It didn’t take long for word to spread that Baylor was hosting Signal Mountain in a football scrimmage Friday evening. The visitors’ section, which has bleachers in the shade, was mostly filled as fans from both schools turned out for what quickly turned from intense rivalry to an episode of Friday Night Fights.
At least three times pushing and shoving after the whistle turned into fights, including once when two fights broke out in different areas of the field. That instance escalated when Baylor assistant Eric Westmoreland tried to separate several players and a Signal Mountain parent rushed from the stands onto the field as if he were charging at Westmoreland. Westmoreland was restrained by two other assistants, while the Signal Mountain parent was escorted out by two security officers and told not to return.
Baylor coach Phil Massey could be heard telling the Signal Mountain’s staff, “If one more thing happens we’re done! This is over!”
“It certainly makes you think twice about playing them in the regular season,” Massey said afterwards. “There was a lot of intensity early, but then it kind of turned ugly after a while. I’m not real happy with it and I’m going to address my kids about how they retaliated a few times.”
Signal Mountain coach Bill Price said he liked the intensity from both sides.
“All these kids know each other, so there’s a rivalry already,” Price said. “There’s a lot of Signal Mountain kids that go to Baylor, and we’ve got some kids that used to go to Baylor.
“I thought this was good for us. Baylor has some impressive kids and they’re going to be tough. But we’ve got some kids that can play too. I thought both teams did some things well and there’s plenty for us to feel good about going into the summer.”
As for the actual scrimmage, Baylor looked very strong early. One day after winning the 100 meters in the D-II sectional, Baylor quarterback Jacob Huesman was back on the football field and looked very sharp with several long runs and the passing ability that made him a Mr. Football finalist last season. With the Huesman-led starters, Baylor’s offense amassed more than 200 yards in 25 plays, while two of his teammates, linebacker David Helton (6-4, 225) and defensive lineman John Mackey (6-foot, 235) also look the part of Division I prospects.
“For a guy who only practiced about half the spring because of being involved with track, Jacob came out and looked ready to go,” Massey said. “He’s a great leader for us. Helton and Mackey are going to get a lot more attention and really, the thing that we’re excited about is we have three seniors and three juniors that make our front six who are solid. Those guys all have great motors and give us a chance to be pretty good defensively.”
n Two former Baylor all-state players now finishing their college careers were on the sidelines. University of Tennessee fullback Kevin Cooper and Tennessee State University linebacker Sydney Tarver were also joined by former Howard defensive lineman Terdell Sands, who at 6-foot-8, 350 pounds is impossible to miss. Sands’ son Cordell will be a freshman lineman at Baylor this fall and Terdell also works with Red Raiders’ junior noseguard Garrian King (6-2, 330).
Pacing the track behind the Baylor bench, Sands shouted encouragement to King and cheered for Baylor. The nine-year NFL veteran is currently a free agent.
“I want to keep playing, and we’ve had some talks with teams, but right now I’m enjoying watching my son and helping some of these kids any way I can,” Sands said.
King was impressive for most of the early series that he played and Massey said he expects a break out season.
“He’s a kid who put on 45 pounds but has actually gone down in pants size because he’s turned fat into muscle,” Massey said of King. “He’s got great size and has worked hard enough in the weight room to be a guy we are counting on for the fall.”
* Signal Mountain linebacker Gervell Morgan (6-foot, 207) certainly passes the eye test. He was recently named as the best underclassmen linebacker at a juniors camp in Nashville.