News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Four weeks into the 2024 season, the DeKalb County Tigers have emerged as one of the most efficient and highest scoring offenses in the Upper Cumberland averaging 37.5 points per game.
The Tigers have increasingly scored more points in each game of 2024 and have scored 150 points so far this season. Head coach and offensive coordinator Steve Trapp said he has been pleased with the start of the season, but points scored last week will not help them this Friday against Gordonsville.
“Each week is a new challenge, it’s a new week,” Trapp said. “So, we really talked to our guys and even our coaches as well about just having the mindset and attitude of just taking care of business each and every day. Don’t rest on what we were successful with last week. You know, we want to learn and continue to be successful, but ultimately it’s a new week and we want to go 1-0 everyday.”
The Tigers offense has rushed for 200 yards or more and thrown for 100-plus yards in each of their first four games in 2024.
“I mean really it starts up front with our offensive line,” Trapp said. “There is a lot of different ways that we feel like we can attack a defense and so all those guys up front have to be on the same page.”
DeKalb employs two former players Eli Cross and Luke Green to coach the offensive line, Trapp said Cross and Green bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the line.
In his senior season and in his first year as the Tigers starting quarterback, Jordan Parker has been getting the job done through the air and on the ground. Through four games he has rushed for 580 yards (10.9 per carry) and eight touchdowns and thrown for 514 yards and six touchdowns to zero interceptions.
“He has multiple decisions he has to make before he even gets the ball in his hands,” Trapp said. “And then multiple more decisions after he has the ball in his hands. Is he handing it off? Is he keeping it? Is he throwing it? So, there’s a lot of things, a lot of decision making that goes into that, a lot of preparation throughout the week.”
Trapp said that he is blessed to have Parker as a student aid for a period during the school day. He said that besides the fact he enjoys Parker’s company, the period gives them a chance to talk shop and get extra film study in.
Heading into a battle of two unbeatens this Friday versus Gordonsville, Trapp said the offense is progressing nicely and the team is focused on the task at hand.
“So, I just feel confident in if we need to throw it a little more, we can and if we need to run it or if we need to tweak and use a different run scheme, I feel confident that our guys can pick it up,” Trapp said.
Kickoff Friday night at 7pm.
