND

By KEVIN WEAKS Messenger Sports Editor

Tucked away behind so many trees you can’t even see it from the main road coming into town is the house where a college football coaching legend lives.

Bob Carroll still lives in Martin, not far from the campus that he made his home as a player, coach, teacher and administrator and the football stadium where a building bears his name.

Carroll is not a legend because of the 85 games he won as the head coach of the UT Martin football program from 1957 through 1974 — first known as the Vols and then the Pacers — or for the Tangerine Bowl championship team in 1967 — although those things certainly contribute to the legacy.

No, Carroll is a legend because of the people who came into the football program as boys and left as men. Those relationships, many still going strong, have made Carroll a giant in the business.

“You have to respect your players and then, of course, they’ve got to respect you, too,” Carroll said. “It’s a two-way street. If you have a group that you can have rapport with, then you can accomplish a lot.”

That mutual respect is so great that Carroll and a group of for mer players and assistant coaches — the number was 16 at the last gathering — get together for an annual golf trip in Florida.

It’s maybe the only place where a former Marine sergeant (Carroll) out-ranks three Navy colonels.

“That’s a very compatible group,” Carroll said. “They come in from Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and so forth. We’ve been doing that for 20 some odd years now. It’s a lot of fun.”

Carroll’s name is synonymous with UT Martin.

He received a diploma from the school, then a two-year institution, in 1952. He then earned a bachelor’s degree with honors from Wyoming in 1956 and completed his master’s in history and political science from Mississippi in 1962.

He was named the football head coach in 1957 and served in that position through 1974 while also teaching history. In fact, Carroll and each coach on his staff taught class es and would hold staff meetings at night.

“The good side is that I got to know a lot of students,” Carroll said. “I enjoyed teaching, and then I liked being there in the classroom.”

Carroll served as assistant vice chancellor for Alumni Affairs through his retirement at the age of 65 in 1997. He served during the admin istrations of five chancellors and three acting chancellors and saw enrollment grow from 457 when he was a student in 1950 to more than 6,000.

After retiring, he worked three years researching and writing the book “The University of Tennessee at Martin: The First One Hundred Years.”

Carroll came to Martin from Milan, receiving a partial scholarship — “What it amounted to, they gave you room and books.” It’s been home ever since.

And while Carroll has had a hand in numerous developments at UTM over the years, he will also be known for one season and one team: The 1967 Tangerine Bowl champions.

It all started the season before.

The 1966 Vols started with four losses in their first five games but then ran off a string of five straight wins before closing the season with a 17-13 loss to Austin Peay at home.

The players and coaches used that strong run in the second half of the season as a springboard into 1967. The following spring practice only fueled the fire more.

“Well, we were optimistic,” Carroll said. “Guardedly optimistic.

“We realized we had some good players, and they’d been here long enough. They knew what to do, and they were a lot of fun to coach. You

didn’t have any problems getting them fired up. We were cautiously optimistic because we knew the group. They worked well together, were good athletes and I know they wanted to win. They had demon strated that in the last part of the season before.

“The thing about the group was they just played together and they were a lot of fun to coach. They knew what to do to win. They knew what to do and how to do it.”

There was something else about that group. Not only was that 1967 UTM squad a veteran group with 27 lettermen returning, the group had football smarts.

Looking at the team, sever al became known in the area as football coaches, including Larry Shanks, Jim Wiggins, Errol Hook, Allan Cox and Gary Capers.

“There are three types of players: Those you have to get on their case to get the best out of them, those that you have to praise to get the best out of them, and those who are ideal that you tell them what to do and they do it.

“That was the good thing about this group, by and large. There was one or two you kind of had to jack up a little bit, but most of them, you just told them what to do and they went and did it. You didn’t need to have long practice sessions. They knew what to do. In other words, what it really amounts to, when you have an experienced group, then it makes a lot of difference.”

Guarded optimism turned to full confidence in the season opening game, a 16-9 win over Murray State at home.

UTM’s defense, led by Julian Nunamaker, held MSU to just 33 yards rushing, while Wiggins ran for 110 yards.

“Well, it was an indication that we could have a good year,” Carroll said.

The following week, UTM traveled to Decatur, Ill., and handed Millikin College a 70-0 whipping. Carroll said it could have been worse, not ing that he sent his kicker out to try a 70-yard field goal just to keep the score down.

While Carroll admitted little was gained from a win like that, plenty of positives came out of the next two wins, 39-0 over Southeast Missouri at home and 38-0 at Jacksonville State.

Sitting at 4-0, the Vols were ranked No. 8 in the Associated Press small college poll, receiving one first-place vote, and averaging

SWEET MEMORIES

Bob Carroll led UT Martin to 85 wins during his tenure as foot ball head coach, including the memorable 1967 Tangerine Bowl season.

ABOVE: Carroll shows the scrap book of the Tangerine Bowl that his wife Kay kept along with two media guides from that era and the book he authored on the his tory of UT Martin. The scrapbook has newspaper clippings from the weeks leading up to the game in Florida, which UTM won 25-8.

Alexander Senior Health Benefits

Nutrien Ag Solution

BOWL BUNCH — The 1967 UT Martin football team advanced to the Tangerine Bowl and knocked off West Chester State 25-8. Members of the team were (from left, front row) Mike Riley, Donnie Cox, Carl Summers, Lee Mayo, Allan Cox, Cliff Krug, Mike Gates, Skip Lawrence, Bill Powell, George Naughton, Ken Callis, Carey Boals, (second row) Les Shoaf, Gary Woods, Jim Wiggins, Larry Shanks, Bob Moulton, Tommy Baker, Errol Hook, Larry Ramsey, Duff Maki, Ken Cressman, Henry Ruth, Jerry McKelvy, Donnie Beaird, Tommy McKelvy, (third row) Robbie

UT Martin

40.7 points per game while allowing only 42.5 yards per contest. Bobby Hayes had rushed for 351 yards,

over Middle Tennessee on home coming — Linda Jessup of Union City was crowned the queen — and then grabbing a 20-12 win over Troy State at Troy, Ala.

