filling in the gaps at sevier county

The Sevier County football team has been no strangers to the playoffs during head coach Steve Brewer’s 15-year tenure with the Class 5A program.

The Smoky Bears reaching the postseason has become customary for their fans and players alike. However, heading into the 2007 campaign, Coach Brewer and company will have their work cut out for them on the topsy-turvy road to the postseason.

The Bears must rely on the leadership of the few remaining pieces left over from last year’s trip to the TSSAA State Playoff’s second round—a 27-14 loss at Ooltewah—but will also have to count on contributions from a select few who have yet to experience the dizzying pressure and excitement of Friday night lights.

Having lost eight defensive starters, and half a dozen position players on offense, the Bears will need to reload quickly.

One of the many gaps to be filled for Sevier County is at quarterback. Occupying former starter Corey Watson’s role in the offensive backfield, as well as on defense and the special teams, will be no easy task to say the least.

Watson was a two-time 1-5A Offensive Player of the Year as a quarterback but also delivered scores of game-changing plays as a kick returner and defensive back.

Providing the leadership and gridiron-intangibles that Watson so effortlessly displayed during his decorated prep career might be even more difficult to duplicate on this year’s squad.

Taking Watson’s place under center, however, is the taller and equally mobile, Taylor Helton.

“Taylor is our quarterback,” said Brewer. “He’s a good passer and he’s really fast. He was on our track and field relay team that made it to the state tournament this spring.”

According to the head coach’s assessment, the Bears might not suffer a great deal of departure from the style they’ve grown used to with someone new leading the offense.

“He can run it as well as throw it,” Brewer said of his senior signal-caller, “and if he will do those two things effectively, he will be very good for our offense.”

Brewer further noted that Helton, who was listed at 6-foot, 167-pounds on an SCHS roster distributed prior to last season, might look and play more like a prototypical ‘drop-back’ quarterback as opposed to the improvisational but exciting style of play that the versatile Watson was known for.

“I think (Helton) has got a better arm,” said Brewer. “That’s not saying that Corey’s arm was bad, Taylor just throws a better ball.

“Sure he’s got some big shoes to fill, but he just needs to do what he does best,” the Smoky Bears head coach continued. “He’s got very good speed, and he’s got a very good arm.

“ He needs to play with confidence, and be the same kind of leader that we’ve had the last couple of years and we will win some games.”

The offensive line will feature a new right side, but the left remains in tact with Will Hewitt at left tackle, Patrick Sutton at left guard, and Steven Michaluk at center.

The three veterans of the trenches will need to share the responsibility of leadership when the Bears possess the pigskin. When others teams have the ball, the Bears’ packages will feature even more new bodies.

Linebackers Andrew Feezel and Daniel Cotter will be joined by Shawn Hodge as the only returning starters on the defensive side of the ball.

“We’ve got some good athletes at linebacker and defensive end,” Brewer commented. “We’ve got to find a few defensive backs and I think we can be good defensively.”

“We won’t be as big defensively, but we will be quicker. I think our talent level on both sides of the ball can win some games if we come out ready to play on Friday nights.”