lexi

Who's it gonna be? Should be a great game and crowd with both teams from Middle Tennessee.

I was able to check out Marshall County against BGA and Columbia and I must say that this is the worst Marshall County team I have seen in sometime. They are undersized and almost look afraid to tackle anyone. I don't know what to think about the new head coach but I do know that he is not very well liked by the players and it is hard for a team to play hard for someone that they do not like or respect. That being said I like Fairview 52-3

This is a make or break game for both teams. A win puts the winner as a front runner for the second playoff bid behind Tullahoma. Columbia enters the game coming off a 42-17 win against a bad Marshall County team. Shelbyville enters the game coming off a 42-14 loss to Giles County. Granted that Shelbyville had several key players missing last weeks game. I expect this to be a hard fought battle between 2 teams that know that everything is on the line for each team. Word out of Columbia is that there may be some key injuries for the Lions suffered in practice this week. One being their starting quarterback and sophomore running back #3 Martin. The quarterback apparently suffered a seperated shoulder with his throwing arm. Someone close to the team has said that the back-up qb has been taking all the snaps this week in practice and is prepared to start. They even said that the offense has been adjusted quite a bit due to the fact that he can't throw. He said that the Lions have a wing-t package that they have yet to use that they specifically use with their number #2 qb. I wouldn't be suprised to see them run that the majority of the game with him. Considering the offensive line and running backs that they have this would make sense.I hear that the running back #3 is a gametime decisions but that Tate (qb) is probably not even gonna dress. With the inconsistency that the Lions have had at the wide reciever position it might not be a bad thing to see a change with the offense. With that said I think that Shelbyville will probably win this game against a beat up Lion squad. In fact I suspect it will be a lopsided affair with Shelbyville winning 38-14.

This game has a lot of intrigue to it. Former Columbia Defensive Co and new Marshall County head coach Tom Turchetta returns to Lindsey Nelson stadium to take on the Lions. Columbia obviously has a lot more talent on both sides of the ball but I do believe that the Tigers will give the Lions all they can handle. Turchetta left Columbia on bad terms with some of the coaching staff at Columbia. I believe that this takes this old rivalry to a whole new level. I look for Columbia to show no mercy and win this game big!

Like I said before the Lawrence County game, I believe that Columbia will just be too much up front for Dickson. I do think this will be a tough game for Columbia but in the end their size and speed will be the difference.

Columbia 21 Lawrence County 11 A very physical football game from start to finish. Both teams looked slugish on the offensive side of things. Columbia clearly had control for most of this contest. They led 7-3 at halftime. In the second half Columbia came out and scored two more touchdowns to make it 21-3. With 6 minutes to go in the 4th a bad snap on a Columbia punt attempt put Lawrence County inside the Columbia 30 yard line. Lawrence County followed that up with a Garland TD and 2 pt conversion. Columbia was just too much up front for the Lawrence County defense.

Way to many athletes! Mt. Pleasant by 14

Lexi... first of all don't get caught up in the fact that this game is at Columbia. Have you seen the way the Lawrence County fans travel? there will be just as many lc fans as columbia fans. Guaranteed, and they will probably be louder. Second, Lc brings back a lot of experience on the defensive line, so maybe that can slow down the o-line of the Lions. The x-factor in this game will be the O-line of the Wildcats. If they hold up and play well, Lc will win I totally agree that Lawrence County does travel well, but I will have to say that after last years state runner-up finish that people in Columbia are excited to see this years team. The problem with Columbia and its supporters over the years has been consistency. I believe and hope that Columbia has turned the corner on that. Last year Columbia's freshman squad only had 19 or so players, this years team has over 40! So the success at Whitthorne is finally caring over to Columbia now. This group of junior and senior players never lost a game in jr. high play and last year you could see the results of that. Columbia has been notorious for having athletes roaming the hallways or the basketball courts over the years and never stepping on the football field. That simply is not the case anymore. Back to the game though Columbia's defense is under new command after former Defensive Coordnator Tom Turchetta left and is now the Marshall County Head Coach. From what I hear new Defensive Coordnator Howard Stone has really simplified things from a very complex defense a year ago. I believe that everyone last year saw how to beat Columbia and that was to pass the ball. I honestly don't think this years secondary could be any worse than from a year ago. Like last year though, there is no secert what Columbia is gonna try to do offensively. They are gonna try to line up and pound it down your throat and try to control the clock and like last year, when teams put 8 guys in the box to try to stuff the run Columbia will throw to one of their talented wideouts in man coverage and beat ya. So finally I will say this. If Hayden Tate plays good, smart football and the offensive line stays injury free then watch out. Because this team has all the ingrediants to make another state title run. Unlike last year, Columbia will not be suprising people. Another difference I noticed when I went and watched them scrimmage Lewis County was that they still have that swag about them that they got during the end of last years regular season. Also every year for the past 5 years or so they have scrimmaged Ensworth. The first couple of times they played each other Ensworth really beat Columbia physically. That wasn't the case last year and that sure wasn't the case this year. Columbia went stroke for stroke with them. So to all the Lawrence County fans out there I hope your ready like I am for a physical, well-played football game!

