Kalib Fortner and the Central Bobcats rallied for a 20-16 win over the South-Doyle Cherokees in a TSSAA Class 5A quarterfinal at Billy K. Nicely Memorial Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Friday, Nov. 22, 2019. (Photo by Danny Parker)
Kalib Fortner doesn’t want to let anything get in his or Central’s way of possibly repeating as Class 5A state champion.
Not even a tempting menu item.
In his mind, one little guilty pleasure or cheat day could ruin it all.
Central coach Bryson Rosser, defensive coordinator Nick Craney and some of the players were slated to attend BlueCross Bowl Media Day on Monday at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. So they traveled over Sunday and found a local midstate burger joint for dinner.
And it was there that Rosser noticed Fortner not letting himself go.
His defensive unit’s best player was keeping his focus on Friday’s Class 5A state championship game against Summit (12-2).
“Last night, we went out to eat at a burger spot. And he was like, ‘Ah, the cream soda looks so good. But I can’t. I got to be disciplined.’ He’s one of those guys — he takes care of his body and make sure his mind is right,” said Rosser on Monday. “He watched film on the ride down.
“He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do.”
That and then some.
Fortner headlined last year’s title-game win over Henry County, claiming game MVP honors, and continued that into 2019, his junior season.
He’s made 117 tackles, 33 tackles for loss and nine sacks through 14 games. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder sparked last week’s semifinal shutout win (10-0) over West with 11 tackles, a tackle for loss, sack and interception.
But you have to understand why Fortner didn’t want the soda. He and Central have come too far for one premature celebratory treat to ruin the mojo.
The Bobcats (12-2) lost two major playmakers off last year’s championship roster: defensive back Xavier Washington, the 2018 5Star Preps Defensive Player of the Year, and WR/DB Demetrien Johnson (1,101 yards, 8 defensive interceptions).
And, all told, Central lost eight offensive starters and six defensive starters from its 2018 starting lineup against Henry County from the 5A championship game.
Not to mention, Rosser added six new coaches to the staff in the offseason.
Coach Bryson Rosser’s Central Bobcats rallied for a 20-16 win over the South-Doyle Cherokees in a TSSAA Class 5A quarterfinal at Billy K. Nicely Memorial Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Friday, Nov. 22, 2019. (Photo by Danny Parker)
So all throughout the 2019 season, though they started 8-0, the Bobcats didn’t grab headlines in the 5A ranks like Powell did. Or like West did. Not even like South-Doyle.
“We just played our ball and just stuck to the script,” said Fortner.
Still, Central lost its last two games of the regular season, getting run over by South-Doyle (38-10) and Gibbs (28-17).
Starters were out and injured, and Central didn’t look like a team ready to defend its title.
Meanwhile, Powell and West and South-Doyle garnered a lion’s share of the attention in the 5A bracket. Even more so after Central fell down at the half to David Crockett in the first half of a first-round playoff game.
But that’s where Central decided it didn’t want its season to end.
And that light-bulb-going-off moment triggered another run to Cookeville. Central, healthier for their rematches with Gibbs and South-Doyle, won those games 49-7 and 20-16, respectively.
Then it muted a potent West running attack in last week’s 10-0 win.
“Fortunately and unfortunately, that’s the best thing that could have happened to us. We got a chance to stay under the radar,” Rosser said of his team’s entire season. “I said it last week a little bit: the kids were just looking for a little bit more respect.
“We felt coming off of last year — we knew we lost a bunch of guys and we knew a lot of people didn’t expect us to be in this game — it put that chip on our shoulder and used it back in the lab, as we say.”
As for Central’s final opponent, Summit is making its first state-championship appearance in program history, which only started in 2011. Twin brother, Keaten and Destin Wade, spearhead what the Spartans do offensively. Both players are sophomores and have been offered by Kentucky.
Keaten Wade (6-5, 210) leads the running attack with 153 carries for 1,087 yards and 15 TDs. Destin Wade, the 6-3, 205-pound quarterback, has rushed for 660 yards and nine scores to go with his 1,214 yards passing and 17 touchdowns.
Summit operates offensively out of a Wing-T but features some spread principles. Facing similar offenses from Halls, Gibbs, Seymour and Carter this season could help the Bobcats more easily understand and execute the defensive game plan on Friday.
“If you go through and watch, they’re a true Wing-T for a lot of the year,” Craney said Monday. “As the playoffs have gone on, it’s looked a little more spread. They’re doing it out of shotgun. It is power, counter, buck-sweep — all the traditional Wing-T stuff. They do it well. They’re well-coached. They have some really good players.
“I think what we’ve done in the playoffs will help, having played some run-dominant teams. We’ve been working on collision blocks, maintaining leverage and pursuing to the ball.”
Central should find even greater comfort in that this will be the Bobcats’ third championship appearance in four seasons.
That familiarity may just breed another brilliant performance by Fortner.
And that would make his next cream soda taste even sweeter.
“I feel confident,” he said Monday at Media Day. “It just feels normal for me, like another week in the office. Nothing new.”