RHEA COUNTY EAGLES
Head coach: Mark Pemberton (47-16 in five years here; 210-84 overall)
Returning starters: 6 offensive, 6 defensive
Key players: OL Colten Edwards (6-0, 280), FB/LB Chandler Kaylor (6-1, 210), TE/OLB Kaleb Laws (6-6, 250), RB/DB Aubrey Smith (6-0, 170), QB Zack Pemberton (5-11, 180).
Team strengths: Having a corps of quality senior leaders can’t be overlooked, and the Eagles are led by group of 12th-graders who set the tone during offseason workouts and will get significant action on the field.
“You can sense this is a group with good chemistry,” Coach Pemberton said. “That can be a really big deal, when you’ve got kids who play hard for each other.”
Team concerns: The starters are not a concern, but what could be a problem is the number of young players in key backup roles.
“Those guys are going to be good, but how quickly they adjust to playing at the varsity level against older competition will be a key for us,” Coach Pemberton said.
Newcomer to watch: Kaylor certainly isn’t a newcomer, but the position he’ll be playing on offense is new to him. One of the area’s top linebackers played tight end last season but has been moved to fullback, where the physical senior will be counted on as both a blocker and a short-yardage ball carrier.
Season outlook: With an abundance of starters back and so many seniors filling key roles, the Eagles are determined to bounce back from last year’s disappointment. Five games were decided by seven or fewer points, and improvement of the defense, which allowed 30-plus points four times last season, will be the key to challenging for a region title.
The leader on that side of the ball will be Kaylor, last year’s region defensive player of the year and one of the area’s tackles leaders. He’s joined by three other starters among the front seven.
Offensively there is plenty of talent, beginning with quarterback Pemberton, a three-year starter who will have more freedom to make adjustments to plays at the line and is an added weapon running the option. He has a nice security blanket to throw to in Laws, one of the state’s top-rated recruits at his position, as well as running back Smith, who also led the team in interceptions last year.
“We expect to win, just like every year,” Coach Pemberton said. “We faltered with a tough schedule last year, but I just think our chemistry is so much better now. Our kids are tuned in. I’ve got a good feeling about this bunch.”