Adamsville invades Fairley

[kwc]

Gene Robinson brings discipline, success back to Fairley

John Varlas, USA TODAY NETWORK – TennesseePublished 9:00 a.m. CT Nov. 1, 2017 | Updated 9:24 a.m. CT Nov. 1, 2017

     

(Photo: Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal)

As you walk into the main entrance at Fairley High School, you're greeted with a large poster featuring a quote from the famous poet and author Maya Angelou: When you know better, you do better.

The football team has taken that message to heart in 2017. With outstanding results.

The Bulldogs (8-2) host Adamsville Friday at John P. Freeman Stadium in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs. After winning just twice in 2016, their six-game improvement represents the second-best turnaround in Shelby County (Germantown won three last year and 10 so far this year).

Along with the success has come a renewed buzz about football at the school and a restored feeling of pride among alumni, who haven't had a whole lot to brag about in recent years.

"We have way more support now," said senior linebacker and team captain Elijah Smalls.

True enough, everybody loves a winner. And the Bulldogs certainly have a winner in first-year coach Gene Robinson. The 26-year-old had a fine career at Whitehaven before going on to play at North Carolina and has brought some youthful fire to a program that was in need of stability after changing coaches three times in three years following the departure of Rahnmann Slocum to Southwind in 2013.

"He's a hype coach," Smalls said. "He's got a lot of energy and he makes want to go out there and just ball. He's kind of got a way of saying stuff."

And a way of instilling discipline. 

"The talent was there, it was just all over the place," Robinson said. "We came with a deal where if one person does something wrong or one person gets in trouble, the whole team pays for it. That raises a sense of accountability.

"At the beginning of the season, I had to suspend one of our better players. That was me putting my foot down. When school started, it was the small things ... I don't care if you're talking in class, chewing bubble gum. When you do your punishment sprints together, now Brother A is telling Brother B, 'hey, stop. Chill. Let's not do that.'"

While the mindset is different, on the field it's the Fairley of old. Traditionally a physical team that relies on the run game and a solid defense, the Bulldogs have both of those areas covered.

In his first season at the helm, Gene Robinson has guided Fairley to an 8-2 record. That marks a six-game improvement from 2016. (Photo: Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal)

 

Sophomore tailback Terry Wilkins ran for 1,378 yards, averaging over 10 per carry, and scored 17 times during the regular season. Smalls and standout senior cornerback Nickolas Burks anchored a defense that allowed 136.8 yards per game, second in Shelby County behind Raleigh-Egypt.

"Last week against Douglass (in the region title-decider), we controlled the ball the whole second quarter," Robinson said. "I think our brand of football in all three phases has been improving ever since Week 1."

And while the players on the field are good, the ones on the sidelines may be even better. Robinson has assembled a talented a hungry staff of former college players including offensive coordinator Leroy Banks (Southern Miss), Terrell Lee (Southern), Derrick Webb (Colorado) and Keith Spann (Memphis).

"All of us played," laughed Robinson. "There weren't any bench-riders."

More importantly than playing though, Robinson and his assistants made it to college and got their educations. Now they're able to pass along that knowledge to the next generation of players.

"I wanted to look for staff who have been where they're trying to go," Robinson said. "Who came from where they came from. All of us guys on staff, we're inner-city guys. We grew up in the inner city and football changed our lives by allowing us to get a free education."

The players have been paying attention.

"He knows what it takes," Burks said. "He has that credibility."

 

Reach John Varlas at john.varlas@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @johnvarlas.

Edited November 3, 2017 by kwc

[kwc]

The article pulled from the Commercial Appeal loaded above is why Fairley is so good this year. It is why they may possibly win a Gold Ball in the near future. The coaches listed ... I know three are Whitehaven guys .... Robinson, Banks, and Webb. I don't know about Terrell Lee or Keith Spann. But I do remember Spann form his U of M days. That is quite a good accumalation of talent on the sidelines coaching these young men. My man Robinson started out of the block with the right assistamt coaching hires. That is great to see. Great to see indeed!

Go Fairley!

[fallguy17]

Good luck to the Ville tonight. Go Region 7!

[cardfan]

Who moves a freaking playoff game at 3pm before the game.    This is very unprofessional.  

[cardfan]

Cardinal fans spread the word.  Our game has been moved at the last minute.  We are now playing at Booker T. Washington.

[plumb69]

Good luck Cardinals. Good time to put a run together!

[tradertwo]

1 hour ago, cardfan said:

Cardinal fans spread the word.  Our game has been moved at the last minute.  We are now playing at Booker T. Washington.

Blast from the past...don't park across the street where Butchie and Duckman did!!!

[tradertwo]

Best of luck 'Cards...you have what it takes to handle this business, so go get it!

[TPeabodyGT]

Score update? 

[9oldschool5]

7-6 Aville in 3rd last I heard.

[9oldschool5]

Final: Aville 13 -6

[cardfan]

12 hours ago, kwc said:

I'm expecting Fairley to win convicingly tonight. Go Bulldogs!

Not tonight.  Fairley played well but couldnt get the stops when they needed them in second half.  No. 1 is one of the best backs we have seen all year.