Gen. Robert Neyland’s legendary tenure as the University of Tennessee’s football coach produced plenty of famous sayings, some of which still resonate more than 70 years after his time leading the Big Orange.
Of Neyland’s famous seven game maxims, which are posted in Neyland Stadium’s home locker room for the Volunteers to be reminded of every time they play there, the first and perhaps most important one is this: “The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.”
Some 75 miles southwest of Knoxville, Rhea County High School’s football program has been a perfect testament to the foremost maxim halfway through the 2025 TSSAA regular season. The Golden Eagles have produced a 5-0 record while outscoring their opponents a combined 170-61, and the biggest underlying key to success for second-year head coach Taylor Harvey’s team has been the turnover battle.
A ball-hawking secondary with ample experience has helped Rhea County generate 19 takeaways (15 interceptions, four fumble recoveries). For comparison, Sevier County’s 32 takeaways last season in a 15-0 campaign were the most turnovers forced by a TSSAA state championship team in 2024.
Meanwhile, Harvey’s team has turned the ball over just three times, all on fumbles in three separate games.