KNOXVILLE — In mid-July, Tyler Williams walked into the pavilion at Three Ridges Golf Course for KFOA Media Day.
He wore a blue polo that has grown increasingly familiar over the past several years, as Williams has been a part of the Gatlinburg-Pittman staff under two previous head coaches.
But after being named head coach in March, the Cosby High alum is entering his first season at the helm.
He does so after navigating quite a football journey from The Hill to The Mountain Thicket.
“I’m excited,” said Williams. “This is a dream job for me, where I want to retire. That’s the long-term stuff, but as a football coach, you’ve got to go day by day, a little bit at a time.”
In taking on each day as its own, Williams is not looking backward, but at the task ahead — with several similarities as far as scheme is concerned.
That approach will be used in several facets, as Williams doesn’t want to shake things up for a team coming off a region title this past season.
“Every team has to find something to keep the fire burning,” he said. “That’s what’s amazing about Alcoa, because at some point you think those guys might get comfortable.
“But that’s not the case. For us, we want to repeat as region champions, get to the playoffs against Alcoa, and let the chips fall where they may.”
That playoff matchup against Alcoa has been commonplace in the past.
It is a juncture that Williams knows well, having aided Derek Rang — now at Oak Ridge — and then Brad Waggoner — now at Blountstown (FL) — in their respective quests to bring G-P back following the resignation of legendary head coach Benny Hammonds.
There will be some personnel changes for the Highlanders on both sides of the ball, as G-P saw a slew of standouts graduate this past spring.
For starters, longtime standouts Carlos Orr (Illinois), Whitman Whaley (Wake Forest), Brady Hammonds (VMI) and Luke Burkett have departed.
Still, Williams is excited to see how players will handle bigger roles coming into this year.
“I’ve got confidence in these kids and coaches,” he said. “I think they will surprise people. And it’s not that we won’t miss Carlos, Whitman, Brady or Luke Burkett. We will. But these guys get their chance to shine, and they are going to do well.”
For G-P, that starts on defense and in the run game, where Williams said his team will hang its hat.
“I do think this will be more of a defensive-minded team,” said Williams. “We do have a lot of guys back in our front seven, which will be strong, athletic and smart.”
He noted that he was also worried about the secondary since they graduated four seniors in the back end.
“But,” he added, “that has been a positive in 7-on-7.”
Offensively, the Highlanders’ run game will start with sophomore running backs Brayden Maples and Cecilio Rodgriguez.
Their protection will include a veteran-heavy offensive line, with Williams still sifting through a bevy of options for his guard spots.
“We’ve got three older guys who are thousand-pound lifters, our two tackles and our center,” he said. “They’re all athletic and quick, and they know our system.”
“Letting go of the offensive line responsibility is a little tough for me,” added Williams, “but I’ve turned that over to Bo Rowland, a guy who played for me and played offensive tackle up at Concord in West Virginia. He’s doing a great job.”
Along with what he expects in the run game, Williams added that he thinks the Highlanders will be “a better passing team than most teams expect.”
As far as quarterback is concerned, the Highlanders will be looking at two options — one of which is former Northeast and Cocke County middle school standout Tyson Sutton, who played his freshman year at Knoxville Catholic before transferring to Gatlinburg.
“He can really spin the football,” said Williams. “He’s very athletic, probably one of our more athletic kids on the team. He can also bring some things with his legs, but he’s having to learn the offense.”
“Whoever wins, the other guy better be ready,” Williams added, “especially as a sophomore.”
Regardless of who takes the first snap, they have both been working to develop some consistency given that there is also a brand-new receiving corps.
Overall, Williams is eager to see what this season brings given his new role.
But that is not his primary focus, nor that of anyone else in the Highlanders’ field house.
“People want to make a big deal about a new head coach,” he said plainly. “I understand that. But it’s not about me.
“It’s about that G-P that’s on our chest and the side of our helmet, so we’ve just got to work hard and represent that tradition of excellence.”
Most Popular
Comments / 0