Carlos I agree, Lawrence County's defense should be pretty solid this year. I would expect nothing less than a hard fought contest between these two old rivals. But there are 2 things going against LC. The first is the offensive line of Columbia. I would argue that they may be the best in the state of Tennessee in any division. Secondly the game is being played at Lindsey Nelson stadium. One of the most historic stadiums in the southeast region. Since the renovations to the stadium, which they finished last week, it is beautiful. You will see next Friday all of the amazing work they have done to the place. Back to the game though, it should definitly be a classic. It can't get any bigger for a week 0 football game!

I believe Columbia is again the team to beat this year. They have 3 of their 5 starters from last years offensive line returning. Shaq Mason 6'3 305 Georgia Tech commit, Kenneth Hughes 6'4 310 and Jonathan Braden 6'2 245 all return. At quarterback senior Hayden Tate takes over for his brother Zac who led the Lions last year to a State Runner-up finish. Wideouts Eric Belew 6'2 185 junior (brother of All-State WR Bryant Belew and son of head coach Vance Belew) and Dre Hall 6'1 170 sophmore return as well. The reciever position may be one of the deeper positions on the field for the Lions. Like most teams the success of the Lions relies mostly from the play of the quarterback position. Columbia has been pretty stacked at that postion for the past several years. Ryan Tilghman a 2009 graduate and Zac Tate a 2010 graduate were only seperated by a year therefore only allowing Tate to start his senior year. Same goes for his brother Hayden who comes in with only 1 start under his belt. Last year he relieved his brother during the Marshall County game due to injury and then starting the next week verus Shelbyville leading the Lions to a 47-13 victory. Although he may not have his brothers arm strength the younger Tate is just as effective. Accuracy and good decision making are his upside. I would expect nothing less than a deep playoff run again for the Lions and the surfacing of some new playmakers as well. The future looks bright in Columbia!

Tonight both teams were to have played in Columbia's Jamboree but due to rain and lighting the contest was called off during the 1st quarter of the second game between Friendship Christian and Mt. Pleasant. I was really hoping to get to see both teams play to try to gauge were they are both at. I will still say that Columbia has got to be the favorite. With all they have coming back I say that Columbia is at least a 2 touchdown favorite playing at home. Also talking to a Mt. Pleasant parent whose son plays for the Tigers, they said that they thought they got the best of Lawrence County in their scrimmage between each other last week.

Coffee County 13 Marshall County 0 It took Coffee County only 4 plays to march 70 yards for the contests opening touchdown. Four straight runs shredded the Marshall County defense that looked rocky to say the least. Marshall County went 3 and out on the next series giving the ball back to Coffee County who drove down the field and scored again. Marshall County's defense seemed to finally settle down only after Coffee County made massive subsitutions. Marshall County's freshman running back did look impressive, but you can tell that it looks like it could be another long year for the Tigers.

Coffee County 13 Marshall County 0 It took Coffee County only 4 plays to march 70 yards for the contests opening touchdown. Four straight runs shredded the Marshall County defense that looked rocky to say the least. Marshall County went 3 and out on the next series giving the ball back to Coffee County who drove down the field and scored again. Marshall County's defense seemed to finally settle down only after Coffee County made massive subsitutions. Marshall County's freshman running back did look impressive, but you can tell that it looks like it could be another long year for the Tigers.

Loretto won big against Red Boiling Springs in the first game. The second game between Mt. Pleasant and Friendship Christian ended with 5 minutes to go in the 1st quarter due to bad weather with Friendship Christian leading 7-0 off a 25 yard TD pass. The rest of the games were cancelled due to rain and lighting in the area. It rained good for a solid hour before Maury County Park officials cancelled the contests. Word is that the park recently laid new sod on the field and there was concern that the teams would tear it up worse than it already was prior to the rain. Columbia hosts Lawrence County next week and Dickson County the week after.

I know its a week away but lets get this conversation started! What a huge game this is for a week 0 game. Last year Columbia went to Lawrenceburg and escaped with a 21-13 victory. The game literally went down to the final seconds. I believe that game propelled Columbia to the season they had last year. With that said this years game could have the same effect on either team this year. The difference though is that Lawrence County has to travel to Columbia and play at the historic Lindsey Nelson Stadium where the Lions haven't lost since October 2008. Reports from Lawrenceburg state that Lawrence County may have some early season injury issues from a scrimmage against Hendersonville and Mt. Pleasant. Tonight Lawrence County will be playing Spring Hill in the Columbia Jamboree and Columbia will be playing Franklin Road Academy. In my opinion, baring any set backs tonight, Columbia would have to be the early favorite with a offensive line returning 3 starters and All-State Running Back/Linebacker Tra'Darious Goff. What are your thoughts?