McCallie now faces Elder-led Ensworth

Friday, January 1, 1904

Tennessee's Top Five prospects according to Rivals.com1. Jalen Ramsey (Brentwood Academy) 6-0, 190 WR-DB Committed to USC2. Jordan Wilkins (St. Benedict) 6-1, 210 RB Committed to Auburn3. Corn Elder (Ensworth) 5-11, 170 Ath-DB Undecided4. Jason Carr (White Station) 6-6, 280 DE Committed to Tennessee5. Mark Dodson (Whitehaven) 5-10, 183 RB Committed to Ole MissGrundy loses quarterbackHouston Mainord threw for more than 200 yards in the first half of Grundy County's game with South Pittsburg, but the freshman was injured and will be sidelined for the next six to eight weeks with a broken collarbone.Mainord's quarterback play had allowed coach Nick Bryant to move Josh Rhea to receiver and get another skill guy on the field, but Rhea will move back to quarterback.Indians' Lamb betterAlthough he got a late start and still is getting in football shape, Austin Lamb is "getting there," Sequatchie County coach Chad Barger reports.An all-state selection in 2011, the senior wavered about playing his senior season but is coming on strong. In the Indians' win at Meigs County last week, he ran for 44 yards and two touchdowns as a fullback and added eight tackles including one for lost yardage as a noseguard.BGA moving downBattle Ground Academy announced this week that it will move down from Division II-AA to Division II-A beginning next year.Division II-AA is comprised of private schools with enrollments of 520 or more, or of smaller schools that opt to play up in classification. BGA, with an enrollment of around 330 in its upper school, had elected to play up the last four years, despite being the smallest school in II-AA.The Wildcats are on both Baylor's and McCallie's schedules this year but likely will not continue playing such larger private schools when they move down in classification.

After a week spent concentrating on identifying and correcting the mistakes that led to the season-opening loss at McMinn County, McCallie now must try to contain the state's top overall program - and arguably the best overall athlete as well.

The Blue Tornado allowed 327 rushing yards and 439 total yards at McMinn.

Nationally ranked and two-time defending Division II-AA state champion Ensworth visits Spears Stadium tonight, led by running back/defensive back/special teams nightmare Corn Elder.

The 5-foot-11, 170-pound senior is ranked as the No. 3 overall prospect in Tennessee according to Rivals.com, and he is highest-rated recruit to be uncommitted to a college program. A four-star prospect, Elder totaled 2,993 all-purpose yards last year, including more than 2,200 rushing, and had five interceptions on defense.

He was the state's D-II Mr. Football award winner last year, as well as becoming a Mr. Basketball finalist and the MVP of the state basketball tournament, helping the Tigers win their second straight TSSAA titles in both sports.

In two games this season, Elder has 430 rushing yards, averaging 11.3 per carry, and eight touchdowns for top-ranked Ensworth (2-0). Last week he ran for 199 yards and two TDs, scoring on two of his first three carries, in a 62-14 win at Lexington Catholic that was televised on ESPNU.

"He's just so explosive and such a great competitor," said McCallie coach Ralph Potter, who faced Elder as Brentwood Academy's coach the previous three seasons. "You can stop him nine times and he'll break a big play on the 10th. He always seems to play the best when the game is on the line, and that's what I respect most about him.

"But to be honest, we're not worried about Ensworth. We're worried about McCallie. We have to be better fundamentally. I haven't watched a lot of film on Ensworth because we were busy working on ourselves this week. Last week we didn't play very hard and we didn't tackle, and when you don't do those things, you lose."

McCallie will face the state's top-ranked prospect, Brentwood Academy's Jalen Ramsey, in the final regular-season game.