Tiger football season will fire up soon, and the Review spoke with DCHS Head Coach Steve Trapp about the upcoming season this week.
Trapp said the Tigers will have a scrimmage game and fundraiser on Aug. 5, and will face Watertown at the Watertown Jamboree before the season officially kicks off with DeKalb taking on the Warren County Pioneers at Vanhooser Stadium in Smithville on Aug. 19.
The Aug. 5 Scrimmage will be preceded by a Ford Drive fundraiser.
“We are having a Ford Drive Event again,” Trapp told the Review. “This as a fundraiser for our program. It will be on August 5 with the time to be determined. We are scrimmaging that night as well, and we are planning on having food available, and make a great event out of this. Last year we called it Football Family Night, but this we would like for it to be a Football Community Night with great cars, great food, great entertainment, and great football.”
Trapp said that the team is working to be in shape to avenge last year’s 21-20 Jamboree loss to the Purple Tigers.
“The Jamboree is Saturday Aug. 13 at Watertown, and we will play Watertown,” Trapp shared. “In the time leading up to that we want to reestablish the work and energy we had before the dead period. We will continue our weight room program, as well as practicing all areas of the game. We will also be participating in 7 on 7 events the first week back after dead period to help get our quarterbacks and receivers back on the same page. The three weeks in July are a definite grind, but it is necessary in order to start the season off right and carry momentum into the rest of the season.
The coach said that while there are no changes to this year’s schedule, which experienced a major facelift last year, there should be some tough competition.
“The schedule is the same as far as who we are playing, but we will flipping home and away with the teams we played last year. Everyone on our schedule has the potential to be improved from what they were last season, and with that we will always take every opponent seriously and respect the preparation that it takes each and every week. Sequatchie, Upperman, Smith County, and York, as well as DeKalb, have all been picked to be at the top of our region this year, so it is going to be a very competitive season within our region. All of our non-region games are against schools in a bigger classification, and all will be improved, so each and every Friday night is going to be a challenge,” Trapp said.
With 10 starters returning on offense, including the entire offensive line and quarterback Steven Jennings, the coach has high hopes that the Tigers will be able to move the ball in 2016.
“Offensively we return ten starters, and it is safe to say that the most notable is our quarterback Steven Jennings, who has started since he was a freshman. Our veteran offensive line returns all five starters from a year ago, and that will be the catalyst for our offense this year. Four seniors, including Eli Cross, Luke Green, Devin Zaderiko, and Tayvian Nokes, will all return to lead us up front. Gage Delape, a junior, is also returning as a starter from a year ago. We also have a lot of completion among this group and quality depth with senior returnee from his sophomore year Devin Bain, and seniors Justin Winchester and Matthew Judkins. We also have receiver core returning, with seniors Matthew Poss, Isaiah Jones, and Christian Pruitt, along with juniors Bradley Miller and Riley Sexton. All of these guys started games last season and have experience. Some new faces we may see at these spots include juniors Braxton Linder and Omar Aldino, along with sophomore Grayson Redmon.
Trapp said one of the few positions still up for grabs is running back.
“The running back position was a revolving door last season, and is the position we are looking for someone to grasp. Last year Jesse Smith did a great job for us, but he is a mainstay on our defense and will be coming off a summer knee surgery, so we are looking for others to step up. Drew Castorena started a few games at running back last season, and will have an opportunity this year as well. Tyler Lee started the first game last season but missed the rest of the year after a knee injury and surgery, he is another option at running back, but may be suited better in a fullback role in our two back sets along with Nick May. Sophomore Tyler Bundy had a few carries in the first game last season as well, but was hampered last season by an ankle injury that did not allow him to get into full swing. He is a very physical runner, and has great potential from the position, but will have to mature mentally to carry the bulk of the load. A newcomer who has a chance at either seeing action at running back or wide receiver is Colton Seifert. He has a tremendous work ethic and competitive spirit, and if he gets the schemes down he will definitely be an asset to us this year.”
The entire starting defensive secondary will be coming back to the gridiron this year as well.
“Defensively we have depth and experience as well. All four of secondary guys return, with both safeties in Christian Pruitt and Riley Sexton, as well as both corners with Drew Castorena and Bradley Miller. Returnees in the Linebacker core include two year starter junior Jesse Smith and junior Nick May. Matthew Judkins started a few games last at linebacker, but is solid starter for us this year at that position. Tyler Lee, Tyler Bundy, Omar Aldino, and Braxton Linder are guys who will see action at those spots this season. Our defensive line has the chance to be outstanding this year with a lot of experience and quality depth. All the guys mentioned for the offensive line will also serve greatly on the defensive line as well, but we will be rotating those guys up front quite a bit. Devin Bain will provide a tremendous motor up front, and so will Justin Perricone. Other guys who have the opportunity to get in on the rotation include juniors Damion Dishman and Brady Hughes, as well as sophomore Noah Gill.”
Trapp will be joined by two new assistant coaches, Brad Trapp and Thomas Cagle, on the sidelines this year.
Trapp has been hired by the school system as a teacher aid at DeKalb Middle School. For the last four years, Trapp has been a coach in the Junior Pro Football Program. He is a DCHS graduate and received a Business Administration Degree from Colorado Tech in 2008. Trapp and his wife Kim have three children, Liz, 18, Cailin, 15, and 10-year-old Briz.
Cagle has been hired by the school system as a world history and geography teacher at DCHS. He comes to DeKalb County from Jackson County High School in Gainesboro where he served one year as head football coach and U.S. History teacher. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in 2012 from Tennessee Tech.
Cagle and his wife Melanie are from Cookeville and are the parents of two sons, Rylan, five, and one-year-old Evan.
Trapp said that Tiger Pride continues to be the bedrock upon which his team is built.
“I could go on for hours about what Tiger Pride is, but to give you the short version would be simply to say that Tiger Pride is about people. We stress someway every day to our guys that we are going to do what we do to affect people in a great way. Having a group of people come together for that common bond can and is a powerful thing. We ask our guys to put others before themselves and let our actions be the influence that make people have better days and weekends in f we perform great on Friday nights.”
The coach said that DeKalb County fans and parents are the heart of Tiger football.
“As always, I would like to thank our community for supporting us so greatly, and appreciate their attendance and support. I would also like to thank all the parents of our players who go the extra mile to support the program and the coaches. And also all the local media outlets that cover sports and give our players a platform to be recognized.”