Behind Shanks, Hayes and Wiggins, the team was now averag

Smith, Ed Cochran, Terry Butcher, Bobby Hayes, Tom Young, John Stoddard, Nello Rogers, Oliver Wright, Don Defino, Gary Doble, Julian Nunamaker, Larry Krouse, Mike Coffron, Foy Norwood, (back row) Pat Buratti, Richard Whitfield, Gordon Lambert, Ken Reed, Eddie Atchley, George Jennings, Will Heath, Steve Allison, Jim McKenna, Jerry Hughes, Robert Hinson, Clayton Broyles, Robby Baird, Gene Sides and Gary Capers. Bob Carroll was the UTM head coach for that championship season.

the Atlantic Coast College Division national championship.

One game remained, and Carroll remembers well the message from the bowl committee prior to the short tip to Clarksville to take on Austin Peay.

before.

There weren’t many outside fes tivities like bowl games today, but Carroll pointed out that his team was treated well. His veteran and battled-tested crew simply relaxed, practiced and prepared. Then, they

Steve Allison pulling down 15 for 243 yards. Shanks, who also had 15 catches, ran for 823 yards and 10 TDs, rushing for over 100 yards five times.

Robbie Smith had five intercep tions, and Nunamaker was so good

Tough region still sees Tide on top

By KEVIN WEAKS Messenger Sports Editor

How good was Region 7-2A last season?

The state champion — Trenton Peabody — came from the league, running its winning streak to 23 straight games with its second con secutive title.

A team that didn’t make the play offs despite a 6-4 record — Gibson County — scored 61 points on the team that finished second in the league — Union City.

Adamsville lost its first five games before surging late to reach the playoffs, and McKenzie rallied past GC to take a bracket spot.

The league will be just as com petitive this season.

Still, it’s the Golden Tide’s league for now with the other five teams looking to move up to the front seat.

Adamsville CARDINALS

The Cardinals could not have been much worse in the first half of the 2019 season, losing all five games and giving up an average of 35.8 points in those games.

But, Adamsville turned it around and won four of its last five regular season games to not only get in the playoffs but also knock out Gibson County.

The Cards also claimed a 7-0 win over Riverside, which advanced to the Class 2A semifinals, in the late surge.

Veteran head coach Brandon Gray has plenty of experience back this season and was able to use the COVID-19 guidelines put in place during the summer and preseason to get more work with the freshmen. So, spirits are high following last season’s 4-7 campaign.

Lathan Morris, a senior, started every game as a junior, throwing for over 1,400 yards, and played a lot as a sophomore. He returns to lead an offense that has versatile Jacob Bowles at running back and split end.

The wide receiver corps is solid with senior Chaz Sanders, a threeyear starter on defense, along with classmates Colton Howard and Black Luckett.

Sanders will also handle the punt ing duties and might one day wind up on a college baseball roster. Howard has the best hands on the team, while Luckett is big, athletic and likes to hit.

Tucker Johnson, a senior who has seen the previous two seasons cut short by injuries, is looking for a full season at running back and linebacker.

Colby Milford, a big one at 6-4 and 320 pounds, leads the offensive line as a second-year starter.

Gibson Co. PIONEERS

The Pioneers were rolling along with a 5-1 record, including three shutouts and a 61-35 win over Union City, only to lose three region

games and fall out of the playoff race down the stretch.

Head coach Cody Finley, how ever, looks at a big picture that includes back-to-back winning sea sons and a playoff berth that was thwarted by injuries as much as anything.

The Pioneers appeared headed to a win over McKenzie with a 14-0 lead and driving for another score before an injury to the quarterback flipped the momentum.

Finley has only seven seniors, but the underclassmen are talented — although untested — and excited for their chance following the gradu ation of 15 players.

The offensive line will be the team’s strength, where seniors Matt Tate, Trey Baker and Conner Travis have over 90 starts between them. Lane Tate, Matt’s brother, will also be counted on up front.

Ethan Ward, the lone returning starter on defense, will add running back duties to his work at strong safety, and Colton Lumpkin has potential to a be a good one at run ning back.

Jon Carter (J.C.) Phillips takes over at quarterback. While he hasn’t gone against another team yet, Finley is excited about his future.

Halls TIGERS

Head coach Jason Curtis has his scheme and culture firmly in place at Halls and looks to improve on last season’s 4-6 finish.

Numbers could be a problem, however. Curtis had 30 to 35 players regularly attending off-season work outs, but that number has dropped by about 10 since the return to work under COVID-19 guidelines.

While the Tigers might struggle to fill some line spots, the skill posi tions seem to be well-stocked.

Senior Dalton England is back to run the offense and is getting a strong push for the starting spot from junior Logan Rogers.

Camarae Cobb, a transfer from Fulton City, Ky., is an all-around athlete and will help the team in the backfield.

Clydrell Foster, a senior, is the top receiver in a solid group that also includes experienced Collin Thompson. Bronson Rasp, a soph omore, is a dependable player who will see plenty of action.

McKenzie REBELS

The Rebel players have handled the COVID-19 adjustments well, according to veteran head coach Wade Comer.

Dealing with the mental fatigue and the emotions of not knowing if they will play, feelings that might last throughout the season, and the redundancy of preseason practice that did not include 7-on-7 camps or scrimmages, the team is excit ed and anxious for the season to begin.

There’s good reason for optimism in the Rebel camp.

A good senior class and strong depth will be the keys for McKenzie, which posted a 6-6 record and reached the second round of the playoffs last season.

Eli Surber is one of those seniors and is ready to lead from the quar terback and safety slot, while fellow senior Will Latimer will be one of Surber’s top targets from his receiv er and a partner in the defensive backfield.

Logan Lyles, another senior, is a versatile athlete who can line up as a wide-out or in the backfield.

