BD Newsletter

By Brad Durham

I am grateful for people allowing me to interview them and share some of their views and stories. The McMinnville Introspection series taught me a lot about the town I was born and raised in during my early youth. There are many things to like about McMinnville. There are a lot of good people in McMinnville.

The most viewed letter that I posted this year was the story about Sable Winfree’s dismissal from the Warren County High School Lady Pioneer basketball team. The story has received 11,400 views on my website. Apparently, many people in McMinnville are interested in what happened to Sable Winfree last week. This letter has received over 10 times as many views as my previous most-viewed letter.

How does a coach and principal suspend Sable Winfree on a Monday afternoon, and then the coach plays her in the fourth quarter of a game that night? Every coach knows that when you play a player in a game that you effectively burn that player’s eligibility. Was that something that was done intentionally — to burn Winfree’s eligibility so that she could not transfer and finish her senior year of basketball elsewhere?

When I was in high school (Middlesex School, Concord, MA) , the Dean, Brad Kingman, told me in November of my senior year that I should get off campus. He told me that he had been doing his job for a long time, and that if I stayed on campus the next semester, I would get in trouble and expelled. He said that I would destroy my chances of getting into the college I wanted to attend. He told me to do an independent study somewhere else, and graduate in May.

I respected the Dean. He was my math teacher, assistant football coach, and I had babysat his kids. I went to D.C. the next semester and was a page for Congressman Joe L. Evins and an intern for Senator Howard Baker. Although it was tough to leave friends and not play sports, I had great experiences in D.C. I am still grateful to this day that the Dean cared enough about me to push me to make a change. He also wanted to get me out of his hair, but he cared about me and my future. He had a heart-to-heart talk with me.

Why didn’t someone at Warren County High School care enough about Sable Winfree to intercede and give her positive alternatives? And why would a coach play a player while she was suspended? Were there sufficient grounds to kick Sable Winfree off the team? I do not believe so…

I am grateful for the mentors, friends and experiences I have had in my life. I am grateful to live in McMinnville, Tennessee. I am also grateful that I got to watch Sable Winfree play basketball the past three years, and I hope that I get to see her play again in the near future.

WARREN COUNTY PIONEER PHOTO GALLERY

The 2023 Warren County High School Pioneers football team’s season (1-9) came to an end at Father Ryan High School Friday night in Nashville. Father Ryan (4-6) extends their season next week in the Division II Class AAA State Playoffs. For the Pioneers, it was not the season the team had envisioned back in August, but even when the scoreboard was not in their favor, they refused to quit. The final score was 49-16.

All 16 of Warren County’s points came in the second half, and both touchdowns were setup by turnovers created by the Pioneer defense. Gage Harris made an interception that led to a 10-play, 89-yard drive. Senior Alex van Vuuren completed a 34-yard pass to sophomore Adrian Harris on that drive. Junior Creed Adams rushed for 36 yards over six plays to finish the drive with a 6-yard touchdown run.

The second Pioneer score was setup by senior Aiden Miller’s fumble recovery. The Pioneers offense went on a 79-yard drive in three plays that ended on a 67-yard touchdown run by Adrian Harris. Warren County converted 2-point conversions after both touchdowns to create the total of 16 points. The Pioneers were outscored in the first half by six Father Ryan touchdowns — 42 points.

Father Ryan’s offense benefited from generous field position and turnovers in the opening half. Father Ryan started their first drive for a touchdown from Warren County’s 35-yard line. The Irish blocked a Warren County field goal, and returned it 80-yards for their second touchdown. Father Ryan intercepted a pass and then mounted a drive for their third touchdown. Father Ryan blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown for their fourth touchdown. Warren County faked a punt on fourth down from its own 34-yard line, and failed to make the first down. Father Ryan took possession, and six plays later on a reverse run, the Irish went up 35-0. Next, a bad Warren County punt of 15-yards gave Father Ryan the ball on Warren County’s 33-yard line. The Irish scored three plays later to go up 42-0. Father Ryan’s final score came on the opening drive of the second half. Their second-string put together an 8-play, 67-yard drive that resulted in a 49-0 lead.

After a devastating first half and an opening score in the second half, a major let down by the Pioneers would not have been unexpected. Yet, to the team and coaching staff’s credit, the Pioneers bounced back. After the game, head coach Matt Turner thanked the team for responding to his challenge at halftime to finish strong in the final two quarters. The Pioneers showed determination, which provided a positive response to a blistering first half.

