Prep Blitz 2014: Meigs County Tigers

Change is the operative word regarding Meigs County football this season.

Most notably the program made a change at the top and brought in Jason Fitzgerald to be its head coach. But that's only part of the transformation.

For instance, there have been major repairs done to the field house - all the way down to the plumbing. The locker room, coaches' offices and equipment room all have been revamped. The weight room is getting new weights, too.

"They took it down to the shell and fixed it up," Fitzgerald said.

Now the community is hoping to see a change in fortune on the field, where the Tigers haven't had a winning season since 2007.

"I think the atmosphere is a little bit more positive," said senior Bryson Baker, who has Meigs' starting quarterback since a few games into his freshman season. "We haven't had a lot of success the past couple of years, but with all the renovations with the locker room, and us having a great coach like Coach Fitzgerald, there's a lot more reasons to feel good about things."

New coordinators have accompanied Fitzgerald, who said his group has a better understanding of things like football terminology at this stage compared to when he first arrived.

"The boys are adapting really well," Fitzgerald said. "They're understanding the game. We're not having to teach a whole lot of that now. They're picking up the schemes."

The biggest change in philosophy for the Tigers is on offense, where they're expected to feature more of a physical ground game than in the recent past. That means Baker's chances to make plays in the passing game may go down, but the hope is that the quality of his opportunities goes up.

"The past couple of years we were spread out and ran more of a speed offense," Baker said. "This year we're mostly going to be a grind-it-out team. I just want to put my teammates in the best position to help us win. The team comes first."

- Kelley Smiddie

MEIGS COUNTY TIGERS

Head coach: Jason Fitzgerald (first year here; 82-57 in 12 seasons overall)

Last year: 2-8

Returning starters (O/D/K): 4/4/1

2014 Schedule

(all games at 7:30 Eastern)

Aug. 29 - Sweetwater

Sept. 5 - at Greenback*

Sept. 12 - Sale Creek

Sept. 19 - at Rockwood*

Sept. 26 - at McMinn Central

Oct. 3 - at Grace Christian*

Oct. 10 - Lookout Valley

Oct. 17 - Midway*

Oct. 24 - at Harriman*

Oct. 31 - Tellico Plains*

  • District 3-A game

Control panel:

Bryson Baker (6-1, 175, Sr.) took over at quarterback during his freshman season and has had the job since. "He understands how the game is played," Fitzgerald said. WR/DB Derek Letner (5-8, 160, Sr.) was a starter last year and has the reputation of practicing hard, just like he plays. His athletic skill set is solid. G/OT Jacob Kile (5-10, 270, Sr.) is a returning starter and a leader in the trenches, and he sets a high standard for his teammates in the weight room.

New producers:

A shoulder injury has hampered RB/DB Dakota Ricker (5-9, 170, Sr.), but he's had surgery to repair the damage and is hopeful of a healthy final year with the Tigers. He's a speedster, too. WR/LB Zack Ridge (5-10, 175, Sr.) played some last year but will be taking on an increased role. "Pound for pound, he's our strongest guy," Fitzgerald said. TE/DE Ryan Rayl (6-4, 220, Jr.) is a physically gifted player, but knee problems bothered him last year. He's the brother of former McMinn Central quarterback and current University of Tennessee at Chattanooga defensive lineman Zack Rayl.

Tigers trivia

Q. When was the last time Meigs County defeated a district opponent?

A. Sept. 2, 2011.

On that date the Meigs won 26-6 at Sequoyah in a District 5-AA game. And although the Tigers have since been moved to District 3-A, they haven't beaten a league opponent in their last 13 tries. The first chance to break the streak this year occurs Sept. 5 at Greenback.

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