RINGGOLD TIGERS
Robert Akins has coached some memorable teams in his 40 years as a head coach in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia with two state championships and two runner-up finishes to his credit, along with 20 playoff appearances.
And when discussing Akins’ most memorable season during his time at Ringgold, it’s 2013 that stands out the most for the veteran coach and the Tiger faithful that followed the team that historic season.
A four-point loss to CentralCarroll was the only blemish on the Tigers’ ledger in their first nine games and they would roll through the region on their way to a showdown with powerhouse Cartersville for Region 5-AAA title.
The homestanding second-ranked Canes won the contest, 33-16, to grab the region’s top seed, but they would not make it past the second round as they fell victim to St. Pius X in an upset loss.
Meanwhile, Ringgold would end up carrying the banner for the region.
After a 55-54 shootout home win over North Hall in the first round, the Tigers took down Cedar Grove (3712) before routing CentralCarroll (35-10) in an anticipated rematch. Ringgold’s 11-3 season, the winningest season in program history, would come to an end the following week against eventual state runner-up Washington County in the semifinals, but the 2013 version of the Tigers set the bar for all future teams to try and reach.
And when Akins looks at the 2021 Tigers, he says he sees some of the same similarities that he saw in that bunch eight years ago.
“We had guys back on that (2013) team that would come up here on Saturdays and run routes without any coaches up here,” he explained. “I’ve driven by here several weekends (this offseason) and have seen maybe as many as 10 kids out here (working) on their own. That tells me that’s they’re wanting this season to go very well.
“It’s a different team, but we have 21 seniors, which is also comparable to that year. We’ve got some really great kids with really great attitudes who are giving really great effort right now. I think once we get the pads on, we’ll be aggressive and that makes me think that this team potentially could be special.”
Akins said this year’s version of the Tigers, motivated going winless in 2019 and falling just short of the playoffs last fall, has matured into a cohesive group with a single-minded focus.
“I think they’ve come together as a team,” he added. “I see them lifting one another up. I think they’re going to be more focused on the process of going out and playing as one without worrying about the outcomes. Because of their maturity, the egos have really diminished. They kind of leave those egos at the door, they come in and they go to work and those kind of teams are special kinds of teams.”
Senior Mason Parker will again be under center with very good chance to improve on the 1,138 yards and nine touchdowns he threw for last season. Parker also added 499 yards and four scores on the ground to earn honorable mention status in 6-AAA. Senior Kori Dumas will line up in the backfield. The All-Region first teamer had over 1,200 all-purpose yards (916 rushing) with 24 scores.
But opposing teams focused on stopping Dumas risk giving up big plays elsewhere. With senior running back Donte Harris also seeing time in the backfield, senior Kyle White and junior Peyton Williams in the slots, senior receivers Jevon Coney and Jordan Wideman
on the outside, 6-foot-6 junior Caden Dodson at tight end, junior Jacob Garnica at H-back and senior Malachi Hill holding down another receiver spot, the Tigers have the potential to strike from anywhere on the field at anytime. Hill was a second team All-Region pick in 2020.
Ringgold has a reputation as a school where solid offensive lines and linemen are developed and that will be no different in 2021. Seniors Logan Goldsmith (tackle) and Levi Gunn (guard) will anchor the left side. Junior Myles Hudson will be in the middle at center, while sophomore Jonathan Runyon (tackle) and junior Clint Carlock (guard) will hold down things on the right.
Add others, such as juniors Jaden Parks and Brady Gray, and sophomore Brent Lee Raby, into the mix and Akins said the potential is there.
“We’ve got a group behind (the starters) that is special too,” he added. “We’ve got kids in the No. 2 positions that I think are just about as talented as the first group. They’re going to give us a lot of depth because they’re all quality people and we’ll need them, especially early on in the year.”
White is the leader of the defense at safety. A four-year starter and already a threetime All-Region selection, he
is coming off a junior season that saw him record 143 total tackles with 84 of the solo variety and two picks. Hill and fellow senior Marcus Forston also had two interceptions each a year ago, while a group including Garnica, Williams, Coney and senior Will Wright will see time at the cornerback positions. Meanwhile, White will get help at safety from Wideman and juniors Bryson Bethune and Ty Gilbert.
As for the front seven, the Tigers plan to go mostly out a 3-4 formation with Gray and senior All-Region first teamer Brandon Orman at the ends and senior Ashton Clark at nose guard. The Tigers are hoping to get senior linebacker Dre Morris back on the field soon after he suffered a non-football related injury over the summer. Dumas and Harris will see double-duty at the position, while senior Coleton Carlock (96 tackles) was honorable mention last fall.
Akins said he believes the team has a weapon on special teams with accurate senior kicker Landon Eaker, who has 50-yard range on field goals and will likely handle punts and kickoffs. Junior Brody Gann will be the allimportant long snapper with Coleton Carlock doing the holding on field goals and PAT’s. The Tigers will have multiple options in the return game.
The head coach also had high praise for all of his assistant coaches and said that the group has collectively done a lot of work on mindset training in order to be able to install the right attitudes in their players.
“I think we’ve bought in more to being a team,” Akins said. “We’ve talked to them about being unselfish, making sure you protect your teammates and leading in the right way. Those are all things I feel like you have to have in order to prevent any kind of division or implosion from the inside. I think we have (those things) and those are what our strengths are. I think they’re going to lead, play their positions and support the others. That’s the key to winning.”
Only time will tell if the 2021 Tigers can meet, or perhaps even surpass, the lofty standards set forth by the Tigers from 2013. However, Akins says he believes his current team has the maturity to stand together and fight through the tough times and the skills to be a special group.
“We have to make sure we always have effort on the field,” he added. “We always have to have the right kind of attitude and (be) consistently aggressive once we get the pads on. I think that if you can be consistent with all three of those, you have a good chance to win.”