CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Clarksville High looks to build off of their winning ways after finishing last season with a record of 7-5. The Wildcats clinched a playoff berth after the success they found throughout the year, but the team came up short against Beech High in the second round.
This is Clarksville High’s sixth playoff appearance under head coach Isaac Shelby. Shelby has an overall record of 49-50 since taking over the Wildcat program during 2013-14. However, since the 2017-18 season, the head coach has truly turned Clarksville High into a winning program.
Shelby has recorded an overall record of 33-25 over the last five seasons, with five consecutive playoff appearances. Shelby attested to Clarksville Now that having players with postseason experience goes a long way during a new season of play.
“It’s huge when players return to our program with experience in the playoffs,” said Shelby. “You have to be in it for a chance to win it. And it took our team a couple of seasons to clinch a spot in the playoffs, but now our expectations have risen given our recent success in the postseason.”
2022 season
Shelby made it evident that a priority during summer practice is to prepare the underclassmen for the upcoming season. This means getting those players into the right positions. The coaching staff is currently projecting where these underclassmen will end up playing for the team a couple of years down the road.
Shelby also detailed that as the team progresses throughout the upcoming season, it’ll be important for the group to find their identity as a collective unit. With that being said, the head coach is excited to see how his team operates with the amount of players returning and players coming back from injury. This includes his wide receivers who have impressed him up to this point in the summer.
Shelby credited his wide outs for the work they’ve put in, and the growth they’ve shown. He stated that there are five to six players that he sees making an impact in the passing game during the upcoming year.
As for the expectations for the 2022 season, Shelby and his coaching staff are focused on their players succeeding off the field more than anything. “We’ll let our play speak for itself on the field,” said Shelby. “We have the expectation to graduate employable kids, and empower them along the way.”
Clarksville High football begins their season against McGavock High on Friday, August 19. The 2022 football season preview series will continue following a dead period hiatus. Clarksville Now will pick back up coverage on the week of July 11.