Brownies Out For Playoffs

The Cleveland Browns sat and watched the agony Sunday night.

The Brownies had 10 victories during the 2007 season after only four in 2006.

Cleveland dispatched the San Francisco 49ers earlier in the day and headed for the big screens in hopes of the Indianapolis Colts defeating the Tennessee Titans.

A Colts win would have sent the Browns packing for the Left Coast and an engagement with the San Diego Chargers in the first round of the AFC Playoffs.

Nevertheless, somewhere in the third quarter of the Titans and Colts game something strange happened that turned Cleveland's postseason trip into a journey home for the season.

During the third period in the RCA Dome, Titans robust running back LenDale White fumbled away the pigskin and Tennessee quarterback Vince Young left the game with a pulled right quad with his team trailing the defending Super Bowl champions 10-7.

The Browns and their fans had to be cheering as the end appeared to be near for Tennessee.

Enter Kerry Collins an aging veteran who has spent most of the season walking the Titans sidelines.

The change of scenery for the Indianapolis defense wasn't good for Cleveland.

The fourth-leading active passer in the NFL, Collins completed 10-of-13 passes for 106 yards and got Rob Bironas close enough to kick field goals of 40 and 54 yards to end the Browns hopes.

Tennessee made the playoffs instead of the Browns due to the third tiebreaker. The Titans had a better record against common opponents.

Browns coach Romeo Crennel said his team had "learned a lot, grown a lot and look forward to continuing to build on what we've accomplished this season."

Cleveland (10-6) is the only NFL team with 10 wins that didn't make the playoffs.

The Browns can't blame anybody but themselves. Cleveland lost to instate rival Cincinnati last week.

Cleveland wide receiver Braylon Edwards said his team had a chance, "but we forfeited it by losing to a lesser team."

The Browns 10 wins are the most since its expansion rebirth. Cleveland won 11 games in 1994.

The Titans will play San Diego at 4:30 on Sunday.

Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher said he expected Vince Young to be ready to play in the game.

"I expect everybody to be ready," Fisher said.

Collins' performance should not come as a surprise. He led teams to the playoffs three times as a starter, including an appearance in the NFC Championship Game following the 1996 season with the Panthers and a Super Bowl appearance following the 2000 season with the Giants.

Collins Facts: When the season started, the only active quarterbacks with more passing yards than Collins were Brett Favre (57,500), Vinny Testaverde (45,281) and Peyton Manning (37,586).

In 2000 and 2001, the durable quarterback became first player in NFL history to throw every pass for one team in two consecutive seasons, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

Collins and his wife, Brooke, and daughter, Riley live on his 1,580-acre farm in Asheboro, N.C. The “Blue Q Ranch” was named that because every team Collins ever played quarterback (Q) for except the Oakland Raiders had blue as one of the team's primary colors. He has more than 300 head of registered Angus cattle on his farm.

Collins loves to fish and hunt deer, wild boar, and turkey.

The Associated Press and NFL.com contributed to this blog

Old Gray Beard Saves Titans

The best thing that happened to the Tennessee Titans Sunday night in Indianapolis might have been when quarterback Vince Young left the game with a pulled right quad injury.

As cruel as it may sound, when back-up Kerry Collins took over at quarterback the Titans got a boost and a 16-10 that put the club in the playoffs and the Cleveland Browns home for the winter.

Coach Jeff Fisher bragged on Collins to NBC's Andrea Kremer following the game, "This is why we have him, he's a veteran."

Young left the game with 6:26 left in the third quarter and the Titans trailing 10-7.

Collins stepped in and completed passes of 10, 14 and 8 yards to get kicker Rob Bironas close enough to boot a 40-yard field goal to tie the game at 10-10.

The 13-year veteran completed 10-of-13 passes for 106 yards and no interceptions He led the Titans to three second-half field goals, including a 54-yarder from Bironas to retake the lead.

Fisher said Young could have returned to the game, "but Kerry was managing the game well."

Collins said life as a back-up means you have to be ready at all times to come in and do your job.

"We knew we had an opportunity to come in and make the playoffs and that doesn't happen every year," Collins said.

