With 15 starters back and a couple of newcomers expected to make an impact, Hopkinsville has some lofty expectations heading into the 2020 football season.
The Tigers were 8-4 last year with three of the losses decided by a total of 14 points. And two of those setbacks were at the hands of Madisonville.
Hoptown could very well see the Maroons twice again this year in the Class 4A landscape.
The Tiger offensive line features three seniors and averages 240 pounds across as they look to improve on last year’s 30 points and 328 yards per game average.
Seniors Justin Banks, Brandon McCarley, and Zach Trice will be joined by William Hughes and Tyler Jones.
The quarterbacking reins will be handed to junior Treyvon Jefferson. The 6-4, 210-pounder attended middle school at Hoptown before making stops in Clarksville and Florida. Jefferson is already receiving college interest including a summer offer from Eastern Kentucky.
He inherits an offense that returns its stats leaders at every position.
Senior receiver Reece Jesse caught 67 passes for 1,184 yards in 2019 –both new school records. He also had 15 touchdown receptions which were two shy of the school record.
He has several Division I offers including Kentucky and Missouri.
Senior Ryan Myers had 11 catches for 128 yards and a pair of scores.
Tight end Lane Rushing proved to be a reliable target as a junior last year, catching 33 passes for 401 yards and six scores.
Juniors Jay’Den Dillard and Emmanuel Cheatham will anchor the backfield. Dillard led the Tigers with 763 yards and seven touchdowns last year.
On the defensive side of the football, the Tigers will put one of its most athletic squads on the field in recent years.
Cheatham at strong safety and Tyler Jones at end are the only two-way starters for the Tigers. Seniors Tahj Manning and Donyea Welch will also anchor the Tiger D-line.
Hopkinsville must replace its entire linebacking corps that accounted for 18 tackles for loss and seven sacks. Senior Ventrial Baker, junior David Boswell, and sophomore Je’Marcus Jones will get the nod at LB with Lane Rushing also seeing time there.
It will be hard to find a better secondary in the state than what Hoptown will put on the field.
Sophomore Daisjaun Mercer was a First-Team All-State selection after recording nine interceptions, which was third-most for a Tiger behind Brandon Hayes (12) and Wilbur Benson (10). He had three interceptions in a district game against Logan County.
Seniors Zahnte Brown and Alijah Watts give the Tigers a pair of 6-foot-2 bookend corners.
The questions about this Hoptown team appear minimal. How well will Jefferson adjust to his new team and new offense? How will the defense look with a new linebacking corps? Those appear to be the two biggest ones. Everything else should take care of itself and make for a fun season to watch the Tigers.
