TSSAA Playoffs Semifinals: Intriguing Prospect Matchups

<p>As the semifinal round of the TSSAA playoffs are upon us, there are intriguing matchups in every public school classification, including several individual prospect matchups that could generate added excitement surrounding the postseason matchup.</p>   <p>The private schools have a bye week to prepare for the state championships as they have one less round, but this week will be filled with exciting games for public schools with a trip to the state championship on the line.</p>   <p>These individual matchups will be among the biggest inside the state to watch in the second round of the bracket this week</p>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2027 WR [player_tooltip player_id='817933' first='Jamir' last='Dean'] (Alcoa) vs 2026 CB [player_tooltip player_id='1181026' first='Zaydyn' last='Anderson'] (Greeneville)</h2>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='817933' first='Jamir' last='Dean'] is still one of the most underrated recruits in the entire state and even the nation. He has a big, strong build that is able to bring in any target into his large frame while not sacrificing the versatility to be moved around the formation for Alcoa.</p>   <p>Tennessee athlete commit [player_tooltip player_id='1181026' first='Zaydyn' last='Anderson'], who plays both receiver and corner for Greeneville, will make plays on offense as he is an explosive playmaker, but perhaps the most important part of the game for him will be containing a strong Alcoa receiver core with the star being Dean.</p>   <p>Anderson is a larger defensive back in his own right, but his best traits center around his explosiveness, so this will be an intriguing high-leverage matchup for the senior before he heads off to play cornerback on Rocky Top.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/2HYPEsports/status/1984407326284030168?s=20 </div></figure>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2026 RB [player_tooltip player_id='1587357' first='Omarion' last='Starnes'] (Pearl-Cohn) vs 2026 DL [player_tooltip player_id='889227' first='Yahya' last='Gaad'] (South Gibson)</h2>   <p>Pearl-Cohn is a team that has always looked to run the ball with a big, powerful tailback and that is no different this season with senior [player_tooltip player_id='1587357' first='Omarion' last='Starnes'], who has been the anchor of their offense and team.</p>   <p>Perhaps they matched up better with Springfield, but instead will now have to deal with a physical South Gibson front with strong size that will look to make Pearl quarterback LJ Funk throw the ball for the entire game instead.</p>   <p>That South Gibson defensive line is led by 2026 Wisconsin commit [player_tooltip player_id='889227' first='Yahya' last='Gaad'] who has very good size for the position, standing around 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds with the athleticism and physicality to make big plays happen from anywhere along the line of scrimmage.</p>   <p>The battle of the Pearl-Cohn rushing offense against the South Gibson rushing defense could determine the outcome in a game that could be filled with a handful of twists and turns.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/yahyagaad5/status/1974478280347546071?s=20 </div></figure>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2026 RB [player_tooltip player_id='856867' first='Craig' last='Tutt'] (Oakland) vs 2027 DT [player_tooltip player_id='1648682' first='James' last='Stewart'] (Blackman)</h2>   <p>Continuing the trend of running back against top defensive line, the rematch of Oakland v. Blackman might feature the most crucial one to the final outcome of the game.</p>   <p>These two title contenders from Rutherford County met earlier this season and well... Oakland won 32-0.</p>   <p>In that game, [player_tooltip player_id='856867' first='Craig' last='Tutt'] and the Patriots were able to gameplan their option-based rushing attack around the disruptive defensive tackle [player_tooltip player_id='1648682' first='James' last='Stewart'] and it halted any momentum that Blackman had on defense heading into that game.</p>   <p>It will be important for the Blaze to get their breakout defensive lineman in favorable positions to bring down the Ole Miss commit in Tutt consistently enough throughout the game to give Blackman a chance to win the game.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/connersmith04/status/1981881076953108535?s=20 </div></figure>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Southwind OL vs 2026 LB [player_tooltip player_id='1373099' first='Matthew' last='Anderson'] (Ravenwood)</h2>   <p>This might be one of the more intriguing team matchups in the semifinals as a pair of prolific offenses battle it out with a berth to the state championship on the line.</p>   <p>The matchup in this game will be to watch how much Ravenwood senior linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1373099' first='Matthew' last='Anderson'], who has been one of the best defenders in the state this season, can disrupt the explosive Southwind offense.</p>   <p>The duties of protecting standout quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='480742' first='Kelvin' last='Perkins'] and establishing rushing lanes will be on the offensive line, but the Southwind coaching staff should trust the tallent that they have on both lines of scrimmage, including on offense.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1159814' first='Antonio' last='Keefer'] and [player_tooltip player_id='378854' first='Chris' last='Campbell'] are a great tackle-guard duo and give this front a plethora of size, athleticism, and natural ability. Will it be enough to slow down Ravenwood and their defense? That is the question that could decide the outcome of this game.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/AAKeefer/status/1974145780828287406?s=20 </div></figure>

As the semifinal round of the TSSAA playoffs are upon us, there are intriguing matchups in every public school classification, including several individual prospect matchups that could generate added excitement surrounding the postseason matchup.