The Titans will now travel to San Diego for a rematch with the San Diego Chargers at 4:30 Sunday.

Titans/Colts game notes
• Sunday's victory gave the Titans their fifth playoff berth in nine seasons.
• Sunday's victory gave the Titans a 5-3 road record in 2007.
• Sunday's victory gave the Titans a 4-2 division record for the second consecutive season.
• Sunday's victory improved Tennessee’s all-time record against the Colts to 12-15.
• Sunday's victory improved Jeff Fisher’s career record as head coach to 120-103.
• Sunday's victory improved Vince Young’s career record as a starting quarterback to 17-11.
• Chris Brown scored his 5th touchdown of the season and the 16th of his career on an 8-yard run, giving the Titans a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
• The Titans scored on the game’s opening drive for the fifth time this season (third touchdown).
• LenDale White went over 1,100 rushing yards for the season in the first quarter.
• Michael Griffin forced the first fumble of his career against Reggie Wayne in the first quarter.
• David Thornton recovered the first fumble of his career in the first quarter.
• Antwan Odom posted his 7th sack of the season and the 11.5th of his career when he took down Jim Sorgi in the third quarter.
• Antwan Odom posted his 8th sack of the season and the 12.5 of his career when he took down Jim Sorgi in the fourth quarter.
• Antwan Odom matched his career-high with two sacks (at Houston 10-9-05)
• Roydell Williams set a career-high with six receptions.
• Justin Gage matched his career-high in receptions and set a career-high in receiving yards (7 catches for 104 yards)
• With his 40-yard field goal in the third quarter, Rob Bironas moved past Al Del Greco into third place in team history with the most points (127) in a season.
• Rob Bironas connected on a 54-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. It was his 4th field goal of 54 yards or longer this season. He is now 4-of-5 from 54 or beyond this season.
• Keith Bulluck continued his team-best active streak of 96 consecutive starts.
• Keith Bulluck made his 100th career start.
• Peyton Manning was 14-of-16 passing for 95 yards, reaching the 4,000-yard passing yard mark for the eighth time in his career.

• Reggie Wayne recorded his first 1,500-yard receiving season.

AAFL Might Fill A Void

The Bowl games will come and go in the next 10 days, but there is a promise of football this spring.

Did you know that Tennessee will host Michigan at Neyland Stadium on April 12?

I can’t wait.

Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot to explain that game would be the season opener for Team Tennessee in the All American Football League (AAFL).

I’m one who believes that the AAFL has a place in the professional sports world.

The league will field franchises in Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Michigan and Texas with the six teams playing home and home for a 10-game schedule this spring.

Former Vols great Andy Kelly will coach team Tennessee. The former Rhea County Tennessee star retired after 14 years in the Arena Football League with about every passing record. Now he will be bringing his wide-open passing approach to the AAFL.

Former Tennessee head coach and athletics director Doug Dickey is a board member for the AAFL.

Team Tennessee will play home games in Neyland Stadium and Team Alabama will play at Legion Field in Birmingham.

Team Arkansas is scheduled to play at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Team Michigan at Ford Field in Detroit, Team Texas at Rice Stadium in Houston and Team Florida will play some games at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville and others in Tampa and Orlando.

The league draft is scheduled for Jan. 25 in an effort to assemble 46-man rosters per team.

Each player is supposed to be paid $50,000 annually and must have graduated from college.

Tee Martin could be coming out of retirement to quarterback the Tennessee Team. The Alabama native played for the Vols from 1996-1999. Few Tennessee fans will forget how he guided the Vols to the 1998 national championship.

Martin, 29, tried the NFL, Canadian League and the NFL's World League before giving it up. He now coaches the quarterback at North Cobb High north of Atlanta.

He put his playing days behind and is coaching quarterbacks at North Cobb High School in Kennesaw, Ga. Martin works some as a college football television analyst.Former Vols’ kicker James Wilhoit is expected to handle the chores for Team Tennessee. Other former Vols could join SEC players expected to play in the AAFL.

Former Florida star Chris Leak will likely quarterback Team Florida.

