Football 2023, Talons and Touchdowns

11 kyler ogle

Profile: Class: Junior Age: 16 Height: 6’1” Weight: 167LBS. Position: DE

Class: Freshman Age: 14 Height: 5’11” Weight: 150LBS. Position: QB

Profile: Class: Freshman Age: 14 Height: 6’0” Weight: 120LBS. Position: WR

Profile: Class: Junior Age: 16

Height: 6’1” Weight: 170LBS.

Position: WR/DE

Class: Junior Age: 16 Height: 5’8” Weight: 150LBS. Position: WR/CB

Class: Junior Age: 16 Height: 6’0” Weight: 205LBS. Position: DE

Profile: Class: Freshman Age: 14

Profile: Class: Freshman Age: 14

Profile: Class: Freshman Age: 14 Height: 6’1” Weight: 140LBS. Position: WR Profile: Class: Junior Age: 16 Height: 6’0” Weight: 160LBS. Position: QB

Height: 5’8” Weight: 120LBS. Position: WR/CB

Height: 5’6” Weight: 145LBS. Position: WR/DB 12 Cyler DaViS 13 eJStory 14 riVer ShropShire

15 frankie Jimenez

Profile: Class: Senior Age: 17

Height: 5’11” Weight: 190LBS. Position: LB/RB

Profile: Class: ? Age: 17

Height: 5’6” Weight: 130LBS. Position: SS/MLB/WR

Profile: Class: Sophomore Age: 15

Height: 6’0” Weight: 150LBS.

Position: WR

Profile: Class: Junior Age: 17

Height: 5’4” Weight: 145LBS.

Position: LB

INTRODUCING:2023 COSBYHIGHSCHOOLEAGLES

17Byron MattHew ellison

Profile: Class: Junior Age: 16

Height: 6’0” Weight: 185LBS. Position:WR/LB

Jace Baxter 19

Profile: Class: Senior Age: 17 Height: 6’0” Weight: 150LBS. Position: WR/DD

Profile: Class: Junior Age: 16 Height: 6’2” Weight: 160LBS. Position: WR

Profile: Class: Sophomore Age: 16

Height: 6’9” Weight: 155LBS. Position: WR,DB

Profile: Class: Junior Age: 16

Height: 62” Weight: 150LBS. Position: WR/S

Profile: Class: Junior Age: 16 Height: 5’11” Weight: 170LBS. Position: LB

Profile: Class: Sophomore Age: 15

Height: 5’8” Weight: 122LBS.

Position: WR/CB

Profile: Class: Junior Age: 16

Height: 5’10” Weight: 145LBS. Position: WR

29 eli Miller 30 gage roBison 32 david alan Baker 33 caden Henderson 28 Brycen Baxter

Profile: Class: Sophomore Age: 15

Height: 5’4” Weight: 138LBS.

Position: RB

Profile: Class: Junior Age: 16

Height: 5’8” Weight: 136LBS.

Position: CB

Profile: Class: Junior Age: 16

Height: 5’11” Weight: 140LBS.

Position: WR

Profile: Class: Freshman Age: 14

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 180LBS.

Position: RB/OLB

Profile: Class: Junior Age: 16

Height: 5’10” Weight: 140LBS.

Position: LB

Class: Freshman Age: 14 Height: 5’6” Weight: 134LBS. Position: WR

Class: Sophomore Age: 15 Height: 5’3” Weight: 130LBS. Position: RB/LB

Profile: Class: Sophomore Age: 15

Class: Sophomore Age: 15

55 Braxton kyker

Class: Freshman Age: 14 Height: 6’0” Weight: 238LBS. Position: RG

Class: Junior Age: 16 Height: 5’8” Weight: 205LBS. Position: RG

5’10” Weight: 140LBS. Position: DE/EDGE

Profile: Class: Junior Age: 16 Height: 5’11” Weight: 185LBS. Position: OL/LB

Profile: Class: Senior Age: 17

Height: 5’8” Weight: 190LBS. Position: LB

5’10” Weight: 175LBS. Position: OL/LT Profile: Class: Junior Age: 16 Height: 5’11” Weight: 183LBS. Position: OL

56 Mason MooneyhaM 57 austin sProuse 58 Johnathan Golden 60 colton Jenkins

Profile: Class: Sophomore Age: 15

Height: 6’1” Weight: 240LBS.

Position: DL

Profile: Class: Junior Age: 16

Height: 5’11” Weight: 195LBS. Position: C

Profile: Class: Senior Age: 17 Height: 6’2” Weight: 198LBS. Position: C

Profile: Class: Freshman Age: 14

Height: 5’5” Weight: 165LBS. Position: LM

Profile: Class: Freshman Age: 14

Height: 6’2” Weight: 245LBS. Position: RT/DL

Wednesday, August 30, 2023 · Page 8

Newregion,sameexpectationsforCCHS

NEWPORT —Scotty Dykesknowsalltoowell thehistoryoftheCocke Countyfootballprogram.

A1989CCHSgraduate andrenownedplaymaker inhisowndayswearing blackandred,Dykeshas beenaroundformultiple eras—someasaplayer andsomeasacoach.

