The Tennessean is scanning the archives to create a series of all-decade high school football teams, starting with the 1960s. The series will include all-decade teams from the 1970s, 80s, 90s, 2000s and 2010s.
A great deal of research is going into these teams, spearheaded by veteran sports writer Mike Organ. Criteria in researching the teams includes players who earned accolades such as All-American, All-State — Associated Press or United Press International — and all-decade. Players who made The Tennessean or Nashville Banner All-Midstate, All-City or All-Nashville Interscholastic League teams or other local all-star teams also earned special consideration.
For each decade, we also delve into a special story about part of the team. Find the 1960s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s teams, and their stories, below.
From Mack and Watson Brown to Lester McClain, The Tennessean's 1960s All-Decade football team
The Tennessean's series kicks off with the best high school football players in the Middle Tennessee area from the 1960s decade.
Before Watson and Mack Brown were college football coaches, they were high school icons in Tennessee
Watson and Mack Brown, brothers who starred at Cookeville High, both made The Tennessean's 1960s All-Decade Team.
From E.J. Junior to Dennis Harrison, The Tennessean's 1970s All-Decade football team
The Tennessean continues its high school football project with the release of its 1970s All-Decade team highlighted by E.J. Junior, Mike Wright and others.
Why E.J. Junior may be Nashville's greatest high school football player of all-time
E.J. Junior went from being a dominant player at Maplewood to winning two national championships at Alabama to being an All-Pro in the NFL.
Meet The Tennessean's 1980s all-decade football team which was rich in SEC flavor
Nineteen of the 26 players on The Tennessean's all-decade 1980s team played in the SEC.
How Kent Austin and Jimmy Hockaday got away from Tennessee and Vanderbilt football
Brentwood Academy football's Kent Austin and Jimmy Hockaday began a trend in the 1980s where some of Tennessee's top prospects picked other SEC teams
Best Nashville area high school football players in the 1990s played for state titles
The Tennessean's All-Decade 1990s high school football team was dominated by Brentwood Academy and Riverdale stars.
Even in pee wee football, Riverdale QB Eric Locke was on the cutting edge of offense
Long before he was pulling off dazzling players for Riverdale football star Eric Locke was running a wide open offense in youth football.
From Tim Dobbins to Ingle Martin, Meet The Tennessean's 2000s All-Decade Football Team
A total of nine players on The Tennessean All-Decade 2000-09 team went on to play in the NFL.
Football was Ingle Martin's least favorite sport, but he became one of Nashville's best QBs
Montgomery Bell Academy's Ingle Martin, who didn't even care for football growing up, is the quarterback on The Tennessean's All-Decade 2000-09 team.
From Jalen Ramsey to Jalen Hurd top high school players from 2010-19 had great Power Five careers
Top local high school players from 2010-19 went on to have outstanding careers at Tennessee, LSU, Florida State, Texas A&M and other top schools
Why Jeremiah Oatsvall has no regrets choosing quarterback over playing at Power 5 schools
Former Brentwood Academy QB Jeremiah Oatsvall is satisfied with his football career, which led to him becoming offensive coordinator at Lawson High