Before leaving the field at the end of the game, defensive coordinator Camron Bond challenged the team to hit the weight room after taking a break from the season. Bond said, “I encourage you to play other sports, but you still need to hit the weight room. If you do not commit to the weight room in the offseason, you have to question your commitment to this program.”

PLAYER COMMENTS

Junior Creed Adams had a gutsy game on both offense and defense. Adams showed some power as a running back. After the game Adams said, “We obviously have to go to work in the offseason. That is my main focus right now. I like playing running back. I asked them if I could, and they let me play there. That touchdown run and drive felt great.”

Junior lineman Xander McCormick has started since his freshman year. He has been a force on defense and has made stops in opponents’ backfields all season. After the game, McCormick said, “That was a strong team. We have to get better and hit the weight room. I have visited some colleges….Kentucky, EKU (Eastern Kentucky), MTSU, and I go to Louisville this weekend.”

FINAL COMMENTS

Father Ryan was what head coach Matt Turner called a “higher caliber” private school team. They did not make mistakes, and Warren County hurt themselves by committing penalties and turning the ball over in the first half. The Pioneers were down by 14 points very quickly in the game.

There are juniors and sophomores who showed grit against Father Ryan and throughout Warren County’s season. Some injured players will heal and be back for next season. The Pioneer faithful owe this year’s seniors a lot of gratitude for continuing to show up and keeping the Pioneer football program alive.

Sophomore Pioneer quarterback, Brady Swallows, No. 12, is being pursued by senior Tullahoma defender Jalen Hill as sophomore Pioneer lineman Xavier Simmons attempts to extend his block.

The Warren County High School Pioneers traveled to Tullahoma Friday night and lost 37-0. The Pioneers were down 7-0 at the end of the first quarter, but fell behind 30-0 by halftime. After receiving the opening kickoff to start the second half, Tullahoma started on their 47-yard line and marched 53 yards in two minutes to go up 37-0. Tullahoma’s second-string played the rest of the game.

Going over the numbers can become like rubbing salt in the wounds. For example, the Pioneers have been outscored by 30 points or more in the last five games. The Pioneers need a break, and fortunately, Warren County’s fall break has officially started.

Commenting about a high school team in this situation purely on a football level misses the central theme of high school athletics. What is the central theme, you may ask? Grant Swallows, the Director of Warren County Schools and the quarterback coach for the Pioneers, articulated the central theme to the team after the game.

Coach Grant Swallows said, “I do want to say something. I love each of you, and I am glad you all put on a Warren County uniform and play for this team. Losing is tough, but you are not defined by this game. Do not walk off this field trying to define yourself by the score tonight. We care about you. We are here to encourage you, and we will continue to push you to work hard. But please remember that we are in this because we want you to be good men and to have good memories.”

Head coach Matt Turner followed Swallows by saying, “Of course you know that I love you, and I want this to be positive for you. I want us all to work hard to give our seniors a good sendoff at home in two weeks. The stands will be full, and our job is to keep those fans in the stands for four quarters. We will keep working on the basics.”

Tullahoma head coach, Coy Sisk said, “Matt Turner and that staff are doing a great job. I know they are playing a lot of young guys. Those guys are doing the best they can. What we have to do is make ourselves better every week. We had 53 records in the weight room this week. We continue to get stronger. I think our scout team did a good job of preparing us this week. That is why we were able to do some of the things we were able to do tonight.”

Tullahoma (6-2) controls their own destiny in terms of their final regional standings. They have a week off as does Warren County, and they end their season with two road games against region opponents, Spring Hill and Shelbyville. If Tullahoma wins out, they will be region champions.

Warren County (1-7) will practice Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday during the fall break. The Pioneers play Wilson Central (3-4) at Nunley Stadium on October 20, which will double as homecoming and senior night. Wilson Central was off this week, and has not won a region game. They play Gallatin on Friday the 13th before coming to McMinnville.

LOOKING GLASS SELF – WHAT WE THINK AND SAY ABOUT PIONEER FOOTBALL COULD BE POSITIVE OR HARMFUL

One day, many years ago when I was in a college sociology class, the professor started talking about the Looking Glass Self theory. It is a theory about how a self-image is shaped that popped into my mind as I was leaving the Tullahoma game.

The concept was Charles Horton Cooley’s theory. The following is an excerpt from one of his books:

A self-idea of this sort seems to have three principal elements: the imagination of our appearance to the other person; the imagination of his judgment of that appearance, and some sort of self-feeling, such as pride or mortification.

— Charles Cooley, Human Nature and the Social Order, p. 152

Losing is tough. I have to remind myself that the Pioneers are high school students. The head coach and the majority of the present staff led the Pioneers to a winning season in 2020. Coaching is not the reason they are losing.