Former Arkansas Razorback quarterback Clint Stoerner is with Team Arkansas.

Maybe I just want to continue to believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. Nevertheless, pro football played in some of the nation’s hot beads by players from that region sounds interesting to me.

Now, what are the team nicknames going to be? In addition, what are the cheerleaders going to look like?

TENNESSEE AAFL Schedule

4/12/08 MICHIGAN

4/19/08 at Arkansas

4/26/08 at Texas

5/3/08 FLORIDA

5/10/08 at Alabama

5/17/08 ARKANSAS

5/24/08 at Michigan

5/31/08 ALABAMA

6/7/08 at Florida

6/14/08 TEXAS

6/21/08 First Round of Playoffs

7/3/08 Championship Game

Maryville: Team Of The Year

The Maryville Rebels are the Varsity Sports Media Tennessee Football magazine’s Team of the year.Maryville earned the honor after being voted the No. 1 team in the Varsity Sports Media Tennessee Football magazine’s final all-classification Top 25 Power Poll.

Coach George Quarles’ Rebels captured their record 11th state championship and in 2007 became the first team to have a senior class go 60-0 in high school in the Volunteer State.

Maryville has a 60-game winning streak, has won 99 of its last 100 games and 113 of 115 overall.

Quarles has won six of the Rebels’ 11 state championships and will enter next season with a 123-9 mark. He is also a candidate for the national coach of the year.

In national polls, Maryville is ranked No. 5 by Sports Illustrated, 6th by ESPN, 10th by USA Today and11th by RiseMag.com.

The Rebels finished No. 1 in the Varsity Sports Media’s Top-25 Power Poll ahead of No. 2 Montgomery Bell Academy. The Big Red was 13-0 on the season and defeated Brentwood Academy for the Division II AA state title. Coach Daniel McGugin earned a state championship in his first year at the helm.

No. 3 Alcoa lost only to Blount County neighbor Maryville 42-12 in the second week of the season and could be the Rebels’ toughest foe in 2008.

Alcoa utilized the new TSSAA mercy rule in 80 percent of its games this season.

Gary Rankin had a young team that continued to improve as the 2007 season rolled on.

2A Alcoa was the first team to win four consecutive state crowns in Tennessee. Of course, Maryville duplicated the task the following night by winning the 4A state title.Blount County is the home of eight state champions in the past four years and 20 state crowns overall.

Brentwood Academy is the No. 4 team in the final Top 25 Power Poll. Under first-year coach Ralph Potter, the Eagles lost twice to MBA.

No. 5 Smyrna lost three regular season games, including one to Brentwood Academy. Nevertheless, quarterback Sonny Gray and wide receiver Rod Wilks rallied the Bulldogs down the stretch to win their second consecutive 5A state title.

Don’t expect things to get any better for Smyrna foes in 2008. Freshman Jeremiah Bryson ran for 170 yards and four touchdowns as Smyrna defeated Independence, 46-20, for TSSAA Class 5A BlueCross Bowl championship.

Bryson was named the most valuable offensive player in the title tilt and scored on runs of 5, 1 and 42 yards in the first half, and added a 16-yard run in the fourth quarter.

No. 6 David Lipscomb stunned Knoxville Fulton 32-24 for the 3A BlueCross Bowl championship.
It was the first state championship for Lipscomb since moving up to 3A.

The third state championship overall for the Mustangs was special for veteran Lipscomb coach Glenn McAdams.

“We’re so thankful. We’re blessed and humbled by this all,” Coach McAdams said. “I’m so proud of our kids. We’ve been here a lot of times in the 2000s.”

No. 7 Bearden had a tremendous season despite the death of their head coach Billy Wilson last spring.

The Bulldogs’ two losses were to Farragut during the regular season and 17-14 to Smyrna in the 5A semifinals.

Bearden redeemed the losses to Farragut by defeating the Admirals 28-14 in the state quarterfinals. The win broke an eight-game losing streak to the Admirals, which dated back to 2002.

