Steven Jennings

Predicted order of finish

1. DeKalb County

2. Upperman

3. Sequatchie County

4. Smith County

5. York Institute

6. Grundy County

7. Cannon County

DeKalb County senior quarterback Steven Jennings compiled more than 3,000 total yards and 27 touchdowns last season.

Top returnees

Steven Jennings, Sr., QB, DeKalb County; Matthew Poss, Sr., WR-P, DeKalb County; Eli Cross, Sr., OL-DE, DeKalb County; Christian Pruitt, Sr., TE-DB, DeKalb County; Dylon Cushing, Sr., RB-LB, Upperman; Joseph Oracion, Sr., OL-DE, Upperman; Cole Pierce, Sr., RB, Upperman; Carson Hackett, Jr., QB, Smith County; Shermar King, Jr., WR-DB-KR, Smith County; Mason Cravens, Sr., QB, York Institute.

Top games to watch: Upperman at DeKalb County (Oct. 21), Sequatchie County at Upperman (Oct. 28), Sequatchie County at DeKalb County (Sept. 30), Smith County at Sequatchie County (Sept. 2)

Region football preview recap

Region tidbits

Jennings was the 4-3A Offensive Most Valuable Player last season after passing for 2,131 yards, 19 touchdowns and 3 interceptions while also rushing for 908 yards and 8 touchdowns. … Poss was Jennings’ top target, catching 43 passes for 774 yards and 6 touchdowns, and he also averaged 36.6 yards per punt and 27.3 yards per kickoff return. … Defending region champion Upperman was hit hard by graduation at the skill positions, losing quarterback Daylen Watts (the region MVP) along with its top five rushers and top three receivers. … Sequatchie County returns the 4-3A Defensive MVP (senior linebacker Hunter Davenport) and first-team co-offensive lineman (senior John Higgins). … Cravens was the 4-3A Most Valuable Quarterback last season.

Upperman’s Dylon Cushing

Schedules

(2015 record in parentheses, * denotes region contest)

Cannon County (0-10, 0-6): Aug. 19 vs. Community; Aug. 26 at Jackson County; *Sept. 2 vs. Grundy County; Sept. 9 vs. Red Boiling Springs; *Sept. 16 at York Institute; *Sept. 23 at Upperman; *Sept. 30 vs. Smith County; Oct. 7 at Middle Tennessee Christian; *Oct. 14 at Sequatchie County; *Oct. 28 vs. DeKalb County

DeKalb County (7-4, 5-1, reached Class 3A first round): Aug. 19 vs. Warren County; Aug. 26 vs. Stone Memorial; Sept. 2 vs. York Institute; Sept. 9 at Cumberland County; *Sept. 16 at Smith County; *Sept. 23 at Macon County; *Sept. 30 vs. Sequatchie County; *Oct. 7 at Grundy County; *Oct. 21 vs. Upperman; *Oct. 28 at Cannon County

Grundy County (1-9, 1-5): Aug. 19 vs. Whitwell; Aug. 26 at Marion County; *Sept. 2 at Cannon County; Sept. 9 at Watertown *Sept. 16 vs. Upperman; Sept. 23 vs. South Pittsburg; *Oct. 7 vs. DeKalb County; *Oct. 14 at York Institute; *Oct. 21 at Sequatchie County; *Oct. 28 vs. Smith County

Sequatchie County (7-4, 4-2, reached Class 3A first round): Aug. 19 vs. South Pittsburg; Aug. 26 at Whitwell; *Sept. 2 vs. Smith County; *Sept. 9 at York Institute; *Sept. 23 at Bledsoe County; *Sept. 30 at DeKalb County; Oct. 7 vs. Warren County; *Oct. 14 vs. Cannon County; *Oct. 21 vs. Grundy County; *Oct. 28 at Upperman

Smith County (6-5, 3-3, reached Class 3A first round): Aug. 19 vs. Macon County; Aug. 26 vs. Gordonsville; *Sept. 2 at Sequatchie County; Sept. 9 vs. Livingston Academy; *Sept. 16 vs. DeKalb County; Sept. 23 at Stone Memorial; *Sept. 30 at Cannon County; *Oct. 14 vs. Upperman; *Oct. 21 vs. York Institute; *Oct. 28 at Grundy County

Upperman (9-3, 6-0, reached Class 3A second round): Aug. 19 at Cookeville; Aug. 26 at Monterey; Sept. 2 vs. Trousdale County; Sept. 9 vs. Stone Memorial; *Sept. 16 at Grundy County; *Sept. 23 vs. Cannon County; *Sept. 30 vs. York Institute; *Oct. 14 at Smith County; *Oct. 21 at DeKalb County; *Oct. 28 vs. Sequatchie County

York Institute (2-8, 2-4): Aug. 19 at Stone Memorial; Aug. 26 vs. White County; *Sept. 2 at DeKalb County; *Sept. 9 vs. Sequatchie County; *Sept. 16 vs. Cannon County; Sept. 23 vs. Livingston Academy; *Sept. 30 at Upperman; Oct. 7 at Kingston; *Oct. 14 vs. Grundy County; *Oct. 21 at Smith County

Reach Craig Harris at 615-259-8238 and on Twitter @CHTennessean. 

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