There are enough physical similarities, even down to the sound of their voice, that the comparisons can’t be avoided. But on the football field, Jarrod Coleman is his own man, and brings a much different mentality than his older brother, UTC quarterback B.J.
Because of the success B.J. had playing quarterback at McCallie, it was assumed that Jarrod would follow a similar career path. But Blue Tornado coaches quickly realized that was not the best fit for either Jarrod or the program.
“Jarrod is a tough guy,” McCallie coach Rick Whitt said. “He’s always had that linebacker mentality and our concern when he was at quarterback was whether he would pitch the ball when we needed him to or if he would try to run over people. We talked to him about where he would play and he asked to play linebacker.
“He was a heck of a talent at linebacker for us, but I think his future at the next level will be as a defensive end or a tight end, so we’ve moved him down on the line now because we’re kind of thin there anyway.”
Coleman is rated the area’s No. 5 college prospect on this year’s Times Free Press Dynamite Dozen, with one offer already and at least four other SEC programs recruiting him.
The younger Coleman said comparisons to his brother have never been an issue and he’s used to being mistaken for B.J., even now.
“It was never hard,” Jarrod said. “I never got tired of hearing about him. He’s such a great person. There are still times I have to smile and remind people that I’m the younger one because they start talking to me like I’m B.J.
“I’m built more like my dad and I’ve got a lot of his characteristics. B.J. was not as much of a physical player, but I’ve always looked for somebody to hit. I’d rather hit the quarterback than play there. Even when I was younger and had success playing quarterback, I was basically a linebacker running around with the ball in my hand.”
Jarrod had a season-high 12 tackles against Tyner last year and as a sophomore was in on 16 stops against Brentwood Academy. Whitt has said that while Jarrod showed flashes of potential at times, the difference he has seen in the preseason is the dedication to playing hard every snap.
No. 5 Jarrod ColemanSchool: McCallie Class: SeniorHeight: 6-foot-4 Weight: 238 poundsCollege: Has an offer from UTC and is being recruited by Vanderbilt, Middle Tennessee State University, Arkansas and Kentucky.
“I agree with that, I did flip a switch going into this year,” Jarrod said. “I just kind of figured out what I’m supposed to do as an older player. I loved playing linebacker, and I really don’t care where they play me now or where I’m being recruited to play. I just want to play ball. I couldn’t care less if that means fullback, tight end, linebacker, defensive line. Just get me on the field and let me be a part of something bigger than me.
“My focus is on my guys and my team right now. Not worrying about the recruiting process. We’ve got a whole season to play and I’m just going to concentrate on this year and playing every play like it’s my last.”