Peabody GOLDEN TIDE

The two-time defending state champions have some big shoes to fill.

Plenty of talent returns, topped by the linebacker trio of seniors Allen Jones and Drequan Vaughn and sophomore London Burkett.

Jones moves from defensive end, where he had a strong effort in the state title game, while Burkett started in the title game as a fresh man based on his physical play. Vaughn will also see action at run ning back.

Kenandre Woolfork and Braxton Johnson return at defensive tackle, while junior defensive end Jordan Shephard has Division I size at 6-4, 240 pounds.

The secondary returns with Carson Vandiver, Triston Cook and Ja’Darren Easley, while the offen sive line will be another strength as Benjamin Hayes, Conner Gatlin and Blake Minnis all return as well.

Sam Driggers takes over the quar terback spot, held well by Cooper Baugus, and Khalik Ganaway will line up at running back. Driggers is smart and has a strong arm.

Union City GOLDEN TORNADOES

For more on Union City, see pages 4 and 5.

Who To Watch

Neil Brown (Union City, OT/DE, Sr.): An intellectual and physical giant, Brown also has all the football skills to be dominant on both sides of the ball.

Dalton England (Halls, QB, Sr.):

A good leader who has added mus cle to his frame, England is back to run the Tigers’ split-back veer offense.

Allen Jones (Peabody, LB, Sr.): A defensive end last season, Jones had a breakout performance in the state championship game.

Lathan Morris (Adamsville, QB, Sr.): He returns to lead the Cardinals after throwing for 1,426 yards and 14 touchdowns last season.

Matt Tate (Gibson County, OT/ DT, Sr.): On a team blessed with experience and size up front, Tate (6-4, 300) is the best of the bunch.

Eli Surber (McKenzie, QB/S, Sr.): Surber has experience at the quarterback spot and will be count ed on as a leader in the defensive secondary.

Khalik Ganaway will try to carry Trenton Peabody to a third consecutive state championship.

2A league now champs’ home

The rich playoff tradition of Region 7-2A added more gold in 2019 — just like it did in 2018 and 2017.

Trenton Peabody won its second consecutive double-A state cham pionship last season, knocking off Meigs County 27-16 in Cookeville, to run its playoff win streak to 10 straight.

The Golden Tide, currently riding a 23-game win streak overall, beat Trousdale County 17-9 in the 2018 title game.

Those wins, following up Union City’s championship in 2017, gave the region seven state titles — UC also won titles in 2009, 2013 and 2014, while Trenton also won in 2014 — along with two other schools that have earned a spot in the state title game as part of their history.

Adamsville (2012, 2013) and McKenzie (2007) have also advanced to state championship games in their history.

Union City also has three state runner-up finishes (1997, 2000, 2005), while Peabody reached the state championship game in 1991.

UC (52-24), Trenton (37-21), McKenzie (29-24) and Adamsville (20-19) all have winning records in the playoffs.

In all, the league’s six teams have combined to play 260 playoff games with a record of 148-112.

ADAMSVILLE

All-time record: 20-19

Best season(s): 2012 and 2013 — Class 2A finals

2012 — beat Mt. Pleasant 56-6, beat Loretto 24-0, beat Dresden 287, lost to Friendship Christian 44-7

2013 — beat Forrest 26-7, beat Eagleville 16-0, beat Trinity Christian 49-39, lost to Trousdale County 2112

GIBSON COUNTY

All-time playoff record: 1-6

Best season(s): 1997 — Class 2A second round

1997 — beat Oakhaven 30-14, lost to Humboldt 27-0

HALLS

All-time playoff record: 9-18

Best season(s): 1984 — Class A semifinals

1984 — beat Old Hickory Academy 13-10, beat Columbia Academy 1714, lost to ECS 41-0

McKENZIE

All-time playoff record: 29-24

Best season(s): 2007 — Class 1A finals

2007 — beat Halls 47-7, beat Fayette Academy 28-7, beat Trinity Christian 48-21, beat Mt. Pleasant 35-32, lost to South Pittsburg 52-20

TRENTON PEABODY

All-time playoff record: 37-21

Best season(s): 2014, 2018 and 2019 — Class 2A state champions

2014 — beat Huntingdon 49-27, beat Trinity Christian 42-37, beat McKenzie 42-0, beat Adamsville 4231, beat Marion County 34-7

2018 — beat MAHS 42-0, beat TCA 41-7, beat Union City 35-0, beat Waverly 35-21, beat Trousdale County 17-9

2019 — beat MAHS 38-0, beat McKenzie 48-0, beat Fairley 29-28, beat Riverside 45-14, beat Meigs County 27-16

UNION CITY

All-time playoff record: 52-24

Best season(s): 2009, 2013, 2014 — Class 1A state champions; 2017 — Class 2A state champions

2009 — beat South Fulton 48-7, beat Huntingdon 30-7, beat Wayne County 31-21, beat South Pittsburg 31-29

2013 — beat Bruceton 61-28, beat Humboldt 10-6, beat Nashville Christian 42-34, beat South Pittsburg 23-14

2014 — beat Dresden 49-14, beat Lake County 56-6, beat Nashville Christian 35-0, beat Coalfield 56-14

2017 — beat Manassas 62-24, beat Douglass 44-30, beat Trenton 28-21, beat Columbia Academy 357, beat Tyner 27-21 (2OT)

Marquez Taylor led McKenzie back to the playoffs last season.

Rest

By KEVIN WEAKS Messenger Sports Editor

Haywood has made it a habit of reaching the semifinals of the Class 4A state playoffs.

The 2020 season should be no different.

Under Chris Smith, the Tomcats are again expected to contend for a state championship.

To do that, Haywood will have to make its way through the league in both the regular season and postseason. In reaching the semi finals last year, Haywood won all four regular season region games and then beat Ripley and Crockett County in the playoffs.

Look for those two teams to be Haywood’s biggest challengers again this year, with the people at Ripley anticipating an excellent year ahead.