No. 8 Red Bank was perfect for 12 games this season before the Lions had their run at a 4A title stopped by Maryville for the second consecutive season. Red Bank has two losses in the past two seasons, both to the Rebels.

No. 9 Riverdale was in the Top 5 of the Power Poll for most of the season. In fact, Riverdale defeated 5A state champion Smyrna 36-32 during the season. The surprise for the Warriors came in the second round of the 5A playoffs when Wilson Central downed Riverdale 35-13. The Warriors had defeated Wilson Central 29-7 during the regular season.

No. 10 South Pittsburg is arguably one of the most explosive 1A teams to take the field in Tennessee. Coach Vic Grider’s Pirates destroyed undefeated McKenzie 52-20 in the 1A BlueCross Bowl championship.

The Pirates join Maryville as the only 15-0 teams in TSSAA in 2007. How good is this 1A power? South Pittsburg defeated 2A Tyner, Boyd-Buchanan and 3A Marion County this season.

Rounding out the final Top 25 Power Poll are No. 11 St. George’s (12-0), No. 12 Sullivan South (12-2), No. 13 Independence (11-4), No. 14 Millington (13-1), No. 15 Maplewood (12-3), No. 16 Henry County (12-2), No. 17 Fulton (12-3), No. 18 Goodpasture (13-2), No. 19 Farragut (10-2), No. 20 Wilson Central (10-3), No. 21 White Station (12-1), No. 22 Whitehaven (10-2), No. 23 Knox Catholic (11-1), No. 24 Hillsboro (10-2-1) and No. 25 Mitchell (10-4).
*The Varsity Sports Media Tennessee Football magazine staff and various media representatives from across the state voted on this final poll.

Final 2007 Power Poll
1. 4A Maryville (15-0) 4A State Champs
2. D-II MBA (13-0) D-II AA State Champs
3. 2A Alcoa (14-1) 2A State Champs
4. D-II Brentwwood Ac (11-2) Lost to MBA
5. 5A Smyrna (12-3) 5A State Champs
6. 3A David Lipscomb (14-1) 3A State Champs
7. 5A Bearden (12-2) Lost to Smyrna
8. 4A Red Bank (12-1) Lost to Maryville
9. 5A Riverdale (11-1) Lost to Wilson Central
10. 1A South Pittsburg (15-0) 1A State Champs
11. D-II A St. George’s (12-0) D-II A State Champs
12. 4A Sullivan South (12-2) Lost to Maryville
13. 5A Independence (11-4) Lost to Smyrna
14. 5A Millington (13-1) Lost to Independence
15. 4A Maplewood (12-3) Lost to Maryville
16. 4A Henry County (12-2) Lost to Maplewood
17. 3A Fulton (12-3) Lost to David Lipscomb
18. 2A Goodpasture (13-2) Lost to Alcoa
19. 5A Farragut (10-2) Lost to Bearden
20. 5A Wilson Central (10-3) Lost to Smyrna
21. 5A White Station (12-1) Lost to Millington
22. 5A Whitehaven (10-2) Lost to Millington
23. 3A Knox Catholic (11-1) Lost to Austin East
24. 4A Hillsboro (10-2-1) Lost to Maplewood
25. 3A Mitchell (10-4) Lost to Lipscomb

Others receiving consideration. In alphabetical order: Clarksville (10-2), DCA (12-2), Dyersburg (10-2), Dyer County (10-2), Ensworth (9-3), Father Ryan (9-3), ), Gatlinburg-Pittman (11-2), Greenville (10-3), Hampton (13-1), Haywood (10-3), Hickman County (11-2), Jo Byrns (11-2), Lewis County (11-1), McKenzie(13-1), Midway (11-2), Milan (11-2), Mt. Pleasant (11-3), SBEC (10-2), Station Camp (10-2), Pearl-Cohn (11-3), William Blount (9-3), York (12-1).

The Best Is Yet To Come

In the first year of Varsity Sports Media's Tennessee Football magazine, the staff has made an effort to give the players, coaches, fans and sponsors a product to be proud of.

When you pick up a Tennessee Football magazine or visit TennFB.com, I want you to know you can get everything that is football in Tennessee.

