The Tullahoma Wildcat football program faces a challenging schedule in 2026 as it replaces almost every starter from last season's 5-6 campaign. Based on last week's scrimmage against Giles County, here's how the Wildcats line up.

QB - Patrick Riddle (6-3, 195, Sr.): Played in all 11 games last year and started the playoff loss to Walker Valley. Riddle completed 27-45 passes for 294 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions during the year and scored four 2-point conversions. Junior Brady Scott (6-2, 170), and sophomore Brody McShea (6-0, 145) back Riddle up.

RB - The second-most prolific back in Tullahoma history graduated. Marvancy Johnson accounted for 1,729 yards from scrimmage last year. Senior Dominick Harris (5-11, 185) steps into the starting role after rushing for 242 yards and two touchdowns in 2025. Junior Gabe DeLaughter will relieve Harris.

WR - The leading returning receiver is senior Julian Cole (5-10, 165, Sr.), who caught 11 passes for 184 yards last year. Junior Zion Jeffery (5-7, 158) returned a kickoff 100 yards last year, tying the TSSAA record, and caught nine passes for 67 yards and two scores. Sophomore Colby Shephard (5-10, 150) has a high upside, and junior Landin Johnson (6-4, 175) provides a big target with excellent hands. Senior Jaken Lovett (6-1, 202) could start at tight end.

OL - All five offensive linemen are new starters in 2026. Sophomore Dallas Morris (6-0, 237) could be the center, with Hunter Hall (5-8, 212, Sr.), Miles Edwards (6-0, 253, So.), Landon Sharp (6-3, 318, Jr.), and Raylon Losh (6-3, 295, Jr.) joining Morris. Colton Cable (6-1, 310, So.), Bentley Crosslin (6-5, 290, Fr.,), and Carson Street (6-5, 255, So.) are competing for playing time.

DL - Senior Beau Williams anchors the defensive line. After a solid sophomore year, Williams missed 2025 but is back to lead this young group. Expect Jaidyn London (6-1, 368, Jr.), Avery Baker (6-2, 204, Jr.), Jace McGee (6-0, 352, Jr.), Aaron Cerniglia (6-5, 305, Sr.), along with the offensive linemen, to get snaps on the defensive line.

LB - Like Williams on the line, the Wildcats have an experienced senior to lead the linebacker corps. Elijah Alexander (6-2, 200) is the top returning tackler, along with two interceptions and two blocked kicks. Grayson Harden (5-10, 196, So.), J.P. Damron (6-0, 163, Jr.), and Michael Palmer (6-0, 200, Jr.) are the likely starters.

DB - The secondary has no returning starters. Expect Landon Price (5-10, 152, Jr.), Trines Nunley (5-8, 150, Jr.), DeLaughter (5-7, 150, Jr.), and Luke Hyden (6-2, 185, So.) to be joined by Jeffery, Shephard, and Cole in the defensive backfield rotation.

K/P - Five young Wildcats are competing for the placekicking and punting duties. Senior Aiden Walker (5-7, 137, Sr.) leads the competition after averaging 39 yards per punt last season. Senior Noah Kelley (5-7, 155) and junior Skyler Brown (6-0, 160) are also in the hunt.

KR - Jeffery is the Wildcats' top playmaker and will return punts and kickoffs. Expect DeLaughter, Harris, and Price to have chances to make plays on special teams. 

Tullahoma hosts Fayetteville Friday night for the annual Fan Feast scrimmage.

Five weeks from tonight, the Tullahoma Wildcats travel to Shelbyville to open the 2026 high school football season. The game will be broadcast on 93.9 The Duck, 939theduck.com, and LightTube Channel 23 and YouTube.

Both teams finished 5-5 in the 2025 regular season and lost in the first round of the TSSAA playoffs. The Golden Eagles fell 42-13 to Antioch, and the Wildcats dropped a 27-20 decision to Walker Valley. 

Tullahoma beat Shelbyville 35-14 in the 2025 season opener at Wilkins Stadium, played on Saturday night before a mid-state television audience. Chase Dodson kicked a 40-yard field goal in the first quarter, and Marvancy Johnson scored a four-yard touchdown on the first play of the second quarter. 

Shelbyville turned a Wildcat turnover into six points, with Robert Bailey scoring from 10 yards away. Tullahoma senior Will Hyden blocked the extra point attempt, and the Cats led 10-6 at the half. 

The Wildcats drove 61 yards on nine plays to open the second half, with Johnson finishing the final 22 yards to increase the lead to 17-6. Senior Lucas Reed connected with Johnson for a 54-yard touchdown halfway through the third. Johnson added another four-yard score and Dodson a 27-yard field goal. 

Reed completed 9-of-19 passes for 154 yards and a score. Johnson gained 150 yards on 20 carries with four touchdowns. Robert Bailey gained 157 yards for Shelbyville on 17 carries. 

Each of those difference-makers has graduated, but both teams return a senior quarterback. The Cats will lean on Patrick Riddle, while the Golden Eagles have Stephen Bobo, if he returns for his senior season. Bobo has committed to play SEC baseball. 

Shelbyville leads the series 49-46-3, and this will be the 99th meeting between the Highway 41-A rivals.

The Tullahoma Wildcats (team 105) open the 2026 football season Aug. 21 at Shelbyville on the new artificial turf in Bedford County. The Golden Eagles lead the all-time series 49-46-3. The Wildcats won last year 35-14. Shelbyville went 5-6 in 2025. 

Coffee County visits Wilkins Stadium on Aug. 28 for the 101st meeting, including last year's 57-23 Wildcat victory in Manchester. The 57 points are the most scored by either team in the rivalry's history. The Red Raiders finished 2-8 in 2025. 

Week three is a trip to Cleveland on Sept. 4. Tullahoma's last visit there was a first-round playoff loss in 1994. The Cats prevailed 39-20 last year, their third win in five meetings with the Raiders. Cleveland went 1-9 in 2025. 

The Cats host White County in week four on Sept. 11. The Warriors shut down Tullahoma 24-13 in Sparta last season, the first meeting since a 2012 Wildcat playoff win. The cardinal and black lead the all-time series 22-13. The Warriors finished 8-4 in 2025. 

Another artificial field awaits the Wildcats when they travel to Nolensville on Sept. 18. The Knights won 27-19 at Wilkins Stadium last season and finished 8-5 in 2025. Nolensville leads the short series 5-3, but almost every game has been decided in the fourth quarter. 

Tullahoma hosts three consecutive home games, starting with Region 4-5A rival Lawrence County on Sept. 25. The Cats won 28-14 last year in Lawrenceburg and lead the all-time series 48-18. Lawrence County had its best season in a decade, finishing 8-4 in 2025. 

Defending region champion Lincoln County visits on Oct. 2. The Falcons outscored the Cats 41-28 last year in Fayetteville on their way to a 10-3 season, their best showing in years and the first win over Tullahoma since 2016. The Falcons lead all-time 36-27-3 against the Wildcats. 

Rockvale invades on Oct. 16 after Tullahoma's open date on the 10th. The Rockets won 37-36 last year. In three meetings, the Cats have out-scored Rockvale 85-76, with all three decided late in the final quarter. The Rockets are Tullahoma's third opponent that did not make the playoffs in 2015, finishing 4-6. 

Two region road trips close the season, starting with Franklin County on Oct. 23. The Rebels have a new coach, hoping to turn around a 1-19 record during the previous two seasons. Since Winchester High School became Franklin County High School, the series is tied 35-35-1. 

The regular season ends with a trip to Columbia in a rematch of last season's 28-20 Lions victory, the first Columbia win over the Wildcats since 2012. The Lions lead the series all-time 25-17. 

We will dig deeper into the 2026 Wildcats as the summer progresses towards opening night. All games will be broadcast on LightTube, 93.9 The Duck, and the NFHS.

Following two consecutive 6-5 seasons and first-round playoff exits, the 1997 Wildcats raised the bar, winning 10 games for the first time since 1987 and beginning a three-year run where the Cats would win 29 of their 35 games and outscore the opposition 966-475, an average winning margin of 28-14, or two touchdowns per game. 

Quarterback Robert Matthews was the star, completing 148 of 273 passes for 2,126 yards and 24 touchdowns. Matthews was Tullahoma's first Mr. Football finalist and held the THS record for most passing yards in a season for 15 years. 

John Olive was assisted by Ronnie Dyer, Burt Oakley, Sam Melton, and Greg Carter. Region 5-4A underwent a major shuffle before the season due to reclassification, when Smyrna, LaVergne, White County, and Page were sent elsewhere. The region added Antioch, Centennial, Franklin, Hillwood, and Overton to existing members Tullahoma, Shelbyville, and Lawrence County. 

Tim DeLaughter rushed for 224 yards, and the Cats rolled up 488 total yards, scoring 58 points against Franklin County in the opener. Two days later, former Wildcat Steve Matthews (Robert's brother) started in the NFL and won his game with the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Sophomore Jermaine Dunlap blocked a kick and returned it for a touchdown against Coffee County. The sophomore had five blocked kicks during the season. Rob Hazard recovered two fumbles and sacked the QB in the win over Lawrenceburg. Matthews threw four TD passes against the first-year school, Centennial. 

Royce Massingill had a 67-yard touchdown run, and Travis Moore a 59-yarder in the rout of Franklin. John Olive got his first win over Shelbyville, thanks in large part to Jay Shelton's three interceptions in the fourth quarter and 67-yard touchdown reception. Like Dunlap earlier, Shelton was named the AP Class 4A Player of the Week. 

Jeremy Wilkerson caught seven passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns in the win over preseason-favorite Overton. Matthews threw for 195 yards and three touchdowns, and Hazard returned a pick-six in the region-title-clinching victory over Antioch. 

Dunlap blocked his fifth kick of the season, and Hazard nailed a 40-yard field goal in the first round win over Cheatham County. Springfield shut down the Tullahoma offense, although Hazard returned an interception 80 yards for a touchdown. 

The 1997 Tullahoma Wildcats returned the program to mid-state prominence. Not just competitive, but superior to most programs in southern middle Tennessee. Over the past 30 years (1997-2026), programs like Coffee County, Franklin County, Lincoln County, and Warren County have had more losing seasons than winning seasons, while Tullahoma has had 19 winning seasons and only 9 losing seasons.

Why have I spent the last five years researching and writing the history of Tullahoma football? To ensure the facts are known and legends are remembered. Like this: 

Frank Mullins set two records in 1955 that everyone believes still stand - The most rushing yards in a game (290), and the most points in a season (210). 

The points record still stands, although Maurice Shaw almost broke it in 1987 with 208 points. Marvancy Johnson is third on the points list with 158 last season. 

But the single-game rushing yards record is a different story. Wayne Shaw came close with 284 yards in 1983 against Columbia. Zac Bryson rushed for 281 yards in 2008 against Stratford and 268 against Lincoln County. Rick Pless had 267 against Fayetteville in 1973.

However, my research reveals that the single-game rushing leader is NOT Frank Mullins, but rather Trey Burks. In the first round of the 2012 playoffs, the Wildcats hosted White County and beat the Warriors 37-13. Burks carried the ball only 17 times, but gained 292 yards and scored three touchdowns. 

Watch the replay and stat Trey yourself right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hkVoGaV0ag.

Although Coach Olive says in the video that he was told Trey had 297 rushing yards, and the Tullahoma News listed the total as 293, the official stats (below) show him with 292. He had runs of 57, 89, and 53 yards, two of 17 yards, one of 14, and one of 12. His additional 10 carries netted 33 yards. 

Watch more Trey Burks highlights here: https://247sports.com/player/trey-burks-22093/#timeline.

