Return of Friday Night Lights in South Fulton just what doctor ordered amid Red Devils’ ill-fated pre-season woes

After much turmoil, indecision and multiple “what-ifs”, the South Fulton Red Devils will hopefully get the chance to start their football season on Friday night.

Barring any last minute glitches, which are common place in these COVID-19 times, the Red Devils will kick off at home against Stewart County at 7 p.m.

And when that kick takes place, don’t be surprised if head coach Eric Knott doesn’t kiss the ground.

“Yes it has been interesting,” said Coach Knott about getting to this point. “We didn’t have spring football. You think it (COVID) will be over in the summer, then the summer rules came about along with indecision. We were trying to make decisions, keep kids focused, make plans and living in fantasy land sometimes. The hardest part was keeping the kids focused, as well as giving them hope that there will be a season. Seniors want to play their last year and more than one of the players have come to me about that. I just tell them there is one thing they have to do, and that is to give full effort. You don’t want your last memory of football being half effort. You want to go out with no regrets.”

“We have had to juggle things at school and juggle our schedule. I talked with Gleason Coach Noah Lampkin and he lost two or three games, so we changed our games which was ok. We now play Fulton County on our bye week because they couldn’t play until September. We have had to drop Fulton City due to COVID issues and we picked up Union City for a home game. Everything is just up in the air now. Coaches like to prepare a year in advance and that is not the case this year. We feel like we are hurried and things are chaotic, and it can bleed over to the kids.”

Many thought the chance to play football was either over, or facing a late start, when Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee extended his Emergency Order for the state until Aug. 29.

But a later decision by the Governor allowed high schools to hold contact sports.

“I am very appreciative, because I think he (Gov. Lee) has handled it well. I do think he has done what is best for the state and the people. He has looked at the freedoms we have and that people have choices. I am appreciative that he decided that we do need sports and young people need that outlet. Also that people need to go out, even in a small capacity, and have the opportunity to cheer for one thing or another. I am glad that he made the decision to give us a chance to play football. That may have not been the most popular decision among some. Sometimes politicians make the best political decision rather than the best overall decision. On the opportunity to let kids play sports, I think he did well.”

“Our practices on the defensive side has gone well. Coach (Brent) Wilson and I have taken the restrictions and implemented a lot more on fundamentals. The hardest part is blocking and tackling. We work on the sack and angles that we need. On the offensive side, it has not been good. We have not been able to throw a football. The last two weeks, when we have thrown, the quarterbacks are usually at this point throwing 100 to 150 times a day. Now we are seeing some back injuries, tricep injuries, along with feet issues for receives and knee issues for our linemen. We are really behind. And also our weightlifting in the offseaon had to be light, because you could not have a spotter for the heavier weights. So we are struggling.”

One issue that concerned the Red Devils coach, was the possible time to properly prepare when games were going to be allowed to start.

“You have to have contact practices to be ready for games. Since we were able to start hitting at practice, the guys were just not ready for it. We lost three kids the first day, with controlled practices and hitting. It is what it is, and I am sure most every school is having the same issues. In a single-A school with 25 kids, when that 18-year-old senior that goes down, I am forced to put in a 14-year old freshman. That is just the way it is now, so we will deal with it and move on,” Coach Knott said.

With the focus now on their opening night opponent, Coach Knott said he will put a team on the field that bring experience in some areas.

“We have got the talent but we don’t have the depth. We have two 6’4” receivers and a 6’1” quarterback. We don’t have that 270-pound running back anymore, but we do have three pretty good running backs. We have a 220-pound tight end. Our problem is the five in the middle. If we don’t give the time to throw, or open up for the run game, we are in trouble. It all begins and ends up front. We have a senior at center, with two sophomores and a freshman. We are trying to figure how to play, so that is something we are trying to fix.”

Looking at the weekly schedule for the season, coach Knott said there would not be any off nights for the team.

“It is going to be tough. We have a lot of seniors, but everyone in our region has a lot of seniors also. We open with Stewart County, who says they have lost alot of players. Stewart Counties definition of young and my definition of young is different. Then we have Union City, which is a multiple state champion. Lake County is still Lake County, and Greenfield is loaded this year. Gleason is going to be much better, and Humboldt is going to dish out some of the beatings they have taken over the past few years. There is not going to be an off Friday night on the schedule. So we are going to have to take every game as a war, because it is going to be.”

Taking into account the unknowns presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Red Devils Coach was asked about his optimism in playing a full schedule.

“I think it is going to be unrealistic with what is going on. With the rise in the numbers and history of how things have evolved with the virus. I would be lying with a pie in the sky outlook if I thought we would get a full season in, but I have been wrong before. That is why each game is so important. We have to let the kids know that each game is so important. It could be the last and no one knows that until it actually happens. They have to be aware that anytime they step on that field, it could be the last time. The joy has to be in the work, and that is what we are trying to get over to them. Leave it all out there.”