Wells brings leadership to Riverdale defense
MURFREESBORO – It is easy to see why Ben Wells believes Riverdale’s defense can be improved from a year ago.
Just sit back and listen rave about his teammates.
He’ll talk about the Warriors’ front line in their 3-4 scheme. He is ecstatic about the play of Baker Schott, an inside linebacker that began to excel during the 2013 season.
Then he’ll talk about his secondary and how much improved it is. It’s a secondary that should come up with some turnovers in the offseason.
The only one he fails to mention is himself.
And he is the defense’s key cog as a three-year starter and returning tackle leader (92).
“The pressure is off me now being a third-year starter,” Wells said. “Everything is second nature to me. It’s like I was born to do it. I don’t have to focus much on the big picture. I just have to fine tune the little things.”
Perhaps Wells was born for this.
He grew up in a football family. His father Bobby Wells is Riverdale’s defensive coordinator. Ben Wells’ uncle Walt Wells is a college assistant coach at New Mexico State. Another uncle, John McCain played football at Vanderbilt.
“Ever since I was a little kid I’d go with my dad to summer work outs. I’d go to practices and just watching to see what they’d do.
“I was tackling kids in backyard football games when I was about 6-years-old.”
For the record, he often got in trouble for that.
But it didn’t keep him away from the game.
“Everybody would ask me if I was going to play when I was younger,” Ben Wells said. “I always said yes.”
Ben Wells is a blue collar kid on the football field. He’s not flashy. He just makes plays for the Warriors.
And unlike his teammates, football doesn’t end when the final whistle is blown after a game or practice. He always ends up talking to his dad about how the team and specificiallly how he played each week.
“He’ll talk to me on the way home, or when I get home about what I did well, or what I need to work on,” Ben Wells said. “The coaching doesn’t stop on the field.”
Contact Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 or tkreager@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kreager.
2014 SCHEDULE
Date | Opponents | Time |
|---|---|---|
Aug. 22 | at Siegel | 7 p.m. |
Aug. 29 | Bradley Central | 7 p.m. |
Sept. 5 | Blackman | 7 p.m. |
Sept. 12 | at East Hamilton | 6:30 p.m. |
Sept. 19 | La Vergne | 7 p.m. |
Sept. 26 | Hendersonville | 7 p.m. |
Oct. 3 | Stewarts Creek | 7 p.m. |
Oct. 10 | Open | |
Oct. 17 | at Cane Ridge | 7 p.m. |
Oct. 24 | at Oakland | 7 p.m. |
Oct. 31 | at Smyrna | 7 p.m. |
2013 RESULTS
Date | Opponents | Result |
|---|---|---|
Aug. 22 | Oakland | L 41-7 |
Aug. 30 | at Bradley Central | L 39-35 |
Sept. 6 | at Blackman | L 35-0 |
Sept. 13 | East Hamilton | L 42-21 |
Sept. 20 | at La Vergne | W 34-21 |
Sept. 27 | at Hendersonville | L 40-21 |
Oct. 4 | at Stewarts Creek | W 41-0 |
Oct. 10 | Open | |
Oct. 18 | Cane Ridge | L 47-22 |
Oct. 25 | Siegel | W 21-19 |
Nov. 1 | Smyrna | W 14-7 |
FAST FACTS
Head coach: Ron Aydelott, ninth season (73-26, 175-72 overall)
2012: 4-6 overall, 3-2 in 7-AAA
Starters returning: 5 offense/5 defense
Stadium name: Tomahawk Stadium
Last time in playoffs: 2012, eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Class 6A playoffs (63-23 all-time in the playoffs).
Team Website: RiverdaleWarriors.com/Football
Follow on Twitter: @RHS_WarriorsFB