Trey split time at running back with Montrell Berry for two years. Together, they gained almost 3,000 yards during those two seasons, but neither ever had a 1,000-yard rushing season. Burks is fourth all-time in career rushing yards with 2,562 on 358 carries with 35 touchdowns. He is the third player in program history to score over 100 points in two different years, joining Maurice Shaw and Marvancy Johnson.

Heading into the 2017 season, the Wildcats had lost 21 consecutive games and posted a 50-60 record during the previous 10 seasons. The only other winless season was 1935, when L.C. Perry's Wildcats went 0-8-2. The program had played 999 games. 

Tullahoma hadn't won a game since beating Coffee Co. 20-7 in 2014. Since then, the Wildcats had been outscored 963-285, an average of 45.8 to 13.5. The closest contest was a nine-point loss to Lawrence Co. in 2015. 

The Cats opened 2017 in Shelbyville, the 1,000th game in Tullahoma program history, and after surrendering an early touchdown, they reeled off 37 straight points before halftime and held on for a 37-30 victory. When the final horn sounded, I said, "Somebody call animal control in Bedford County. A monkey is running loose in Shelbyville that just jumped off the Tullahoma Wildcats' shoulders."

Nic Barstad completed touchdown passes to Amauri Burks for 46 yards and Race Marin for 78 yards. Hunter Jewell threw a 37-yard TD to Kobe Burks, Ty Cox returned an interception 28 yards and scored, and Kobe Burks had a 99-yard pick-six. 

Shelbyville had possession in the final minutes, but Kaleb Stroop's diving interception ended the threat, and the losing streak was over. With one streak over, another streak began. Not really a streak, but an era. 

Over the next five years, Tullahoma compiled a 49-13 record, reached the third round of the playoffs three times, and won a state championship with a perfect season. The Cats outscored the opposition 1,994-976, an average of 32.2 to 15.7. 

It was a glorious turnaround, and the perfect ending to the Wildcats' 100th season and John Olive's 29th year as head coach, prompting me to begin writing Tullahoma Football History.

Highlighting previous seasons, TFH has consolidated information, providing a "snippet" of what the book contains. This time, for the 2008 season, we're giving you the whole story. All 104 years will be similar to this:

2008

Record: 6-5-0

Head Coach: John Olive

Assistants: Ronnie Bray, Steve Britton, Woody Dillehay, Ronnie Dyer, Dusty Hazlett, Sam Melton, Burt Oakley, Corey Searcy, Maurice Shaw, Mo Torres

All-Region: Matt Hagen, Jared Olive, J.D. Crabtree, T.J. Stubblefield

Classification: 5-4A

THS 14 Lincoln Co. 17

THS 38 Franklin Co. 7

THS 6 Whites Creek 7

THS 34 Coffee Co. 7

THS 33 Warren Co. 7

THS 24 Shelbyville 0

THS 48 Stratford 19

THS 14 Maplewood 36

THS 10 Hillsboro 31

THS 35 Lawrence Co. 20

THS 28 Beech 47

284 Offensive Points (25.8 PPG)

198 Defensive Points (18 PPG)

Average Margin of Victory: 7.8 PPG

The 2008 season once again included two obstacles the Wildcats couldn’t get past - Hillsboro and Maplewood. The Burros were 2008’s stars, beating Maryville in the state title game. Tullahoma’s results closely resembled the previous season, although the Cats recaptured the Coffee Pot.

During the offseason, Wilkins Stadium received over $100K worth of structural repairs and support. As a Tullahoma alderman at the time, I voted to build a new stadium, with a budget of over $3M. It ended up costing over twice that amount.

The Wildcats traveled to Fayetteville and battled the Falcons into overtime before falling by a field goal. Tullahoma’s offense transformed from a rushing attack led by Chris Bishop to a passing attack led by senior QB1 Matt Hagen, who had one of the greatest passing seasons in THS history.

2008 THS Starting Lineup

OFFENSE

WR 86 Brent Edwards 6-2 165 Sr.

WR 17 Jordan Milleville 6-1 180 Jr.

FL 14 Derek Lawson 5-8 165 Sr.

FL 3 Jared Olive 5-9 150 Sr.

RT 75 Brandon Miller 6-4 255 So.

RG 59 Christian Ruten-Woods 6-0 225 Sr.

C 51 Hampton Quick 6-1 205 Sr.

LG 70 Justin Miller 6-2 270 Jr.

LT 72 Brian Payne 6-3 240 Jr.

RB 25 Zach Bryson 5-5 155 Jr.

QB 2 Matt Hagen 6-3 180 Sr.

DEFENSE

DE 97 Justin Waggoner 6-1 280 Jr.

DT 62 Jordan Hawkersmith 5-9 200 Sr.

DT 58 Brett Gregory 5-8 175 Sr.

DE 43 Phillip Campbell 5-10180 Sr.

LB 32 Dylan Smith 6-0 190 Sr.

LB 54 T.J. Stubblefield 6-0 185 Sr.

LB 20 Mark Brown 6-2 170 Sr.

CB 3 Jared Olive 5-9 150 Sr.

CB 11 Taylor Lusk 5-11150 Sr.

S 5 J.D. Crabtree 5-8 165 Sr.

S 28 Josh Fuhrman 5-10150 Jr.

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK 9 Corbin Hedges 6-0 145 Jr.

P 24 Trevor Schmidt 5-9 170 Sr.

KR 14 Derek Lawson 5-8 165 Sr.

KR 25 Zach Bryson 5-5 155 Jr.

KR 5 J.D. Crabtree 5-8 165 Sr.

In the opener, Tullahoma’s defense forced the Falcons into five turnovers, including three interceptions by Wildcat junior Jordan Milleville, and fumble recoveries by Mark Brown and Jordan Hawkersmith. The Wildcats managed only two first downs in the first half and trailed 7-0 at intermission.

Trailing 14-0, Hagen led an 80-yard, nine-play drive that ended with a 38-yard touchdown to Jared Olive, cutting the lead in half with three minutes left in the third quarter, and the Cats drove 80 yards in seven plays with Derek Lawson scoring on a one-yard run with 9:18 remaining. J.D. Crabtree blocked a Falcon field goal attempt with three minutes remaining, and Milleville’s third interception ended the final Lincoln County drive in regulation. The Cats couldn’t score in overtime, and the Falcons kicked the winning field goal.

Hagen was 21-39 passing for 241 yards. Jared Olive caught 10 for 125 yards and a score, while Lawson caught six for 62 yards, but the Wildcats only managed 38 yards rushing.

The Franklin County Rebels came for the first home game of the season, and the Wildcats sent them back down Highway 41A in dominating fashion. The Rebels were struggling under Head Coach Lee Adkins, and 20 years later, they are still struggling.

The Rebels drove 73 yards on their first possession and scored to lead 7-0. Tullahoma then reeled off 38 straight points, keyed by a TJ Stubblefield fumble recovery late in the first quarter. Hagen connected with Zack Bryson for a 16-yard touchdown early in the second quarter, then found Lawson for a 46-yard score. After Josh Fuhrman recovered a fumble, Hagen hit Milleville with a one-yard TD pass. 

Leading 21-7 at halftime, the Cats used half of the third quarter on a 13-play drive, with Ryan Traversa nailing a 25-yard field goal. Bryson scored on a 12-yard run, and Trevor Schmit finished the scoring with a 14-yard run. Hagen was 17-26 for 221 yards and three touchdowns. Milleville caught nine for 108 yards, and Lawson two for 56.

A road trip to North Nashville resulted in a heartbreaking 7-6 loss to White Creek. Overcoming two first-half turnovers, Hagen finished a 71-yard drive, including a 62-yard run by Bryson, with a two-yard touchdown to give the Cats a 6-0 lead at intermission. The Cobras scored late in the third quarter and kept the Cats out of the end zone the rest of the way. Bryson carried 23 times for 120 yards.

Tullahoma responded well, winning its next four games by a combined 108 points. The first was the Coffee Pot at Wilkins Stadium, where the Wildcats took the trophy back from the Red Raiders. Hagen was 12-22 for 211 yards and two scores, and Bryson caught a 45-yard TD pass and ran for 75 yards and another score. Olive had an early interception, Justin Waggoner recovered a fumble, and Milleville added an interception. Brown ended the scoring with a 40-yard pick-six with 8:23 remaining.

Traveling down Highway 55, the Wildcats rolled over Warren County, despite being out-gained by almost 100 yards and the Pioneers running 76 plays to Tullahoma’s 45. How could the Cats then win by four touchdowns? Turnovers.

Crabtree had the first interception late in the first quarter, but the Cats couldn’t turn it into points. Hagen hit Milleville with an 11-yard touchdown to break the scoreless tie with 8:12 remaining in the second quarter, then found the junior from a yard out on the final play of the first half. Josh Bunn recovered a fumble, and Hagen found Lawson for a 33-yard TD on the next play.

Dineen recovered a Pioneer fumble, and two plays later, Hagen found Olive for a 23-yard score. Jacob Honea recovered the next fumble, and Derek Bowles scored a 13-yard touchdown. The Pioneers added a late score against the Wildcats’ third-team defense.

The Cats jumped back into region play with a home shutout of still-struggling Shelbyville. Turnovers played an important role again, as Fuhrman intercepted Golden Eagle quarterback Trey Stewart on the third play. Three plays later, Bryson raced 34 yards for a touchdown. Hedges kicked a 25-yard field goal to give the Wildcats a 10-0 lead with 9:35 left in the half.

Hagen hit Lawson for a five-yard TD, and the first-half clock ran out on the Golden Eagles at the Tullahoma one-yard line. Bryson ran for a 34-yard TD to end the Wildcat scoring after an interception by Stubblefield. Bryson carried 18 times for 118 yards, and Hagen completed 17-36 for 230 yards. The Cats were 4-2 overall and 1-1 in region play.

Bryson had one of the greatest rushing games in Tullahoma history when the Cats traveled to Nashville to play Stratford, rushing 38 times for 281 yards and four touchdowns. Taylor Lusk had two interceptions in the first quarter. The first led to a 31-yard TD pass from Hagen to Olive, and the second to a Bryson 25-yard touchdown run. Dylan Smith added a 25-yard interception score, and Michael McChesney had an interception. Crabtree closed the door with an 85-yard pick-six, keeping the Wildcats in prime playoff position. However, the schedule wasn’t conducive.

Maplewood came to Wilkins Stadium and handed the Wildcats a region loss, scoring 24 points in the third quarter. Hagen threw 50 passes, completing 22 for 236 yards and two scores. However, the Panthers intercepted the Wildcats five times. 

Another trip to Hillsboro brought another loss to the Wildcats. Aaron Bryant returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, and the Burros never trailed. Tullahoma’s only touchdown came on a 10-yard pass from Hagen to Olive.

Tullahoma and Lawrence County squared off in the regular-season finale, with the winner advancing to the playoffs. Lawrenceburg completed a 65-yard TD pass on the first play of the game, but Bryson scored a three-yard touchdown to tie the score 7-7. The speedster returned a punt 77 yards for a touchdown, giving the Cats a 14-7 lead.

Lawrenceburg tied the score 14-14 before Hagen led an eight-play, 65-yard drive that ended with a quarterback sneak and a 21-14 lead. Hagen sealed the win with a four-yard TD pass to Olive and a 15-yard scoring toss to Lawson. Stubblefield’s late interception ended Lawrence County’s hopes. Hagen completed 18-28 for 255 yards and two touchdowns, and Bryson carried 20 times for 83 yards and a score.

