At every level of football, the players who make the biggest impact often are the ones with the smallest jersey numbers. You can typically count on the guys in the single-digit jerseys to be game changers.
New Ooltewah coach Shannon Williams is counting on the first four numbers on this year’s roster to make an impact on more than just this season. He’s hoping they are life changers.
Williams did not issue a jersey numbered 1 through 4 to a player, choosing instead to let them represent the priorities he wants every player who does wear an Owls uniform to remember.
On Ooltewah’s roster, jersey No. 1 represents “faith,” No. 2 is “family,” No. 3 is “academics” and No. 4 is “football.” Williams had each of those jerseys framed and hung in the hallway of the locker room, with those identifying words on the backs.
“The idea was to just have the kids take note of what should be the top priorities in their life,” Williams said. “We’re all competitive in this game, and sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of what should be most important. We’re supposed to teach more than football at this level. We should be trying to be mentors and make a difference in kids’ lives.
“I’m not a preachy guy or a big religious guy at all. But everybody has a faith of some type, and I felt like that needs to be the top priority in everybody’s life. Of course everybody has some type of family that cares about you and that should be respected, and at this level the academics side has to be stressed. I told the kids that it’s OK for football to be behind those three things, but it better not fall behind anything else as a priority.”
When Williams took over last spring, he made the announcement during team camp that those first four numbers would not be worn by players. That meant four returners, including senior linebacker D.J. Davis, would do something no player wants to – give up their chosen numbers.
“I had worn No. 3 for as long as I can remember,” said Davis, now wearing No. 10. “But when Coach explained what he was doing, I was fine with taking a new number. To be honest, I think it’s a good thing. We needed something like that to remind us what we’re supposed to stand for.”
Williams also had motivational sessions with the team that included having each player write a letter to the woman, man and teacher who had the most impact on his life.
“None of that may make a hill of beans when it comes to winning games,” Williams said. “But as a coach you’re always looking for new ways to make kids stop and be thankful for what they do have.”
Benny Monroe built a legendary coaching career not only by knowing what calls to make on the field, but also the right ones to make off it. So with just five starters returning, Monroe decided last spring was the right time to retire. But while the 33-year old Williams is inheriting an inexperienced team and a difficult schedule, he is like a wide-eyed first-year starter waiting for tonight’s season kickoff against Tyner.
That matchup doesn’t exactly ease him into his first head coaching job. Tyner is loaded with veteran talent, including a couple of guys who can fly in single-digit jerseys.
“Season openers are won by teams who execute best and are in the best condition,” said Williams, who coached for five years at the collegiate level and spent the past three years coaching preps. “Good, bad or ugly, we need to find out where we are, so I’m anxious.
“Coach Monroe came by the office this week to check in. He’s traveling, working out and looking good, and I’m grinding and my brow is furrowed and I’m not smiling because I’m worried about how we’re going to make a first down. I guess that’s the difference when you’re coaching.
“It really hit me as I was leaving practice and looked over and saw our touchdown club guys painting the field. When you start putting those lines on the field, it’s real now. It’s coming. And we’re all about to find out just what we’ve got.”