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RUTLEDGE – There will be a great many holes to fill for the Grainger Grizzlies this season due to graduation losses in 2022 but the Grizzlies feel they are up to the task.

“We’ve gotten some kids to come out this year who didn’t play last year that we’re excited about,” third year head coach Michael Manis said of this edition of the Grizzlies. “We’re kind of going to be the same downhill running football team, but it’s going be a little different this year. We’re going have to rely more on our quarterback run game this year and also, you’re going to probably see some more perimeter routes with our receivers and slots and a lot of boot action, waggles and run action things out of our run game. We have to try to get our guys the ball in space.”

Grainger will be breaking in a new quarterback this season and that competition is between Luke Davis and Carter Williams. With a new person under center, offensive line play will be crucial and Manis said he is seeing progress from his team at that position. “We have felt really comfortable with the offensive line, we’ve had some guys that played before just because of injury and other things. We only have one true returning guy. We’ve moved some guys that were either running backs or fullbacks with us last year and moved them to offensive line. We are really athletic but not very big even though we are anchored on the outside by two really big tackles. They’re getting comfortable and getting coached hard every day. I don’t think they quite understand how much we need them or want to hang on them throughout the season. We had a great film session in practice and it was just them by themselves with our H backs and we kind of just hammered on a lot of guys that everything you do is critical just because of what we’re doing on offense and having young guys back there and new guys on the outside. It’s going to have to be nearly perfect for us to function well.”

The Grizzlies’ defense will have a new look this season according to Manis. “With our defensive scheme, we went to a 4-2-5 as we were kind of looking for something a little different. Just trying to get six guys in the box and then we just kind of looked at our roster and these guys that are coming in to play ball are freshmen moving up to sophomores and we’ve run out of linebackers. I mean we were struggling to find linebackers and then on top of that, we looked at our defensive line and offense line on our roster and we’re fairly big. We’re six foot, 270 and it’s across the board, we have a lot of depth there, some guys with some size and then we’ve got athletes to come out on the back end. So we were like let’s lose a backer or replace it with another safety and then we’ll play four defensive linemen this year. That’s not where we were going to go when we started talking about changing but it’s kind of where we ended up at and we really liked it through Spring practice and so far this summer.”

The Grizzlies finished 6-5 last season and advanced to the first round of the TSSAA playoffs. While the post-season is a place Grainger finds itself most years, senior Hunter Mallicoat said he wants to take that at least one step further. “As a senior, you want to go big and you want to win. I want to win state of course but in reality, all I want to do is win one playoff game. To do that we have to work harder than we did last year and we have to get better.”

One of the senior leaders in 2023 will be Brody Wells who has a ton of playing experience under his belt. “We have a lot of good skill players and a lot of good offensive linemen. We have a lot of leaders and a leader really isn’t defined by age but it’s how you work and how you show people the right way to do things,” Wells said.

District realignment took place at the end of last year and two new members of the league will make their appearance this season in the form of Cherokee and Northview Academy. The Chiefs were in Grainger’s district several years ago and the Cougars have faced Grainger in each of the past two seasons in non-conference matchups. Throw in perennial powers Greeneville and Elizabethton and the race for the playoffs will be an interesting one Manis said. “It’s going to be a mad dash for those last two spots but I really feel like if we play really well, we can be really competitive. Our kids are competitive and if we play really well, we’re going to have the opportunity to win some ball games this year but on the flip side, if we don’t, there’s a chance we’re going to lose some. Every week is going to be very important for us.”

Manis said he wants to keep things light but focused with his team this year when asked of his expectations. “Just having fun and flying around and hitting people the mouth honestly. I mean, that’s kind of how these kids are. They are good guys and are funny and they play hard for you. I really want us to be the most physical and disciplined team out on the field. I feel like we have a chance to do that because the style of play that we play on offense and what we’re kind of doing on defense. We are trying to get those new guys to buy in to how we play and I think it’s going to take a little bit to get there but I think we’ll get there eventually.”

The Grizz will lift the lid on their season on August 18 when they host Claiborne.