Throughallofthat timespentaroundthis program,Dykeshasseen whatBigRedfootballcan bewhenitisthriving.

Sonow,enteringhis

thyearatthehelm forhisalmamater, hisexpectationshave remainedasclear-cut astheywerewhenhe returnedtoNewportin 2019totakeoverashead coach.

“Wewantto competeforregion championships,”hehas saidplainly.

Thathasremained thecasethroughashift inscheduling,asCocke Countytransitionsback intoRegion1-5Athis seasonaftertwoyears spentinRegion2-5A.

Withthemove,CCHS willnolongerbefacing KnoxWestorKnox Centralonayearlybasis.

Instead,CockeCounty willplayschoolssuchas DavidCrockett,ChuckeyDoak,DanielBooneand TennesseeHigh,with thosefourreeledoffin onelongstretchfromthe middleofSeptemberto themiddleofOctober.

“Obviouslyexcited aboutthem,because yougetachancetohave afreshstartinanew

region,”saidDykes.“And goingintoanewregion, youdon’tknowwhatto expect.Youdon’tknow whattheotherteamsare bringingback.Youcan lookattheirroster,but notplayingthemfora coupleyears,it’skindof hardtojudge.”

Dykeshasseenthese programsbeforeashead coach,havingfacedthem backin2019and2020.

Thoseyears,Dykessaw his rstCCHSteambegin

to“closethegap”with itsRegion1foes,which featuredplayerssuch ascurrentVanderbilt linebackerPrinceKollie —whoplayedforDavid Crockettatthetime.

But,asmentioned, Dykes’programhasnot beenaroundthesenew opponentsregularlyin morethantwoyears.

Sotherewillbeabit ofanadjustmentwhen heturnsonthe lmeach week.

Still,afterspendinga coupleofyearsamongst theRebels,Bobcatsand KnoxHallsandHeritage, Dykesiseagertoseewhat canunfoldthisseason.

“Gettingawayfrom teamslikeKnoxWestand KnoxCentral,youcan’t imaginethembeingany betterthanthoseteams,” heexplained.“Soyoufeel likeyou’reputonmore competitiveground.”

Dykesentershis th

seasonwitha7-33mark overall,3-19inregion play.

Andasidefromthenew foes,therearealsothe typicalrivalrygames— JeffersonCounty,aregion gameagainstMorristown WestandaSept.8region matchupagainstSevier Countythatcouldprove intriguing.

Afterall,itwasthat gamelastyear—a25-20 winforCockeCounty —thatallowedCCHSto

leavethe2022seasonon apositivenote.

Thatgame,Dykes saidinthesummer, gavetheFightingCocks “momentum”goinginto theoff-season.

Theyhavesinceridden thatmomentumtostrong showingsinmultiple scrimmages,withthe mostrecentoutingat Karnsgeneratingsome cautiousoptimism.

“Wesawsomeofthe

JOHN SUDBRINK, NPT PHOTO

Cocke County football coach Scotty Dykes enters his fth season at the helm in Newport. CCHS is entering a new region this season, but Dykes is maintaining the same expectations he has held through his rst four years leading the Fighting Cocks.

Wednesday, August 30, 2023 · Page 10

CCHSstarting‘newera’in2023

NEWPORT —Cocke Countyfootballis enteringanewera.

No,notjustthenew region,withtheFighting Cocksmovingbackinto Region1-5A.

Theyarealsoentering aneweraofplaymakers, asCCHSislookingto replaceaseniorclassof14 guysfromlastseason.

NomoreBaylorBaxter, whowasathree-year starterundercenterfor CCHS.

NomoreBrazen Stewart,whomadegrabs onoffenseanddefense— whenhewasn’treturning kicksfortouchdowns, thatis.

AndnomoreAnthony Steinbacher,whobecame aspecialteamsmainstay withhisabilitytoboot ootballsdowneld.

“Obviouslywe’re goingtomissthoseguys thatleft,”saidCCHS coachScottyDykes thisoffseason.“Alotof playmakersinthatgroup. Butwhatwe’veseenis someofthestuffthey’ve taughtguysabout.“

So,whoaretheguys whowillbe llingthose shoesandsteppinginto biggerroles?

Herearesomeanswers, asoutlinedinour2023 CCHSpositionpreview.

Startingoffat quarterback,Cocke Countywilllookto multipleoptionsto replaceBaxter—even rotatingbetween“twoor threeguysallseason,” perDykesearlierthis summer.

RisingjuniorsEthan FineandDonovan Ramseytooksnaps throughthespring,with Ramseymovingbetween hisspotbehindcenterand widereceiver.

Finebringsthekindof heightonewouldexpect fromaQB,ashepresents withabodytypethataids himatdefensiveendas well.

ButRamsey—who couldalsoplayondefense —offersathleticismthat CCHShastohaveonthe eldasmuchaspossible.

“Theballhasto nd Donovan,”saidDykes. “He’sgoingtotouchit multipletimesatdifferent positions.Ithinkwesaw thatlastyearwhenhewas asophomore,andhegot hurt,buthe’scapableof scoringfromanywhereon

the eld.”

