By DAVID CLEMONS, Correspondent
Ask a lot of people around town and there are more than a few people who think Crossville High School hasn’t had football the last three years.
Coach Jason Walker is quick to set that straight.
CHS hasn’t fielded a varsity team since the 2022 squad went 0-10. It’s been a numbers game — the school simply hasn’t had enough players to field a varsity team.
But that changes in 2026.
The Lions will compete on Friday nights with a varsity team in Class 4A, Region 8.
Walker said the program finished spring drills with about 30 players in the junior high program and about the same number for varsity.
“We’re getting the numbers back up. It’s better than what it’s been,” he said. “We’ve not that yet.
“Last year, I think we finished the junior high season with like 18.”
Walker said some of the players recruited their classmates to come out for football this spring, and he said students are beginning to know who he is after three years at Crossville.
Last year, the junior high team was winless and the junior varsity team won twice.
“We made some mistakes that young kids make,” Walker said. “I feel like we’re learning our offense and not go back over stuff that we did in the fall. I feel like we’re getting to a point where they’re starting to understand it.
“You play faster and we for sure are getting to a point where they understand the offense.”
That offense is heavy on the spread formation, with Walker saying the Lions expect to run as much as possible with some run-pass option plays in the mix.
Joseph Lopez will lead the Lions offense at quarterback, which he did last year for the JV.
“He’s starting to see the reads better,” Walker said. “He’ll be a senior so he’s been around a while. This will be his second year playing quarterback.”
After the season opener against Asbury, the Lions will dive into the deep end of the pool with a game at region foe Scottsboro, a team which went to the semifinals of the Class 5A state playoffs last fall.
The next non-region break offers not much of a break at all, Sept. 25 in the Battle of Skirum Creek against a Geraldine team that won 10 games last year.
But Walker isn’t worried about the schedule.
“Everybody’s got tough schedules. It’s just part of it,” he said. “There are maybe some teams that have easier schedules, but at the same time you have an easier schedule because of what you expect.
“We’re trying to build something here and get to where these kids expect to win instead of expect to lose.”
Celebration season
The upcoming season isn’t just a celebration of the rebirth of the Crossville program. It’s the 100th anniversary of the first team at the school and the 40th anniversary of the 1986 team that won the Class 3A state championship.
“Hopefully we’ll have some excitement,” Walker said.
The season opener will be the 100th anniversary celebration, with the celebration of the ’86 team coming later.
“What I want is, for the 100-year celebration, to have as many people back as possible on the field and make a big deal of it. You’re always going to be a part of this.”
Crossville lines up for a play during last year’s junior varsity football game against Douglas. The Lions will be back to a varsity schedule this year – the 100th anniversary of the first football team at Crossville and 40th anniversary of the 1986 state champions. The Lions will open the season Aug. 21 at home against Asbury, then open play in Class 4A, Region 8. Photo SPECIAL TO THE LEADER
