EDITOR’S NOTE: Since 2002, the Times Free Press has highlighted the top 12 college football prospects among Chattanooga-area seniors with its preseason Dynamite Dozen. The countdown of this year’s list continues with No. 2.
Long before college football recruiters or the rest of TSSAA Division II-AAA were aware of Briggs Cherry’s potential as a quarterback, Baylor head coach Erik Kimrey knew.
Shortly after Cherry arrived on campus, prior to a sophomore season in which he would work as a backup to eventual Vanderbilt signee Whit Muschamp, Kimrey praised the understudy’s potential.
“Briggs has a Sunday arm,” Kimrey said while pointing to the lanky Cherry during one humid practice in early August of 2023. “He’s going to take some varsity snaps this season, and then he’s going to become an elite player for us.”
Fast-forward to this summer’s preseason camp, and after being reminded of his comments two years ago, Kimrey nodded.