As we approach the heart of the summer heat in Memphis, area high school football teams are heading back to two-a-day practices in preparation for the upcoming season.
The high school season kicks off on August 9-10 with the 2018 High School Football Jamboree at Crump Stadium.
The season will see some veteran coaches in new places:
Major Wright led the Raleigh Egypt Pharaoh’s to a 12-1 record last season and will take over at Central High after the departure of former head coach Lynord Crutchfield.
Former Melrose, Pittsburgh Steeler and San Francisco 49ers player Cedrick Wilson will try to restore the Hamilton Wildcats.
Marcus Wimberly, who won a state championship at East High School in 2016, will move to Cordova High School after former coach Anthony Jones joined the University of Memphis football staff.
Meanwhile, the talent in Memphis is getting a lot of attention, finally more and more high school players are getting the opportunity to play college football in the Power Five conferences and not just the SEC.
Other themes with the season on the horizon:
Can Whitehaven’s Tigers return to the top of the hill? The Tigers lost a home game last year and were defeated by Cane Ridge while trying to win back to back state championships. Whitehaven is loaded and the younger Tigers have gained some valuable experience.
Can a charter school finally break through and make it to a state championship game this season? The gap is rapidly closing between charter schools and regular public schools.
In a quirk in the schedule, there will be three high school games played in the month of August. Look for the heat to definitely be a burden for the small schools that don’t have a depth of available players.
With the anticipation of the season shifting to a higher gear, fans of high school football should remember to savor each moment because each season seemingly is over before you know it.