Don’t forget about Dyersburg. Eight straight losses to close the ’19 season haven’t dampened any spirits in Trojan Nation, and a young roster that gained plenty of trial-byfire experience last season is ready to cut loose.

Obion Central, which gave Ripley and Crockett County fits last season, looks poised to significantly narrow those gaps. A playoff bracket spot would not be a surprise at OC.

Crockett Co. CAVALIERS

After a 1-3 start to the 2019 sea son, the Cavaliers went on to finish 8-5 and reach the quarterfinals of the state playoffs.

Head coach Kevin Ward has rea son to believe his team will be as good, or better, this season despite the loss of starting quarterback Luke Pratt to graduation.

One thing Ward and his larger coaching staff, which has increased to nine assistants, were able to do during the COVID-19 summer was work on the little things and do more teaching.

Summer sessions were limited to small groups working on condition ing and study.

Adam Castellaw, a senior, is a three-year starter up front who will be a leader at offensive guard and defensive end. Brayden Butler, another senior, is small for a line man spot at 5-8 and 185 pounds, but puts out a big effort.

Look for big things from another three-year starter as senior Brixton Miller returns to his linebacker post.

Payton Currie, a junior, moves from split end to running back and will also be counted on to be a play maker in the defensive backfield, and Jonathan Pankey is another senior running back/defensive back with big-play capabilities. He tore his ACL early last season but has been cleared to play. LeAnthony Cathey, just a sophomore, joins that pair in dual roles and has potential to be very good.

Dyersburg TROJANS

There’s a silver lining to

Dyersburg’s 2019 season. After starting the year with three wins and moving up in the state rankings, the Trojans lost their final eight games.

Veteran head coach Bart Stowe

looks back at the injury-plagued season, where he lost starting quar terback Graham Clark and defen sive end Hunter Newsom to injuries late in the season, as one where younger players were able to play early and grow up in a hurry.

As a result, Stowe is excited about his roster and his team’s chances in the rugged league.

Clark is healthy and ready to lead, and he will be joined in the backfield by last season’s lead ing rusher, Israel Barbee. Landen Rivers, a senior, and junior Tyler Brown played every game on the offensive line last season and will see some action up front on defense as well. Lafe Morgan, a junior who filled in at QB last season when Clark went down, is a leader at line backer, while Sam Porter, another junior, will also be at a linebacker spot but is better known for his play at tight end.

In a league of good kickers, junior Grant Self is among the best.

Haywood TOMCATS

Another year in Smith’s program has everyone involved with the Tomcats feeling good about 2020.

Haywood built momentum as the team made a run to the semifinals, continued it through off-season workouts and did not get derailed by COVID-19 by returning at full speed in May.

Despite graduating tight end Markeston Douglas and wide receiver Darion Williamson, both now on scholarship at Florida State, the Tomcats return some of the best players in 7-4A.

Cam Douglas, a junior, is a bigtimer up front on both sides, while senior running back Atlex Evans returns from an injury to lead a tal ented backfield.

Jakylon Taylor, a junior, could have a monster year in the offensive backfield, and classmate Marquis Mays will be another strong option.

Kylian Newbern, a senior, is a multithreat talent at quarterback, while Jaylen Lewis, a junior, can play there as well but will mainly be counted on at wide receiver and cornerback.

Devin Jones, a senior, is a return ing all-region player who will fit in well at fullback and nose tackle, while fellow senior Jaidan Stewart, last year’s all-region return special ist, will be a threat at receiver.

Reid Russell, a junior, will be among the state’s top kickers.

Obion Central REBELS

For more on Obion Central, see pages 8 and 9.

Ripley TIGERS

Justin Cruse has a program that is now all his. Every player on the Tigers’ squad has known only him as the head coach, and that gives Cruse reason to feel his squad can challenge for the league’s top spot.

Having 26 seniors and 23 juniors helps, too.

Cruse has established a culture within the program that the players have not only bought into but have also instilled in the younger players. And speaking of those youngsters, they got plenty of individualized work as a result of the COVID-19 guidelines put in place during the summer, including smaller groups and no-contact conditioning drills and study sessions.

Ripley returns the league’s most valuable offensive player in senior

Corterrion Moore, a four-year start er who has rushed for more than 1,200 yards each of the last two seasons.

Kendrick Price, a senior defen sive end, led the defensive line in tackles last season. He has good speed off the edge and elevated his game to another level at mid-sea son last year.

David Owen, huge at 6-6, 350, is a three-year starter at offensive tackle, and Vance Pipkin, is a solid player on both sides of the line for a Tiger team deep and talented in the trenches.

Philander Draine and Joseph Fincher, both seniors, are the team’s top tacklers from the linebacker positions and are team leaders by example.

Who To Watch Israel Barbee (Dyersburg, RB/ DB, Sr.): Last year’s leading rush

er on the team, Barbee has all the tools — speed, quickness and strength — to be a force on both sides of the ball.

Adam Castellaw (Crockett County, OG/DE, Sr.): A three-year starter who has played a lot of snaps in his high school career, Castellaw won’t come off the field very much this season.

Brennan Finnell (Obion Central, OT/DT, Sr.): Finnell is the team’s best lineman, returning for his third year to start on defense, and the Rebels’ strongest player.

Corterrion Moore (Ripley, RB, Sr.): Taking over a starting spot midway through his freshman year, Moore has more than 3,000 career rushing yards and could be one of the state’s best players in 2020.

Kylian Newbern (Haywood, QB, Sr.): After serving as the back-up last season, the dual threat speed ster is set to have a breakout year.

Haywood sets pace in 7-4A postseason race

Haywood continues to set the TSSAA playoff standard in Region 7-4A.

The 2018 run to the Class 4A state championship game, sand wiched by semifinal appearances in 2017 and 2019, proves the Tomcats remain among the elite programs in Tennessee.