WithRamsey’sability inmind,Dykeshasalso lookedtowardfreshman SpencerMooreJr.asan optionundercenter.

MooreledtheCocke Countymiddleschool teamtoan11-0recordlast season,andheshowed offhisstrongarmand runningabilityenroute toplentyofsuccessasan eighth-grader.

Regardlessofwhomay playquarterbackatany onetime,CCHSislooking ataplethoraofoptionsat widereceiver.

Ramseyisoneof several,asTucker Hembree,EliRoberts, TajuanDockeryand TaylosThomasalso headlinethisgroupof wideouts.

“TuckerHembreehas themostexperience,”said Dykes.“He’llbeonewho we’relookingtogoout andbeakeyplaymaker forus.That’sgoingtobe apositionwhereIlookto seesixtosevenguysplay receiverforus.”

Atrunningback, CCHSwillfeatureOren HazelwoodandDaniel Priceastheprimary options.Hazelwoodwas thetopbacklastseason, ashebringsplentyof experienceandaunique abilitytosplitoutand makecatchesoutofthe backeld.

“ThenDanielPrice bringsanexplosiveness thatwehaven’thadina while,”saidDykes,“so we’reexcitedaboutthat.I thinkhe’sprimedtohave ahugeseasonforsure.”

CarsonHopson,Colton

SaneandCarsonDevotie couldalsofactorinatthat spotbehindHazelwood andPrice.

Theoffensiveline remains“amystery,”per Dykes,whichhasbeena surprisingpointtohim consideringthequestions marksatquarterback enteringthisseason.

“Wedidn’thavea consistentgroupall summerbecauseof vacationsandthingsof thatnature,”hesaid.

“GuyslikeJacksonClark andAranAbramshave shownpromise,and obviouslyJakeRobertson isatwo-yearstarter. Butwe’restillworking throughtheprocessof llingthosetwoother spots.”

Ontheothersideofthe ball,thedefensiveline shouldbeastrongpoint

fortheCockeCounty defense.

“Ourfrontseven shouldbesupergood,” saidDykes.“You’vegot aguylikeEthanFine, whoIfeellikecouldbe theDefensivePlayerof theYearcomingintothis regionbecauseofwhat he’sdoneandhowhe’s developed.Thenyou moveJacobRobertson downtotheotherend —superstrong,good unit.We’vegotsome depththerewithLandon Flockhartbackingthose guysup,thenyou’vegot aguylikeCrisFlockhart asasuperforceonthe interior.

“AnAll-Regionplayer that’sprobablygoingto bethesametypeofplayer thisyear:hardtoblock, greatrun-stopper,canget afterthequarterbacktoo. We’rereallyexcitedabout that.”

Thesecondarywill featureplentyofthe samenamesasthewide receiverspots,with HazelwoodandPrice playingonthebackend aswell.

Sofar,Hembreeand Robertsarelockedinat onecornerspotandfree safety,respectively,while DykessaidthatDockery andJarvisScipiowill factorintoo.

ColtonSanewillbe whatDykescalled“a Swissarmyknife”for CCHS,ashehastaken snapsattailback,receiver, defensivebackand linebacker,whereheis mainlyplayingonthe defensiveside.

Speakingoflinebackers, thatappearstobeCocke

JOHNSUDBRINK,NPTPHOTO

Cocke County football coach Scotty Dykes enters his fth season at the helm in Newport. CCHS is entering a new region this season, but Dykes is maintaining the same expectations he has held through his rst four years leading the Fighting Cocks.

Wednesday, August 30, 2023 · Page 12

Newregion

CONTINUED FROM PAE 8

kindsofthingsthatwouldgiveusthe potentialtohaveagoodseason,”Dykes said.“We’restillalittlewaysofffrom whereweneedtobe,buttherewere severalplayswherekidsmadenice playsindividuallyattimes.”

Theywilllooktocarrythatintothis season,staringdowntwodicult matchupstofollowtheopenerat Cherokee:hostingGatlinburg-Pittman onAug.25andtravelingtoHardin

ValleyonSept.1.

Afterthatwillcomethestartofregion playagainsttheSmokyBears,asCCHS willlooktoupholdDykes’expectations enteringthisseason.

“AndIfeelveryoptimistic,”hesaid.“I feellikethekidshavecomealongway. We’vegotaveryexperiencedgroupthis year,andsoIfeellikeweshouldshow greatleadershipwiththat.”

County’s best position headedintothisseason,withatotalof 14playersvyingforplayingtime.

“Thatgroupisprobablythedeepest groupontheteamasfarasourmost talentedgroup,”saidDykes.“They’re superdeep.You’vegotCarson Hopson,CarsonDevotie,ColtonSane, CameronIngle,thenBoProtthas hadaspectacularsummer—hehasput himselfinapositiontowherehe’sgoing toplayalot.

“Thereareseveralmoretoo.That’s justareallygoodgroup.Itafforded ustomoveaguylikeJakeRobertson todefensiveline,whereithelped strengthenthatgroupforus.”

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Finally,onspecialteams,Cocke Countydoesnothaveapermanent kickerorpunterironedoutjustyet—at leastnotasofthiswriting,whichwas completedbeforetheseasonopener.