The Wildcats finished fourth in Region 5-4A and traveled to Region 6-4A champion Beech, where the Buccaneers rolled over the Wildcats. Hagen completed 21-40 for 262 yards and a touchdown to Milleville, who caught 10 for 113 yards.

Hagen had one of the best seasons ever by a Wildcat QB, completing 167-325 for 2,222 yards and 18 touchdowns. Olive and Milleville were the top targets, with Olive catching 51 for 694 yards and five touchdowns, and Milleville catching 46 for 650 yards and five scores. Lawson had 37 receptions for 462 yards and four touchdowns. Both Olive and Milleville's yardage ranks among the top single-season receiving yards in Wildcat history.

Bryson gained 1,006 yards on 185 carries with 12 touchdowns. Stubblefield had 136 tackles, while Crabtree had 106 and Fuhrman 105. All 1,000-yard rushers, 600-yard receivers, and 2,000-yard passers, along with all known school records, are listed at the end of this book.

2008 was the final year of five classifications in Division I. Oakland beat Franklin for the 5A title, while Hillsboro finally got past Maryville to win its second 4A crown. Knoxville Catholic beat Mitchell for the 3A title, Alcoa topped Milan in 2A, and Trousdale County beat Jo Byrns in 1A. Davidson Academy won another championship in Division II 1A, while MUS won in 2A.

The Tullahoma Wildcats have had many great running backs over the last 104 seasons of football. Unanimously, Maurice Shaw is the greatest of all time with over 5,000 rushing yards during his career. After "Big Mo", the second-best ever is "Fancy" Johnson. 

Others who stand out in the record book include Frank Mullins, who gained almost 2,000 yards in 1955 and scored 210 points, Wayne Shaw, Maurice's brother, who gained over 2,700 yards between 1982-1984 and went on to play at Alabama, Trey Burks with over 2,500 rushing yards between 2010-2012, and Zach Bryson with almost 2,000 yards between 2007 and 2009. 

However, the second-best running back to play at Tullahoma will graduate in 2026, and his name is Marvancy Johnson. Nicknamed "Fancy", Johnson's combination of speed, shiftiness, and power enabled him to become only the second running back in Tullahoma history to have back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. 

Johnson's career didn't seem legendary at first. His first three carries against Stewarts Creek in 2023 went for no gain, and his fourth carry lost two yards. However, his fifth carry went for nine yards, and he was on his way to legendary status. 

He made his first strong statement during his sophomore season in week six, rushing 30 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns against Columbia. He followed that with three touchdowns and 111 yards against Lawrence County. He finished his sophomore season, gaining 721 yards on 146 carries and scoring 11 touchdowns. 

Marvancy gained over 100 yards in nine of 11 games his junior season, totalling 1,464 yards on 204 carries with 17 touchdowns. He also caught 12 passes for 99 yards. His rushing total was the third most in Wildcat history behind Shaw's 2,380 yards in 1987 and Mullins' 1,986 yards in 1955. 

The highlight of his senior season came in week three against Cleveland, when he gained 221 yards on 24 carries with three touchdowns. He ended his senior season with 1,387 rushing yards on 196 carries and scored 20 touchdowns. He also caught 23 passes for 342 yards and five touchdowns, and returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown. 

For his career, "Fancy" rushed 546 times for 3,572 yards, averaging 6.5 yards per carry, and scored 48 rushing touchdowns. He caught 40 passes for 470 yards and five scores, along with the kickoff return TD. All of those numbers are second in Tullahoma history behind Shaw. 

Season 104 couldn’t have started any better for the Tullahoma Wildcats football team. With seniors returning at almost every position, there was plenty of optimism heading into the season opener against Shelbyville at Wilkins Stadium.

The 35-14 win over the Golden Eagles didn’t dampen any enthusiasm. Tullahoma ran for 281 yards, including 152 by Marvancy Johnson, with three touchdowns, a 2-point conversion, and 57 yards receiving with another score. Lucas Reed was 10-18 for 138 yards and a TD. Will Hyden blocked a field goal, recovered a fumble, and had nine tackles. Everything worked.

Defensively, the Wildcats contained dangerous Golden Eagle QB Stephen Bobo. Despite returning RB Robert Bailey, Shelbyville had limited offensive options, and when Bobo scrambled, the Wildcats forced him to throw instead of run. It was a sound strategy.

The 100th Coffee Pot game spotlighted the edge Tullahoma had in speed. Sophomore Zion Jeffery returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, tying a state record. Johnson followed that with an 85-yard kickoff return TD. It ended 57-23, with the Wildcats putting more points on the scoreboard than either team had ever scored in the series, and the most Tullahoma had scored since hanging 62 on Warren County in 2010. 

Reed completed 12-15 for 260 yards and three touchdowns. Johnson caught four for 136 yards and two scores, Alex Bobo caught six for 64, and Jeffery caught a 36-yard TD pass. The Coffee Pot trophy went back to Jackson Street, and the 2-0 Wildcats were ready to host Cleveland, a team Tullahoma hadn’t played since the 1987 playoffs.

The Blue Raiders scored first, but the Cats came right back as Reed hit Bobo for a 42-yard touchdown. Cayden Poff converted a 2-pointer, giving Tullahoma an 8-7 lead it would not give up. Junior QB Patrick Riddle found Bobo for a 25-yard score, then ran in the 2-point conversion. After Johnson scored a short TD, the Wildcats coasted 39-23 to victory number three.

Johnson rushed 24 times for 221 yards and three touchdowns. Reed completed 8-12 for 130 yards and a score, and Bobo caught four for 87 yards and two scores. Senior safety Sam Bobo tied a school record with three interceptions, and junior linebacker Elijah Alexander blocked a kick and added an interception.

Three games in, and Tullahoma had scored 131 points, the most in the first three games in 104 years. Despite all three teams finishing with losing records, they are all Class 6A schools and have significantly more students than Tullahoma. Any way you look at it, there was reason to think the Wildcats could make a deep playoff run after those first three games. 

Tullahoma’s fortunes took a deep turn on the road in a 24-13 loss to White County. The Wildcats only ran 42 plays for 195 yards and turned the ball over three times. Johnson was held to 39 yards on 11 carries but scored both touchdowns.

Nolensville came to Wilkins Stadium and handed the Wildcats their second loss, 27-19. Dodson connected on field goals of 49 and 51 yards, and Johnson gained 104 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown. Hyden had two sacks and eight tackles, but the Knights used explosive plays to beat the Cats.

Lawrenceburg was its usual muddy self when the Cats rode Hyden’s early exploits to a 28-14 victory over what turned into one of the best Lawrence County teams in recent memory. Nicknamed “Sudden Impact”, Hyden was just that. First a sack, then two tackles for loss, then a blocked punt, all in the first quarter, helped Tullahoma overcome 17 penalties for 160 yards.

Tied at halftime, Bobo’s interception led to a Johnson touchdown, and Elijah Alexander’s blocked punt led to a Reed-to-Alex Bobo touchdown. Johnson, who had 129 yards on 21 carries, scored the final TD on a 36-yard run, and the Cats seemed to be back on the winning track.

Lincoln County came to town and seemingly took control of Region 4-5A with a 41-28 victory. Three interceptions were damaging to Tullahoma, and Falcons’ QB Maddox Franklin was accurately throwing long, and RB Carsen Carter was fast. Three Falcon touchdowns in the second quarter kept the Cats at bay. Johnson had 27 carries for 176 yards and three touchdowns. 

The one-point loss at Rockvale was as exciting as a game can get, although the Rockets pulled it out in overtime with a 2-point conversion. Trailing 28-24 with less than two minutes remaining, Reed delivered a 70-yard touchdown to Johnson, but a penalty called it back. Three plays later, he connected with Hyden for 51 yards and a score, leaving only 39 seconds on the clock. Rockvale tied it with a field goal and completed its first win over Tullahoma.

The 43 points scored over Franklin County led to the most lopsided win in the 96-year history of the series. Hyden was the spark plug again, blocking a Rebel punt out of the end zone for a safety on the first play of the second quarter. Reed hit Johnson for a 52-yard touchdown, and the Wildcats were on their way to a rare shutout of Franklin County.

The final game against Columbia was a must-win for the Wildcats to host a first-round playoff game. Johnson continued to produce at a high level, gaining 142 yards on 19 carries with two touchdowns, but the Wildcats let a 20-7 lead slip away in the third quarter, dropping them to 5-5 on the season and sending them to Walker Valley for the opening round of the playoffs.

Johnson ended his brilliant career with 150 yards on 22 carries and a touchdown. Riddle was 10-20 passing for 67 yards and a touchdown to Hyden. 

Johnson rushed for 1,387 yards on 196 attempts, averaging over seven yards per attempt, and scored 20 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 23 passes for 342 yards and five touchdowns. Adding his 85-yard kickoff return, he totaled 1,814 yards and 26 touchdowns.

Tullahoma and Walker Valley have never met on the football field. Walker Valley opened in 2001 and now serves almost 1,500 students. Tullahoma's most recent enrollment is 1,077 students. 

The Mustangs completed the 2025 regular season with a 7-3 overall record and a 5-1 mark in Region 3-5A. After leading the region for most of the season, Walker Valley dropped to second place with a 16-10 loss to Rhea County last Friday. 

The Wildcats finished 5-5 overall, losing five of their final seven games after starting the year with three straight victories. A 28-20 loss to Columbia last week dropped the Cats to third place in Region 4-5A. 

Drew Akins is the head coach at Walker Valley, while Coy Sisk leads the Wildcats. The Mustangs list 68 players on their roster, while the Wildcats have 50. 

Walker Valley's wins this season came against Cleveland (28-3), McMinn County (54-42), Chattanooga Central (49-0), Ooltewah (41-6), Soddy Daisy (35-7), East Hamilton (40-37), and Lenoir City (63-7). Losses were to Bradley Central (28-14), Sequatchie County (7-2), and Rhea County (16-10). 

Senior QB Chase Stephens leads the Mustang offense. Stephens completed 161-250 passes for 2,484 yards and 27 touchdowns with six interceptions. Junior Cason Cunningham leads the rushing attack with 958 yards and nine touchdowns on 151 carries. 

Senior Sawyer Boyd has caught 60 passes for 907 yards and nine touchdowns, while classmate Roman Eulo has 43 catches for 808 yards and seven scores. 

Wildcat senior Lucas Reed has completed 92-159 for 1,283 yards and 13 touchdowns with eight interceptions. Marvancy Johnson has 1,237 yards on 174 carries with 19 touchdowns. Johnson also has 21 receptions for 344 yards and five touchdowns. Alex Bobo is the leading receiver with 33 catches for 486 yards and four scores. 

The Wildcats have scored 318 points and given up 228, while the Mustangs have scored 336 points and allowed just 153. This year is the seventh consecutive year that Walker Valley has made the playoffs. Their best season was 2023, when they advanced to the fourth round. 

Tullahoma has made 30 playoff appearances, with an overall record of 23-28. The Wildcats have advanced to the postseason every year since 2018 except 2022.

The Tullahoma Wildcats and Columbia Lions will play for the 42nd time this Friday at Wilkins Stadium. Columbia holds a 24-17 advantage since the teams first met in 1950, when the Lions won 33-7 in the Crimson Clover Bowl in Winchester. 

Tullahoma won last year's meeting 13-0 during Hurricane Helene. The game was scheduled to be played at Columbia, but their field was so wet that it was moved to the new Battle Creek High School in Spring Hill. Marvancy Johnson ran for 184 yards on 32 carries, and he and Lucas Reed scored the Tullahoma touchdowns. The Wildcats didn't complete a pass. 

