Soddy Daisy Searching For Play Makers to Start the Season

Soddy Daisy, TN-(WDEF-TV) The Soddy Daisy Trojans are having to lean on their returning starting quarterback this year after losing two top play-makers. And the lack of scrimmages and spring practices aren’t helping.

Soddy Daisy enters the 2020 season without the big names from last year. Receiver Kesaun Eubanks transferred to Ridgeland — and the big and bruising running back Hayden Mainor graduated. Now the Trojans will have to rely on newer names to fill those holes.

Said head coach Justin Barnes: “We don’t have young guys. we have some old guys, but it’s their first time playing ball, or it’s their first time being put in a starting role, so it’s always a little different when those lights come on the first time …. So it will be a little bit of a test to get those guys going as fast as possible.”

The Trojans do return four starters on each side of the ball — one of which is last year’s second leading receiver — Will Ackerman.

Said Ackerman: “I ran all the routes, know all the plays. This year, I mean, I put in the work on off-season, ran plays, ran routes, worked on my game so I think I’m ready to go.”

As far as Mainor’s replacement goes, I think it’s safe to say there’s a new mane in town….

Reporter: “How will your hair help you guys win this year?”

Said Landon Lewis: “I think it will distract some of the guys from tackling me, you know what I mean? They’ll be like, ‘Oh, I don’t want to mess up that hair.”

Won’t be a problem for senior quarterback Isaac Barnes.

Said Isaac Barnes: “Our offensive scheme is college level. If we can open it up like we have the ability to, we can get the new guys on the page, we can open it up and do anything we want to.”

Said Justin Barnes: “He’s been one of the main ones that’s been going doing some extra things with the receivers, just to be on the same page, get timing down, things that you would normally do in spring practice and June and during those 7-on-7s…. We think we have a pretty good team. It’s just getting those guys to go to learn, to go and add something to it.”