Theydo,however,haveamainstay atlongsnapper,asBenWattshas returnedthisseasonafternotplaying lastseasonfollowingaWeek3injury againstHeritage.

Overall,therearestillsomequestions tobeansweredforaFightingCocks teamthatislookingtoreplaceplenty fromlastseason.

Butwewillhavethoseanswers soonenough,astheteamtakeson Gatlinburg-PittmaninWeek2following aWeek1triptoCherokee.

JAKE NICHOLS, NPT SPORTS EDITOR

The 2023 Cocke County football team will face several familiar foes, such as longtime rival Morristown West. But the team will also renew rivalries with opponents such as Daniel Boone and Tennessee High, teams CCHS has not faced since the 2020 season.

JAKE NICHOLS, NPT SPORTS EDITOR Cocke County linebacker Carson Hopson (30) is one of several veterans on the Fighting Cocks’ roster, as the Big Red look to ll the shoes of 14 departed seniors.

Gudgeradjustingapproach,advocating forparticipationasCCMScoach

willfeatureKenneth Diaz,followedby ConnorBurchette, BraelynTalleyand EddieHickman.

Wideoutswill consistofDalton Trentham, SkylarKykerand DeMarcusStewart, whiletheoffensive linewillinclude ChaseBurgin—“a bigpartofoffense anddefense,” Gudgersaid—and DevinNeal,Jaxon Driskill,Skylenand LandonFine,Bella SmithandEvan Provencal.

Healsomentionedthat heiswillingtoresort toaground-and-pound styleofoffensethisyear, vastdifferencefrom whatMooreandSutton commandeeredlast season.

“Butwe’regoingtodo whatwehavetotoput numbersontheboard,” Gudgersaid.

Howmanygameswill thosepointsbescored inthisseason?Fewer thanlastyear,unless somethingchanges.

especiallyifheseesthe aggressivenessheistrying toinstill.

“Tryingtodoeverything Icantogetthesekidsto dowhattheyneedto,“ hesaid.“Sowecanbea success.”

Speakingofsuccess, Gudgernotedthathis rosterisnottheonlyone heiswantingtoimpact.

NEWPORT —Pedro Gudgerhasneverhadan issuewithnumbersonhis roster.

Thathasremainedthe casethisyear—Gudger’s ocialCockeCounty middleschoolrosterlists 31kids,buthehashad asmanyas40onthe sidelineatonetime.

“It’shitormiss,”he said.

Whatismoredened, though,isGudger’sneed forskillplayersthis season.

Afterrecordingan 11-0recordlastyear, theFightingCockslost playmakerssuchas SpencerMooreJr.— whocouldfactorinas afreshmanthisseason —andTysonSutton, whocouldcontributefor KnoxvilleCatholic.

“Iwaseatenupwith talent,”Gudgersaid. “Now,I’vestillgotsome, butI’vegotalotofwork todo.Withthatbeing said,we’regoingto nd thatdiamondinthe rough.”

Thatsearchhasnot yieldedmanyprototypical skillplayers,though CCMShasfoundone quarterbackoptionin seventh-graderBrody Holloway.

Gudgerdoes,however, haveasurplusoflinemen.

“Myseasonthisyear isgoingtobealotof heart-searching,”Gudger summarized.“I’meaten upwithlinementhis year—I’vegotover28 good-sizedkidsthatcan helpthehighschool,after Igetthatmeanstreakin them.”

Withthatinmind,

Gudgeriswillingtotinker withpositionsinhis th seasonatthehelmfor CCMS.

“Itoldtheboysthatthis year,thewayourschedule looksandtheteam looks,anybodycanplay anywhere,”hesaid.“Big orsmall,Icanbasically putyouanywhere.

“Thisyearcompared tolastyearisgoingtobe completelydifferent.This year,I’vegotto ndthat diamondintherough. That’swhyI’mtrying differentkidsatdifferent spots.”

Somany,infact,that Gudgermentionedthat “probably60-65%”ofhis playersacrossoffense anddefensearetypical linemen,someofwhom havemovedtootherspots thisyear.

Atrunningback,CCMS

Defensive linemenwillbe ChaseBurgin,Noah Shaver,JasperGossett, EricHydeandnewcomer CorbinPate.

Linebackerswillbe Pate,SkylarKylerand Burchette,anddefensive backsaresettoinclude DaltonTrentham, DeMarcusStewartand JourneyKyker.

Finally,thekicking dutieswillfalltoBella SmithorEddieHickman, dependingonthe situation.

Despitetheprevious listings,though,Gudger wasclearthatnoposition issetinstone.

“Bythenextgameit couldbedifferent,”he said.“We’regrading kidsontheireffort.We wantyoutopushtotake someone’sspot.There ain’tnobestfriendsin football.”

“Alotoftheother teamsI’veplayedagainst, they’vejoinedaleague thatonlyallowsseven oreightgames,”Gudger said.“Ilikebeingtheway Iamnowbecausebythe thorsixthgame,my kidsarerolling.That’s whyIlikehavingthose extragames.Butthis yearI’mateightornine games.”

