With a new coach in former Fort Campbell head man Josh Robins, and a big chunk of last season’s 6-5 team gone through graduation, Todd County Central enters the 2020 season with some question marks. The Rebels lose 14 seniors, including quarterback Bryce Nolan (49/109, 1,037 yards, 12 TD, 9 int.), running back J’Twan Graham (147/1,243 yards, 12 TD, 113 ypg.), and wide receiver DJ Johnson (16 catches/ 41 yards, 7 TD). Wide receiver Kimahri Briggs will also need to be replaced, along with G/DT Jonathan Flores, TE Todd Ewick, and a lot of the Rebels’ size up front. On the defensive side, Tanner McQuiston leads the exodus after pacing the team with 74 tackles and 3 recovered fumbles.
Week 1 – Calloway County
The Rebels will once again open the season facing the Lakers, after knocking them off 21-20 last season in Murray. The 1-10 Lakers couldn’t slow down the Rebels’ ground attack last year, allowing 286 yards. Bryce Nolan was efficient at QB, completing 5 passes, with 3 finding DJ Johnson for scores. The Lakers didn’t do a lot offensively, with Jacob Watters leading the way with 84 yards and a touchdown on 16 rushes. Watters is one of 10 seniors coach Chris Champion will be tasked with replacing.
Week 2 – Fort Knox
The scene at Fort Knox during the Rebels’ week two visit last season was one of the strangest the state could offer. The game was pushed back an hour and a half before both teams took the field for warmups. As kickoff neared and the National Anthem was played, it became clear something was missing. No officials would arrive, and the crowd was sent home with a PA announcement that there would be no game that night. Fort Knox appealed to the KHSAA to avoid being saddled with a forfeit, but the Rebels were eventually awarded a 1-0 win. This season’s meeting in Elkton should be interesting.
The Eagles only graduate 7 seniors, but that includes quarterback James Rowsey (1.021 yards, 10 TD 6 Int.), and WR/CB Sidney Gradney, the team leader in catches (25) yards receiving (466), and touchdowns (7), while also leading the Eagles in tackles with 67.
Week 3 – Fort Campbell
Coach Robins returns to the sidelines at Fort Campbell, but he’ll be leading the Rebels from the visitor side of Fryar Stadium on post. The Rebels won last season’s meeting 51-27, with Graham plowing through the Falcon defense to the tune of 210 yards and two touchdowns.
Like the Rebels, the Falcons will be relying on some new faces on offense this season after a 1-10 record in 2019, with QB Matthew Middleton and WR Jordan Edwards both graduating after connecting for 7 touchdowns last season. Junior Conner Brinkmeyer is a key returnee on offense after tallying 423 yards rushing for 3 touchdowns, while fellow juniors Greysen Meyer and Ethan Tomerlin are back on the defensive side of the ball.
Week 4 – Hopkins County Central
The Rebels will be in Morton’s Gap on September 11, facing a Hopkins County Central team stumbling under the weight of a 16-game losing streak dating back to 2018. Todd County cruised last season in Elkton, rolling to 421 yards rushing as a team, with 3 touchdowns for Graham and a couple for Flores.
If the Rebels are going to extend the Storm’s misery this season, they’ll need to find a way to stop QB Adrian Stringer. Stringer torched the Todd County secondary for 368 yards and 5 scores, although all the TD throws were hauled in by senior Blasin Moore. Moore’s 1,115 yards receiving and 9 TDs will be missed, along with the offensive contributions of fellow senior WRs Colin Rodgers and Jaxon Winn.
On the defensive side, the Storm lose Devon Alshire’s team-high 27 solo tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks. A player for the Storm defense to build around in 2020 would be Konner Harrison, who led the team with 85 total tackles as a freshman.
Week 5 – Caverna
Todd County rolled to 5-0 on the year with a 57-27 win over visiting Caverna, dragging the Colonels all over the field on the way to 545 yards rushing and 5 touchdowns. Nolan ran for 168 yards and 4 scores, and the Rebels had four runners break 100 yards.
Caverna doesn’t appear well positioned for this season’s meeting in Horse Cave either, with the Colonels losing 11 seniors off a 27-player roster. The biggest loss is quarterback Drew Rhodes, who threw for 219 yards and 2 scores while running for a 116 and two more touchdowns in the loss in Elkton. Also gone is the Colonels’ top receiver, Zyier Yates, who made 7 catches for 111 yards and 2 scores against the Rebels.
