CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Clarksville Academy football team fell short of playoff contention during the 2021 season. The Cougars finished with an overall record of 6-4 with their four losses against district opponents.
This year, the team is eager to bounce back and fight their way into the playoffs. The new season is only a month away, and head coach Scott Murray is ready for the Cougars to showcase how much they’ve grown in a year’s time.
“We lost two games by less than 3 points last year,” said Murray. “If we won both of those games, it would have put us into the playoffs. We are trying to mature as a team, and we are looking for our players to show a little bit more leadership, so we put ourselves in a position to compete during the postseason.”
Last year was Murray’s first season as Clarksville Academy’s head football coach. He was hired after the Cougars went 0-10 during the 2020-21 season. The team’s win difference shows Murray wasted no time and turned the program around.
2022 season
According to the head coach, the Cougars’ identity is based on the team’s overall athleticism.
“It’s a difference-maker when you have athletic players out on the edges, at quarterback, at running back and even some of our linemen,” said Murray. “We had that same athleticism last season, but our downfall was the fact that we weren’t very technically sound. We are trying to shift the narrative to being a more fundamental football team. The process takes a little while, but we are getting better at it.”
Murray expects his team to take their level of play to the next level throughout the upcoming season. He wants to see the Cougars become an elite team, while growing continuously throughout the process. He hopes this process leads to the team winning more games and qualifying for playoff contention.
“I feel confident where we are at with all of our position groups,” said Murray. “Looking at our numbers, we have about 43 players that make up our roster. I believe that’s the most Clarksville Academy has had in quite some time. The players continue to show up to practice and work hard, and the team it really coming together.
“The biggest difference between this year and last year is maturity. Last season we had a multitude of guys show up who had no prior experience on the football field. Now, they have come into 2022 with an understanding of my expectations, what we want to accomplish and the direction this team is headed.”
Clarksville Academy will travel to First Assembly Christian to kick off their season on Aug. 19.
2022 football season preview series
- Montgomery Central first year coach Corey Wright hopes to build off last year’s success
- Clarksville High looks to continue winning ways after 5 straight playoff appearances
- Rossview High looks to translate off-season success into wins following subpar season
- Northwest High looks to large senior class to come back from rough season