Lane has all the keys to use at Central now
By Steve Williams
Kevin Lane has been a coach on the local high school football scene for 21 seasons, but this year is his first head job.
He has returned to Central, where he started his coaching career under Joel Helton in 2003.
Over the years, Lane has worked for six head coaches in all and been a defensive coordinator for 11 seasons. He was a DC on two state championship teams – West (2014) and Knoxville Catholic (2017). The past two years, he’s been at Bearden.
With an athletic 10-year-old son (Briggs) of his own, Lane said at the KFOA Media Day on July 12 that it was no longer a “big goal” of his to be a head coach. Briggs is playing quarterback in the West youth program and threw his first touchdown pass a couple of weeks ago.
“(But) when the Central job came open, there were some calls and support for me to apply for the job, so I did,” said Kevin. “I prayed about it and didn’t think much (more) about it. Then I got offered the job and accepted it on Jan. 29.”
Lane will have “new duties” as a head coach, but he has learned over the years what to expect and how to be ready.
“They do things a little different everywhere and you take a little piece of those with you everywhere you go, and then your own philosophy kind of marries all those things together.”
Central was represented by seniors Daniel Sackie and Jake Holbert and new sophomore quarterback Kaden Long at the KFOA Media Day.
“Our skill players are really good,” said Lane. He also thinks his offensive and defensive lines, “if they stay healthy, will be the difference” in games.
“No matter how much the game changes, it’s still built around the line of scrimmage. If you look at the state champions the last 10 to 15 years, the teams that win can run the football. And the ones that don’t, they may get there or have a really good year, but typically when you can hang your hat on a run game or the line of scrimmage that’s what wins games.”
Nick Chittum (5-7, 165) and Jaedyn Harris (5-10, 215) are battling to see who replaces workhorse Frank Johnson for the starting position at running back. Sackie (6-1, 190) is the H-back. Long, the QB, is 6-0, 170.
The Bobcats’ wide receiving corps has JJ Smith or Niko Townsend at the “Z,” with Javaston Badgett the “Y” and Sam Verneuli the “X.”
Up front are sophomore Cassen Garrison (6-3, 250) at left tackle, Holbert (6-1, 295) at left guard, Zach Brown (6-1, 260) at center, Rodarious Pannell (5-10, 220) or Miguel Kirby (5-11, 225) at right guard and Kirby or Landon Hatfield (6-1, 225) at right tackle.
Defensively, Jayden Dixson (6-4, 215) and Hatfield are the starting ends and Holbert is the nose guard. Tyler Hurley and Nikolai Brooks (5-10, 240) are the middle linebackers, while Demario Chapman and Sackie are the outside LBs. Cornerbacks will be Badgett and Torin McAfee. Smith, Townsend and Reggie Jones are battling for the two starting jobs at safety.
Corey Rathbone is Central’s new offensive coordinator. He came from CAK and also has been at DeKalb County. He played at CAK when the Warriors won back-to-back state titles (2011 and 2012). He also played college football and coached in college, according to Lane.
Central will host rival Fulton in the Battle of Broadway on Aug. 23 in Week 1.