The first regular-season meeting was a 33-13 Columbia win in 1965. The Lions also won in 1966 and 1967, but the Wildcats finally beat the Lions 27-6 in 1968, led by the backfield of QB Stan Lindsay and running backs Willie Tolbert and Paul Cooley. 

Tullahoma’s offense piled up almost 400 yards against Columbia in a 34-12 win in 1969. Tolbert scored two touchdowns and added two 2-point conversions. Early in the second half, Ray Alford returned a Lions punt 78 yards for a touchdown. Cooley carried 18 times for 108 yards. Tolbert had 13 carries for 101 yards. 

Columbia won seven straight in the series between 1971 and 1977. However, in 1978, Randy Lawrence kicked a 27-yard field goal with just over one minute remaining to give Tullahoma a 10-7 win over the defending region champions. 

The Wildcats won 3-0 in 1985, with B. Bowden's 26-yard field goal in the first quarter being the only points. Sophomore Maurice Shaw rushed 28 times for 157 yards. After playing each other for 24 straight years, the series took a break in 1989 when Tullahoma was reclassified to AA, while Columbia remained 3A. They split two non-region games in 1991 and 1992. 

Columbia joined Region 5-4A in 2001, beating the Wildcats 21-7 on their way to a 10-0 regular season. The schools split four games between 2001 and 2004, then the Lions and Wildcats both joined District 8-5A in 2009, with Columbia beating the Wildcats 49-20 on their way to a state championship loss to Beech. 

They played twice in 2010 and 2012. In 2010, Tullahoma won the regular-season meeting 21-20 on a Chad Bond to Kyle Snell 2-point conversion pass, but Columbia won a third-round playoff game 31-14 on its way to winning the Class 5A state championship. 

The Lions won them both in 2012, 19-17 in the regular season and 47-24 in the second round of the playoffs. The Lions lost the state championship game to Beech in 2012. 

Tullahoma won 39-37 in 2014 before losing 23 of its next 24 games. Eli Grow completed 8-15 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown, with Cole Potter catching four for 81 yards and a touchdown. Potter rushed for three more scores, and Mikey Lett led the defense with 24 tackles. 

The series ended again when Tullahoma was reclassified back to 4A in 2015, and didn't resume until 2023 when the Wildcats moved back up to 5A and beat the Lions 34-14.

Tullahoma hosts Franklin County this Friday, Oct. 24, at Wilkins Stadium. This will be the 96th meeting between the intra-county rivals, with Winchester holding a 48-45-2 advantage. The ties came in 1949 and 1952. 

The first meeting was in 1925, with the Winchester Purple Warriors capturing a 19-0 victory. At the time, the Decherd Red Devils were known as Franklin County High School, and they beat Tullahoma 52-0. Winchester won the first three meetings by shutting out the Wildcats. 

Since then, they have met almost every season, with Tullahoma's first win coming in 1931, a 13-6 victory. The Purple Warriors won the first Central Tennessee Conference championship in 1934, including a 32-6 win over Tullahoma. The Wildcats' first CTC title came in 1936, including a 25-6 victory over Winchester. The Nashville Tennessean recap photo at left was from the 1937 contest. 

The Wildcats shut out the Purple Warriors five straight years from 1939 to 1943. The Rebels amassed a 12-year winning streak from 1966-1977. The Wildcats won seven straight between 1996 and 2002, and eight straight from 2005 to 2013. During John Olive's tenure as head coach of the Wildcats, Tullahoma dominated the series 20-8. 

Decherd closed in the late 1940s, and by the early 1950s, the Winchester Purple Warriors became the Franklin County Rebels. Before that, Winchester held a 14-10-1 advantage over Tullahoma. Since becoming Franklin County, the Rebels hold a 35-34-1 advantage. 

Tullahoma's biggest win in the series was a 60-19 rout in 1954. In 1957, the contest was postponed because of the weather, then cancelled when storms washed out the rescheduled game. The Rebels' biggest win was a 43-0 shutout in 1976. 

The schools did not play in 2021 & 2022 because Tullahoma was in a nine-team region and didn't have room on its schedule. The schools have never met in a bowl game or in the playoffs. 

Wildcat running backs have had some great games against the Rebels. Maurice Shaw carried 32 times for 245 yards and four touchdowns in 1987, Devin DeLaughter gained 224 yards in 1997, and Jermaine Dunlap gained 207 yards and scored twice on only 12 carries in 1999. 

The 2009 contest at the new Franklin County stadium was one of the greatest comeback wins in Wildcat history. Down 35-21 with four minutes remaining, Tullahoma QB Jared Davis led a 71-yard, eight-play drive using 2:18 off the clock and scoring on a one-yard run. The drive included a 39-yard pass to Chad Bond. 

THS sophomore Ryan Lawson recovered Corbin Hedges' onside kick, and Davis connected with Bond for a 51-yard TD on the next play, tying the score at 35-35 at the end of regulation. 

Zach Bryson scored a five-yard TD on Tullahoma's first possession, but the Rebels' Terrance Martin scored, and the PAT tied the game 42-42 after one overtime. Davis connected with Shane Hagen in the second OT, and Hedges' PAT gave the Cats a 49-42 lead. Franklin County scored again, but missed the PAT to give the Wildcats the victory. 

Davis completed 21-31 passes for 306 yards and four touchdowns. Bryson carried 17 times for 121 yards, Cale Greenway caught five for 97 yards, and Bond caught four for 94. Kyle Snell had 24 tackles, and Cody Farr had 21. 

In the 22-0 Tullahoma victory in 1986, Gary Barfield picked off Franklin County QB Troy Horton 90 seconds into the contest, returning it to the Rebel six-yard line. Maurice Shaw scored on the next play, and junior Mike Cawood added the PAT. Tullahoma’s defense forced a three-and-out, and Shaw returned the Rebel punt 63 yards for a touchdown. Cawood’s PAT gave the Wildcats a 14-0 lead just three minutes into the game.

Tullahoma put together a 72-yard scoring drive early in the fourth quarter, capped off by a Mike Waterman touchdown and a successful two-point conversion by Shaw. Adrian Lott ended the game with an interception, sealing the Wildcats' first shutout of the Rebels since 1965.

The Tullahoma Wildcats and Rockvale Rockets will play for the third consecutive year Friday night when the Cats travel to Murfreesboro. Kickoff is 7 pm on LightTube and 93.9 The Duck. 

The Wildcats scheduled the Rockets as a non-region opponent after Tullahoma was reclassified to 5A in 2023. Both games have been close, with the Wildcats winning 28-20 two years ago and 21-19 in 2024. 

Tullahoma is 4-3 overall and 1-1 in Region 4-5A, and lost to Lincoln County 41-28 two weeks ago. The Rockets are 3-4 overall and 3-2 in Region 3-6A. They lost to Oakland two weeks ago, 35-14. 

Senior RB Marvancy Johnson leads the Wildcat offense with 879 yards rushing on 120 carries with 15 touchdowns. Lucas Reed has completed 59% of his passes for 922 yards and seven TDs. Alex Bobo has caught 28 for 438 yards and two scores. 

In 2023, the teams met at Rockvale, with the Wildcats taking a 7-6 lead after the first quarter. The Rockets scored with one minute remaining in the half to lead 13-7. Rockvale increased its lead to 20-7 after three quarters, but the Wildcats stormed back with 21 fourth-quarter points, led by Liam Grider's 52-yard TD run. 

Last year at Wilkins Stadium, Tullahoma led 12-7 after three quarters and held off a late Rockvale comeback attempt. Reed was 18-26 for 203 yards and two touchdowns. Marvancy Johnson carried 20 times for 137 yards and a touchdown. Khani Johnson had 12 receptions for 171 yards and caught both TD passes from Reed. Will Hyden blocked a field goal attempt.

Tullahoma and Lincoln County will play in Fayetteville on Friday, October 3, 2025, for the 66th time. This Region 4-5A clash will go a long way in determining playoff position when the regular season ends on October 31. 

Lincoln County leads the series 35-27-3. These schools have never met in a bowl game or a playoff game. Last year, the Falcons earned a 42-35 win at Wilkins Stadium. The Wildcats beat the Falcons in Fayetteville 39-14 in 2023. Each school has won five of the previous 10 meetings. 

Tullahoma first met Fayetteville (known as the Tigers) in 1929 and lost 13-0. They played five consecutive years, with the Wildcats' only win coming in 1931, a 7-6 victory. Fayetteville was omitted when the Central Tennessee Conference formed in 1934, and the series was put on hold. 

After Fayetteville won 7-0 in 1933, The Guardian, Tullahoma's newspaper, wrote it this way for the local folks:

“Fayetteville high took the game from Tullahoma high last Friday, with the accent on the “took.” According to the scoreboard, the score was 7-0. According to the spectators, the deal handed out to T.H.S. by the Fayetteville officials was one of the rottenest ever witnessed by an assemblage of football fans. If the accusations are true, the relations between the two schools should be severed by the officials at Tullahoma high. The game teemed with unfair decisions and unjust penalties. It is the first time a Tullahoma player has been cursed by an official from the opposing team”.

They didn't play again until 1948, when Fayetteville joined the CTC, with the Cats winning 14-13. They played every year after that until 1989, when the TSSAA reclassified Tullahoma to Class 2A, while Lincoln County remained 3A. They split two meetings in 1991 and 1992. 

Lincoln County won two straight in 1997 and 1998. The series resumed in 2007, and they met every year until 2020, when the Wildcats were reclassified to Class 4A, while Lincoln County remained 5A. 

Three Wildcat running backs ran for over 200 yards against Fayetteville in the 1970s. Melvin Woodard carried the ball 37 times and gained 244 yards in 1972. Rick Pless gained 267 yards on 38 carries with three touchdowns in 1973. Jim Bratcher carried 33 times for 203 yards and three touchdowns in 1977. 

Additionally, Maurice Shaw gained 247 yards on 25 carries and two touchdowns in 1985, and also returned a kickoff 76 yards for a score. 

Fayetteville's largest margin of victory was a 41-0 win in 1930. Tullahoma's biggest win came in 2020, a 56-13 romp. 

The Wildcats stunned area fans and ruined homecoming in 1966 when they went to Fayetteville and scored two touchdowns in the first quarter in a 35-7 thrashing of the Tigers. Brook Thornton, Ray Cobb, Joe Hice, and Greg Womack each scored touchdowns. Tullahoma only completed two passes.

Thursday night's contest in Lawrenceburg between Tullahoma and Lawrence County will be the 1,100th game in Wildcat football history. The overall record is 611-449-39, with a winning percentage of 55.6%. 

Considering Tullahoma is playing its 104th football season, any school we have played 50 or more times is a long-time rival. A traditional rival. The short list, and the number of times we have played them, includes Coffee County (100), Franklin County (95), Shelbyville (98), Warren County (71), Lawrence County (66), Lincoln County (65), and Marshall County (50). 

The best winning percentage Tullahoma has against a long-time rival is against Lawrence County. The Wildcats are 47-18-1 (71%) since their first meeting in 1943, a 31-6 Tullahoma win. Both teams were ranked in the Midstate Top 10 in 1964. 

The two met in the 1958 Butter Bowl in Pulaski, with Lawrenceburg shutting Tullahoma out 20-0. The cardinal and black won the only playoff meeting, beating the purple Cats 28-14 in the second round in 2010. 

Tullahoma and Lawrence County, almost equal in enrollment, have been in the same region most years since official regions were organized in 1969. Paul Wheeler kicked the longest field goal in Tullahoma history against Lawrenceburg in 2000 (57 yards).

In 1978, a new star emerged against Lawrenceburg. Trailing 14-10 in the fourth quarter, THS Head Coach Dan Bland inserted sophomore John Baer at quarterback. All Baer did was score two touchdowns and lead the Wildcats to a 24-14 win.

