After missed opportunities and poor execution led to an 11-point halftime deficit for the Soddy-Daisy football team Friday night, instead of making adjustments, Trojans coach Justin Barnes and his staff decided to double down on their faith in their athletes and the game plan.
That move paid off in a big way as the hosts rallied in the second half to beat Rhea County 17-14 in a Region 4-5A matchup, breaking a streak of five straight wins for the Eagles and moving Soddy-Daisy one step closer to a region title.
Barnes’ message to his players at halftime, when they trailed 14-3?
“We just have to execute,” he recalled after the game.
“We missed a couple of assignments on both sides of the ball, and knew we didn’t need to make any adjustments,” Barnes said. “We’ve got a great group of guys, and when we play and execute, we’re a dang good football team.”