Still,heisexcited aboutwhatcanunfold,

Heisalsoencouraging kidstogooutforBrody Williams’teamatCosby andBrentWard’s rst-yearprogramin Parrottsville.

“IfIcantalkanyof mykidsintogoingthat way,Iwill,becauseatthe endoftheday,it’sabout thekids,”saidGudger. “Andinorderforour towntobeasuccess,we needfootballplayersat Cosby,CockeCountyand Parrottsville.Themore middleschoolteamswe canget,thebetteroffour communitywillbe.”

JAKE NICHOLS, NPT SPORTS EDITOR Cocke County middle school football coach Pedro udger speaks with seventh-grade running back Kenneth Diaz during a July practice at Larry Williams Stadium in Newport. udger is entering his fth season at the helm for CCMS, having led the team to an 11-0 record last season.

JAKE NICHOLS, NPT SPORTS EDITOR Cocke County middle school quarterback Brody Holloway throws a pass during practice on July 25, 2023. Holloway is one of a few skill players on the CCMS roster, as the Fighting Cocks have 28 linemen this season.

Profile: Class: Junior Age: 16

Profile: Class: Junior Age: 16

Height: 6’6” Weight: 200LBS. Position: WR 12 eli roberTs 13 ColTon sane 14 emmanuel mCkoy 15 Devin CalDwell 11 Devon DalTon

Profile: Class: Sophomore Age: 15

Height: 5’8” Weight: 130LBS.

Position: K

Profile: Class: Sophomore Age: 15

Height: 6’0” Weight: 145LBS. Position: WR/DR

Profile: Class: Sophomore Age: 15

Height: 6’0” Weight: 150LBS.

Position: LB/QB

Height: 5’11” Weight: 150LBS. Position: WR/DB

Profile: Class: Senior Age: 18

Height: 6’4” Weight: 150LBS.

Position: OB

Profile: Class: Sophomore Age: 15

Height: 6’0” Weight: 135LBS.

Position: WR/DB

Position: LS

28

eThAn

rAmsey

Profile: Class: Freshman Age: 15

Height: 5’4” Weight: 110.3LBS.

Position: QB

Profile: Class: Sophomore Age: 15

Height: 6’1” Weight: 140LBS. Position: WR/DB

Profile: Class: Senior Age: 17

Height: 5’8” Weight: 160LBS. Position: LB

29 kAleB sisk 31 JusTin GreGG 32 mArio miTchell 33 cAmeron

inGle

Profile: Class: Freshman Age: 14

Height: 5’7” Weight: 145LBS. Position: LB

Profile: Class: Sophomore Age: 15 Height: 5’11” Weight: 150LBS. Position: LB

Profile: Class: Senior Age: 17

Height: 5’10” Weight: 170LBS.

Position: RB,LB

Profile: Class: Sophomore Age: 15

Height: 5’9” Weight: 150LBS.

Position: LB/RB

DE/OL

56 JoHnaTHon Hill

Profile: Class: Freshman Age: 14

Height: 5’7” Weight: 184LBS.

Position: DL/OL

Profile: Class: Sophomore Age: 16

Height: 5’9” Weight: 275LBS. Position: OL

Profile: Class: Junior Age: 16

Height: 6’2” Weight: 185LBS. Position: OT/DE

57 dakoTa evans 58 Jackson Bailey 59 Bo ProFFiTT 60 eian caldwell

Profile: Class: Junior Age: 16

Height: 5’10” Weight: 275LBS. Position: OL/DL

Profile: Class: Sophomore Age: 15 Height: 5’8” Weight: 151LBS. Position: LB

Profile: Class: Junior Age: 16

Height: 5’11” Weight: 180LBS.

Position: RG/LB

Profile: Class: Sophomore Age: 14

Height: 5’9” Weight: 218LBS.

Position: G

COSBY —Thereisa lotofnewnessaroundthe Cosby ootball eldhouse thesedays.

Plentyofnewfaces, fromassistantcoachesto players.

Plentyofnewhelmets too,withablock‘C’and bluestripeinsteadofthe previously-usedchrome Eaglelogo.

Thesearejustafewof

thenoticeableshiftsthat havetakenplaceheading intothe rstseasono the LeviCoopereraforCosby football.

ButCooper’spresence itselfisnothingnewfor

Cosby,asCooperonce quarterbackedtheEagles withinaprogramthathas onlybeenaroundsince 1990.

“Ineverreallythought alotaboutitatthetime,”

saidCooper,whoat36is olderthantheprogram hehasbeentaskedwith leading.“NowasIget older,I’mrealizinghow youngofaprogramwe were.Thelackofhistory andculture,sotospeak.”

Foralookatsome ofthathistory,Cooper merelyhastowhirlback tohisownplayingdays —backwhenheworeNo. 5undercenterfrom20012004.

“Andmysenioryear, wemovedtothedoublewing,”Coopersaidwith achuckle.“Notvery quarterbackfriendly—I didn’thavethebesttime.”

Whatdidheenjoy, though?Hisinteractions withthen-offensive coordinatorKevin Hall,wholaterbrought Cooperbackasoffensive coordinatoronceHallhad beennamedheadcoach.