We all want the team to feel the love. When the team is losing, I have to double down and support them. My actions and words may influence how the team feels about themselves as people, not merely as football players and coaches. 

The team is young. They will grow and mature. 70 players recently finished playing football at the middle school. Over 200 kids have played youth football in Warren County this fall. The troops are coming, and a turnaround is both possible and probable. Keep the dream of Warren County football alive with faith and love. Love is patient and kind.

The Warren County High School Pioneer football team traveled to Green Hill High School in Mt. Juliet Friday night and lost 35-0. The Pioneers gave up all 35 points to the Hawks in the second quarter, which set off a series of flashing lights in the stadium after each touchdown. The continuous strobe lights in the stadium after each Green Hill touchdown highlighted the Hawks’ momentum..

Both teams stalled on offense during the first quarter, and Green Hill receivers dropped several passes that could have led to at least one score. After 12 minutes of football, the game was tied 0-0. Considering the past few lopsided losses the Pioneers have experienced, holding Green Hill scoreless during the opening quarter was progress. For a moment, it felt like Warren County had a chance to win the game if they could get some positive yardage and sustain a drive.

A combination of missed tackles by the Pioneers and sure-handed receptions by Green Hills’ receivers turned the Hawks into a scoring machine in the second quarter. The game turned quickly in the Hawks favor. Another fast clock in a Pioneer game started with 1:07 left in the first half when Green Hill went up 35-0. For the record, it was the fourth fast clock in-a-row for the Pioneers which starts when a team is down by 35 points.

Although it was Green Hills’ second unit on the field throughout most of the second half, Warren County held the Hawks scoreless. Footnote: as all Pioneer fans should know by now, many of Warren County’s starters are doing double time as starters on the varsity and JV teams — because they are sophomores. Therefore, holding Green Hill scoreless in the second half should not be dismissed as a meaningless achievement.

Warren County threatened to score near the end of the game, but the drive ended with Green Hill intercepting a Pioneer pass in the end zone. Green Hill ran out the remaining 1:48 running plays as time quickly expired.

Yes, the Pioneers experienced adversity with another lopsided defeat, but as a Green Hill assistant coach said after the game, the Pioneers gave effort to the very end. The young, inexperienced Pioneer players played with intensity.

Coach Turner told his team after the game that facing adversity is making the players better young men. Turner said, “Life without adversity is not worth living. The trials and tribulations you are facing right now are going to make you one heck of a father, one heck of a business leader, one heck of a role model, one heck of a ball coach one day. I believe that in my heart and know that is true. You have to keep it together and stay the course. I have been exactly where you are, and I have spent a lifetime trying to change it. Stay the course! Stay the course! We just have to grow and mature a little bit. As long as we stay the course, we are changing it. You may not believe it. I know we lost 35-0, but we are getting better. If we can put four quarters together next week, we can win. You have to believe that!”

Head coach Matt Turner experienced losing seasons as a high school Pioneer football player. Turner has burned his ship to stay and fight to change Warren County’s 30-plus years of losing football. He helped break the streak in his second year (2020) as a head coach with an 8-4 season. Most of his assistants are former Pioneer football players, and they and the other coaches are in the battle with him.

The high school students playing on the team right now are undoubtedly experiencing the most adversity. They have only seen one Pioneer high school football team achieve a winning season record in their lifetime. None of these players are playing football because they like losing games.

Warren County has three games left. The Pioneers will overcome adversity if they give their best effort. Coach Turner told his team that they all have to look in the mirror and be satisfied with their own individual performance. That not only goes for the players, but for the coaches as well.

If the team is looking for a silver lining in Friday night’s game, they can remember how the first quarter ended 0-0. Next week they travel to Tullahoma (5-2) who is gaining momentum with a three-game winning streak. Playing the best that they can play against Tullahoma will be a significant achievement for the Pioneers after losing six games in-a-row for a 1-6 season record.

Stay the course. Give your best effort. Consistency. Effort. These are virtues that can change the Pioneers’ football history.

Postscript: When Matt Turner talks about facing adversity making you a better person, he is predominantly alluding to his childhood and how his mother’s battle with ALS changed his life — in a positive way. I wrote about Matt Turner’s story that was published in the local newspaper on October 1, 2020. You can read it for free at the Magness Public Library in downtown McMinnville or by clicking on this link which may require a subscription: Matt Turner story.

If Matt Turner had not come back home after completing his football career and graduating from UTC, no one would have blamed him. He came back to help his dad take care of his mother. Turner embraced adversity and turned it into a positive outcome — taking care of his mother. Now he needs all the help and patience he can get to help Pioneer football grow in all three areas…youth football, middle school football and high school football. Stay the course and the positive outcomes will evolve. That is Matt Turner’s sermon to the football faithful in Warren County.