Haywood also made it to the state championship game in both 1994 and 1995, highlighting the best showings of the Region 7-4A teams.

While Crockett County made it to the 3A state title game in 2001, the league is not blessed with a lot of playoff success.

Both Haywood and the Cavaliers sport the league’s only winning records in the playoffs, the Tomcats now 30-29 and Crockett County 25-19.

Ripley has been to the quarterfi nals twice, while Obion Central has reached the second round three times.

The league has 188 playoff games in its history, those five teams com bining for an 88-100 record.

CROCKETT COUNTY

All-time playoff record: 25-19

Best season(s): 2001 — Class 3A finals

2001 — beat Page 26-23, beat Jackson South Side 9-7, beat Sycamore 9-7, beat Covington 16-3, lost to Knoxville Austin-East 27-21

DYERSBURG

All-time playoff record: 21-25

Best season(s): 2006 — Class 3A semifinals

2006 — beat Memphis Mitchell 14-13, beat Haywood 15-9, beat Covington 14-0, lost to David Lipscomb 42-10

HAYWOOD

All-time playoff record: 30-29

Best season(s): 1994, 1995 and

2018 — Class 4A finals

1994 — beat Memphis Overton 61-0, Maplewood 20-0, beat Memphis Westwood 27-20, beat Brentwood Academy 7-3, lost to Cleveland 7-6

1995 — beat Pearl-Cohn 35-8, beat Memphis Wooddale 47-0, beat Father Ryan 46-21, beat Beech 2417, lost to Cleveland 14-3

2018 — beat Fayette Ware 35-0, beat Ripley 49-7, Dyersburg 4714, beat Springfield 49-14, lost to Greeneville 56-21

OBION CENTRAL

All-time playoff record: 3-11

Best season(s): 2003 — Class 3A second round; 2011, 2017 — Class 4A second round

2003 — beat Memphis Kingsbury 24-10, lost to Brighton 15-13

2011 — beat Memphis Fairley 4622, lost to Covington 42-41

2017 — beat Craigmont 36-28, lost to Haywood 47-20

RIPLEY

All-time

Best season(s): 1982 — Class

AA quarterfinals; 1985 — Class AAA quarterfinals

1982 — beat Lexington 23-6, lost

to Brentwood Academy 14-7

1985 — beat Christian Brothers 3-0, beat Memphis Northside 27-0, lost to Gallatin 17-16

Lukas Barger

playoff run by Crockett County.

Kyle Agee, Owner/Operator

New coach, same plan at Lake County

By RANDY CAVIN

Special to The Messenger

Lake County will have a new head coach as Cory Quinn takes over the program.

But the Falcons, who rolled through last season with a 15-0 record on the way to a state cham pionship, should again be the team to beat.

The playoff chase gets crowded after that with South Fulton, West Carroll, Dresden and Greenfield all in the hunt.

Dresden LIONS

The Lions got back in the playoffs after missing the postseason the previous year.

Head coach Wes Johnson is entering his second season at Dresden and he really only lost two skill players after wide receiver Divers Lockhart and running back Quea Taylor graduated.

The biggest question mark is with Zach Crawford. Can he stay healthy for the duration of the season?

He will not be used at quarter back; that job belongs to sopho more Tatum Oliver. He grew nicely into the starting role after Crawford got injured early into the season a year ago.

Oliver has plenty of support to help keep the heat off of him.

The team was hammered by a COVID-19 quarantine two weeks prior to the start of the season.

Gleason BULLDOGS

The recurring theme for head coach Noah Lampkins — low num bers and young players — may be a thing of the past.

The numbers are up for Lampkins, which gives him the luxury of putting some kids on only one side of the ball this season.

Gleason has the players who will only be on offense and only on defense. That will be a major plus for the Bulldogs. There is talent on this team, more than the Bulldogs have had in recent memory.

Greenfield YELLOWJACKETS

Keylon Thomas is back to lead the rushing attack for his senior year.

Thomas proved to be a slip pery ball carrier with his low cen ter of gravity, good vision down the field and quick feet. It may be quarterback by committee for the Yellowjackets this year, but whoever steps up will most likely only have to hand the ball off to Thomas.

There is plenty of talent at Greenfield to give head coach Don Pitt another run at the playoffs.

Humboldt VIKINGS

The Vikings could be on the way up with Anthony Ballard entering his second season as the head coach, and he has 13 returning starters to help him out.

Key returners for the Vikings will be senior quarterback Malik Cox, senior running back CJ Webb, junior running backs Cody Williams, Zaccheus Coleman, senior defen sive lineman Nakail Williams, senior linebacker Jamari Ingram, senior athlete Tristian Kluck and defensive back Bobby Johnson.

A weak spot for the Vikings will be they are going to have several sophomores on defense.

Lake County FALCONS

The Falcons were the best in Class 1A as they won the state title after finishing in the semifinals the two previous seasons, and they currently hold the longest winning streak in single-A at 15 games.

The Falcons lost some valuable players from a season ago, and head coach Josh Puckett left Lake County for the head-coaching job at Shelbyville. Puckett also took his coaching staff with him. That leaves some questions about the 2020 Falcons as Cory Quinn takes over the team. Lake County is hop ing Quinn’s experience as a col lege assistant coach will keep the Falcons on top of Region 7A.

Quinn will have to find a replace ment for quarterback Tanner Snyder, which will not be an easy thing to do.

Snyder was a Mr. Football semi finalist last season as a senior.

Campbell Puckett, now with the UT Martin football team, is another top player who needs to be replaced at linebacker and tight end.

Wilson and Keyshawn Cross should fill the void, while the Falcons will have to find a player or players to take on the running back role after Larry Tubbs graduated.

South Fulton RED DEVILS

For more on South Fulton, see pages 12 and 13.

West Carroll WAR EAGLES

The War Eagles took the No. 2 spot last season in the region, fin ishing behind the Falcons with only one loss in the league.