After a failed Lawrenceburg punt attempt gave Tullahoma the ball deep on the home team’s side of the field, Baer, filling in for the injured Mark Mullins, scored on a six-yard run to put the Wildcats on top with 10 minutes remaining. After forcing a punt, the Cats drove to the one-inch line, where Lawrenceburg stopped Baer on fourth down. 

Taking over on their own goal line, Lawrenceburg tried an ill-advised pass, and Baer intercepted it and raced nine yards into the end zone for the final score. Randy Lawrence had a 36-yard field goal, and the Wildcat defense picked off three passes for the second consecutive game.

In 1980, Tullahoma's only win was over Lawrence County, with Mike Jernigan scoring on a 64-yard run on the first play of a 27-6 Tullahoma win. In a one-point win in 1985, Gary Barfield, Rob Norman, and Martin Meyer stopped Lawrenceburg’s quarterback on a two-point conversion attempt in overtime to give Tullahoma its third straight win. The visitors came to Wilkins Stadium for homecoming and jumped out to a 14-0 lead, but Norman recovered a fumble to slow down the offense. Maurice Shaw raced 51 yards before halftime to cut the lead to 14-7. Barfield and Norman each had second-half interceptions.

In 1988, Tullahoma's Andre Johnson rushed for 229 yards and three touchdowns, including runs of 60 and 72 yards. The next season, Tony Sheffield connected with Rico Harris for a 99-yard touchdown, the longest passing score in Wildcat history and tied for the longest in the state.

In 1994, Tullahoma notched the 450th victory in program history with a 46-32 win. In 1997, the Cats won behind Rob Hazard, who recovered two fumbles and added a sack, and Steve Matthews completed a 31-yard TD pass to Travis Moore.

Tullahoma and Nolensville have played seven times since 2017, with the Knights holding a 4-3 advantage. Nolensville joined the Wildcats in Region 4-4A in 2017, along with Marshall Co., Maplewood, Spring Hill, and Lawrence Co. 

The Knights won that first game, played in week seven, 42-28, on the Knights' artificial turf in Williamson County. After trailing 28-0 at halftime, Tullahoma rallied for 28 second-half points behind Nic Barstad, who completed 15-27 for 216 yards and two touchdowns, one to Matt Meadows and one to Amauri Burks. Barstad ran 11 times for 41 yards and added another touchdown. 

Tullahoma evened the series 1-1 in 2018 at Wilkins Stadium, with senior RB Braison Corn rushing for 174 yards on 23 carries, and Kobe Burks returning an interception 60 yards and a kickoff 58 yards. Burks also caused and recovered a fumble for a safety. 

The Knights won a defensive struggle in 2019, 13-7. Tullahoma could only manage 210 yards of offense, with Jakobe Thomas scoring the lone Wildcat touchdown. 

Tullahoma and Nolensville played twice in 2020, with Tullahoma winning the regular-season contest 29-14. The Wildcats led 22-0 at halftime, pulverizing the Knights with 273 rushing yards. Thomas had 11 carries for 113 yards and three touchdowns. Keishawn Cummings gained 52 yards, and Jaxon Sheffield had 51 and a touchdown. 

Undefeated Tullahoma hosted Nolensville in the third round of the playoffs six weeks later. The Wildcats led 14-13 with two minutes to play, but a Tullahoma mistake led to a Nolensville safety and a 15-14 win, ending the Cats' season at 12-1. Thomas had 227 total yards, including 174 rushing. 

TSSAA reclassification changed Region 4-4A in 2021, with Tullahoma moving to Region 5-4A, and again in 2023, when the Wildcats returned to Class 5A, but remained in Region 4 alongside Franklin Co., Lincoln Co., Lawrence Co., and Columbia. Nolensville jumped to Region 6-5A, so the chance for the Knights and the Wildcats to meet again in the playoffs became a reality. 

Tullahoma finished second in its region, and the Knights finished third in theirs, setting up a first-round playoff matchup at Wilkins Stadium in 2023. The Wildcats broke a scoreless tie with 10 fourth-quarter points to end the Knights' season. Sophomore Marvancy Johnson scored the only touchdown on a 42-yard burst, and Colby Tucker led the Wildcats with 15 tackles. Will Hyden had two interceptions, and Ezra Myers and Tucker each had two sacks. Grant Chadwick averaged 44 yards on four punts and added a 23-yard field goal. 

Tullahoma (3-1), now in Region 4-5A, and Nolensville (2-2) in Region 5-5A, could still potentially meet in the playoffs, but only in the state championship game. The Wildcats are trying to rebound from a 24-13 loss at White County, while Nolensville licks its wounds after being pummeled 42-7 by Blackman.

The Tullahoma Wildcats seek their fourth consecutive victory when they travel to Sparta to face the White County Warriors on Sept. 12, 2025. White County is 2-1 on the season, with wins over York Institute and Cookeville and a one-point loss to Soddy Daisy. 

The Wildcats have scored 131 points during their first three games, the highest opening three-game total in program history. The previous record was 126 points in both 1955 and 1959. 

Tullahoma holds a 22-12 lead in the series. Sparta High School held a 10-9 advantage over the Wildcats, but since Sparta became White County, the Wildcats have dominated the series 13-2. Former Wildcat assistant coaches Ronnie Dyer, Burt Oakley, and Clester Winningham all came to Tullahoma from Sparta. 

The two schools first met in 1942, with Tullahoma rolling over Sparta 42-7. They played again in 1944, and the Wildcats again won big, 37-6. The Warriors evened the series with a 42-0 win in 1952 and a 19-6 win in 1953. 

The series resumed from 1960 to 1967, with each squad winning four games. They played annually from 1972 to 1977, with Sparta holding a 4-2 advantage. In 1981, the Cats beat the Warriors 28-21, but White Co. returned the favor 28-0 in 1982. 

In four games from 1985 to 1988, Tullahoma was unbeaten against the Warriors. The series resumed in 1993, and the Wildcats again beat White Co. four straight years. From 2001 to 2004, Tullahoma won three out of four. 

The final two meetings between the programs were playoff games, with the Wildcats winning 48-13 in 2010 and 37-13 in 2012. Tullahoma's most dominating win was in 1977, a 47-6 victory. The Warriors beat Tullahoma 42-0 in 1952. 

Highlights of the series include Tullahoma RB Andre Johnson rushing for 229 yards and three touchdowns on Sept. 30, 1988, and Maurice Shaw scoring four touchdowns and a 2-point conversion in 1986, including a 90-yard kickoff return. 

In a mud-soaked Wildcat win in 1963, Jimmy Kincell passed to Dan Waggoner for a pair of touchdowns, and Dick Ellis, the bruising fullback, scored twice. Dick Pack nailed all four PATs.

In the 1977 Wildcat victory, played in a steady rain at Wilkins Stadium, 13 different Wildcats carried the football as Tullahoma gained over 200 yards on the ground. The 47 points are the most Tullahoma had scored in a game since dropping 48 on McMinnville in 1961. 

In Sparta in 1985, Tullahoma's defense forced seven turnovers in a 28-21 victory. The Cats grabbed an early lead on a 15-yard TD pass from Andy Winningham to Brian Battles. Maurice Shaw had a TD late in the second quarter. Gary Barfield had an interception, and Rob Norman had an interception and a fumble recovery. 

In 1988, Steve Matthews threw four touchdown passes and ran for another in a 34-14 Tullahoma victory. Antonio London had five catches for 91 yards, and Mario Braston caught two touchdown passes. 

Sparta joined the Central Tennessee Conference in 1951, but by 1961 had jumped to the Upper Cumberland Conference. White County now plays in Region 4-4A, while Tullahoma is in Region 4-5A.

Week 3 of the 2025 high school football season finds the Cleveland Blue Raiders visiting Wilkins Stadium. This will be the fifth time Tullahoma and Cleveland have met on the football field, but only the second time they have met in the regular season. The series is tied at two wins each. 

The first meeting was the season opener in 1971, and was new Head Coach Hulan Watson's first game. With Murfreesboro Central closing and transitioning to Riverdale and Oakland, the Wildcats had to find an opening-game opponent. 

Tullahoma welcomed Cleveland to Wilkins Stadium as Watson’s debut came against one of the state’s best teams, and all things considered, it wasn’t a bad loss. Dennis Nisbett was a memorable highlight, faking a punt and racing 38 yards for a first down. Nisbett ran 30+ yards on multiple fake punts throughout the season. Phil Rust recovered a Blue Raider fumble early in the second half, leading to Tullahoma’s only score as Eric Smith raced 28 yards on two carries. Cleveland scored the game’s final 21 points to beat the Wildcats 21-6. 

The second meeting came in the second round of the playoffs in 1979, again at Wilkins Stadium. Tullahoma advanced to the third round with a 17-13 victory. Tyrone Hardin finished off a 77-yard drive with a 26-yard TD run with 6:42 left to play. David Johnson scored the other Wildcat touchdown, and Scott Hargrove kicked a 21-yard field goal. 

Hardin continued to pace the rushing attack, gaining 125 yards on 22 carries, while Johnson had 94 yards on 19 attempts. With the victory, Tullahoma posted its first 10-win season since 1955. 

Meeting number three was also the second round of the playoffs in 1987, with the Wildcats posting a 26-14 victory. Maurice Shaw had 216 yards of offense, including 153 yards rushing on 30 carries, and finished off the scoring with a 63-yard punt return touchdown. 

The fourth game against the Blue Raiders took place in 1994, in the first round of the playoffs, with Tullahoma traveling to Cleveland to face the defending state champions. The home team dominated 42-7, extending their consecutive-game winning streak to 25 games.

Tullahoma and Manchester/Coffee County have played football 99 times. It is the only series in Wildcat history that was cancelled for two years so the adults could stop fighting. 

Awarding the Coffee Pot to the winner began in 1936. The year before, the Red Raiders won the Central Tennessee Conference with a 6-0 win, completing a perfect season. The Wildcats finished 0-8-2 and fired coach L.C. Perry. 

G. Lloyd Seay added coaching football to his basketball coaching duties and led the most drastic turnaround in Tullahoma history. The 1936 Wildcats were 8-0-2, the program's first undefeated season, and they captured the first Coffee Pot with an exciting 8-7 victory. 

Before 1936, Tullahoma played Manchester every year beginning in 1924, with the Wildcats winning the first two 6-0. The Red Raiders led the series 7-5 in those first dozen games. Since then, Tullahoma has dominated, winning 59 of the 86 true Coffee Pot games. 

In those 99 games, Tullahoma has outscored Manchester 1,850-1,217. That is an average score of 18.7 points for the Wildcats and 12.3 for the Red Raiders. Tullahoma has 20 shutouts in its 64 wins, while Manchester has shut out the Cats 14 times, but none since 1981. 

Tullahoma and Manchester played the seventh Coffee Pot to a 6-6 tie in 1942, with the Wildcats keeping the coveted trophy for the seventh straight year. Unfortunately, fights and scuffles broke out toward the end of the contest involving players, coaches, and fans. The scene was so ugly that community leaders and school officials decided not to play each other for the next two years. 

The decision had nothing to do with the war, even though that is what I heard for most of my life. The choice to give the series a rest in 1943 and 1944 was necessary because of two cities in the same county that really didn't (don't) like each other. It's rivalry, competitiveness, and pride. It was then, and it is now.

The 1942 Cats won their first bowl game, the first played at Wade Field, beating Carthage 27-7. Carthage became Trousdale County and has won multiple state championships. The bowl win was big, setting the stage for another dominant Wildcat campaign. 