By Brad Durham

After seeing Cookeville beat Warren County (49-7) this past Friday night, I was stunned and searching for answers. Eating popcorn in the stands does not give one a true perspective of what transpires on the football field. Unless you are highly educated in the elements of football, know the plays that are called, know the individual assignments, and observe the team in practice and on film, you are most likely clueless about the particular reasons a team is losing by over 35 points. Clearly, Warren County was not matching up well with their opposition, but the knot in my gut sent me searching for more definitive answers.

I made three choices on Monday and Tuesday to better inform myself. First, I went to watch Warren County’s JV and Freshman games Monday evening against Cookeville at Nunley Stadium. On Tuesday morning, I asked John Olive, former Tullahoma football head coach and current AD questions. The last stop on my search for information was Warren County’s practice on Tuesday, and I interviewed two sophomores and head coach Matt Turner.

There were three revelations in my search for answers. Number one, four JV linemen and the complete JV backfield were all sophomores who started for the varsity on Friday night. Number two, Coach Olive told me that Tullahoma’s varsity once lost on Friday nights and won on Monday nights during JV games with young, inexperienced sophomores. This occurred during Tullahoma’s losing seasons before they won their state championship in 2021. The third revelation was that head coach Matt Turner has faith in his sophomores and offensive line.

Varsity linemen at practice on Tuesday, September 26, 2023.

As I look back 50 years to the Pioneers’ undefeated 1973 schedule, there is a win over Riverdale, 14-0 that pops off the page. That Warren County team was loaded with seniors who had gone 3-6-1 and 4-4-2 the previous two seasons as sophomores and juniors. A turnaround happened when the young kids became seniors.

Both John Olive and Matt Turner were explicitly clear about the difference in a 14-to-15-year-old body and that of a senior who is 17-to-18 years old. It is extremely difficult to win games with a team dominated by young, inexperienced players.

Conclusion: There is a silver lining in the Pioneer’s present losing streak that should continue throughout the season. Sophomores and freshmen are gaining valuable experience and maturing. Yes, the losing is shaking their self-confidence, but they are doing well against peers their own age in JV games. The young players hard work and suffering on Friday nights should produce positive outcomes once they become juniors and seniors.

A transformation to a competitive, winning season in the future is possible. Head coach Matt Turner has faith in his young players. They are learning and growing every week, although the scoreboard may not be in their favor. Significant learning is happening each day in practice and twice a week in varsity and JV games. There is no reason to hit the panic button and assume Warren County is headed toward another three decades of losing seasons. 

Other reasons to be hopeful and to expect a turnaround in the Pioneers future is the growing number of football players at the middle school and in the new youth program. Read below and watch the entire interview with Coach Turner to get a better sense of what he thinks about football in Warren County. 

THE INTERVIEWS

Sophomores Isaiah Robledo left and Brady Swallows on the right – Tuesday, September 26, 2023.

Sophomore Isaiah Robledo is an outstanding athlete who plays wingback and is a playmaker. He is exciting to watch in varsity games because on every play he has the potential to turn any play into a touchdown. Pound-for-pound, he is as good as any athlete on the field. As many people have said, he plays “bigger” than his size. 

BD Newsletter: How do you feel about playing varsity and JV games back-to-back?

Isaiah Robledo: I think it is fun. There is totally different competition, but varsity is harder. I am working my way up. The JV games are easier because you are used to going against harder competition in varsity games. It is fun with JV games to win and put points on the board. 

You can view the Robledo’s interviews below.

Brady Swallows was forced into a starting role earlier this season when senior quarterback Alex van Vuuren suffered a season-ending injury. Swallows has all the tools to be a great high school football quarterback. He is improving each week, and he is dedicated to becoming an exceptional quarterback.

BD Newsletter: You are a sophomore who was forced into a starting position on the varsity, what does that feel like and what are you trying to do right now to be the quarterback on this team?

Brady Swallows: You don’t expect it to happen the way it did. It is not good, but when you are thrown in there, you have to slow yourself down and prepare each week. Once you get used to that speed, it slows down every week. You have to keep getting better week after week. You have three years to learn and get better. 

You can view the Swallow’s interview below.

Head coach Matt Turner is in his fifth year as the Warren County High School football coach. Turner played at Warren County and was a starter at UTC, and returned home after graduation. Turner kept the Pioneer team together after it had reached a low of 32 high school players. He coached his second team to an 8-3 regular season record in 2020. He is optimistic about the state of Warren County football from the high school down to the youth program.

