Despite numbers, Bulldogs on the grid for 2018

Although Fulton High School’s 2018 football Bulldogs “officially” forfeited Friday night’s contest with Greenfield, Tenn. Yellowjackets, competing in a 9 on 9 matchup there, thanks to cooperation from Greenfield’s coaching staff, Head Coach Harold Hutcherson did take away some positives as he pondered his young team’s performance.

“One thing I am glad to have figured out is that Jordan Lannom, who was our Quarterback against Greenfield, is actually a better running back. We were also able to figure out where we need to put some key players,” he said.

On the bus ride home, Hutcherson said the team had some time for reflection about their 2018 debut.

“They said they knew they should have been in better shape,” the first year head coach said.

Hutcherson said there have been a minimum of three young men who have worked on conditioning since early July, Zion Yisrael, Blake Nicholas and Ladarias Coble.

However, even those young men who may have been running throughout the Summer break, to fit in a little exercise, realized quickly the difference in that, and practicing with full pads.

Yisrael, who is a junior, will be the team’s running back and linebacker; Nicholas will fill the Center position, as well as tackle on the defensive line; and Coble will serve at the tackle and line backer post. Both Nicholas and Coble are sophomores.

The others now on the team, up to 11 on Monday, joined the ranks of the Bulldogs between then and the first week of school, with in house “recruitment” still underway, as indicated, Hutcherson said, with a pep talk from some team members to a captive lunch period audience earlier in the day.

One of those 11, Amari Hobbs will not be eligible to play until a year from the final game he played for Fulton County’s Pilots, as he has now transferred to FHS as a sophomore.

Another transfer student, Hunter Hayes, a junior, is awaiting his transcripts from his previous school in Florida, to finalize his eligibility.

Freshman Trav’Vail Morgan will most likely be in at wide receiver, and possibly cornerback or safety.

Rajon Hollowell will mirror those positions, rotating in and out with Morgan. He is a sophomore.

Jordan Lannom, a sophomore, will serve as the team’s running back and linebacker, Robert McGrath, a junior, will hold down the guard, defensive end or defensive tackle, and Camarae Cobb, a freshman, is athletic, according to Hutcherson and can fit in more than one spot on the gridiron.

Kelon Bean, a sophomore will see playing time this year, and eighth grader Blake Blankenship will be able to hit the field when opponents play freshmen and sophomores, possibly in a JV setting.

Hutcherson is assisted this year by Kenneth Irvine, Brad Rozzell and Matthew Castleman.

He said he and his staff realize size may not be the Bulldogs’ strength this year, but speed is definitely a positive.

“We will run the ball. I’m a pounder. We may pass some, but overall, there will not be any drop backs. I have told them that when you see you are in trouble, there’s not going to be any scrambling, where somebody could get hurt. If that happens, I tell them, you just throw the ball to me,” Hutcherson said.

Coach Hutcherson realizes he has a challenge, to keep his team motivated, but he wants them to always continue to compete, and “never lay down.”

“Each game I want to finish strong. No more rolling over. With only 10 or 11 players, you are going to get tired. We need to keep on playing. I believe we can compete, truly compete with other schools. We just might surprise a few of them,” he said.

In a leadership role, the head coach considers Yisrael and Lannom as two examples.

“They are both always telling the boys to keep going, and they both keep running, may get hit and get right back up and keep running. They don’t get tired,” he said.

“Our motto this year, is going to be ‘Link Up’. It’s going to take all of us. And all of us have to give all we’ve got,” he added.

In regard to their 2018 season schedule, Hutcherson said in non-district or out of state play, if his Bulldogs were to not show up for a game, it would be counted as a forfeit, and a $750 fine would be imposed, if under two-year contract. That’s why Hutcherson said he was so appreciative of the Greenfield coaching staff for agreeing to the 9 on 9.

He said this Friday’s game versus Gleason, will be the same scenario.

In Kentucky, however, Hutcherson said he believed even games played as 8 on 8, 9 on 9, or any number of players less than regulation 11, would not have to be considered a forfeit and if agreed upon by both sides’ coaches, could be played just the same as regulation, with the higher scoring team able to count the game as a win.