The Five: Early Season Team Distress

As we head into Week Five of the 2021 season, we have several teams that went into the year with big expectations but have started off slow and could be on the verge of playing themselves out of playoff contention. The five teams listed below don't have to panic just yet as plenty of games and opportunities remain to right the ship but they must get on it soon or postseason play is out of the conversation. 1. Independence Eagles (1-3) - Class 6A-Region 7 - Nobody in this state has had to play the kind of teams Independence has faced thus far, so it's understandable as to why they are 1-3 but with the region they are in, the Eagles must get things right soon or they might find themselves at home when postseason play cranks up. Through the 1st four games, Independence has faced CPA, Lipscomb Academy and Pope Prep, which are three state title contending teams, loaded with Power Five, D1 talent. It was a tough start season for the Eagles but they have plenty of firepower to turn things around. Led by senior (QB) [player_tooltip player_id="150811" first="Joseph" last="Cummings"] and Ohio St. commit, [player_tooltip player_id="102275" first="Ty" last="Lockwood"], the Eagles have a potent offense that can put up a lot of points and help stack together several wins but the defense must step up and limit the big plays and do better at helping keep their offense in the game. While the schedule does lighten up just a little, Independence still has big games looming with region foes Brentwood, Summit and the season finale with Ravenwood. The path is not easy for the Eagles but the talent is there to play better football and earn a spot in the 2021 Tennessee State Playoffs. 2. Nolensville Knights (1-3) - Class 5A-Region 6 - It was expected going into the season that Nolensville could have a few growing pains early as they had some new players fitting into new roles but they also have plenty of talent that we didn't think the Knights would be 1-3 right now, sporting a defense giving up more than 30 points a game but that is the case. Nolensville is dealing with several issues right now and in multiple areas that have to get things fixed asap before the season runs away from them. Over on offense, the Knights have performed quite well, led by junior quarterback Coby Walton and star receiver [player_tooltip player_id="102226" first="Chance" last="Fitzgerald"] but they have had to play catch up mostly this year and there could come a point in time where they run out of gas. The defense has to step up and play better football. If the Knights can find a semblance of balance on both sides of the ball, they can turn this season around as their schedule does ease up and provide chances for multiple wins but that must happen soon as Week 5 and the midway point is here. 3. Hillsboro Burros (0-4) - Class 5A-Region 5 - A new football season with a new head coach can go in different ways but thus far for the Burros, the 2021 year hasn't been too kind to them and things won't be easy going forward. Whether it's been on offense or defense, Hillsboro has struggled. Finding consistency right now is the biggest thing for the Burros and they must find it soon or the postseason won't have Hillsboro a part of it. Out of all the teams listed here, Hillsboro might be the one that doesn't turn their season around and that's not due to any one thing in particular but multiple things. This is a new era of Burros football under head coach [player_tooltip player_id="101999" first="Anthony" last="Brown"] and it's a youthful Burros team that has a lot of players learning on the fly. They do have some top level talent in defensive backs [player_tooltip player_id="101988" first="Mikeece" last="Jones"] and junior [player_tooltip player_id="133432" first="Syncere" last="Safeeullah"] but others around them have yet to step up this year and provide complimentary play. The glimmer of hope for the Burros is that they have yet to lose a region game but have contests looming with region contenders Green Hill, White Co. and Mt. Juliet. Opportunities are there to right the ship but it must get started this week at home vs. those Hawks from Green Hill. 4. Anderson Co. Mavericks (1-3) - Class 4A-Region 2 - The Mavs have had a tough start to their 2021 season after coming into the year with high expectations and a talented team worthy of making a deep postseason run. Thus far through four games, the Mavs have faltered, losing contests to Powell, Science Hill and last Friday, 35-33 to Rhea County. The loss to the Panthers in Game One is understandable but the other two are games the Mavericks should have won, based on talent alone but that wasn't the case. The season isn't over but Anderson Co. must right the ship quickly if they plan to be a part of the Class 4A playoffs. The good thing for the Mavs is that they have a talented team and an offense that can put up points in a hurry, led by senior standouts [player_tooltip player_id="102116" first="Zach" last="Shannon"] and [player_tooltip player_id="102120" first="Sully" last="Sexton"], along with junior gunslinger [player_tooltip player_id="102284" first="Walker" last="Martinez"]. The next three games will be huge for the Mavs as they have South Doyle, Elizabethton and Carter upcoming and they are formidable teams that will Anderson Co. all they can handle. I can see the season being defined one way or another for the Mavs over the next three weeks, so we shall see! 5. Oak Ridge Wildcats (1-3) - Class 5A-Region 3 - Some of the best talent from the East Tennessee region resides on this Wildcats team but yet they have begun their season at 1-3 and they have a hard schedule the remainder of the way. After an away game against Lenoir City and a bye week, they face a gauntlet of Powell, Greeneville, Karns and Dobyns-Bennett. Those are four playoff contending teams that all present a tough challenge for Oak Ridge, especially if they haven't fixed their problems headed out of their bye week. The Wildcats need to figure out what their strengths are and lean on them going forward and that should be a potent rushing attack, led by senior [player_tooltip player_id="101990" first="Kendall" last="Jackson"] and ultra quick junior [player_tooltip player_id="102256" first="Jai" last="Hundley"]. They should also lean on a defense with senior linebacker [player_tooltip player_id="102130" first="Jacob" last="Berven"] and other veterans around him to take up some slack from an offense that has been inconsistent thus far. The talent is there for the Wildcats to turn their season around but they must refocus and take one game at a time as they try to work themselves back into playoff contention. Other Teams of Note: MBA (1-3), FRA (1-3), MTCS (1-3), Brentwood (1-3), White Station (1-3), Knox. Central (1-3), Henry Co. (1-3), Lexington (1-3), Gatlinburg-Pittman (1-3, Brainerd (1-3), Rockwood (1-3), East Robertson (1-3)