SIGNAL MOUNTAIN EAGLESCoach: Bill Price (24-2 here; 137-95 overall)Returning starters (O/D/K): 9/9/2Remember these names: Having a pair of dependable and versatile receivers in Will Queen (Sr., 6-1, 180) and Jon Patton (Sr., 6-4, 205) should help quarterback Reese Phillips (Jr., 6-3, 215) as he takes his first significant snaps. The Eagles have experience elsewhere in the backfield in fullbacks Zack Bowman (Sr., 6-0, 215) and Mitchell Hall (Sr., 5-9, 180) and running back Mitchell Hall (Sr., 5-9, 180) and will benefit greatly on both sides of the ball from the presence of newcomer running back/linebacker Tim McClendon (Sr., 6-2, 230). They also have four of five returning offensive linemen, including center Jon Evans (Sr., 5-10, 215).Will be a memorable year if: The Eagles beat top-five-ranked Class 6A member Blackman, win their second district title and make a return to a state final despite bumping up from Class 2A to 4A.ScheduleAug. 19 East HamiltonAug. 26 TynerSept. 2 at Bledsoe County*Sept. 9 at BlackmanSept. 16 Grundy County*Sept. 23 South PittsburgSept. 30 Notre Dame*Oct. 7 at Polk CountyOct. 14 Chattanooga Christian*Oct. 28 at Sequatchie County** District 7-AA game
MEMORY LANEIn its third year of existence and second in varsity competition, Signal Mountain won the Class 2A state championship. Following an unbeaten junior varsity season in 2008, the Eagles went 10-2 in 2009 and 14-0 last year. It stands to reason that Price has set the bar high, especially after the team averaged a point a minute last season behind now-graduated quarterback Hogan Whitmire, linebacker/fullback Gervell Morgan, linemen Shea Baker and Will Sawyer and running back/linebacker/defensive back Donnie Garner, whose state championship performance will be long remembered.Garner ran for a season-high 218 yards and three touchdowns.”It was huge for the kids, the community, the assistant coaches and me,” Price said. “These kids committed to being in the weight room and doing all the little things that are part of building a successful team. You have to have great players to win a state championship. I have coached some great teams, and what it always comes down to is having the good athletes but more importantly having the good kids.”
Although he’s really just getting started as a high school quarterback, Signal Mountain’s Reese Phillips already has gained in-state notoriety and is beginning to appear on prospect lists across the nation.
At least on preseason magazine named him the Class 4A preseason all-state quarterback. The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder finished second in Division I prospect camps in Nashville and Atlanta and first in one in Knoxville. He attended a three-day camp at the University of Tennessee and David Cutcliffe’s invitation-only quarterback camp at Duke.
Some in the mountain community expressed concern about replacing Hogan Whitmire, who last year threw for 2,499 yards and 30 touchdowns as the Eagles went 14-0 and won the Class 2A state title. They hadn’t heard about Phillips, who just turned 16 and whose mother says doctors believe he won’t top out until he reaches at least 6-foot-5.