Corbin Powers admits he “wasn’t ready” for his first real playing time at McMinn County.
In 2011, the then-freshman quarterback was forced into duty in the team’s regular-season finale against Bradley Central when starter Nathan Simbeck was ejected late in the Cherokees’ 48-36 win that clinched the District 5-AAA title.
“I remember it was freezing and I was extremely nervous when Coach put me in,” Powers recalled. “He called for an ‘All Go’ [passing play] and I thought, ‘There’s no way I can throw this route.”
As rough as that night was for him, he since has assumed command of the team, completing 60.3 percent of his passes for 2,550 yards and 25 touchdowns in two seasons as the starting quarterback. He’s added 692 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns in the team’s run-first attack.
During the 2012 season with the loaded backfield of Kelvin Wells Jr. and Dre Sanders – who combined for 2,841 yards and 35 touchdowns – Powers started to find his feet in the offense. He rushed for 68 yards against Bradley in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs and helped McMinn to a 10-2 record. Last season he totaled 1,676 passing yards and 15 touchdowns, including a 506-yard passing game in the season finale – a wild, 36-35 loss to Ooltewah.