Stevens returns to A-E, expects ‘iron man football’

By Ken Leinart

Great swathes of forests have been cut, milled and pulped to provide enough paper for football scribes and pundits to write about Austin-East head football coach Stanton Stevens and his many accomplishments.

Stevens was the last coach to take the Roadrunners to a state title (2001), where he coached from 1999-2004. He coached at Oak Ridge from 2005-2008 and took the Wildcats to the state final while there. He finished his previous coaching stint at La Vergne, 2010-2019, before becoming athletic director at Southeast Raleigh Magnet School in North Carolina.

But Stevens missed “home” and he missed coaching.

Taking over the Austin-East Roadrunners in March 2024, he said he spent most of spring getting to know his players.

“We had a couple of team meetings but we didn’t really get together and do anything,” Stevens said.

“We didn’t really get started until school was out, when we started our conditioning sessions. I’ve been learning the team and I can say they work hard. They’ve done everything I’ve asked them to do.

“If I say, ‘run,’ they run. If I say, ‘stop,’ they stop. That’s important. It means they understand we have to do things and we have a certain way to do them. If coach has asked us to do it, then it’s necessary,” Stevens said.

The 2024-2025 version of the Roadrunners will be a work in progress, though Stevens said there is a pretty good foundation to work on.

Senior Quinton Calhoun is a rock. The tackle and defensive end is the undisputed leader of the Roadrunners. He looks the part at 6 feet 2 inches tall and 250 pounds with a penchant for looking serious.

“He’s going to be very important for us,” Stevens said.

“Our numbers aren’t very good,” Stevens said. “I think if we had been able to have spring the numbers would be better. But things are what they are. We’re going to have to play some iron man football this year. Our kids are going to have to play both ways.”

Stevens said his players are working hard and getting in shape. “We’ve been working at that all summer,” he said.

Even with a pretty good group of talent in the defensive backfield and with some playmakers at the skill position, Stevens said the offensive and defensive line is where the Roadrunner strength lies.

“Yeah, surprisingly that is our strongest point,” he said.

Darius Cannon and Jamarious Flowers will be in their senior campaigns and can play a huge role on both sides of the ball.

Jarvis Henderson is a tremendous blocking back with speed and will also play defensive end. He’s got speed and size.

Javion Moore is listed as an imposing 6-foot-6 lineman coming in at 255 pounds.

“We’re not going to be deep,” Stevens said. “But our first group is really good.”

Depth could come as the season progresses. “We’ll see as the season goes on and we get in ‘game shape.’”

Stevens said the linebacking corps is still taking form but there is potential there. Dante Daniel, James Niyonkuru and Meishawn Fawn could find homes on the Roadrunner defense.

The defensive backfield is going to be formed by committee he said. There is talent in the defensive backfield, it just needs to solidify and he needs to see who is going to play where.

“It may be a different guy who steps up every week,” Stevens said. “And the linebacking corps has a chance to be really good.

“We are going to be a blue collar team. We’re going to work at it.”

One thing is certain, however. Senior Michael Gladney is going to line up somewhere on defense and he’s going to make plays.

“He’s an outstanding young man and great athlete,” Stevens said. “We expect a lot from him.”

Gladney also has a lot of expectations on the offensive side of the ball as a wideout.

Stevens said the Roadrunners are going to run a lot of 3×1 and the receiving corps will need to make plays.

Leading the offense will be senior quarterback Juwaan Troutman. At 6’5”, 225 pounds, Troutman brings a “presence (with his size alone)” and quarterback experience to the game.

He could have a monster year, but Stevens knows the quarterback position is key so he’s not taking chances.

“We have three kids who can sling it, but Juwaan is getting the majority of the snaps now,” Stevens said.

Sophomore Jayden Ealy and freshman Nymire Jackson have also taken reps for the Roadrunners.

The Roadrunners’ road to success this year is marked and ready for a drive, but it may take a bit before the pathway smooths out.

“We have to improve on our basics,” Stevens said. “We want a physical and competitive style of game. We need to play the entire game that way and that will take some time as we play our way into ‘game shape.’

“And we have to clean up the miscues,” Stevens said. “If we’re getting beat, I get that. The other team is just better. But I don’t like losing because of us.”

Austin-East has changed since the last time Stanton Stevens roamed the sidelines. The grass has become turf and the stadium and facilities have been upgraded.

But it’s still, “Up on the field at 2800.”

“It’s the ‘home’ feeling being back,” Stevens said. “It’s like one of those things you ask yourself, ‘Why did I ever leave?’”

Austin-East opens the season on Aug. 23 at home against William Blount. Stevens said it will be a great test for his defense because the Governors can “run the ball and give you a long night.”

The Roadrunners then go to Carter, host South-Doyle, then travel to Gatlinburg-Pittman before their first Region 2 3A opener at Alcoa Sept. 20.

Austin-East has two non-region games after that (Pigeon Forge and Grace Christian) before finishing out the season with three region games. The Roadrunners host Roane County (Kingston) and Union County before finishing up with Scott.

Austin-East went 8-4 last year but finished with a 2-2 region mark. The Roadrunners advanced to the second round of the playoffs where they lost to Alcoa.