The Wildcats won 20 games during those two years, adding their fourth and fifth straight CTC titles. When the series resumed in 1945, the matchup was placed as the final game of the regular season. The Wildcats reeled off three straight wins, meaning Tullahoma kept the Coffee Pot for 12 consecutive years. Neither school has come close to that record. 

In 1950, Wildcat running back Leroy Leach scored on runs of 44, 46, and 80 yards to lead Tullahoma to a 33-7 win. In 1958, Manchester completed an undefeated season with a 10-7 victory. The Red Raiders won 12 of the 17 Coffee Pots played between 1966-1982. 

Manchester shocked Tullahoma in 1964, holding the highly-ranked Wildcats to the second tie of the series. The 1970 Coffee Pot was the last one scheduled for the last game of the season until 1979. Both schools agreed that playing the week before the playoffs began was not good for either, so they moved it to game eight or game nine. It returned to the end of the season in 1988. 

The winless Wildcats limped into Coffee County Stadium in 1975, hoping to hand Coach Dan Bland his first victory and his first Coffee Pot trophy. Fittingly, a fumble led to the Red Raiders’ winning touchdown in the third quarter. Trailing 14-7 in the fourth quarter, Tullahoma drove from its 40 to the Manchester seven. Two plays and two penalties later, Tullahoma had fourth and goal at the Raider 21.

Bill Hardison connected with David Cleveland on what appeared to be a touchdown. One official ruled a touchdown, and another ruled it was incomplete. Manchester Coach Ed Trail stormed the field, insisting the pass was incomplete. The official agreed with Trail after a lengthy discussion, and the Wildcats were 0-8 for the second time in three years. 

Tullahoma only needed to beat Manchester in 1979 to earn its second consecutive playoff berth, and the Wildcats edged the Red Raiders in driving rain and heavy mud. The Cats clinched a tie for the District 8 title along with Franklin County. Tullahoma marched 71 yards in 17 plays on its opening possession for the only touchdown and PAT they needed. Tyrone Hardin carried 14 times for 64 yards during the scoring drive and finished the game with 131 yards on 33 carries. 

After a Coffee Pot loss in 1985 cost Tullahoma a playoff berth, the 1986 Wildcats got revenge as Gary Barfield threw for three touchdowns (Joe Barstad, Adrian Lott, and Maurice Shaw) and Shaw rushed for 153 yards and three more scores while catching four passes for 80 yards. 

By 1992, Tullahoma's series lead was down to 39-26-2, the smallest margin between wins and losses since 1960. John Olive's arrival in 1993 signaled a heavy lean towards the Wildcats, with Olive compiling a 24-5 record against the Red Raiders. 

In 1996, the game was moved to the top half of the schedule, week three, for the first time in history. In 1999, the game was moved to week six, and the Wildcats traveled down Highway 55 to recoup the Coffee Pot. Both teams were 2-0, and Coffee County Head Coach Bert Browne guaranteed a win. He was wrong. 

Despite having Chris Elam back at running back and a roster that featured 24 seniors, the Wildcats won in front of an estimated 8,000 fans. Sophomore Jermaine Dunlap was named AP Class 4A Player of the Week, blocking two kicks and returning one 60 yards for a touchdown. Robert Matthews completed 13-24 for 167 yards and a touchdown. Rob Hazard caught a TD pass and kicked a field goal. After three games, the Wildcats were ranked No. 6 in Class 4A.

In 2010, Tullahoma overcame a 29-point halftime deficit to beat the Red Raiders 43-39, and the 42-41 win in 2017, one game after breaking the 21-game losing streak, is probably my favorite Coffee Pot memory.

The 2025 season opens in a few days. Shelbyville comes to Wilkins Stadium to battle the Wildcats for the 98th time in program history. Here are some historical highlights from this long, bitter rivalry. Shelbyville leads the series 49-45-3. 

They first met in 1923, with the Golden Eagles posting a 27-0 victory. Shelbyville won three of the first four meetings, with 1925 ending in a 0-0 tie. They didn't play in 1927, and Shelbyville won in '28 and '29. 

The Cats and Eagles didn't play again until 1935, and Tullahoma got its first win in the series in 1937. Heading into the game, Shelbyville was 13-0-3 in its previous 16 games and had allowed only two points during that stretch. 

From 1940-46, the Wildcats won six with one tie. They have played every year since 1935, including a playoff game in 2013. 

The Wildcats won 10 of 11 between 1955-65.  Shelbyville won 7 of 8 between 1975-83. Outside of those streaks, this rivalry has always been competitive, with most games decided by 10 points or less. 

Shelbyville won 50-0 in 2015 and 48-0 in 1938. Tullahoma won 46-0 in 1943. Each team has won four during the previous eight meetings. 

Tullahoma wins include the opening game in 2017, the 1,000th game in program history, which ended the Wildcats' 21-game losing streak. The 750th game in program history also came against the Eagles, a 20-14 Shelbyville victory in 1994. 

Notable Wildcat individual performances against the Eagles include Frank Mullins' rushing 34 times for 290 yards and four touchdowns in 1955, Wayne Shaw rushing for 262 yards on 33 carries in 1983, and Dick Pack had two interceptions and the Wildcats recorded two safeties in a 17-6 win in 1963.

The 1959 Tullahoma Wildcats roared into the season like a lion but finished up like a lamb. The ‘Cats won their first seven games and climbed as high as 2nd in the Action Ratings. However, they lost three of their final four, including the Coffee Pot, yet still earned the Central Tennessee Conference championship for the third time in the previous five seasons.

Thirteen seniors dotted the Wildcat roster as Tullahoma prepared for a brand-new opponent to open the season. Chapel Hill was finally gone, and the new McMinnville Central, which would become Warren County, appeared on the schedule along with what they called McMinnville City, which would soon disappear.

The Wildcats averaged 40 points over the next three games and beat always-challenging opponents Cookeville, Shelbyville, Murfreesboro, and Lewisburg. Tullahoma was riding high and putting itself into position to possibly play for a state title at the Clinic Bowl. 

The loss to BGA was a difficult blow to absorb, considering it was their first win of the year, but the Coffee Pot loss to Manchester was shocking. After beating Fayetteville, all Tullahoma had to do was beat Manchester for an opportunity to play Springfield in the title game. The Red Raiders ruined those dreams and sent Tullahoma back to the Butter Bowl, where they lost to CTC rival Lawrenceburg for the second straight year.

In 1959, the CTC members were Tullahoma, Franklin Co., Manchester, Lawrenceburg, Pulaski, Shelbyville, McMinnville, Lewisburg, and Fayetteville. Sparta and McMinnville Central were technically in the conference, but they didn’t play enough conference games in 1959 to be eligible for the championship.

63 wins, 36 losses, and six ties that led to four CTC titles. The 1950s were an excellent decade for Wildcat football. By the turn of the decade, Tullahoma had firmly established itself as one of the strongest football programs in the mid-state.

Stewart Horn: 2nd Team All-State, All-Midstate, All-CTC

Gary Allen: All-State Honorable Mention

Tommy Martin: All-CTC

Johnny Allen: All-Midstate

Ned Hindman: All-Midstate, All-CTC

During the 1983 football season, junior tailback Wayne Shaw had the greatest back-to-back rushing games in program history. 

It was Joe Gaddis's first year as head coach, and as was the case for six consecutive years, he leaned on a Shaw brother to carry the offense. 

The Wildcats beat Cookeville 34-7 in the season opener, with Shaw scoring four touchdowns and kicking three extra points. The next week, he rushed for 134 yards on 25 carries in a loss to Franklin County. 

In a 13-7 win over Shelbyville, Shaw gained 262 yards on 33 carries and scored both touchdowns. His rushing total was the third-most in a single game in Tullahoma history, topped only by Frank Mullins' 290-yard effort, also against Shelbyville, in 1955, and Ricky Pless' 267-yard effort against Fayetteville in 1973. Shaw was named the Associated Press Back of the Week. 

But Wayne was just getting started. He topped that performance the following week in a win over Columbia, rushing for 284 yards on 32 carries. During those two games, Shaw carried 65 times for 546 yards, an average of 8.4 yards per carry. 

Shaw added 202 yards on 27 carries in a 35-0 blowout of Coffee County to end the regular season, then rushed for 195 yards in a 7-0 win over MBA in the Butter Bowl in Pulaski. It was Tullahoma's first bowl win since 1942. 

His 284 and 262-yard rushing performances are still the second and fourth-most in program history. Shaw finished the 1983 season with 1,357 yards on 195 carries, an average of almost seven yards per carry.

When Tullahoma hosts Shelbyville on Saturday, Aug. 23, to open the 2025 season, it will be the 98th meeting between the 41A rivals. Only Manchester has appeared on the Wildcats' schedule more times than Shelbyville. 

The first meeting between the Cats and the Golden Eagles was in 1923, with Shelbyville posting a 27-0 shutout. Shelbyville won six of the first eight meetings, with the other two games ending in a tie. 

After sporadic meetings during the first dozen years, Shelbyville became a consistent opponent for Tullahoma in 1935 with the formation of the Central Tennessee Conference. 

The Wildcats didn't beat the Eagles until 1937, and since then, the series has been nearly even, with Shelbyville holding a 49-45 edge with three ties. 

Tullahoma's 24-0 victory in 2008 was the 500th win in Wildcat program history. The 37-29 victory in 2017 not only broke Tullahoma's 21-game losing streak but was also the 1,000th game in Wildcat history. 

The largest margin of victory for the Cats over the Eagles came in 1943 with a 46-0 shutout. Shelbyville's largest margin of victory was a 50-0 win in 2015. The Wildcats and Golden Eagles are 4-4 in their previous eight meetings.

Heading into the 1980 season, Tullahoma welcomed new head football coach Greg Gregory after former coach Dan Bland left the Wildcats to become the head coach at Farragut. 

Gregory came to Tullahoma from Boyd County High School in Ashland, Kentucky. He announced he would run the wishbone offense mixed in with some Power I formations. 

John Baer and Tyrone Hardin were back to lead the rushing attack, but running lanes proved hard to find. The Wildcats were shut out by McCallie in the season opener, and heading into game two, against Franklin County, the starting offense lined up like this:

TE - Jeff Hice

RT - Jamie Collins

RG - Mike Jernigan

C - Jeff Richardson

LG - Dewayne Cullpepper

LT - Dave Roberds

SE - Stan Welch/Jimmy Boatman

QB - Scott Hargrove

HB - Tyrone Hardin

HB - Mike Overall

FB - John Baer

After a shutout loss to the Rebels, the Wildcats traveled to Horace Jones Field at MTSU to battle Riverdale. Nashville TV station Channel 8 decided to televise the game. Instead of showing it live, the station replayed the game at 10:30 p.m. Remember, in 1980, the NBA Finals were still being shown on tape delay. It was Tullahoma's first television appearance. 

It was a night to forget as the Warriors rolled over the Wildcats 48-7. Two games later, Warren County running back Jeff Womack ran for 244 yards in a 47-7 Pioneer victory. Tullahoma's only win came the next week in a 27-6 conquest of Lawrenceburg. 

Jim Dougherty intercepted two passes for the Cats, with the first coming two yards in the Lawrenceburg end zone. Dougherty raced to the 40-yard line, then lateraled the ball to Charles Crutchfield, who ran untouched into the end zone for a 102-yard pick-six. Hardin closed the scoring with a 78-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. 

Gregory ended his three years at the helm with a 7-23 record. Joe Gaddis, former Tullahoma assistant under Bland, was named head coach before the 1983 season.

Jermaine Dunlap suited up for the Tullahoma Wildcats from 1997 to 1999.  Dunlap was an all-around great player from the time he stepped on the field. His specialty, though, was blocking kicks. 

