PIGSKIN CLASSIC RETURNS

 For 16 years the Corbin Redhound Varsity Club put on the Cumberland Falls Pigskin Classic. Last year the club hit a bump in the road and the Pigskin Classic was canceled. Things have changed in a year and it’s back, thanks to Corbin Football Coach Steve Jewell and the Varsity Club.

Area football fans should be treated to two outstanding games when Knox Central and Knoxville Karns take the field at 5:45 p.m., Saturday, August 25. The second game at approximately 8:45 p.m. will feature the Redhounds taking on Lexington Christian Academy.

“After a one-year hiatus we’re back and a lot of credit for that goes to Varsity Club, but a lot goes to Coach Jewell for getting some teams. He was very instrumental in getting it back on. We hated not to have it last year because it is a great thing for our kids and the community,” said Marlon Sams, the chairman of the committee.

Sams said he was excited to have Knox Central back in the Pigskin Classic. “We like to get as many local teams as we can. Scheduling is so hard now. We were the only bowl in the area for a long time, now everybody has a bowl, “ Sams said.

“It’s a two-year process when you want to have four teams come in to play,” he added. “Coach Jewell really helped because we had a hard time getting the teams.”

Jewell said, “It’s always been fun and it’s a different atmosphere than any of the regular season ballgames, but I was telling Marlon, I was amazed how much our kids talked about not having the Pigskin Classic last year. It was something they looked forward to. Sometimes you don’t realize that much until you don’t have something.”

Jewell said he got the ball rolling on this year’s Classic at the KHSAA State Championship last December. “I got to talking to some coaches, but I didn’t think it would materialize the way we were trying to pull it off, but it ended up working out,” Jewell said. The Redhounds were originally scheduled to make the trip to Knoxville after playing Karns here last season.

“It’s great that we have another local team that draws a big crowd. Knoxville Karns came up here last year and played an exciting ballgame. I anticipate another exciting game from them and Knox Central.

LCA and I have always had some knock down drag outs. I know Ray (Graham) can tell you that. I am glad to have them back on the schedule,” Jewell said.

Knox Central will have one of the state’s top running backs to showcase this year in Jeffrey Canady. Canady finished ninth in Class 4A last year in rushing with 1,054 yards for an average of 105 yards per game, He had 15 rushing touchdowns and was second in receiving with 871 yards and six touchdown catches.

Knox Central Coach Scottie Russell said, “I think the Pigskin Classic has been a great bowl for a long time. We had the opportunity to play in it a couple of years ago; it was great for our kids.

They put on a great show here and take care of us really well. We are just honored to be in it and I think the more coverage you can get for your kids, the better it’s going to be.”

The Panthers ended last season with a first-round loss to Boyle County, 28-14 and posted a 7-4 record.

Knoxville Karns ended last year with a 6-5 record and lost in the first-round of the Tennessee High School playoffs 41-32 to Science Hill.

Coach Derek Witt said he had a lot of rebuilding to do at Karns. “We lost 22 seniors last year and we’ve got probably five starters returning on defense and maybe six on offense. Offensively, we’re not going to change a whole lot of what we’ve done in the past.”

The Redhounds will take on the Eagles of Lexington Christian. LCA posted a 6-7 record in their first year as a 2A school. The Eagles dropped their first three games of the season before rebounding to win six of their final 10 games. They beat Shelby Valley and Leslie County in the playoffs before losing to Somerset, 55-14.

“I know they struggled early in the season, but they turned things around and made a good run in the playoffs,” Jewell said of LCA. “I know they didn’t lose many players from last season, so I know a good team is returning and they will be fundamentally sound.”

Corbin ended last season on a sour note, falling to Louisville Central in the second-round of the playoffs, 62-7. The Redhounds had a solid 7-5 season and lost three of their first four games, but they bounced back to win six of their final eight.

Jewell said he doesn’t really know what to expect from the 2012 Redhounds. “Honestly this year is one of the biggest mysteries I’ve had in 14 years. We are changing some things up both offensively and defensively,” he said. “Answering how we’re going to do right now is really tough.”

He said his team would be very unseasoned. “Things are looking good right now. Our biggest problem right now is that it looks like our skill players will have to go both ways. It’s the same thing every year…depth problems, especially with our skill athletes.”

Several key Redhounds are returning to the line-up including Cody Harp, Grant Grigsby, Matt Jewell, Hunter Grubb and Josh Jewell.

“We have some newcomers, but most of them are sophomores, we will be very unseasoned with them,” Jewell said. “Things are looking good with Jake Coppock and Tanner Powers.”

The Redhounds will be searching for a new quarterback to replace the graduated Ty Cobb. Jewell says Taylor Waddle, a junior, will look to get the nod.