Head Coach Matt Turner, staff and team at practice on Tuesday, September 26, 2023.

BD Newsletter: Coach Turner, how do you feel about playing all these young guys…a lot of sophomores. Pretty much the entire offense line is playing varsity and JV games back-to-back. What is the benefit of that, and what do you believe is happening in your program?

Coach Matt Turner: We played all our sophomores and one or two juniors (in the JV game Monday night) who are new to the game or need that experience. They get to play six quarters (JV games are two quarters), and we need to take advantage of that. I told Coach Hennigan (Cookeville’s head coach) that he was going to see the same backfield that he saw Friday night. 

The benefit for these kids…is the bridge that I feel as though we have missed for so long in Warren County…getting numbers in the program. The 6A programs we are trying to compete against have a true freshman program. They have upwards of 50-60 freshmen. That is the Mt. Juliets, Oaklands and Green Hills of the world. Then they have a JV that is mainly made up of sophomores and maybe some new or inexperienced juniors. That makes a full JV team of 30-40 kids. Then you have seniors and juniors who make up your varsity football team. 

This year we have nine seniors. Of course, we have had a few injuries including our QB1, a young man who was becoming a leader. We are now putting together a varsity football team on Friday nights with primarily a JV squad. Winning is contagious and so is losing. I feel as though we have had to do this for so long, that is one of the ingredients that has put us in this situation…if that makes any sense. That is why we have been so bad for so long.

I feel as though we have never really established that true freshman program, a true junior varsity program and a varsity program. When I took over this program, there was 32 varsity players 9-12. There were no freshmen. There was no JV. We have a core of kids who do not get to play against their peers — people their same age, same maturity, same body chemistry. We have had to throw them into the fire on Friday nights when they are playing 18-year-old men.

Gallatin was so much bigger and looked more mature than us. Some of our seniors fit right in there, but that is only a handful of the 11 players on the field. So, it was nice to give the sophomores a chance to play against peers their same age – just to remind them that they are doing the right things and can be successful.

It was 50 to nothing against Cookeville (JV game), and they had a young freshman backup quarterback on the JV. They could not get a lot of center-to-QB exchanged. But neither could we on Friday night in the varsity game. We turned over the ball on the first play from scrimmage. A lot of that is because our young guys are just learning, and we are not giving them that opportunity to learn. 

We have to play them on Fridays, but playing on Monday (JV games) gives them the opportunity to have some success and some positive confidence.

I should have done that earlier in the year. We struggle here in the county in a rural area. I feel like Sparta has the same issue. A lot of freshmen have to play, but not so many on JV because they are having to play varsity. Of course, I don’t want to play my starting quarterback on JV and possibly get him hurt, but I feel like giving him some confidence outweighs the chances of getting him hurt.

They should be playing against kids their same age and maturity. People don’t realize the difference between a sophomore and a junior and a sophomore and a senior maturity gap.

That is a gap I have to learn how to build and fill. I am not for playing an out-of-region schedule, but it would be nice to have a year of playing both freshman football and JV football. 

BD Newsletter: Coach Matheny has more players coming out at the middle school and you have a youth league. That will help fill the gaps over time and develop properly.

Coach Turner: No doubt. Right now, we have 150 plus kids playing youth football. Coach Matheney is pushing 75-80 kids. We have about 35 freshmen, and we have about 45-50 varsity players. 

BD Newsletter: That is right over 300 kids playing football in Warren County.

You can view the entire interview with Coach Turner below.

A TURNAROUND IS POSSIBLE FOR WARREN COUNTY FOOTBALL

Coach Turner believes that it will take longer than four-to-five years to bring to fruition the development of real freshmen, JV and varsity programs. Turner believes the youth program will continue no matter who is the head coach at the high school. Turner believes there is a system in place that will continue and feed into the middle school, which will feed into the high school. 

Coach Matt Turner believes that he must stay the course. He wants to trust the system and give the youth, middle, freshman, JV and varsity programs time to evolve. More experience at every level of competition will pay dividends over time.

The most successful programs across the state have large numbers of kids participating in youth football. For example, Tullahoma presently has 500 kids in their youth program. Maryville’s youth program has thrived for decades, and many say that it is a major reason Maryville has been so successful. Oakland has strong youth and middle school programs. 

A turnaround can happen in Warren County football’s future. Pioneer football needs stability at the head coach position. Matt Turner has laid the foundation for a successful program. What Warren County needs now is consistency that allows football to grow and develop at each of these three levels: youth, middle and high school.