During his sophomore season, Dunlap blocked five kicks, including two against Coffee County - a point-after attempt and a field goal attempt. He blocked the field goal with one second remaining in the first half and returned it 74 yards for a touchdown. 

The special-teams TD, followed by a two-point conversion pass from Robert Matthews to Rob Hazard, put the Wildcats in front 15-9 at intermission on their way to a 25-17 victory, bringing the Coffee Pot back to Tullahoma. The Tennessean estimated the crowd in Manchester was close to 8,000 fans. 

Dunlap also recorded four tackles along with his two blocked kicks and was named the Associated Press Player of the Week in Class 4A. 

During his junior season, Dunlap scored four touchdowns to lead the Wildcats to a 42-20 win over Antioch. He opened his senior season rushing for 206 yards in only 12 carries, an average of 17 yards per carry, and scored two touchdowns in a 32-14 victory over Franklin County. 

Leading the team with 884 rushing yards, Dunlap was injured in his senior year and missed Tullahoma's final three games, including the stunning 17-14 loss to Kenwood in the opening round of the playoffs. 

The Tullahoma program enjoyed tremendous success during Dunlap's three years, posting a 29-6 record and advancing to the playoffs each season. 

I nicknamed Jermaine "Ice" when he was in middle school because of his ability to hit free throws late during basketball games. He was cool under pressure and remains one of my all-time favorite Tullahoma student-athletes.

Four different Tullahoma Wildcat running backs ran for over 200 yards in a single game during the 1970s. They are: 

Melvin Woodard carried 37 times for 244 yards against Fayetteville on October 30, 1972. The Wildcats and Tigers tied 14-14, and Tullahoma finished the season with a record of 4-5-1. 

Rick Pless ran for 267 yards and three touchdowns on 38 carries to lead the Cats to a 25-24 win over Fayetteville on November 2, 1973. Tullahoma's defense stopped a two-point conversion attempt by the Tigers, sealing the victory. The Wildcats finished with a 2-8-0 record. 

Darryl Peppers closed out his sophomore season on November 15, 1974, by rushing for 250 yards on 31 carries and scoring two touchdowns as the Wildcats beat Cookeville 33-13 to finish the season with a 5-5 record. 

Jim Bratcher carried the ball 33 times for 203 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Cats to a 32-16 win over Fayetteville on October 14, 1977. The Wildcats finished the season with a 5-5 record.

1961 marked the end of the first 40 years of Tullahoma High School football. The Wildcats were the most consistent team in southern middle Tennessee, winning more Central Tennessee Conference championships than any other school.

The 40th edition of the Wildcats continued the winning tradition. After a season-opening loss to Sparta, who was no longer in the CTC but had jumped to the Upper Cumberland Conference, Tullahoma went on a roll.

W.C. 'Dub' Cooper was halfway through his coaching tenure at THS. Tommy Whitaker, Ralph Askins, and Robert Osteen were assistants. Bobby Jernigan, Leon Waller, and Tom Poe served as captains, and both Jernigan and Poe were named All-CTC and All-Midstate.

Without inside knowledge of what was happening in McMinnville regarding high schools, the Wildcats clearly played McMinnville City again in 1961. I’m not sure if the McMinnville Bulldogs were playing football in 1961.

The Wildcats reeled off four consecutive victories over tough opponents, including a sound 28-7 thrashing of Murfreesboro and a shutout win over Lewisburg, which would become Marshall County the next year.

However, hopes for another CTC championship were dampened in a narrow loss to Franklin County, then crushed in a blowout loss to eventual champion Fayetteville. As was always the case, though, a winning season and a happy fan base were secured with a 13-6 win over Manchester to retain the Coffee Pot.

Tullahoma had played 407 games in 40 years, winning 233 (57%). The Wildcats had won 12 of the 28 Central Tennessee Conference championships, and would win the title again in 1962 and 1963 before going on a 15-year dry spell that ended with a CTC title in 1978.

Tullahoma hired head football coaches who changed their minds and DIDN'T stay for even one season in both 1967 and 1975. One stayed only two days, while the other stayed four months. Both left the THS program scrambling for a head coach. 

In 1967, Rex Dockery accepted the Tullahoma position after W.C. 'Dub' Cooper stepped down to become Athletic Director. Dockery, a former University of Tennessee Volunteer, came from Harriman and brought a UT teammate, Bobby Morton, as his assistant. 

Two days later, Dockery announced he had changed his mind and would stay at Harriman. Two years later, he led Morristown East to the state championship. After successful coaching stints at Texas Tech and Memphis, Dockery died in a plane crash in 1983. 

Morton was left to pick up the pieces, and after a rough first year, he fielded winning teams in his final two seasons. He left after three years, accepting an assistant coaching position at Murfreesboro Central. 

After four years and a sub-.500 winning percentage, Hulan Watson submitted his resignation before the final game of the 1974 season. His overall record was 15-23-2.

In March 1975, Tullahoma introduced Gerald Hasty, a former MTSU assistant coach, as the new head coach of the Tullahoma Wildcats. His high school teams posted a 60-10-1 record during his seven years as a head coach. He also served as defensive coordinator at Maryville College. 

However, on July 18, Hasty announced he was leaving Tullahoma and accepting the head coach position at a high school in his hometown of Monroe, NC. Hasty went on to a successful career as an assistant coach in college and the pros. He once coached the Charlotte Chargers to a win in the World Football League.

Left with only three weeks to hire a coach before fall practice began, Tullahoma’s administration introduced Dan Bland as the 15th head coach of the Wildcats on July 22, 1975. 

He spent six years as an assistant coach at Jackson Central before arriving in Tullahoma. Bland led the nation in kickoff return yardage while playing at Mississippi State and played for the 49ers and Steelers in the NFL. He brought in three new assistant coaches, Joe Balthrop, Joe Gaddis, and Mark Humphrey. Balthrop had been an All-American tackle at the University of Tennessee.

Bland inherited a situation much like Bobby Morton back in 1967, a new team with new assistant coaches and very little time to prepare for the season. 

It took Bland three years to turn the Wildcats into winners, and the first two seasons were the worst back-to-back seasons in program history, with both teams finishing 1-9. However, 11 of those 18 losses were by 10 points or less. By 1979, Bland's Wildcats made a deep playoff run.

It is fall 1965, and now your neighbor has a color TV and their son is growing his hair long. Your TV is still black and white, and when you watch it, you see riots in the streets, war in Vietnam, the Beatles are still everywhere, Ali knocks Sonny Liston out again, and the Green Bay Packers, New York Yankees, and Boston Celtics win every year.

Three months ago, the Federal Government threatened to withhold funding to Tullahoma City Schools, as well as almost every school system in southern middle Tennessee, if they didn’t uphold the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and integrate their school systems. So we did.

On the first day of school, for the first time in your life, you are interacting with people of another race. Although it is hard for us to imagine, at the time, it was absolutely true. I was in the first grade, so I didn’t pay any attention to race. However, for these high school students, in addition to the fast-changing world around them, there was also pressure close to home.

Consider the lives of student-athletes. Not only did they have to interact with each other in the halls and classes, but they had to be teammates. Teammates spend countless hours together at practice, in the locker room, and in team meetings.

So, this 1965 Tullahoma Wildcat football team is the first integrated school athletic team in the city's history. It was a big deal, and more credit should go to the members of this team for leading the way. Much more so than today, high school football players in 1965 were the toast of the town. The student body followed their lead.

The biggest issue on the football team was the continued decline in roster size. Only 43 prospects showed up on the first day of fall practice, with Wayne Shaw, James Cooley, Charles Cooley, and Cecil Davidson the only four black players. I can’t begin to imagine how difficult life was for them, especially those first few days. By all accounts, there were no significant race issues at Tullahoma High School in 1965. That is a credit to those young men.

Competing for starting positions 10 days before the season opener were: 

Ends - Jamie King, Ron Bailey, Bruce Moorehead, David Tyler.

Tackles - Jimmy Williams, Dennis Glover, Nabob Simmons, Gilbert Sharp.

Guards - Billy Uselton, David Wright.

Center - Bobby Martin

Blocking Back - Jon Gray, Charles Bennett

Tailback - Tom Jones, Wayne Shaw, Sr.

Fullback - Charles Cooley, Ray Cobb

Wingback - Wayne Bussell, Mitch Pindzola

The fall of 1971 was the 50th season of Tullahoma Wildcat football. James Hulan Watson became the fourth head coach in the last seven years, the third in the previous three, and the 15th overall. After one season leading Lynchburg to a 5-3-2 record in 1970, Watson replaced Bill Baker, who left to be an assistant coach at Samford University in Birmingham. 

Watson didn't produce a winning season in his four years at the helm, and the Wildcats were in the middle of one of the worst stretches in program history, going eight straight years without a winning season. 

During those first 50 years, the program produced 31 winning seasons and won 284 of its 508 games, a 56% winning percentage. There were two undefeated seasons (1936 & 1955) and one winless year (1935). 

George 'Red' Swing had the top winning percentage of those 15 coaches (86%), with G. Lloyd Seay second at 66% and 'Dub' Cooper third at 62%. 

The 50-year all-star team includes legendary names like Frank Mullins, Leroy Leech, Bub Brixey, Bill and Bruce Pless, and Red Arnold. The most recent additions include Jim Duvall, Dennis Nisbett, Paul Cooley, Leon Waller, and Benny Garrick. 

The upcoming "Complete History of Tullahoma Football" book will feature all-star teams for each decade, every 25-year mark, 50 years, and 100 years. 

Tullahoma's record against its most common rivals during the first 50 years: 

BGA 6-3-2
Chapel Hill 18-2-1
Columbia 3-5-0
Cookeville 9-7-0
Decherd 10-6-2
Fayetteville 12-14-2
Winchester/FC 22-20-2
Lawrenceburg 7-6-1
Lewisburg/MC 19-12-5
Lynchburg 14-4-3
Manchester 28-16-2
McMinnville/WC 18-9-5
Murfreesboro 7-19-7
Shelbyville 22-18-3
Sparta 6-6-0
Wartrace 14-4-2
Woodbury 9-0-0

When Tullahoma started playing football in 1922, travel was difficult, and most athletic schedules were geared towards playing the closest schools geographically. The Wildcats were no different. Tullahoma's population was around 3,000. 

The first three games were against Lynchburg, Wartrace, and Decherd, and the Wildcats added Viola and Tracy City the next season. Chapel Hill would join the schedule in 1927 and become a regular Wildcat opponent. 

Decherd was the first school to be known as Franklin County High, and the Red Devils were an early powerhouse. The Winchester Purple Warriors were added in 1925. 

However, one opponent at the end of the 1924 season stands out. Tullahoma closed the 6-2-0 campaign under Head Coach Bill Davis by traveling to Shop Springs, where they were shut out 19-0. 

My early research listed the opponent as Hot Springs. However, I discovered a newspaper snippet that clarified it was Shop Springs we played, and the game was on the road. 

Shop Springs is located on Highway 70 between Lebanon and Watertown. Shop Springs Academy was an original member of the TSSAA in 1925, but no longer exists. We can only speculate why Tullahoma traveled to The Shop Springs State High school. 

Tullahoma had consistent success against the smaller schools on its schedule. The Wildcats were 18-2-1 against Chapel Hill, 10-6-2 against Decherd, 14-4-3 against Lynchburg, 4-0 against Viola, 5-1 against Tracy City, 14-4-2 against Wartrace, and 9-0 against Woodbury. 

Chapel Hill remained on the Tullahoma schedule too long. The final five games were all Wildcat wins by a combined score of 197-0. Murfreesboro Central would have the same type of shutout streak against Tullahoma between 1962-1968, outscoring the Wildcats 209-0.

