Chattanooga area has several state football title contenders among large schools

Stephen Hargis, Chattanooga Times Free Press, Tenn.
·4 min read

Jun. 12—The names have changed, but the expectations for McCallie's football program have not.

Several of the key contributors from the Blue Tornado teams that won TSSAA Division II-AAA state championships the past two seasons are gone, but the talent pool is far from dry.

In the same division, rival Baylor has closed the talent gap and will try to return to the title round for the first time since back-to-back runner-up finishes a decade ago. Also among the area's large schools — those in Classes 4A-6A as well as DII-AAA — East Hamilton and Red Bank will not only battle for the top spot in the same region but have potential for deep playoff runs.

In alphabetical order, here are the Chattanooga area's top six contenders among large schools for the 2021 season.

Baylor

Line play should not be a concern on either side of the ball with 6-foot-6, 280-pound Brycen Sanders anchoring the offensive side and Bridger Knee leading the defensive front. The Red Raiders are also solid at linebacker, where Virginia-committed Trey McDonald and Decorian Montgomery are both college prospects. Cooper Wick, the team's backup quarterback the past two seasons, has a good grasp of the offense and has veteran receiver Jeremiah Skipworth, tight end Carson Yates and versatile back Caleb Hampton around him.

Calhoun

GHSA Class AAAAA's Yellow Jackets had a strong debut moving up two classes in 2020, making it to the quarterfinals. The good news for coach Clay Stephenson is the players who provided the bulk of the production from that team are back, with the notable exception of leading rusher Jerrian Hames. In his spot, though, comes Gage Leonard, a senior transfer from Christian Heritage who is also a threat in the receiving game. Quarterback Christian Lewis, receivers Quin Smith and Cole Speer senior lineman Kendrick Kirby are back for an offense that averaged 33 points per game. The Jackets should be strong on the back end of their defense but will need a couple of linemen to step up.

East Hamilton

The experience of last season's run to the second round of the Class 4A playoffs will benefit the Hurricanes, and the return of a trio of Football Bowl Subdivision-caliber athletes should make their offense a threat to score on any play. Jeremiah Flemmons is moving to quarterback, where his targets will include Kaunyea Burgans, and running back Juandrick Bullard is back after rushing for more than 1,700 yards last year. Head coach Grant Reynolds will now oversee the defense, a role he has had great success in, having been the defensive coordinator for four teams that played for a state title.

"Getting past that first-round hurdle was a big step last year," said Reynolds, whose team finished 8-4 and reached the second round. "The kids saw they can compete against the better teams, and now learning how to finish the close games has been the last hurdle for us to learn to get over."

McCallie

Replacing all-state offensive weapons including running back B.J. Harris and versatile athlete Eric Rivers will be at the top of the priority list for a team that has reached at least the semifinals in three straight seasons. Receiver Kinsey Paul is an FBS prospect, as are defensive lineman James Howard and linebacker Aaron Crowder.

"Offensive line is where we need to get settled," Blue Tornado coach Ralph Potter said. "We've also got to replace most of our secondary, but there are kids there who have been in the program and I believe are ready to step in. We should be good at our skill positions."

Northwest Whitfield

The Bruins won nine games and made it to the second round of the GHSA Class AAAA playoffs last year, and they should be even more explosive on offense this season as junior quarterback Owen Brooker (2,500 total yards, 25 touchdowns) continues to improve. Leading rusher Adrian Reyes (708 yards, 11 touchdowns) and receiver Ray Morrison (915 yards, nine touchdowns) also return for coach Josh Robinson.

Red Bank

The Lions are moving up to 4A, which means no longer having to deal with the annual postseason roadblock that Alcoa has been in the 3A bracket. The offense brings back senior quarterback Joseph Blackmon, along with twin brother Josh — one of the fastest players on the team — as well as two-way star Reco Trimble, who is coming off a knee injury that cut his 2020 season short but already has several FBS offers. Up front, the Lions will be led by brothers Delmontae and Delmetrius Gustus (6-1, 275), a pair of three-year starters, as well as linebacker and leading tackler A.D. Crutcher.

Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com and follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis. Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com and follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.