In multiple ways, football in 2024 is a different game than what it was decades ago.
New rules, such as the NFL’s recently-revised kickoff approach, play styles and equipment have all superseded those of years past but one thing remains the same, especially at the high school level: tough-nosed and defensive-minded football teams are always hard to beat.
Few area prep teams fit that description better than the Knoxville Blue Bullets, who are coming off their 10th consecutive postseason appearance dating back to Ryan Hebard’s second year as head coach. The consistent strong results are equal to one of the team’s mantras.
“We’re gonna go hard and just to try and be real consistent,” Hebard said. “Consistency is always what we talk to the kids about and if you're a consistent football player, that means you’re usually pretty good.”