Lane Cope (12) and the Eagleton Royals took on the Tellico Plains Bears in a TSSAA Region 2-2A matchup on Bill Spurling Field at Ed Phillips/Mike Stratton Stadium on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025, in Tellico Plains, Tennessee. Eagleton won 33-7. (Photo by Danny Parker)
BY NOAH TAYLOR
MARYVILLE – Stephen Childs let the phone ring. Then he saw the text.
When the Eagleton College and Career Academy head football coach called back in the middle of watching a region wrestling tournament on Jan. 15, someone from the Tennessee football offices was on the other line.
They were asking about Lane Cope.
A few days later, Vols’ wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope was sitting across from Childs in his office.
Cope was there, too.
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