by Scott Shasteen on Thursday, August 23, 2007
   The Tullahoma Wildcats will open the 2007 high school football season when they welcome old-rival Lincoln Co. to Wilkins Stadium on Friday, Aug. 24, with kickoff scheduled for 7pm.
   The two teams, members of the old Southern Tennessee Conference who played each other every year, have not met in a decade. Both have been consistent playoff participants, and both look to get their seasons off to a quick start with a win Friday night.
   For the Wildcats, the task of replacing a significant portion of their offensive firepower while also welcoming back only a pair of defensive starters is daunting. If history is any indication though, John Olive and his coaching staff are more than capable of meeting the challenge.
   The quarterback position appears to be in good hands, with senior Chris Bishop scheduled to start and junior Matt Hagen slotted in the backup role. Each brings different strengths to the position, although Bishop brings real-game experience as he served as Tullahoma's backup signal caller in 2006.
   Running back is the strong suit of this year's squad, with seniors Bobby Dowdell and Ryan Bean returning. Dowdell rushed for over 1,000 yards last year, while Bean was well on his way to that total before an injury ended his season prematurely. Expect to see both getting significant carries throughout the year.
   The receiver positions are a major question mark, with senior Derek Welker the lone returner who played significant minutes. Juniors Derek Lawson, Tryston Horton, Jared Olive, and Mark Brown, along with sophomore Jordan Millville, have big-play potential that must be fulfilled on Friday nights.
   Across the line there is experience, although senior Marshall Cooper is the lone returning starter. Expect classmates Taylor Roper and Tristan Soiles to help Cooper lead the charge up front, joined by juniors Christian Rutan-Woods and Hampton Quick.
   The defense took a significant hit in the final preseason scrimmage when starting linebacker Ross Daniel went down with a serious knee injury. It appears the injury has ended Daniel's season, and the Wildcats will be hard pressed to replace his experience and leadership.
   Across the defensive front you will see senior Tonelious Cannon and junior Phillip Campbell at end and Soiles and senior Jeff Bailey at the tackle spots. Others, such as senior Cody Quick, sophomore Justin Waggoner, junior Dustin Perry, sophomore Justin Miller, and junior Josh Bunn should see playing time and still have a chance to win a starting role.
   The linebackers are still somewhat unsettled following Daniels' injury. Expect Ryan Bean and Ross Rowland to fill two of the three spots, and junior T.J. Stubblefield and senior Bill Majors may be the best bets to fill the third spot, with junior Dylan Smith also in the hunt.
   In the secondary Bishop is the lone returning starter at safety, joined by playmaker Tryston Horton. The cornerbacks appear set with Dowdell, an all-region performer, and Welker set to begin the game on the field. Lawson, Olive, senior Josh Davis, Hagen, Millville, junior Shamar Wilkerson, and others will likely see playing time also.
   The kicking game is in good hands with Craig Roper returning to handle kickoffs, field goals, and extra points, and Bean stepping into the role of punter. Dowdell, Bean, and Horton should provide excellent field position opportunities in the return game.
   Maybe the best thing the Wildcat have going for them as the season begins is the consistency and continuity of the coaching staff. Olive begins his 15th season with a 130-68 overall coaching mark. Offensive coordinator Sam Melton, defensive coordinator Ronnie Dyer, and Burt Oakley have been at Tullahoma pretty much the whole time. Derrick Crutchfield, Steve Matthews, Mo Torres, Maurice Shaw, and Corey Searcy each bring exceptional abilities to the team.
   The schedule is challenging, with all four non-region games against teams from Region 3-5A. At the same time Region 5-4A is really strong, with Hillsboro a potential state champion contender and Maplewood not far behind them.
   The Lincoln Co. contest will be broadcast on the radio at AM 740 and on the internet at fantasyradio.com. You can find complete coverage of Region 5-4A at Region54A.com, and complete coverage of high school football throughout the state at MurphyFair.com.
   Wildcat fans are encouraged to get to Wilkins Stadium early, as Fayetteville fans are known to travel well and arrive early in support of their Falcons. Although it doesn't feel like it weather wise - It's Football Time in Tennessee.