“Idon’tfeellikeanyof theotherplacesI’vebeen thatI’veseenasituation quitelikeit,”saidCooper. “(Hall)hasalwaysbeena closefamilyfriendbefore hewasmycoach,and mysophomoreyear,he

joinedthestaffoverhere. Thenwhenhewashired asheadcoach,hebrought meonasoffensive coordinator.

“We’vealwayshada reallytightrelationship, andevennow,he’sstill inthebuilding.Wetalk allthetime,he’sstill watching lm.It’sgreat tostillhavehiminthe buildingasaresource. Ourfriendshiphasgone longbeforefootball,but it’sbeencoolwithhim gettingtocoachmeand thatcomingfull-circle withmetakingoverfor him.”

Moreover,Hall’s12 yearsasheadcoach helpedputCosbyfootball whereitistoday—and Cooperiswellawareof thatlegacy.

“CoachHalldida phenomenaljob,”said Cooper.“Hehadatall taskinfrontofhim, playingin2Afootballfor alongtimewithlimited numbers,buthadacouple playoffappearancesin there.”

Still,thereisonepiece ofhistorythatCosbyis

JAKE NICHOLS, NPT SPORTS EDITOR Cosby head coach Levi Cooper, pictured here during spring practice, has brought plenty of change and excitement to the Eagles’ locker room heading into his rst season at the helm. Cooper previously worked with Cosby as the oensive coordinator under Kevin Hall and led the team at quarterback from 2001-2004.

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Cosbyfootball:positionpreview

COSBY —TheCosby Eaglesareenteringanew era,asformeroffensive coordinatorLeviCooper hastakenoverashead coach.

Coopercalledplaysfor adynamicoffenselast season,withtheEagles beingledbyAll-Region selectionsHaydenGreen andSlateShropshire.

Now,though,Green andShropshirearegone, alongwith14other seniorsfromlastyear’s team.

So,whowillCosbyneed todeliverthisseason?

Findoutbelowinour 2023Cosbyfootball positionpreview.

Startingoffat quarterback,CHSwillbe usingmultipleoptions: freshmanOaklon Cameronandjunior De’vonteWigfall.

Bothareformer receivers—Cameronused hislongframetohaul incatchesfortheCosby middleschoolteamlast season,whileWigfallwill moveinatquarterback

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whenheisnotstill playingontheedgeofthe formation.

“Eachoneofthose quarterbacks,De’vonte WigfallandOaklon Cameron,bringsa differentskillsetthat wefeelcanhelpuson theoffensivesideofthe football,”saidCooper. “De’vonteissuperathletic andshiftyandcan provideanextraelement totheoffenseasfaras quarterbackrungame, andOaklonisatall, long-armedkidwhocan reallyslingitaround.Not necessarilyasmobileas De’vonte,buthispresence anddevelopmentallows ustoputDe’vonteback outwide.

“Astheyeargoeson we’reexpectingbothof thoseguystoplayand forcedefensestohandle both.”

Atrunningback,the Eagleswillfeaturesenior CylerDavisastheprimary back.

Davisbackedup Shropshirelastseason, andhebringsamotor thatCosbywilluseon

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bothsidesoftheballthis year.

“Cylerplayedalittle bitlastyearbehind Slate,buthisproduction wassomewhatlimited eventhoughhewas certainlycapable,”said Cooper,whoaddedthat juniorChaseJoyceand freshmanDavidBaker willrotateinaswell.“The

versatilityofallthreeof thoseguysallowsusto mixandmatchandkeep themfresh.”

Atreceiver,Cosbywill lookto llthecleatso a go-toreceiverinGreen.

“Obviouslyalotof talentonthatgrouplast year,andthisyear,I feelthatwe’restillreally

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talentedattheposition,” saidCooper.“We’vejust gotsomeyoungguys thathaven’tbeeninthe reyet.O coursewhen Oaklonisatquarterback wecanputDe’vonteout there,butwe’rereturning EJStory—probablyour third-mostproductive receiverlastyearbehind HaydenGreenand De’vonte.

“ThenRiverShropshire, whowasafreshman lastyear,reallycame onstrongandendedup having ngersurgery andmissingmostofthe season.He’shadareally goodcamp,andwe’re expectingalotoutof him.”

Cooperalsonotedthat

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JOHN SUDBRINK, NPT PHOTO Cosby wide receiver De’vonte Wigfall, pictured here leaping over a defender last season, will be one of two quarterbacks the Eagles will look to this year. Cosby’s other quarterback will be freshman OaklonCameron, as the Eagles begin a new era under Levi Cooper.

KristieSuggs PRINCIPALBROKER

Wednesday, August 30, 2023 · Page 24

stillseeking:tohostahomeplayoff game.

Thatachievement,pairedwith consistentresults,issomethingCooper islookingtoreachinhistenure.

“Abigthingformeisimproving allaspectsofparticipation, competitiveness,andIreallywantto takethisthingandmakeitawinner,”he said.“Somethingourcommunitycanbe proudofonaconsistentbasis.”

Todothatthisseason,Cooperwill looktoayoungteamthatlost16seniors followinga4-7campaignlastyear.

