Fans of the Tucker Tigers may feel like they're in panic mode, but Tucker's head coach Bryan Lamar sees an abundance of potential in his team despite a 1-2 start to the season.
Tucker fans aren't used to more numbers in the loss column than the win column. The last time the Tigers started a season 1-2 was in 1999, and fans would have to look all the way back to 1991 to remember the last time the Tigers started a season with two consecutive losses.
Yet, Lamar insists his team is improving. This is a team that only features three returning starters on defense, four on offense and voids in important positions such as at quarterback and in the secondary.
"We've got a very inexperienced team," Lamar said. "We've got some players we feel are going to be really good."
A snippet of that emerging talent exploded last Friday when Tucker defeated Stone Mountain 77-0 earning the team's first victory of the season.
Tucker is consistently talented on the defensive side of the ball, and this season is no different when you consider three of their current defensive players are committed to BCS programs.
Run by defensive coordinator John Brooks, the newcomers to the Tigers' defense show immense potential, according to Lamar who said sophomores such as defensive back Maurice Williams and linebacker Monchalo Lebon could become top national prospects in the next couple years.
If this hasn't eased Tucker fans yet, maybe taking a look at who the Tigers played in the opening three weeks of the season will.
Tucker played the defending AAAAAA State Championship team Norcross in its season opener resulting in a 32-29 overtime loss. That was followed by the two-time AAAA State Champions in Florida, Booker T. Washington, in a close 19-7 loss.
Lamar said the team "moved the ball up and down the field" well in the team's opening three games, but "little mistakes" such as turnovers and penalties got the better of them.
"When you play two state championship-caliber teams and you were very close to winning the ball game, we don't feel like we're far off from where we want to be, but we know that it's still a ways to go until we get there," he said.
Tucker has two more games and a bye week before embarking against regional opponents. The biggest threat in Region 2 are the Lovejoy Wildcats, currently 2-0 this season.
"Our team is based off of great defense, special teams and controlling the ball on offense, and so we have to improve on all of those things," Lamar said while discussing preparing for a team such as Lovejoy.
He added that if his team does not learn how to avoid giving up big plays and continues to make "hiccups," it could be a very long game against Lovejoy.
"We feel like we have as good a chance as anyone to win the region," Lamar said. "We just have to continue what we do."
Here's a look at the remainder of the Tiger's season:
09/12 @ M.L. King
09/26 @ Clarkston
10/03 @ Newton
10/10 vs Rockdale County
10/24 vs. Alcovy
10/31 @ Lovejoy
11/07 vs. Lakeside