Head coach Josh Wolfe is enter ing his sixth year and he, too, has big holes to fill after running backs Jeremiah Bryant and Jarrius Weatherford graduated. Wolfe lost a total of six seniors from last year’s state quarterfinal team.

However, he has 11 seniors on this season’s roster. That alone should give West Carroll enough of an edge to remain in the top two of the region.

Running back Deven Rader and wide receiver Jacob Blankenship could be two of Wolfe’s best players in a strong senior class.

Who To Watch

James Wilson (Lake County, QB/LB, Sr.): It will be interesting to see how Wilson performs at quar terback after Tanner Snyder held the position.

Devon Rader (West Carroll, RB/ SS, Sr.): He possesses the right combination of size and speed to pose problems for opposing defens es.

Bryce McFarland (South Fulton, QB/DB, Sr.): McFarland has a strong, accurate arm and is a qual ity ball carrier.

Tristian Kluck (Humboldt, Ath, Sr.): Opposing teams should be aware of where he is at all times. He can be at tailback, fullback or at tight end on any play.

Elijah Young (Gleason, TE/LB, Sr.): Young will be one of junior quarterback Kolton Crochet’s favor ite targets this season.

Keylon Thomas (Greenfield, RB/LB, Sr.): Thomas is a primetime player who is elusive as soon as he gets to the line of scrimmage.

’19 title brings back glory days for Falcons

Lake County brought back memo ries of the glory years last season.

A state champion in 1980 and 1985, LC brought home the pro gram’s third gold ball last season by beating Memphis Booker T. Washington 50-20, MASE 56-0, West Carroll 46-0, Huntingdon 3020 and Greenback 38-23 on the way to a perfect 15-0 record.

The Falcons’ run added to the strong postseason tradition of the Region 7-1A teams.

In addition to Lake County’s two state titles, Humboldt won the Double-A crown in 1979 and Dresden capped a 15-0 season with the 1A title in 2016.

Lake County (51-33) and Humboldt (31-26) have winning records in the playoffs, although the Vikings are a long way away from their glory days.

In all, the seven Region 7-1A teams have combined to play 261 playoff games, posting a 124-137 overall record.

DRESDEN

All-time record: 20-21

Best season(s): 2016 — Class 1A state champion 2016 — beat Memphis BTW 46-8, beat Trenton 48-13, beat Union City 40-14, beat Wayne County 33-14, beat Greenback 62-27

GLEASON

All-time record: 2-11

Best season(s): 1982, 2008 and 2011 — Class A second round 1982 — lost to Middleton 13-6 2008 — beat Trinity Christian 3630, lost to Lake County 42-40 2011 — beat South Fulton 19-12, lost to West Carroll 35-14

GREENFIELD

All-time record: 4-11

Best season(s): 1986, 1997, 2001 and 2018 — Class A second round 1986 — beat Denmark West 34-2, lost to Sky View Academy 21-6 1997 — beat Jackson Christian 2821, lost to South Fulton 13-7 2001 — beat Fayette Academy 136, lost to USJ 47-8

2018 — beat MACE 42-6, lost to Freedom Prep 34-21

HUMBOLDT

All-time record: 31-26

Best season(s): 1979 — Class AA state champions

1979 — beat Memphis Prep 520, beat Memphis East 21-13, beat Lexington 7-0, beat Maryville 13-10

LAKE COUNTY

All-time record: 51-33

Best season(s): 1980, 1985 and 2019 — Class A state champions

1980 — beat Sky View Academy 28-0, beat McKenzie 20-7, beat Goodpasture 7-3, beat Meigs County

Gleason’s playoff hopes could ride on the shoulders of Isaac Denton (5) and Hagen Hodges.

Local coaches, players tackle different opponent

By KEVIN WEAKS Messenger Sports Editor

In addition to scouting reports and game plans, coaches are preparing for a much different opponent this season.

It’s an opponent that forced a complete shutdown of sports at all levels in March and kept everything stopped through the spring and the early part of summer before sports began to limp back to action last month.

This opponent is so tough, in fact, that many believe they should just give up and forfeit the 2020 season. And, that might just happen at some point.

For now, though, high school football coaches across Tennessee are preparing to play the season with the ever-present threat from COVID-19 hanging over them.

Teams worked virtually through March and April, with no on-field spring practice, and did some con ditioning work — under strict social distancing guidelines — in May. In early August, teams were given the go-ahead from Gov. Bill Lee’s office that full contact could begin and the season would start on time: Aug. 21.

It’s been a long road, one that still has plenty of potholes, speed bumps and detours ahead, but the three head coaches in Obion County feel they have navigated the path well .... so far.

“My bunch handled it great,” South Fulton head coach Eric Knott said. “My coaches handled it great. There was an energy. They went about it workman-like, and you’d expect that. You have 12 seniors, so you should handle it workman-like. I thought we did an excellent job, as a staff, getting back to fundamental things that you normally wouldn’t get to do.”

Nick Markle, the new man in the county as he takes over as Union City’s head coach, was pleased with nearly perfect attendance from his players during the off-season workouts.

“I think we’ve handled it great — from coaches being able to change, or modify, how they practice, or how we run practice or drills or whatever it’s been,” he said. “And, the kids have been very resilient. They’ve kept positive attitudes, especially at some times going toward the middle of July and not really having a whole lot of hope, but they came every day. I think, for the most part, we had about a 90, 95 percent atten dance rate all summer.

“They worked hard. We just kept preaching that as soon as the state gave us the green light, whenever that would be, we need to be able to hit the ground running.”

Saying his bunch handled the situation as well as possible, Obion Central head coach Paul Decker pointed out that the current nor mal showed how important spring practice is. Teams in the state were not allowed to have their traditional on-field work in the spring, and the guidelines currently in place wiped out all preseason 7-on-7 camps and scrimmages.

