CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – As Steadman Bell takes over the Clarksville Academy football program, he has championship aspirations in mind.
Clarksville Academy is coming off a season where they compiled a record of 7-4 but ended in a heartbreaker. They lost in the first round of the playoffs against Lakeway Christian Academy. The game had gone to overtime, and the Cougars lost by a score of 42-43.
The Cougars had one of the most explosive offenses in recent memory. However, they lost their Mr. Football award winner in DJ Merriweather and their top two receiving threats in Jacques Wyatt and Cooper Wallace. As Clarksville Academy prepares for the 2023-24 season, their team is built completely differently.
First-year head coach
Bell is a first-year varsity head coach with the Cougars after being hired in April.
He was previously an assistant coach at Nashville Christian School, handling the receivers and defensive backs.
During his time with NCS, the Eagles appeared in two state championship games to go along with four state semi-final appearances. Bell also served as the head coach for the middle school team, but he told Clarksville Now he treated it as a varsity program.
“This opportunity is everything,” Bell said during an interview. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and I never knew if it was going to come. I didn’t know if I’d be ready either, but it’s just like my dad told me, ‘Are you ever ready for an opportunity like this?'”
Bell said that Clarksville Academy is a very young team this season with around six seniors. Even with the team being so young, the head coach said that he’s seen a willingness to work from his players.
Bell said a couple of different position groups have stood out this off-season including his skill position players. Two other groups who have stood out are the offensive and defensive linemen, who have adapted to what the program is now trying to accomplish.
Bell’s expectation for this first season is for his program to build on their culture.
“I just had a talk with them today actually,” Bell said. “All I’ve known over the last six years at NCS was it’s a state championship or nothing. I shared that we had that four-year slump where we couldn’t get past the semifinals. Then, we finally got over the hump. My expectation right now for this young group of kids, who don’t have a lot of playing experience, is to build the culture, compete and make sure we’re building that team comradery with each other.”
Offensive and defensive philosophy
Offensively, Clarksville academy will look to spread the field out this season so their skill position players can get into the open field. Bell said that this is something that they are going to live and die by.
As for their rushing attack, Bell complimented running back Jack Thomas for his ability to run and run hard. Thomas will be a cornerstone piece for the Cougars offense moving into the season.
Bell said since he came from NCS, the tight end position will be heavily involved in the offense as well, and Isaiah Cawood will play into that role.
As for the defensive side of the ball, defensive coordinator Rob Rininger will be leading the charge. The Cougars will utilize a 3-3 stack personnel group throughout the season.
Bell said that even with his players being undersized, that should actually play into their favor with the speed and athleticism that they have.
What’s next
Clarksville Academy football will begin their season when they host Friendship Christian on August 18.
According to Max Preps, here are the Cougars remaining opponents for the 2023-24 season:
- Away against Ezell-Harding Christian on August 25.
- Home against Sycamore High on September 1.
- Away against Middle Tennessee Christian on September 8.
- Home against Grace Christian Academy on September 15.
- Away against Collinwood on September 22.
- Away against Columbia Academy on September 29.
- Home against Donelson Christian Academy on October 6.
- Home against Nashville Christian on October 20.
- Away against Mount Juliet Christian Academy on October 27.