Oakland finds 10th game, to host Haywood Week 8

MURFREESBORO – Oakland football coach Kevin Creasy found a 10th game and won’t have to travel to another state.

Oakland will play host to Haywood Oct. 9 in Week 8 to fill its regular season.

The new game comes three weeks after the Patriots discovered a vacancy on their schedule when a misunderstanding with Pulaski Academy (Arkansas) led to the Little Rock school to drop the Patriots and schedule a new team. Oakland had been scheduled to play in Little Rock, Arkansas, Sept. 11.

The game change, though, will force Oakland to play during fall break for the fifth consecutive year.

“Our guys are used to playing on fall break,” Oakland coach Kevin Creasy said. “I’m not sure if they had anything planned any way.

“We were going to practice three of those five days that week. Now you throw in a walk-through on Thursday and a game on Friday.”

Oakland opens the season Aug. 22 at MTSU against Hoover, Alabama in the inaugural Middle Tennessee Football Classic presented by Venture Express. The Patriots then play last year’s Class 5A state runner-up Hillsboro and rival Siegel before the Patriots’ off week.

“This gives us a break after a rough start,” Creasy said. “We may need that.”

Oakland finished 12-2 in Class 6A in 2014, falling to Maryville in the state semifinals. Haywood, a Class 4A program, finished 4-6 last season.

“The contract isn’t signed yet as far as I know, but coach Creasy and I have a gentlemen’s agreement until it’s signed, and it will be signed,” said Haywood coach Steve Hookfin. “This is a good game for us.

“I’ve never shied away from having a tough schedule, and putting a 6A power like Oakland on our schedule late in the season will be a good test for us and — if we’re fortunate enough to be in that position — be a good playoff tune-up for us.”

Creasy said he doesn’t know much about Haywood. However, he knows they will be well coached by Hookfin, who used to be at Liberty. And he knows the Tomcats will be athletic.

“I know they have one of the top defensive ends in Tennessee, if not the nation (in Emmit Gooden),” Creasy said. “They are always athletic, and their new coach did a phenomenal job at Liberty in Jackson. He’s always done a good job and never shied away from anybody.

“Haywood has always been known for having talent. Back in the day they were really talented school.”

Contact Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 or tkreager@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kreager.

Contributing: Brandon Shields, Gannett Tennessee