Tullahoma lost its first bowl game 14-0 to powerhouse Springfield in 1941. The Mid-State Bowl was born when Wildcat Head Coach George 'Red' Swing challenged Yellow Jackets coach Boyce Smith to a battle in Springfield to claim supremacy in the Mid-State. 

Both teams were undefeated with one tie. Springfield showed it was the better team that day, and then again two years later. The 1943 rematch was a bigger deal because it was played at Vanderbilt's Dudley Field. The Yellow Jackets won that one 21-0. 

The Wildcats hosted Carthage in between those two losses to Springfield in 1942 at Wade Field in the Civic Bowl, beating the visitors from Trousdale County 27-7. Tullahoma didn't win another bowl game until 1983. That is 40 years without a bowl win. 

The tie came in 1957, when W.C. 'Dub' Cooper led the Wildcats to the Butter Bowl in Pulaski, where they held the favored Nashville private school to only seven points. 

Joe Gaddis took his first team to the Butter Bowl again in Pulaski to face powerful MBA after finishing the 1983 regular season with a 6-4 record. Tullahoma's defense shone, leading the Wildcats to a 7-0 victory. The Butter Bowl lasted a long time. 

Gaddis coached the Wildcats to three more bowls during the next three years, winning one and losing two. Wilkins Stadium and the Tullahoma Lions Club hosted all four times. Tullahoma was 1-1 against Antioch and lost to Smyrna. 

The 1990 Lions Bowl was the final appearance for the program in a bowl game, as Head Coach Dean Rodenbeck led the Wildcats to a 15-14 victory over Hendersonville in the Lions Bowl.

Tullahoma won four bowl games, lost nine, and tied one. The Wildcats scored 143 points in those 14 bowls, but gave up 248.

The 2020 Wildcats were the fifth Tullahoma football team to make it to the third round of the TSSAA playoffs. They played the entire season before limited crowds and strange conditions. Multiple contests were affected by lightning. It was Covid. They won 12 straight. 

The 2020 Cats were the second-most dominant team statistically in THS history. They scored 36.4 PPG and gave up only 9.6, a 26.8 margin of victory. The closest game was a 15-point win over Nolensville. They won their first two playoff games by an average score of 42 to 7.5. 

Senior Jakobe Thomas, a Miami Hurricane and former Tennessee Volunteer, provided much of the offensive firepower. Thomas averaged 80 rushing yards per game, gaining almost 900 yards and scoring 16 touchdowns, and averaged nine yards per carry. He caught 24 passes for 394 yards and five touchdowns. He had nearly 1600 yards in total offense during the season, averaging 145 yards per game.

He averaged 37 yards on kickoff returns and 13.5 per punt return. He SCORED almost 13 points per game and had 142 points during the season, including 23 touchdowns and four two-point conversions.

The Wildcats led Nolensville 14-13 at home late in the fourth quarter, when a snap to the THS punter sailed over his head and into the end zone for a safety, handing the Knights a trip to the semifinals. The Wildcats, without Thomas, brought home the gold ball the next season.

The following is a snippet from the coming book:

The 95th Coffee Pot came next, another home game for the Cats, and as sometimes happens when Manchester and Tullahoma play, we came out a little sluggish. The Red Raiders stopped the Wildcats on three straight fourth-down attempts, and with 9:42 left in the half, lightning came, and the game was delayed. It couldn’t have worked out any better for the Cardinal and Black.

Scott connected with Thomas for a six-yard touchdown, and Thomas returned a kickoff 76 yards for the second TD as the Cats took a 14-7 lead into the locker room. The offense clicked on all cylinders after intermission, with Scott connecting with Duncan from 40 yards away, Thomas scoring from the two, and Cummings’s first TD as a Wildcat coming with 11:17 left in the game. Tullahoma retained the Coffee Pot for the fourth consecutive year.

Game three saw the Wildcats head to Lewisburg for the first road game of the season. A trip to Marshall County is always difficult. The facilities at Sam Davis Park are terrible. At this time, it was always the third game of the season and the first region game. It was usually hot and muggy, typical early September weather, and this contest was no different.

The reason I said earlier that this was the most memorable win of the season for me, and the most fun game to call is because before this contest, other than the 2018 season when the Cats beat the Tigers twice, Tullahoma had lost four straight games to Marshall County by an average score of 42-12 (168-48). The two wins in 2018 came by only one and two points, respectively. The point here is we never stomp Lewisburg. Most of the games have been close, but neither was in 2020.

The series started in 1931 with a 12-6 Wildcat win, and the largest margin of victory for the Cats had been a 34-0 win in 1961. Most of Tullahoma’s wins in the series came at home. It is rare when a team goes to Lewisburg and beats the Tigers, and if they do, it is usually a close game. Not in 2020. Tullahoma absolutely boat-raced Marshall County, scoring 42 points in the final 32 minutes and shutting out the Tigers until the final minutes.

Just a year removed from breaking a 21-game losing skid, the 2018 Tullahoma Wildcats were the fourth THS football team to make it to the third round of the TSSAA playoffs. The 'Cats finished second in Region 4-4A behind Maplewood but ahead of Nolensville, Marshall Co. Spring Hill, and Lawrence Co.

Tullahoma beat Livingston Academy 37-23 in the opening round of the playoffs, scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter to break a 23-23 tie. Briasen Corn rushed 27 times for 170 yards and two TDs, and Ben Fulton connected with Kobe Burks on a 65-yard touchdown pass. 

The Wildcats hosted and beat Marshall County in round two. Ty Cox scored in the second quarter to tie the game at 7-7, and Ben Fulton connected with Hunter Palmer for a touchdown in the third quarter. Again, the game was tied 14-14 in the fourth quarter when Cox sacked Tigers QB Malik Thomison in the end zone for the game-winning safety. 

The Wildcats went to rainy, muddy, cold Maplewood and battled the Panthers nose-to-nose for four quarters, only to fall 6-2 in the third round to end the season 9-4. Cox led the defense with 10 tackles, including three sacks and another safety. 

Fulton finished the season completing 63% of his passes for 1,680 yards and 14 touchdowns. Corn carried the ball 228 times for 1,187 yards and 16 TDs. Burks led the receivers with 31 catches for 408 yards. 

Cox led the defense with 91 tackles and nine sacks, while Samari Layne had 85 tackles. As a team, the defense forced 29 turnovers, including 18 interceptions. Hunter Jewell, Quinton Howard, and Jakobe Thomas had three INT each.

The 1987 Wildcats were the second team in program history to reach the third round of the playoffs, and the first to advance to the fourth. Tullahoma's roster included two future NFL players and three SEC players. 

In the four previous years under Joe Gaddis, Tullahoma was 26-18. Three of the four years, the 'Cats finished 7-4. Although Gaddis had corrected the downturn of the early 1980s, all it had earned the Wildcats was four consecutive bowl games. 

Things came together in 1987. Maurice Shaw ran for 2,300 yards, and Antonio London and Steve Matthews blossomed into stars. The linemen were big (for 1987) and strong, and the TSSAA expanded the playoffs to include two teams from each region and another round of games in 1985. 

After starting the regular season 9-0, the Wildcats fell hard to undefeated Shelbyville 36-15 in game 10. But, Tullahoma rebounded and beat Lebanon in the first round, with Shaw carrying the ball 45 times for 213 yards and two scores. 

In the win over Cleveland, Shaw ran 30 times for 153 yards and three touchdowns, plus a 63-yard punt return TD. Shaw gained 201 yards on 26 carries and scored four touchdowns in the win over Knoxville Central. 

Jefferson County, behind Player of the Year Todd Collins, took advantage of Tullahoma's mistakes to edge the Cats 21-13 and end the 12-2 season. 1987 was the only year Tullahoma played 14 games or made it to the fourth round of the playoffs until 2021.

In 1953, a scrawny group of sophomores joined the Tullahoma Wildcat football team. The 'Cats had gone 2-7-1 the previous year, and this bunch must have thought they could do better. Eventually, they did much, much better. 

Among the youngsters were Frank Mullins, Brown Limbaugh, Richard Steioff, Tom Garrison, Raymond Welch, Jack Hagewood, and Alan Colyar. They weren't only young, but they were noted as being small. 

That sophomore class didn't change much about the Wildcats' fortunes in 1953. Instead, Tullahoma posted a 1-9-1 record under Head Coach Creed McClure and assistant Fred Grider. The 'Cats only scored 82 points while giving up 263. 

However, this sophomore class over the next two seasons led Tullahoma to 18 wins, two losses, and two ties. They were not eligible for bowl games because teams could play only 11 games per season. 

The defense shut out eight of those 22 opponents and only lost one CTC contest, a disappointing 13-6 loss to Shelbyville that ended the 1954 season and cost the Wildcats the conference championship. 

But, in 1955, they beat opponents by 30 points per game, with the only blemish on a 10-0-1 season a tie with pesky Lewisburg. It was the first unbeaten season for Tullahoma since 1936, and there wouldn't be another until 2021. Those three are the only unbeaten teams in Wildcat football history.

Tullahoma football history is not just about the old days. This project includes over 50 pages on just the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Here is an excerpt from the manuscript:

"It isn’t often that one play decides a state championship game or any game. An undefeated season seldom comes down to one play. A head coach at one school for 29 years is unlikely to end his coaching career hoisting the gold ball. And the 100-year history of high school football in Tullahoma wasn’t expected to end in a state championship, but it all happened.

A lot of things must go right to win a state title in any sport. It takes dedicated players, intense coaches, the backing of the community, and just a little bit of luck. The Wildcats didn’t need much luck during the 2021 football season, but they got what they needed. They steamrolled through 15 opponents by an average of almost 30 points. They were dominant.

After a city send-off Saturday morning, a caravan headed east on I-24. According to TSSAA administration, Elizabethton and Tullahoma brought one of the largest crowds ever to see a state championship game. Those who headed back west didn’t come home disappointed. Their trip was worth it. They witnessed a heavyweight championship bout, and their team came out on top.

Unlike previous years, when TSSAA state football championship weekend was at Tennessee Tech or MTSU, the 2021 season brought a change. Chattanooga was now the home of the title games and provided a central location for Tullahoma and Elizabethton to meet. They both brought thousands of supporters.

The sun peeked through the gathering clouds on an unseasonably warm December 4, 2021, at Finley Stadium. The single biggest play in 100 years of Wildcat football was about to begin. The two powerhouses had slugged it out for 48 minutes and an overtime period, yet remained tied at 14-14."

The Tullahoma Wildcats have had many great running backs in the 103 years of football. Marvancy Johnson will be a senior in 2025. He gained almost 1,500 yards on the ground last season and is poised to approach 3,000 yards or more for his career this season. 

Frank Mullins was the standard bearer for generations at Tullahoma. but others like Leroy Leech, Bobby Jernigan, Trey Burks, Rick Pless, Mitchell Jones, Everett Hatfield, Jim Bratcher, and Harlan Dewey have made their mark in THS history. 

However, no one remotely compares to Maurice Shaw (1985-87). After extensive research, we have uncovered Shaw's remarkable career and single-season statistics. We will save the single-season marks for the book, but know this: during his three years at Tullahoma, Maurice set a standard that, because of the nature of today's football, will likely never be approached. Ever.

36 Games - 800 Carries - 5,358 Yards - 66 Touchdowns - 5 2-PT Conversions

6.7 YPC - 149 YPG - 406 Points

BOOM

Head Coach: Creed McClure

Record: 7-3

Captain: Leroy Leech

Crimson Clover Bowl loss to Portland