Pigskin Preview: Coalfield – Playing without Parker
By Terry Futrell
July 2, 2018
Imagine losing four seniors to graduation who were first team all-state players in 2017, including your quarterback and field general who was Tennessee’s 2017 Mr. Football in Division I Class 1A. Coalfield Coach Keith Henry doesn’t have to imagine – he is now faced with the reality of dealing with the loss of quarterback Parker McKinney, wide receiver Michael Lowe, lineman Jake Kilby, and linebacker/running back Drake Miklas. The challenge facing the Coalfield coaching staff is even greater – a total of 18 Yellow Jackets graduated, including 15 starters. While Coalfield is faced with replacing so many starters, archrival Greenback reportedly returns 20 of 22 starters and is projected to be a leading contender for the state championship.
During his four years leading the Yellow Jackets, McKinney amassed astounding career offensive numbers that included 572 pass completions out of 946 attempts for 9,265 yards and 212 rushes for 1,634 yards. With Parker gone, Henry and his staff face the daunting task of selecting a new quarterback to lead the Jacket offense. Fortunately, the strength of the Coalfield football program provides Coach Henry four contenders for the quarterback position – senior Ashton Jones, junior Lance Byrd, sophomore Dawson Nitzschke, and freshman Landon Lowe. All four are tremendous athletes and skilled players. The real difference maker for the Jackets will likely be the ability of one of these four to step up and demonstrate the leadership that has made the team so successful in the past.
In spite of the graduation losses, Coalfield returns more than 20 experienced players and has 11 incoming freshmen. Henry believes some of these freshmen will see lots of action as the season progresses, especially linemen Bryson Ridge, Nick Cagley, and Hank Trail. The experience and depth of the Jackets is a tribute to the robustness of the Yellow Jacket football program during Coach Henry’s tenure.
Coalfield’s experience in the backfield includes running backs Seth Lowe and Anthony Foster. Peyton McKinney adds strength at wide receiver, having made some remarkable acrobatic catches in 2017.
Coalfield lost four players to graduation who topped the scales at 235 pounds or greater. Yet the Jackets still have some size in returning players, including senior all-state lineman Johnny Carroll. Playing both offense and defense, Carroll is 6’2”, weighed in at 305 in 2017, and has the agility and quickness of a cat. Even though he is a really big man, Carroll looks trim with a frame that houses nothing but pure muscle. Other returning big men include Bo Watson and Drake Roberts. Adding experience on the line are Dylan Stewart, Micah Jackson, Carl Winegardner, and Daniel Schaar.
As is true for many small schools, several key athletes on the football team also played baseball in the Spring, which kept many from Spring practice. Encouraging his athletes to participate in other sports, Coach Henry and his staff focused on teaching fundamental skills to the available players during Spring practice.
Coalfield kicks off the season on August 17 at Wartburg facing a bulldog team that was really improved at the conclusion of the 2017 season. Wartburg is followed in quick succession by York Institute, Harriman, and Sunbright. As the seasons roll on, even more of Coalfield’s traditional opponents have become rivals, and there are few, if any, easy games on the Coalfield schedule. It appears that Coalfield’s toughest challenge is a road game at Greenback on October 5. Several of Coalfield’s rivals seem to be experiencing a resurgence of their programs, and the 2018 season promises to be anything but predictable. Coalfield fans who love to see competitive action are in for a real treat.