Buthewillalsolooktoayoungstaff, asheistheoldestofthegroupat36.

“Iwentfrombeingtheyoungguy onmoststaffstobeingtheoldheadat 36,”hesaid.“Sowe’vegotabunchof youngcoachesinherethatcanrelateto players.Thefeelofitisalittledifferent, andIthinkthekidshaverespondedto it.”

TheyhavealsorespondedtoCooper, whoseenergyhasinjectedlifethat Cosbywilllooktoformomentumin Cooper’s rstseasonatthehelm.

“Ifeellikewe’regoinginapositive direction,”hesaid.“We’vegotgreat participation,andasidefrombeing homewithmyfamily,thebestpartof mydayisbeingoutherewiththese kids.”

JOHN SUDBRINK, NPT PHOTO Cosby’s Cyler Davis (12) looks to aid on a tackle during a 2022 matchup on The Hill. Davis is one ofa few veterans who will be focal points for Levi Cooper’s rst season as head coach.

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Talons and Touchdowns

Williamseagerforsecondyearleading Cosbymiddleschoolfootball

COSBY —Brody Williamspickedathis goateeduringpracticelast

week,twirlingthebrown hairsashewatchedhis offenserunthroughplays.

“Iaddedthegoateethis year,”hementionedwith aslygrin.“My ancée wasn’tthemostexcited abouttheFuManchu, butItoldher,‘Babe,it’s footballseason.’Itgets thekidsexcited.”

Williamshasincited suchexcitement—with andwithouthisfacialhair —headingintohissecond yearastheCosbymiddle schoolheadfootball coach.

Williamsledtheteamto a4-4recordlastseason, bringingaswiftculture changeinhis rstseason atthehelm.

“Thecultureisinthe kids,”hesaid.“It’sinthe parents,theschool,the community.EverywhereI gonow,everybodyalways asksmeaboutmyteam. That’sjustagoodstaple

tohave.”

Thatculturehas

remainedgoinginto thisseason,asWilliams lookstoinstillthesame

mentalityintoayoung groupofEagles.

“Lastyearwasavery goodupperclassof eighth-graders,”hesaid.

“Theylaidthefoundation anddidalotofgoodhere. Butwe’vehadalotofguys stepintothoseroles.

“GageMcCarty,Bo Cutshaw,JacksonWhite, JackHall—we’vehad severalstepupintoteam leaderroles.We’vegot agroupofyoungkids willingtolearn,excitedto playthegameoffootball and,morethananything, excitedtoweartheroyal blueandtheC.”

So,whatwillWilliams’ Eagleslooklikethis season?Itdependswhich sideoftheballyouwant todiscuss.

“Offensively,shoot, wejustwanttoscore somepoints,”hesaid. “We’relookingpretty gooddefensively,but offensively,howeverwe’ve gottoputtheballinthe endzone—that’swhat we’regoingtodo.”

“We’regoingto playasixth-graderat quarterbackinBrantley Spann,”headded.“We’re

JAKE NICHOLS, NPT SPORTS EDITOR

Cosby middle school football coach Brody Williams, left, instructs CMS running back Jack Hall during practice on Tuesday, August 8, 2023. The Eagles are looking to expound on their 4-4 record from last season.

Wednesday, August 30, 2023 · Page 26

PositionPreview

hehasmovedTrevor LaRuefromrunningback toreceiverinpreparation forthisseason.

Moreover,hesaid thatKeeganHall,Isaiah Russell,KylerOgle,David Ball,DustyLaneand KarsonManning—who playedquarterbackinthe spring—willcontribute outwideaswell.

“Wespendalotoftime withfourreceiversonthe eld,“saidCooper.“Sowe wouldlovetobeableto playsixoreighttokeep guysfresh.”

TheEagleshavemore questionsupfront,asthey arestillevaluatingwithin theoffensiveline.

“Rightnow,our mentalityistotraina bunchofguystoplaya bunchofpositions,”said Cooper.“Yourtackles needtoplaybothsides, yourguardsandyour centersneedtomismatch.

“Wedenitelyhavea coregroupofguysthere: returningjuniorPeyton Miller,RobertBatton, JuniorShelton,Austin Sprouse,thennewcomer LeviWebb.CanyinGray,

we’rereallyexpectinga lotoutofhim,andTucker Whaleyissomebodyelse we’rebringingalong.Alot ofthesejobsarestillup forgrabs.”

Cooperaddedthat hehasa“greatgroup offreshmen”upfront, withColtonJenkinsand KoltonRainespossibly vyingforminutesaswell.

Flippingovertothe defensiveside,theEagles appeartobesetatthree spotsonthedefensive line—ChaseJoyceat defensiveend,Braxton Kykeratonedefensive tacklespotandBraden Boydattheothertackle position.

HementionedthatCHS willberunningNoah Cabellero,DavidBalland KylerOgleatdefensive endaswell,withIsaac Shipleyalsofactoringinat defensivetackle.

Withthoseplayersin mind,Coopersaidhisgoal istohaveasfewplayers rotatingbetweenoffense anddefenseaspossible— atleastinthetrenches.

