By THOMAS P. WEAVER
HORIZON Editor
CELINA-The 2021 Clay County Bulldogs will start the season off right here at home Friday night—with a rivalry game.

After a one-year hiatus, the Dawgs will renew their downriver rivalry with Jackson County to kick off their 2021 campaign.

“It doesn’t get much better than that,” Bulldog head coach Jake Johnson said about the Blue Devils coming to town. “It’s a good one to open up with and it kinda has been in our favor the last several times we’ve played, but all bets are off when you get into a rivalry game.

“I’m glad to get them back (on the schedule) and open up with it.”

Besides bringing back the annual Clash on the Cumberland River between the two schools separated by just 20 miles, Johnson has also righted the Clay County ship in recent years.

After only advancing to the playoffs four times in a span of almost two decades, the Dawgs have made the postseason the last four years—including back-to-back second-round appearances under the fourth-year head coach’s leadership.

But he and his team aren’t satisfied.

“Your always looking to take that next step and for us that’s the region title,” he said. “That’s it.

“That is the next step and to say that we are focused on that is selling it short. We want that region title.”

Though the feat has never been accomplished by a Bulldog team since regions replaced districts back in the mid-90’s, the lofty goal is attainable with the plethora of personnel Johnson’s team features.

Led by four seniors and a wealth of juniors, the Dawgs are poised to make history.

“This is our coming of age moment,” Johnson said when asked about the expectations and potential pressure to perform associated with having such a veteran group. “Those kids we’ve been depending on for the last couple of years are now upperclassmen and it’s time for them to fully produce.

“They’ve been there, done that and we feel like now it’s time to check that box.”

Personnel
The senior foursome includes returning All-Region 4-A starters Wade Coons and Carson Sharp, along with newcomers Luke Thompson and Jordan Heatherly.

Coons (LT/LB) and Sharp (RB/DB) will start both ways, while Thompson and Heatherly could both add some needed depth in the trenches.

The junior class is led by All-State utility man and 4-A Skill Player of the Year Alec Kerr (WR/RB/S), along with All-Region 4-A players Keaton Arms (QB/LB), Joseph Marcom (WR/RB/LB), and Levi Garrett (RG/DT).

Jimmy Burchett (WR/S) and John Hamilton (RT/DT) are also junior returning starters, while their classmate Stone Lynn will anchor the offensive line at center this season.

Filling out the starting lineup up front will be a mix of sophomores Tyler Wathal (RG/NG), Hayden McGee (OT), and Ben Maxfield (G), while junior Hunter Kyle is also expected to see action.

Sophomores Austin Anderson (FB/OLB), Weston Birdwell (WR/OLB), and Joseph Birdwell (WR/DB), along with freshmen Nate Adams (WR/DB), Lance Burchett (WR/DB), and Hayden Adams (WR/OLB), will also be relied on to fill gaps on both sides of the ball this season.

Schemes
Coach Johnson said offensive coordinator Chris Harris will implement a “play fast” philosophy and “use the speed” his team possesses with a “shotgun, single-back, four-wide-receiver base” offense.

“There are times we know we are going to have to play physical and run the ball, but we know we are fast and we have to get the ball to these guys in space,” he said.

On the other side of the ball, defensive coordinator Mike Dickerson returns this season, after spending last season in the same capacity at Lebanon High School.

Johnson explained Dickerson would deploy a “3-3 stack” defense with a pair of bookend tackles, a nose guard, three inside linebackers, and one outside linebacker to the strong side of the formation.

Over the top, Johnson said Dickerson has changed his base to a “two high shell” with a pair of safeties and two corners.

“We have been a little more aggressive so far and with the two-high (scheme) we can blitz a little more,” Johnson said.

Schedule
Both personnel and scheme will be key in what will be a somewhat unfamiliar Bulldog schedule this season.

Following the home season-opener with Jackson County, the Dawgs will host Clinton County, KY on August 27, before enjoying an early-season bye week—which came about due to Pickett County discontinuing their program.

Clay County will return to action September 10 with back-to-back road trips to Cornersville and Jo Byrns on September 17, before hosting Westmoreland and Red Boiling Springs on consecutive Fridays.

They will then hit the road for Scott County on October 8, host Grundy County on October 15, and travel to York on October 22.

The regular season will culminate at Gordonsville on October 29, with what is expected to be the region title game—one week before the opening round of the playoffs.

“We know what we want and we know what we’ve got to go through, but if we slip up and drop a (region) game, we don’t get there,” Johnson said of the challenging schedule prior to the critical season finale at Gordsonville. “You’re not going to get any better playing the cupcakes and I think you are doing a disservice to your team to try to complete that 10-0 schedule on paper.”

Kickoff Friday night at John Teeples Field is at 7 p.m. and live coverage on the Horizon Sports Network begins one hour prior at 6 p.m. Listen by clicking here.