Crockett County's Xavier Billings out for season with torn ACL

ALAMO — Watching Crockett County senior Xavier Billings walk to the fieldhouse on Monday, one would never suspect that there was anything wrong with his knee.

Billings had no limp, brace or anything to indicate that he had a torn ACL.

But in a scrimmage earlier this month, Billings did tear his ACL and will be out for the season. Surgery was scheduled for Friday morning.

"I was trying to pull him up, he tried to cut back inside, so I planted and my knee twisted," Billings said. "It is devastating. It hurts me because I want to be there for my team. I want to lay it all on the line."

The injury happened in a scrimmage against Trenton Peabody, and it is a low point in what has been a good offseason.

"He was having a super, super preseason," Crockett County coach Kevin Ward said. "He got really strong this winter, went to camps and did great and he ran a 4.3, 4.4 at Ole Miss. It is just one of those seasons that you knew he was going to have a good year because he was doing all of the things that he really needed to do to play well senior year. That has kind of been taken away from him. I feel for him and his family."

But don't expect Billings to stay away from the sideline once he is able to get out of the house.

"I am going to show up to every game," Billings said. "I am going to coach up Josh Owens, who is taking my spot right now, and coach up the younger guys. I will do everything I can to help the team."

Ward said the team is ready to be there for Billings also.

"We need to be there and support him," Ward said. "It is not going to be easy to stand on the sideline and watch his senior season fly away. We have to help him with the mental aspect and be positive, and let him know that he still has football left to be played."

This is the second year in a row that a star player for Crockett County has gone down with a torn ACL in the preseason, as Jordan Branch missed his junior season.

"You look at the bad luck that has gone on here injury-wise, and we feel like we are snake bit," Ward said. "We hate it to happen to anybody, but for the caliber of players that we have had it happen to, really puts a damper on things."

Billings, a linebacker listed at 6 foot 1 and 200 pounds, had offers from Indiana University and Bethel heading into this week, and Monday, he received his third offer from Culver-Stockton.

"I am hoping the recruiting continues," Billings said. "I have a few still talking to me."

Billings' hope is that this is the last injury like this for his Cavaliers this season.

"I am hoping I am the final one," Billings said. "I am hoping this doesn't continue from here. I hope we get it back on track." 

Ward did say that the coaching staff will look at what can be done to lessen the number of injuries like this.

"There are things that you can do in the offseason, and we are going to look at that as soon as this season is over when winter arrives," he said. "We are going to try and strengthen those areas. We feel like we have been doing that, but maybe there is more we can do. We can't prevent them as a whole."

Reach Michael Odom at michodom@jacksonsun.com or 731-425-9754 and on Twitter @JSWriterMichael.