“You do miss your spring prac tice,” Decker said. “With no scrim mages, no 7-on-7, you don’t have any idea exactly where your team’s at. But, at least we’re getting to play, or trying to play, and we just have to make the best of the situation. But we’re behind. Everybody’s behind. There’s talk about doing away with spring football in Tennessee. I sure hope they don’t because after a year like this year, you realize how much you miss that spring. You realize how much you miss that time being able to evaluate your kids after an off-season of weightlifting and see ing where they’re at physically.

“So, hopefully, we’ll be able to keep spring practice in Tennessee for a long time. I think we realize how important it is, now that we missed it.”

Those missed practices and live work against another team were even tougher for someone like

Markle, coming into a program with no knowledge of his own players or the teams they will face.

“I’ve never seen our guys, as a team, play anybody,” Markle said. “We didn’t have spring practice. We’re not having scrimmages, jam borees, all that stuff, so I had to really go back and watch last sea son. It’s just a deal to where you try to figure out who’s who from last year’s team that are returning to this year’s team. In some aspects, you have to use your imagination.”

Fitting players into his system and the new defense that assistant coach Wade Maddox is installing has been, Markle said, “like trying to fit a round peg in a square hole, at times.” But, he points out that his coaches and team used the time between summer conditioning and the two-week dead period wisely.

“We put in a lot of plays and pret ty much installed the entire offen sive playbook before dead period,” Markle said. “Defensively, it boils down to doing every little bit of individual drill without tackling and things. It’s very difficult. You just have to adapt and overcome and make the best out of the situation. We’re trying to get in as many reps in a very scaled-down model, keep ing them from touching each other and trying to be as safe as possible, but at the same time trying to be as efficient as possible. So, it was definitely a balancing act.”

Not having those scrimmages provided another problem, Decker pointed out.

“You’re not going to get any film on (opponents),” he said. “There’s no scrimmages to trade. You just go by what you feel like they tried to do last year. And, everybody’s kind of rushing to get started, so I think the first couple of ballgames are going to be real basic.”

While the full-contact drills were not allowed throughout the sum mer and teams were forced to work in small groups due to the safety guidelines, coaches used their time to get back to the basics. “We had to with nine people per coach, then we were able to break it down a little bit by position groups,” Knott said. “So, coach (Brent) Wilson would have nine defensive backs with him, and they’re going over their backpedal ing drills and some weightlifting that would help them out. I would have my linebackers, going over those drills with them. Coach (Mason) Pullen would have his defensive line going over the reads. As long as you’re not touching, you can teach the slants, steps and all that. So, we got back to doing the little things.”

Knott said he could see that work paying off on the first day of con tact drills. Besides, he added, that’s where the real coaching is done.

“I think team is overrated any way,” Knott said. “I think sometimes we think that we’re coaching when we’re in team, and most of the time that’s the least amount of coaching that gets done. When we do team, we’re not stopping anything. We’re running the play because we’re try ing to make it as real as possible. I can’t stop the play in the middle of the game and say, ‘No, no, that wasn’t right.’ We’ve got to live with that and move on to the next one. I don’t know how anybody else does team, but that’s how we do it. So all of our coaching comes from

individual and from group. Our team is really the least amount of what we do.”

The film room — it’s all digital now — was utilized a lot more as well.

Coaches primarily scouted their own teams, but they also got a better insight on how other teams played them.

“We just had a lot more time on our hands, so we tried to be efficient in looking at things that we did and how we can improve those,” Decker said. “And also looking at the teams we’re playing, basically just watch ing film more than what we probably would have watched. It’s been a good thing to be able to have some time to look at some teams to see what maybe you might be able to do differently than what you’ve done in the past.”

In that respect, too, Markle has been at a bit of a disadvantage.

“I did a lot of watching film, watch ing our opponents, what they did well against us, what problems they caused us, how we can remedy that,” the UC skipper said. “But, it’s just a deal to where you’re trying to figure it all out on the fly. It’s really been difficult for me being a guy that didn’t coach them last year, coming in fresh and never having seen them compete against another team.”

As a result, the first couple of games will likely be somewhat basic in style with efficiency being the key to winning.

“Those first couple of games of the season are going to be our scrimmages, in a way, to where we’ve got to get ready for region play,” Markle said. “Region play’s all that matters. We definitely want to be one of those two top seeds, host some playoff games and make a deep run. These first two games are crucial to that. You can’t win a state title in the first half of the season, but you can definitely lose it. I think that’s a big part of it now. Something that I’ve been telling our kids is the first half of the season, the more disciplined team wins.”

Have a Safe, Fun & Winning Season!

SF head coach Eric Knott talks to a small group of Red Devil players, spaced six feet apart, during a study session after conditioning work began for Tennessee high school teams in May.

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Comeback Vols ready to start ahead

Tennessee is coming off a year of comebacks — one from a bad start to the season to finish 8-5 and another from a late deficit in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl to beat Indiana 23-22.

Now, the Volunteers are poised to take another step toward the front of the Southeastern Conference.

Plenty of talent returns for Jeremy Pruitt’s third season, which will look much different than any other year in program history due to COVID19.

All SEC teams will play 10-game, league-only schedules that will begin in late September. In addi tion to its regular eight conference games, Tennessee will also host Texas A&M and travel to Auburn.

Redshirt senior quarterback Jarrett Guarantano is back to lead the Vols, the Lodi, N.J., native returning for his final season on Rocky Top after spearheading UT’s midyear turnaround in 2019 and lifting the Vols to a six-game win streak to conclude last season.

He led Tennessee with 2,158 passing yards and 16 touchdowns, while completing 152-of-257 pass attempts after appearing in all 13 games with seven starts. Guarantano averaged 14.2 yards per completion to top the SEC.

Impressively, Guarantano came off the bench to lead the Vols to victories against Mississippi State, South Carolina, UAB and Kentucky, suffering from a broken wrist in his non-throwing hand against South Carolina to never miss a game.

