RINGGOLD TIGERS
The Ringgold Tigers finished the 2018 season with a third straight fivewin campaign. However, thanks to the GHSA’S wildcard playoff plan, the Blueand-white were able to get into the postseason for the first time since 2015…and promptly ran up against powerhouse Peach County.
The result of that playoff game may not have been what the Tigers were hoping for, but head coach Robert Akins said he believes the opportunity to face a powerhouse like the Trojans last fall would pay dividends for his team this season.
“What (playing Peach County) did for us was give us some playoff experience against an opponent that we know, year in and year out, is going to be one of the top teams in the state,” he said. “That kind of experience can only help you. (Our guys) got to feel that atmosphere and I think they’re hungry to get back to where they were last year and be better than they were last year. The key is finishing high in your region. If you do that, you have a much better chance of going deeper in the playoffs.”
And for Ringgold fans to be able to pack Don Patterson Field for a potential home playoff game come November, Akins said improving in the running game is key, on both sides of the line of scrimmage.
“I think you have to run the football to be effective and our strength this year is our offensive line,” he continued. “We’re hoping that we can be more effective running the ball (this year) because we’ve gotten stronger in the weight room. We’ve got everything in place to be good, but it’s still hard to say how good you are until you get out there in pads. Once that happens, we’ll know more.”
Akins’ faith in his offensive line is buoyed by the return of virtually everyone in the front five from a year ago.
Recent UTC commitment Reid Williams is perhaps the region’s best center, earning All-region and AllState honors as a junior.
He’ll be flanked by guards Scott Clinton and James Booth, while tackles Bo Black and Will House are penciled in at the ends. Throw is names like Jonathan Hubbard and Logan Goldsmith, who are both good players, and it’s easy to see why Akins is so high on the unit.
“We’ve got several kids that we think can also play in back-up roles that will make us highly-effective,” he explained. “Even if somebody goes down, we’ve got a little bit of depth and some people that can play.”
That line will be blocking a set of skill position players that will still be relatively young, although a few saw their fair share of varsity action last year.
The Ringgold attack will be a spread-option offense, but will also employ a sniffer the way big-time college teams, such as Auburn University and Clemson do in today’s game.
Akins said both Dylan Wright and Kyle White will be used under center at different times.
The rest of the pass-catching corps will include veterans Brayden Broome and Gage Roach, along with newer names, such as Malachi Hill, Jordan Wideman, Jevon Coney and Caden Dodson.
“We’ve got a lot of young kids at receiver with us losing most of our skill kids from last year,” Akins said. “Several of them are sophomores that we think are going to become exceptional wide receivers. The sooner they mature and become the type of players we think they should, the better off we’re going to be.”
The Tigers’ quarterbacks will run the ball, but they won’t have to shoulder the entire load out of the backfield. Price Pennington and All-region second teamer Kori Dumas will both be counted on heavily to grind out yards, as will Dakota Banker, whom Akins is also depending on for production in the running game.
On defense, Ringgold will normally line up in a base 3-4, though they will show multiple formations and four-man fronts at times.