2008

CheathamStressesWinningAttitudeAs ECCC

have their first opportunity at"\\ inning" a football game \\hen the \Varnors tra\el to Coahoma Community College on l'hur'iday, August 28. K1ckol1' is set lor 7 p m. on the C larksdale campus. bast C'entml defeated the ·rigers 32-21 to conclude the Wamor~ · 3- (, campaign in :!007. The Coahoma squad is coached by former \\';ardor assb.tant Freeman Horton. a former football standout at the Uniwrsity (lf Southern Mississippi and Lal..c lligh School. Cheatham, a fom1er h1gh school head coach, sa1d he 1s "cxc1ted but a little nervous" about leading a college football program for the first time. Ilc docs have experience on the college level, hav– mg served as a graduate assistant at Clemson University and most recently as director of football opcrallons for Coach Da\'id Cutcli!T at the University of Mis– sissippi. l-Ie said being named head coach took h1m by ~urprisc. "I dtd notc'\pect th1s (pro– motion) to happen ..I JUst wanted to be an assistant coach, fin1sh out my time.

"Win baby win!" That phra~c is mostly at· nbutcd to AI Da\is. owner of the NFI )akland Raiders. ~ The same s logan can heap 1lied to the 2008 F.ast Central Commu– uty College lootball squad. Bu! lirst-year Jc,ttJ coad1 Steve Cheatham said winning 'on the fidd" is JUst part of the equation. , , ··,we ~vant ou~ players to not mly be winners on the scorebuard blll also n the classroom and in c\eryday lifi.:," sa1d he 30-year coachmg vcteran 'That's\\ hy \C have adopted as this year's slogan, Winnmg Is An All-The-Time lhtng,'and .vc arc stressing that fact to our players." Cheatham, who tool.. over he Wltrrior football program at nmf-year ollowing the resignation of his former IO'is, Terry Underwood. said "\'>inning ;ames" is the result of a ''winning alii· ude." "lfyou can be a winner in til you do, especially\\ hen no one is look– ng," Cheatham explained. "then good hings will be the result." · Cheatham and his squad will

have fun and enJOY coaclung," Cheatham stated. "We've had a lot to learn in a short period of time und I certainly want to thank Coach Underwood lor his help in the transition. I learned u lot from him.'' The Warriors began fall workouts 111 shorts on Wednesday. Au– gust 6 and put on the pads for the first time the lilllowmg Saturday. Eighty-one players origm;1lly competed for the 63- man ro:.ter. "Practices have gone very '1-vell," Cheatham said. "Our guys arc in decent shape and arc physically a better football team thanlu'>t year. We also seem to be a lot stronger." This year's squad is also a little less experienced Twenty-three lettermen are gone from 2007 and onJy 14 letter-winners return. Severn I fn.~hmen arc listed as starters. "We'll probably have three freshmen that w ill ~tart ..all are very good player<; and u couple of them were here for spnng" orl..outs," said Cheatham One such freshman ts Emmanunl Taylm, a product of Early County 1-1 igh Schoo l in Blakely, Ga.. who

complexity ofthe offense- from a pow~;r football team to a spread-finesse team but our ltnemcn have adjusted well to the change. I really thin!.. the new scheme fils them a little better." Dcfcnsivdy. top returnees include ends, Josh Le~ is (6-5. 235) of Tuscaloosa County an~ Vonzdl Jackson (6-3, 240) ofAlice\ ille (~a.) lligh Sch1'<1l; lincbacl.crs, Harvey ~own (5-.10, 1.'5) of Nco;hoba Central. Randy Carter f6-l, I9R) ofQuitm:m and Ailtbonv 1\tcOonald (5-11. ?34) of 71 •' High School, Fayettevtllc, N C.: nnd defensive hack, Bruce Williams (6-4, 190) of Ridgcland Sopho1111)rc Jason fairley (5- I I, 285) of Collins and freshman Ja,mes Brown (6-4, 302) of Tuscaloosa Central arc the top contenders :1t the defensive tackle posi– tiOns "Our defensive front is re– ally doing well," Cheath~ sa1d. "We were kmd ofworried when (nose guard) llenry Scoll (of Will Rogers High School in Tulsa, OK) lcflthc team for disciplinary reasons, but we've got two freshmen • Jeremy Johnson (6-2, 280) of Lake and Percv Callaway (6-3, 308) of Central

Warriors Prepare for Season Academy is the center and long snapper. Sophomore Ou~tin Alley (6'. 196) of Union Grove Iligh School. McDonough, Ga.• will be the holder for extra points and field goals Langston, Estelle. May and Ricks \\ill return pun to; and l..i~.:koffs. Scr\'lng a-; Cheatham's as– si-.tants are James 1\.lillcr, assistant head coach und dcfcnswe coordinator; Brian Anderson, olfcnsivc coordinator; Fred Lyons. defensive Iinc coach; Kyle Watson, onensivc line coach and special teams CO· ordinator: and Derek Pouncey, wide re– ceivcr:; coach . "We've got a great group ofguys on statr:· Cheatham stated. "We enjoy wor~i~~ !£gCther every day."