The first year was good. Nevertheless, the second year is going to be better.

We're not where I want to be. However, we have a game plan in place and a vision of what part Varsity Sports Media will play in the lives of those who love football at all levels.

The staff plans to reach out to every corner of the state to get more and more Tennesseans involved in the magazine and Web site in the upcoming year.

Some exciting announcements by the staff of Varsity Sports Media and Tennessee Football magazine are scheduled in the next few days.

The final Tennessee Football magazine Top 25 Power Poll for 2007 will be released on Dec. 26. That announcement will include the naming of the Team of the Year.

The first Tennessee Football magazine all-classification Phenoms All-state team will be announced on Jan. 2. The Tennessee Football magazine statewide prep honors for Coach of the Year (Jan. 3), Defensive Player of the Year (Jan. 4), Offensive Player of the Year (Jan. 5) and Player of the Year (Jan. 6) will follow.

On Jan. 9, the Tennessee Football magazine College Football Team of the Year will be announced. The Tennessee College All-state team will follow that honor on Jan. 10. The Tennessee Football magazine College Coach of the Year (Jan. 11), Defensive Player of the Year (Jan. 12), Offensive Player of the Year (Jan. 13) and Player of the Year (Jan. 14) will follow.

In addition, Tennessee Football magazine has joined with the staffs of Georgia Football and Florida Football magazines to present more honors.

An all-classification Varsity Sports Media South Top 25 high school Power Poll will be announced, along with an All-South team and awards for players and coaches of the year for the best prep players and teams.

Happy Holidays
Stump Martin
Managing Editor
423-421-2595
stumponsports@aol.com

Brown Sacks Jets

The Tennessee Titans season comes down to one game.

Beat the Indianapolis Colts next on Sunday night Football next week and the Tennessee Titans go to the playoffs for the first time since 2003.

Lose and the season is over.

Now, you’re going to read everywhere about how Kyle Vanden Bosch had three of Tennessee's six sacks.

Nonetheless, the season could have been over today had it not been for a homegrown member of the Titans.

Tony Brown sacked New York Jets quarterback Chad Pennington on 4th down late in the game to stop a Jets drive and allow Tennessee to run out the clock.

Brown is about as Tennessee as a Titan could be.

He was born in Chattanooga and grew up playing in the prestigious Brainerd Bills Youth Football organization.

Brown attended Chattanooga City High where he played linebacker and tight end. He was named All-state as a linebacker his senior season.

He was a power forward on the City state championship basketball team as a freshman and lettered four years in baseball, football and basketball.

Brown went on to star at Memphis, where he was a three-year starter. As a senior Brown earned second-team All-Conference USA and recording 66 tackles, four sacks, one forced fumble, eight quarterback pressures and five passes defensed.

His junior year with the Tigers he had a career-high 68 tackles, seven sacks, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble, 17 quarterback pressures and four passes defensed.

The 6-3, 285-pound defensive lineman was released by the Carolina Panthers in September 2006.

It was the third time he had been cut by an NFL team and he returned home to Chattanooga.

Brown’s prayers were answered while sitting in church. He tells of feeling his cell phone vibrating and later discovering that it was a text message from his agent that the Titans wanted him.

Tennessee is happy that the franchise was able to acquire the homegrown talent.

Brown had a career-high 10 tackles against Oakland on Oct. 28. He is the second-ranked defender with 18 quarterback pressures entering the New York game.

He is married to Lachandra Brown and the couple splits time between Nashville and Chattanooga. He graduated in December 2002 with degree in sociology.

• List of favorites: (movie) “The Five Heartbeats”; (TV show) “The Wire”; (actress) Halle Berry; (music artist) Prince; (vacation getaway) “at the house”; (sports team other than Titans) New York Yankees; (school subject) math; and (food) hot dogs.
Some information obtained from http://www.titansonline.com/

Santa Be Nice To Phil

I hope that everybody is having fun doing Christmas shopping.

Anybody know where I can find a Boy's Medium Tony Romo throwback jersey? Or how about a Nintendo Wii?