Week 6 – Owensboro Catholic
After starting the season at 5-0 for the first time since 1974, the Rebels fell to the visiting Aces 48-24, beginning a four loss in five game stretch to close the regular season. O Cath would also end the Rebels’ season in the first round of the 2A playoffs, with senior QB Drew Hartz throwing for over 650 yards and 9 touchdowns over the two meetings.
Todd County will also be glad to have seen the last of Aces’ senior Hagan Edge, who found the end zone 4 times in the regular season matchup, while making 8 catches for 141 yards in the playoff victory. However, O Cath still has difference makers returning. Junior Dre Thruston ran for just under 200 yards and a touchdown in the two meetings, while also making 8 catches for over 130 yards and a score. On the defensive side, junior linebacker Christopher Boarman returns after posting 36 tackles, 6 for loss, with a couple of sacks in the two victories over the Rebels.
Week 8 – Butler County
After a week off, the Rebels return to action on October 9 when they host Butler County. The teams met last season in a cold, driving rain in Morgantown, with the Rebels stomping the Bears 44-6. Todd County didn’t even attempt a pass, rolling up 421 rushing yards led by Graham’s 207 yards and 4 touchdowns. The Bears passing attack was bogged down in the wind and rain, and they only gained 232 yards of offense on the night.
However, the best days appear to be ahead for Butler County. With only 3 players lost to graduation, the Bears bring back QB Jagger Henderson after a sophomore season with over 1,600 yards passing and 15 TDs, to go with 326 yards on the ground and 8 more scores. Solomon Flener, another sophomore, was Henderson’s favorite target, making 44 catches for 708 yards and 8 TDs. Junior Bryar Beasley chipped in 26 receptions for 454 yards and 5 TDs, while Landon Binion returns to anchor the Bears’ defense after a junior season with 93 total tackles, 8 for loss, and a couple of sacks.
Week 9 – Hancock County
The Rebels and Hornets met in week 7 in 2019, but will face off two weeks later, on October 16, this season. The 36-18 win over Todd County was Hancock County’s second in a row, but would prove to be their last on the way to a 3-8 record.
The Hornets didn’t produce much offense, but they didn’t need to, holding Todd County to only 195 total yards with 5 interceptions. Youth was served in 2019 for the Hornets, with freshman Cole Dixon appearing in 11 games at QB and running for 322 yards with 5 TDs, and fellow freshman Xander Early leading the team with 809 yards on 140 carries with 6 touchdowns. Another freshman, Austin Volocko, had two interceptions and returned one for a score in last season’s meeting. Junior Darian Clay, who ran for 64 yards and two scores against the Rebels last season, will return, along with junior Lukas Garrison, who led the team with 104 tackles. Running back Tristan Robbins also returns, after running for 571 yards with 6 TDs as a junior.
Week 10 – McLean County
The final away game of the regular season comes at McLean County on October 23. The Cougars took a 30-6 halftime advantage on the way to a 46-20 win to spoil Senior Night in Elkton last season. Graham rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown, while sophomore Preston Moore flashed his potential with 7 catches for 115 yards and a score, but it wasn’t enough to overcome McLean County junior FB/LB Andrew Munster and a balanced Cougar running attack that yielded 327 yards.
Munster rushed for 17 touchdowns on the season, while leading the team in tackles with 201, including 12.5 for loss, and 5.5 sacks. Senior quarterback Peyton Caraway graduates after connecting on 10/23 passes, 411 yards, and 3 touchdowns, while also running for 874 yards and 8 scores. The Rebels will also be pleased not to see RB Landen Capps in the backfield this season. Capps graduated after leading the Cougars with 1,152 yards and 115 yards per game, while his 14 touchdowns were second.
After upsetting Owensboro Catholic in the second round of the 2A state tournament, the Cougars ended the season with a 41-6 loss to eventual champion Somerset.
Week 11 – Fulton County
Crittenden County comes off the schedule this season, while Fulton County was added for the final week of the regular season. The Pilots come off a similar 2019 to the Rebels, winning five of their first six games, before dropping four of the last five. The season came to an end with a 32-27 loss to Russellville in the opening round of the 1A postseason.
The run-heavy Pilots lose senior RB Caleb Kimble, who led the team with 1,770 yards rushing and 24 touchdowns. QB Jerome Warren also graduates, after completing 45/93 passes for 723 yards and 9 TDs. However, talent remains with junior Broc Bridges and sophomore Jequan Warren combining for 8 receiving touchdowns. On the defensive side, Dylan Hammond returns after leading the team with 78 tackles, 20 for loss, with 9.5 sacks during his junior season. Fellow junior Tyler Love was second in each category, with 74.5 tackles, 16.5 for loss, and 6.5 sacks.