He continued to surpass expecta tions throughout 2019 and passed for a career-high 415 yards against a Missouri defense that was ranked sixth nationally in pass defense to propel the Vols to a bowl berth. His 415-yard performance was the fourth-most ever by a Vol.

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS

while helping lead the Bulldogs to a Sugar Bowl victory over Baylor.

Brandon Kennedy, a senior, and junior Wanya Morris are also pre season All-SEC picks up front.

Senior Josh Palmer and junior Velus Jones will look to add to Tennessee’s wide receiver tradition this season.

A graduate transfer from Southern Cal, Jones was an explosive return specialist for the Trojans and earned second-team All-Pac 12 honors as a redshirt junior, returning 29 kick offs for 704 yards and one score in 2019. His yardage ranked 14th in the nation.

Heading into 2020, Jones aver ages 24 yards per kickoff return.

He finished his USC career sec ond all-time in school history in kickoff return yards, while his 1,947 kickoff returns entering this season make him second among active FBS players and first in the Power 5.

Palmer added 34 catches for 457 yards and a TD last season.

Eric Gray returns for his sopho more season after a breakout fresh man campaign.

Gray, a native of Memphis, closed the 2019 season in spectacular fashion, racking up 366 yards and four touchdowns in the final two games of the year. He also earned most valuable player honors of the

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl with a gamehigh 120 yards rushing, the gamewinning score and the recovery of a key onside kick.

Gray finished his freshman cam paign with 539 yards rushing on 101 carries to go along with 13 recep tions and five total scores.

Sophomore linebacker Henry To’o To’o and junior defensive back Bryce Thompson will be keys to improvement on defense.

To’o To’o is coming off an impres sive freshman season where he recorded 72 tackles after playing in all 13 games while making 12 starts.

He capped the 2019 season with a game-high eight tackles in the bowl victory over Indiana.

Thompson had 32 tackles, includ ing 22 primary stops, and three interceptions last season.

Senior kicker Brent Cimaglia has brought back some glory to the tradition-rich Tennessee kicking game.

The Nashville native made 23 of his 27 field goal attempts last sea son, including two kicks of 50-plus yards en route to earning secondteam All-SEC honors.

Cimaglia was 9-of-11 on kicks of 40 or more yards and connected on all 35 of his extra point attempts to account for 104 total points (sixthmost in UT history).

He will be fronted by an expe rienced offensive line that has received plenty of preseason notice.

Senior Trey Smith, who has been named to several preseason AllSEC and All-America teams, is a comeback story of his own.

The Jackson native started 12 games at left guard in 2019 en route to All-SEC First Team honors from the coaches and media.

After missing the final five games of the 2018 season and a come back to football questionable due to complications stemming from blood clots, Smith returned to his dominant ways and spearheaded Tennessee’s six-game win streak to end the season.

His off-the-field efforts were also honored at the end of the 2019 sea son as Smith was named the 2020 Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year and was the first-ever recipient of the Fritz Pollard Trophy, which honors a college player who has exemplified extraordinary courage, community values, and exceptional performance on the field.

Cade Mays, who will be a junior this season if he can win his appeal to be eligible, transferred to UT from Georgia in the offseason after playing a key part on the Bulldogs’ offensive line the past two years, playing in 25 games while making 18 starts.

A preseason all-league and AllAmerica pick, Mays was a FWAA Freshman All-American and SEC All-Freshman team selection in 2018.

The junior showed his versatil ity last season, starting at least one game at every position along the offensive line except for center,

COVID-19 main topic as SEC gets started

By JOHN ZENOR AP Sports Writer

Southeastern Conference teams opened preseason camp Monday with the precarious status of the season largely overshadowing even the annual ambitions of Alabama and Georgia.

Questions like how will LSU fare without quarterback Joe Burrow took a backseat to uncer tainty. Quarterback battles seem fairly inconsequential with COVID19 threatening the season — and teams’ depth charts.

“The teams that handle this the best and the players that are the safest, those teams are going to win a lot of games,” first-year Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin said.

The SEC, winner of 10 football national championships since 2006, is just hoping to have a season and play out the league-only schedule starting Sept. 26. It’s an open ques tion of how a national champion will even be crowned, with the PAC-12 and Big Ten opting not to play this fall.

Masks and social distancing are hot topics even with LSU trying to repeat as national champions without its Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback and Alabama aiming for another national championship run after failing to make the playoffs last season.

Safety protocols have been the norm around football buildings, with frequent testing and temperature checks and a largely bubble-like existence. But now students are returning, creating troublesome scenes on some campuses, includ ing Alabama.

SEC coaches and officials have sounded the alarm in efforts to save the season.

Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne Tweeted a photo Sunday showing dozens of people, many not wearing face masks, bunched together waiting to get into a popular bar in Tuscaloosa on the day sorori ties accepted new members.

“Who wants college sports this fall?? Obviously not these people!!” Byrne said in a tweet, urging people to wear masks.

Likewise, Kiffin addressed the lack of precautions among some people and predicted the number of students testing positive won’t be a low one.

“If people think people are doing this well, open your eyes,” he said. “Just drive around. This ain’t kids. Adults don’t do it. Just drive through downtown and look around or look at pictures on the Internet of other places.

“This is not taken very serious by a lot of people and especially by young people who are back at col lege that have been sitting at their house with their parents for however many months.”

But those are the challenges SEC teams face with it becoming harder for players to remain in their virtual protective bubble.

Auburn, for instance, had 33 posi tive tests among players over the summer, according to coach Gus Malzahn.

A high number of players in quar antine either for positive tests or contact with those who have the virus could derail a team’s fortunes faster than any injury wave.

It has Malzahn talking about the importance of not just second-team ers but third-teamers.

“It’s going to be a telling time right now with all the students coming back to the campus,” the Tigers coach said. “What we’ve just told our guys, is let’s control us. Most of our classes are going to be on line for all our players, so we’re just doing everything we can to really stay selfisolated to protect our players so we have a good chance of playing the season.”