Hixson High School offensive lineman Ryan Turner (62)Not even being lined up opposite a 300-pound defensive tackle strikes as much fear in Ryan Turner’s heart as the idea of having to speak up in the team huddle.
Hixson’s undersized junior center has no problem being heavily counted on as a key to his team’s offensive success, but he certainly doesn’t want to talk about it.
“If you see him walking the halls at school you would think he’s on the chess team or the book club or something,” Hixson coach Jason Fitzgerald said. “He’s not just a quiet kid, he never speaks out at all. He really has a fear of having to speak in public, even around the team. He won’t even call the huddle together as the leader of our linemen.
“But nobody works harder than him and he’s definitely one of the biggest reasons we are where we are now.”
It was after a disappointing 18-point loss to Soddy-Daisy to open the season that Hixson coaches knew they needed to make some changes.