As the fall sports season gets ready to crank up, Thunder Radio sports continues our series of previews for the fall prep sports teams. Each day, we will spotlight a different team as we count down to the opening of practices and games of the upcoming season. Today, we look at the Coffee County Middle School football team.
Coach Bryan Morgan begins his 2nd season at the helm of Red Raider program as his young football team has spent this week working out in shorts and shoulder pads. Practices with full pads begins on Monday as Morgan wants “to see who is gonna hit and take it to the next level.” Morgan is excited about the upcoming season as he goes into it with a full coaching staff for summer camp. Ryan Wood has joined the Raider staff as he joins returning coaches Kenny Lockhart and George Pearson.
Coffee County has added some new formations and wrinkles to their read option attack this year on offense. Coach Morgan is looking for some players to step up at wide receiver as he continues to move a wealth of skill position folks around looking for the best fit. On defense, the Raiders will need to nail down a starting line but the linebacker and secondary appear to be the strength of that unit.
The Red Raiders return a wealth of experience in the offensive backfield in returning starter Conner Shemwell at quarterback along with Kelby Walker and Ethan Baker who logged considerable minutes at running back and linebacker in 2016. Coach Morgan has also been impressed with Kurt Jesch who has made the move to center and looks to be the middle linebacker on defense. 8th grader Jamie Norris has had a good camp and may find his way into the starting lineup at a skill position on offense or defense. Ashton Ferrell and Robbie Gilley, a pair of 7th graders, have also impressed the coaches in the line.
The Raiders will conclude their preseason workouts with a scrimmage against Oakland Middle School on Thursday, August 3rd at Oakland. That scrimmage will get underway at 4 PM. The Red Raiders open the season on August 10th at Tullahoma in the annual Coffee Cup game. Thunder Radio will be on hand to broadcast the Coffee Cup game as part of the First National Bank Hometown Sports Series.
