High school ‘Hard Knocks’? NC prep football team launches its version of the popular show

Independence High School football coach DJ McFadden is a big fan of the “Hard Knocks” TV series which annually chronicles an NFL team in preseason.

This summer, he had an idea to create a similar show around his Patriots football team. So McFadden reached out to Tyree Glenn, a former Independence player turned videographer, and the two created their own version of the show.

“Hard Knocks featuring the Independence Patriots” debuted Sunday on YouTube. Glenn handles production, via his YouTube page , TFLIXZ LLC. McFadden said Glenn has done work with Bahakel Sports, a Charlotte based streaming service, as well as filming directly for former area players now in college.

Glenn spent last week with the Patriots to get an up close look for the first episode, which includes the type of locker room and practice access that McFadden was used to seeing on the other “Hard Knocks” show.

“We were really happy to get this first episode done,” McFadden said. “Now we want to add to it, and I think it’ll be good for the kids and shed a good light on us.”

McFadden said the plan is to release episodes each Sunday with the series continuing throughout the season.

“This generation,” McFadden said, “anytime you get a camera out to practice, they’re all for it. And as long as I don’t see them trying to do things for the camera, I’m fine it. And (the players) love it.”