I can hear you laughing, don't rub it in. I was busy back when I should have been looking for those items.


The red Ipod Nano has been hard to find too. Therefore, I had to settle for buying my grandson a PSP.

I don't guess I'm a bad Santa.

Nevertheless, if I was really Santa (and I might be you don't really know) I would do something nice this Christmas for Tennessee head coach Phil Fulmer.

This big guy has had worse luck than Soap Opera stars in final last days of their contracts.

He had to boot LaMarcus Coker off the team this season.

Select media and fans across the state have at times called for his firing. Nonetheless, Fulmer has rallied his troops and carried his team to the SEC championship game.

If quarterback Erik Ainge didn't throw a couple of costly interceptions, the Vols might be the SEC Champions today.

However, Fulmer still can't get a break.

Offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe has taken the Duke University coaching job.

Isn't this the same Duke University that hasn't had a winning season since 1994 and only three in the past 20? In addition, the Blue Devils were 1-11 this season.

Other Tennessee assistants are sure to follow Cutcliffe to Duke.

Super assistant Trooper Taylor has bolted to Oklahoma State where he thinks he might get to call plays as an offensive coordinator.

Rumors of players leaving early for the NFL or transferring have bounced off the Smokey Mountains and were heard across the state.

But just when Ma in her kerchief and I in my cap had just settled in for a long winter's nap, up on the Hill I heard such a clatter and sprung from of my bed to see what was a matter.

And what to my wondering eyes should appear, but six Vols academically out of here.


Actually, the six Vols, including starters Lucas Taylor (WR), Rico McCoy (LB) and Demonte Bolden (DT) will miss the Outback Bowl, but will be back in school for the spring semester.

Now, don't you think that Coach Fulmer deserves something nice for Christmas?

Come on, he's a nice man. He's a native Tennessean, has a tremendous winning percentage and a national championship.

He and his wife donated a million dollars to the university this year.

Let's each one of us do something nice for the old coach and send him an email or Christmas card to boost his holiday spirits.

There has to be times that Fulmer feels like the "Lonely Maytag Repairman."

Wealthy college football coaches need love too.

Maybe Santa (again, you're not totally sure it's not me) will stop by Tallahassee on Christmas and leave a few presents for Florida State coach Bobby Bowden.

It seems that Bobby has 36 players not playing in the Music City Bowl Dec. 31 against Kentucky due to an academic cheating scandal, violations of team rules, injuries or other reasons.

Leave him some shoes too Santa. Florida State loves free shoes.

Coaches On The Move

If football coaches are going to make a move it many times happens in December. This December has been no different.

Eagleville has hired Steve Carson as the Eagles new football coach. Carson comes to Eaglesville from Smyrna where he was the Bulldogs offensive coordinator the past three seasons. He replaces Jason Scharsch, who resigned last month after the Eagles completed a 2-8 season.

Scharsch took the Eaglesville job five years ago. Carson, 39, is taking over as a head coach for the first time.

Bill Price is on the move again. The former Red Bank football star is almost coming back home.

Price left Coffee County in Manchester, Tenn. to accept the post as the first head football coach at Signal Mountain High School. Signal Mountain shadows Red Bank. The new Hamilton County school will have its first class in August 2008.

Price has served as a head coach at Lookout Valley, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, Bradley Central, Soddy-Daisy and Hueytown (Ala.).

He had been rumored as the next head coach at Soddy-Daisy.

Murfreesboro Oakland has also named a new football coach. Thomas McDaniel, 29, who led Moore County to a 7-4 mark this season, moves from 1A to 5A to take over at Oakland.

The Oakland Patriots haven't been to the state playoffs since 2003. This season the Patriots were 3-7.

McDaniel was an assistant coach on two of the Murfreesboro Riverdale state championship teams of the past.

Earlier this month Jerry Hayes retired from South Side High in Jackson. Hayes, 57, spent 23 years at South Side. He had a 147-104 record since 1985 and were 11-1 in 2006. In 2000, South Side was 12-2 and lost in the TSSAA state semifinals. In fact, South Side has made it to the state playoffs 10 of the past 11 seasons.

