Every football coach has rules and regulations in which the players and staff must follow, in order for the team to relish in true success.
Mere days before the 2023 campaign begins, and Trigg County pits itself against the Class 2A Murray Tigers during the second stanza of Saturday’s “Lakes Area” Bowl at Perdue Field, Wildcats skipper Chris Ezell relayed his four pillars to the Cadiz Rotary Club.
Four pillars, he said, that were developed after a winter 2022 discussion with Murray State University football coach Dean Hood.
■ TELL THE TRUTH
■ BE ACCOUNTABLE
■ BE RESPONSIBLE
■ LOVE YOUR BROTHER
Ezell called this a “great foundation” for his guys moving forward, and includes with it the need to be able to own mistakes, be on time, do the classwork, take care of priorities away from the field and improve.
“Will the guys be perfect?” he asked. “No.” But following these truths, he said, makes anyone a “valuable asset to any team,” and capable workers in their adult lives.
Prior to fall camp, Ezell had his players exhibit these behaviors by asking them to visit with local businesses — in what was more a measure of good will, and less a measure of solicitation.
On the football side of things, Ezell admitted things are “probably going to be a little bit sloppy early,” and it’s so easy to see why. The Wildcats graduated an impressive swell of talent in 2023, including QB Jacob Wease, RB Kelsey Parham, K Olivia Noffsinger, OL/DL Matt Alex Ladd, TE/LB Ivey Redd, LB Anthony Hall-Johnstone, OL/DL Andrew Hendricks, Anthony Rodriguez, WR/DB Shane Wallace, Trevas Lynch and some other key reserves.
In their place comes some youth, as well as a new starting QB Jerimyah Shearer — who last year had five interceptions as DB, and 35 catches as WR.
Senior WR/DB Jhaden Vaughn, however, is no stranger to the offense. And he’s toting multiple FBS and FCS football offers with expectations of building on his nine touchdowns and 860-plus receiving yards in 2022.
And Ezell notes there’s a lot more help around Vaughn than people think.
Trigg County was a lofty 7-4 last year, but faces a reshaped district for now and the foreseeable future. Ezell confirmed that as the state’s third-smallest Class 3A school and boasting enrollment around 630, the Wildcats had the option to jump down to Class 2A this past summer — when realignment was taking place.
However, that would’ve meant consistent battles with Murray, Mayfield, Caldwell and Owensboro Catholic for regional titles, and teams like Beechwood, Lexington Christian and Middlesboro for class crowns.
That would get a polite “thanks, but no thanks” from any administration, and now Trigg County — in Class 3A since 2011 — plays in one of the rare six-team sorties in the Commonwealth: McLean County, Union County, Hopkins County Central, Webster County and Hancock County.
Ezell said he’s expecting between 42-45 players on the roster to begin the season, and hopes it’s just as many — or more — by year’s end. The goal is a district title, before “seeing what happens” in November, as the bottom two teams don’t get playoff invitations.
From a facilities perspective, Ezell said district leadership has told him that turf is coming in “next week” for the new co-curricular building, and last year the community was able to enjoy a much-needed new press box and some improved parking around the campus.
This new construction, he said, will only create more team opportunity.
The Cadiz Rotary Club often assists youth and seniors of Trigg County, and after being asked the team’s needs, Ezell said the top two priorities including equipment for agility drills and new wooden lockers.
His football staff for 2023: Dixie Jones, Rusty Goble, Nicholas Caruso, David Wease, John Reed, Keno Brown and Doug Gloyd.
Other notes:
— FNB Bank, Kentucky Machine & Engineering and some anonymous donors have their part to play in this weekend’s bowl game, one Ezell said many were “glad to see return.”
— Trigg County finished 14th in the Class 2A RPI in 2022.
— For the first time since 2010, the Wildcats aren’t playing bitter rival Paducah Tilghman, which moved up to 4A this past summer.
2023 SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT SITE TIME
August 19 Murray home 8 PM
August 25 Barren County away 8 PM
September 1 Fort Campbell away 7 PM
September 8 Russellville home 7 PM
September 15 Webster County away 7 PM
September 22 Hancock County home 7 PM
September 29 Union County home 7 PM
October 6 Hopkins County Central home 7 PM
October 13 BYE
October 20 McLean County away 7 PM
October 27 Caldwell County away 7 PM