“Especiallyupfront, we’retryingtotwoplatoonasmuchaswe can,”hesaid.“Ifyou’rea defensivelineman,we’re

tryingtokeepyouoffthe offensivelineandvice versa.

“Itwon’talwayswork out,butifwecando thatatourlevel,Ifeel likeitwillgiveusabig advantagelateonFriday nightwiththoseguys beingfresh.”

Thatwillnotbethecase asmuchatlinebacker, whereCosbywillfeature CylerDavisondefenseas well.

“He’soneofthosethat’s gottobeonthe eldon bothsides,”summarized Cooper,whonotedthat theEagleswillrunmore o agame-specicdeense ratherthanonebaseset.

“Denitelytwoinside guys,andthatwillbe Cylerandnumber19, OliverZeunik,”said Cooper.“He’sanewkid, sophomore,reallycome alongandhadagood camp.”

Theotherinsidebacker spotwillfeatureJunior SheltonandPeyton Miller,whiletheoutside spotswillincludeplayers suchasDavidBaker, TrevorLaRue,Karson ManningandKylerOgle.

EliMillerandMatthew

Ellisonstartedat cornerbackforCosbyin thejamboree,butCooper notedthatcompetition inthatpositioncould continuethroughtheearly portionoftheseason.

RiverShropshireis anothernamethatcould ndtimethere,whileJace Baxterhasplayedboth cornerbackandsafetyin camp.

Speakingofsafety, IsaiahRussellwillbe startingthereafter impressingthroughthe springandfall.

“Anddependingon thelook,wecouldhave KarsonManningor LaRuedowntheretoo,” saidCooper.“Andthen De’vonte,he’llgetsome lookbackthereinthe secondary,especially insomenickel-type situationsifit’sthird downandwefeellike they’regoingtothrowthe football.”

Finally,onspecial teams,CHSwilllook toWigfallandStoryto returnkicks.

Meanwhile,Caleb GomezMartinezwill

bedoingthekickingfor Cosbythisseason,while RiverShropshirewillbe punting.

“Younggroup,”said Cooper.“Calebhasreally comealongafterkicking forusinJVlastyear. Hislegisconsiderably stronger,andhe’sbeen consistentsofarinfall campasfarasextra pointsandkicking wherewewanttoon kickoffs.Andhe’sjusta sophomore,sohopefully we’vegotaguythatcan carryusthenextfewyears inkicking.”

JAKE NICHOLS, NPT SPORTS EDITOR

Cosby football will look dierent this year, as the Eagles will feature several new faces at dierent positions across the roster.

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excitedtohavehim,then we’vegotarunningback who’sgoingtogetcarries

Talons and Touchdowns

Wednesday, August 30, 2023 · Page 27

inCadeNorris.ThenGage (McCarty)willrunupand underanddohisthing, andJackHallwillbe totingtherockaswell.”

Defensively,CMSwill relyonBoCutshaw,who isthedefensivecaptain andrightguardonoffense

asaseventh-grade.

“He’sisthenicestmean kidI’veevermetinmy life,orthemeanestnice kid,howeverthatsaying goes,”saidWilliams.“I’ll alwaystelleverybodyhe’s thetypeofkidyouwant yourdaughtertobring home.”

Asfarasplaying time,Williamssaidthat CutshawandMcCarty arelockedinattheir respectivepositions— “andthat’snotsaying anythingtoanybodyelse,” headdedofMcCarty. “He’splayedalotof footballinhislife.”

Asforeveryother position?Fairgame,asfar asWilliamsisconcerned.

“Thereisnothingthat isforsure,”hesaid.“Last year,therewassomefor sure.Thisyear,mightbe

oneortwo—butother thanthat,howeveryou competeinpractice thatweekpredictsif you’llstartorplaythat Thursday.”

Thatmentalityshould bodewellwhenplayers arereadytotransition tothehighschoollevel, whereWilliamsiseager toseethemfourishunder LeviCooper.

Thetwogobackin theirrelationship,much likeCooperdoeswithhis predecessor,KevinHall.

“Hewasmy rstmiddle schoolfootballcoach, myhighschooloffensive coordinatorallfour years,”saidWilliams. “We’vebeenfamily friends,personalfriends, andhe’sgoodforthe gameoffootball.Hecan coachit,andhecarries aswaggerabouthimself

thatwe’reallexcited about.”

Now,Williamsishoping hisplayerswillcarrythat samelevelofswaggerinto eachgamethisseason —onewhichWilliamsis eagertostart,albeitwith adifferentapproachthan his rstgamelastyear.

“Idon’tfeelsomuch likearookie,”hesaid. “ButIstillcometostuffI don’tknow.Ialwaysthink thebestyoucandoisbea sponge,andonethingI’ve learnedfromthisgroupis effort.”

“Thisgroupofkids,they haven’tallplayedalotof football.Buttheyshowup everyday,giveeverything they’vegot,andthereisn’t muchmoreyoucanask for.”

JAKE NICHOLS, NPT SPORTS EDITOR

Members of the Cosby middle school football team line up across from each other before a play during practice on August 8, 2023, at Virgil Ball Stadium in Cosby.