Todd Miller does not figure he will have to go out looking for a football coach. The Middle Tennessee Christian School principal believes the right person will come looking for him following the resignation of Eddie Bassham. The Tennessee Christian football program was started three years ago by Bassham. He resigned earlier this month after a 2-8 record this fall. He was 10-17 in his three seasons as Tennessee Christian.

Dan Bland, 63, was named earlier this month as the head coach at Humbolt. Bland replaces Carey Craig who exited Humbolt to take the head-coaching job at South Side High School. Bland was Craig's offensive coordinator the last two seasons. Bland is from Covington and played football at Mississippi State. He was also drafted by the San Francisco 49ers.

He has a 140-83 career mark. He served as head football coach at Tullahoma, Knoxville Farragut, Jackson Central Merry (1987-1990), Columbia, Milan (1994-95) and Pascagoula, Miss. (2001-2005).

Christ Presbyterian Academy football Coach Jay Mathews reportedly interviewed for the Hoover, Ala. head football job this week. The job at the national power program became open when veteran Rush Propst resigned. Propst was under fire for allegations of grade fixing in the Hoover program and playing an ineligible player.

Mathews has been at CPA for four seasons where he has posted a 30-16 record. CPA was 6-5 this season and lost in the 2A playoffs to Goodpasture in the first round.

Mathews was the offensive coordinator at Briarwood Christian in Alabama from 1991-2003.

James Counce and his son James Jr. have left Division II AA state champion MBA where the father and son combo were assistants. The elder Counce is returning to Dyersburg to take over his old program. His son will serve as his assistant.

Coaching jobs are currently open at Marion County, East Ridge and Sequatchie County.

Vols Breaking News

The Sporting News' Tom Dienhart is reporting that Clemson offensive coordinator Rob Spence is interviewing today at Tennessee. Spence is thought to be interviewing for the offensive coordinator post vacated by David Cutcliffe, who took the head-coaching job at Duke.

Also, the Associated Press reports today that Tennessee coaches are concerned about the academic eligibility of some players with the Vols appearance in the Outback Bowl coming up. According to the Associated Press report, a Tennessee university official said linebacker Rico McCoy and defensive tackle Demonte Bolden could be ruled out for the game. The fall semester grades were due to come out today.

Championship County Tennessee

60-game winning streak

Welcome to Blount County Tennessee, home for Varsity Sports Media, and home of eight high school football state championships in the past four seasons.

When Varsity Sports Media was founded the decision to put the home office in the heart of Tennessee football was obviously a good one.

The Tennessee Vols are not far across the river. Carson-Newman, one of the top Division II football colleges in the nation, is just on the other side of the Smokeys. And high school football is the king in Blount County.

It’s been a couple of weeks since the TSSAA state championships in Murfreesboro. Nonetheless, football goes on 365 days a year in Blount County,

The records of the Alcoa and Maryville football teams tell how much football is a huge part of everyday life.

The 4A Maryville Rebels have won a record 11 state championships and the 2A Alcoa Tornadoes have nine.

Alcoa was the first team to win four consecutive state crowns in Tennessee and Maryville duplicated the task the following night by winning the 4A state title.

In fact, Maryville will be the first school in the state to graduate a senior class that has never lost. The Rebel seniors now own a 60-0 mark for their high school toils.

That means that Blount County owns 20 state championships and eight in the past four years.

Wow!

The Rebels have a 60-game winning streak, have won 99 of their last 100 games and 113 of 115 overall.

Alcoa lost only one game in 2007 and the new mercy rule was invoked in 80 percent of the Tornadoes games.

Oh by the way, their only loss was 42-12 to neighbor Maryville in the second week of the season.

And head coach George Quarles has now won six state championships.

George Quarles will return at Maryville next season with a 123-9 mark. He is also a candidate for the national coach of the year.

Hoover Alabama should call George about the coaching opening there. Or MTV needs to contact Blount County about starting another TV series on high school football.

In Tennessee, Friday Night Lights start in Blount County.

How serious is football at Maryville?

Check out this website to see http://www.rebelsnation.com/