"I love physics (3.8 GPA) and plan to study mechanical engineering in college and possibly play football.
- Ross Wortman a senior quarterback/linebacker at Boyd Buchanan. He and Kohl Henke are vying for the starting QB spot this fall for the Bucs.
The 2016 prep football season officially got under way Monday as high school players across Hamilton County and the rest of Tennessee were allowed to don full uniforms and have contact drills.
And the usual question for coaches is who is your quarterback.
During yesterday’s visit to 11 schools, the battle for the starting job is up for grabs this summer at Baylor, Brainerd, Howard, Boyd Buchanan, Notre Dame and Red Bank.
Those coaches who have the starting signal caller in place include Lookout Valley (Zane Howard), McCallie (Rob Riddle), Silverdale (Alex Gonzalez), Grace (Jared Thompson) and Chattanooga Christian (Matthew Mercer)
Morning Stops
Chattanooga Christian
With the hiring of a new coach – Mark Mariakis – comes a new offense – the wing-T.
“For the first time in CCS football history, our quarterback will take the snap under center," said coach Mariakis Monday morning.
“Ridgeland was successful with the wing-T offense when I was the head coach there as the offense averaged 5,000 rushing yards and 1,400 passing yards a season and I feel we can be successful with the wing-T here at CCS.”
The key to the success of the Charger offense falls on the capable shoulders (and arms and legs) of senior Matthew Mercer.
Opening Game: Coach Mariakis, QB Mercer and company aill unveil the new offense Aug. 19 at home against a talented Brainerd team.
Boyd Buchanan: First year coach Carter Cardwell has 46 players in camp including two talented quarterbacks vying for the starting spot in senior Ross Wortman and junior Kohl Henke.
“Kohl and I will battle for the starting spot at quarterback knowing that whoever is the starter it will be the best for the team and we will both on the field on both sides of the ball,” said Wortman.
Henke said,” many of us will play both ways this fall so we have to play together and be in great shape to be successful.”
Both players have their sights set on playing college football and each carries a 3.8 grade point average in the classroom as Henke’s favorite subject is math, while Wortman does well in physics.
Baylor - Coach Phil Massey’s Red Raiders reached the D-II AA semifinals a year ago and should have plenty of talent to make another run deep into the playoffs come late fall.
“Our strength is our secondary and defensive line and we are as fast at the receiver position as we have been since I have been here,” said Massey.
First Day: “I loved the effort and enthusiasm our players gave today, we finished strong and overall it was a good morning practice,” Massey stated.
Quarterback: Bryce Verble, Lorenzo White and transfer Trusten McArtor will battle for the starting spot.
“Cheese and Crackers … Cheese and Crackers” When players here this phrase from coach Massey they know he is not happy with the execution of a play or a missed assignment and more times than not they will repeat the play until they get it right.
According to Massey, “cheese and crackers” is his G-Rated translation of salty words other coaches might use. Former baseball managers Billy Martin and Earl Weaver come to mind.
Red Bank – The Lions had a tough Monday practice and ran lots of wind sprints.
“Some players from other schools say “doesn’t Red Bank look great in those uniforms, but they are soft,” said defensive coordinator Charlie Weems.
Third year head coach Chad Grabowski reminded his players that they only had three days to get better before scrimmaging Brainerd Friday and only four weeks before the season opener with Soddy Daisy.
“We have got to have a better (practice on) Monday. We are better than this.”
At the end of practice, new offensive coordinator Drew Akins told the players, “When you are tired something inside you tells you to quit. Everybody has it. You have got to fight through that when your mind is telling you to quit. Tell your body, ‘I will not quit.’”
Afternoon/Evening Stops
Brainerd – “We lost 17 of 22 starters off last year’s team so we need leadership from our eight current seniors,” said coach Brian Gwyn.
Three players will battle for the quarterback spot and coach Gwyn mentioned Trey Holland looks to be one of the leaders on defense.
Howard - New coach John Starr knows what it takes to win a state championship as he led Josey to the Georgia AAA title in 1995.
Starr looks to senior offensive lineman Tadarius Covington to be one of the team leaders this season while Jwun Hill, Marquez Williams and Vincent Bowling will battle for the starting QB spot.
“We will be a run oriented team and our strength will be based on our work ethic,” said coach Starr.
Lookout Valley – The Yellow Jackets of coach Tony Webb welcome nine players from Richard Hardy School to up the roster to 26 players.
“It’s great to have these nine players on our team this year which made a grear deal of difference for us,” said Webb.
Sophomore Zane Howard will be the quarterback, while Webb will also look to Greg Dixon, Tanner Hoge, Gavin Slavin, Ethan Sandlin and James Mitten as key players for this fall.
Notre Dame – Coach Charles Fant and company beat everyone to the practice field with a 3-5 a.m. workout followed by breakfast and back to bed and a second practice in the early evening.
"We had lights out at midnight in the gym and then had them up and to the field at 3 a.m. for something different on the first day of practice," said coach Fant.
He noted he has plenty of speed and experience in the offensive and defensive line.
Fant sees Patrick Johnson “as a difference maker at outside linebacker and for a big tight end has great hands.”
T.J. McGhee, Landon Allen and Parker Brock will battle for the starting quarterback spot.
McCallie – Coach Ralph Potter has 78 players in camp this week and the team’s strength is the skill position players on offense, the defensive line and the secondary.
Senior Rob Riddle will handle the quarterbacking duties as he threw for 2,200 yards and 15 TDs last fall.
Senior running back Shawn MCColley rushed for 855 yards and nine TDs last year.
Grace Baptist – The Golden Eagles worked on special team situations in t-shirts and shorts before adding helmets and shoulder pads for the second phase of the late afternoon practice.
The Golden Eagles will rely heavily on senior Jared Thompson who starts at QB and linebacker for the fourth straight year.
Other seniors to be counted on are Nathan Merritt (OL/DL), Brandon Sherr (OL/DL, Dalton Morrison (OL/DL), Josh Fisher (OL/DL) and Will Edwards (running back and nose guard.
Coach Ateka also feels freshman Will Lehman will contribute as a receiver and defensive back.
Silverdale Baptist - Coach Al Rogers has good experience back with 12 seniors including quarterback Alex Gonzalez.
“We should do well if we stay injury free and we are good on both sides of the ball,” said coach Rogers during a break in the team’s night practice. “We have good numbers (35) and plenty of players at linebacker so we can go with a 3-5-3 defensive set. And we have depth in the secondary as well.
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net