REGION 3-3A AT A GLANCE
Last year’s champion: Notre Dame won District 7-AA.Team to beat: Notre Dame had seven players sign college scholarships, but the Irish return a veteran QB in Alex Darras and a host of other quality players, including LB Tyler Enos and OL/DL Robert Murphy.Watch out for: Howard has a chip on its shoulder. If that isn’t enough, the Tigers have 10 returning starters — on each side of the ball — with great size on the lines and plenty of speed.Best game: Notre Dame, which beat Signal Mountain last year for the first time, will visit the Eagles on Oct. 16.Dream schedule: Although they play three straight region games Sept. 18-Oct. 16 (there’s an open date in there as well), Chattanooga Christian’s Chargers have five opponents from Class 1A or 2A.Nightmare schedule: Eight of Howard’s opponents were playoff teams a year ago; outside of region games, the list includes Baylor, Donelson Christian, Lancaster Christian and Loudon.Players to watch: Darras will be a fourth-year starter and the only thing likely to hold him back is getting on the same page with his receivers. Recruiters are lined up to see Red Bank defensive end/fullback Tra Stamper, while Howard has a pair of line prospects in Tadarius Covington and Udarius Strawter.Predicted order of finish: Notre Dame, Signal Mountain, Red Bank, Howard, East Ridge, Chattanooga Christian.
Despite the nose-twitching odor of all football locker rooms especially one belonging to a team coming off skin-blistering days and long nights that accompany a week of camp a heady, new scent wafts through the fans at Notre Dame.
There is a breath of fresh air brimming with optimism. For the first time in Charles Fant’s four years as coach, Irish football enters this season as the hunted – a preseason No. 1.
“I’ve had alumni and all kinds of people calling. I can’t remember the last time Notre Dame was picked to win anything,” Fant said Sunday, less than 48 hours removed from a long week of preseason camp.
Notre Dame, ranked No. 5 in the state among Class 3A teams in at least one poll, was picked to win the new Region 3-3A ahead of Signal Mountain, Red Bank, East Ridge, Chattanooga Christian and Howard.