Men at Work

Stinnett, Sudderth highlight retooled Alcoa defense

By Stefan Cooper
Editor
Blount Press Row

It’s human nature to follow the ball.

We always got a bigger kick out of following the red shoes.

Cade Stinnett’s signature cleats were maroon, actually, in keeping with the school’s colors, but, alas, those days are over. Not long after the season opener with Maryville, they were forced into retirement. Too many games, too many practices, he said.

Following Stinnett is still a great way to watch the Alcoa defense operate. The Alcoa senior and junior Darius Sudderth have what head coach Brian Nix calls a high processing speed when it comes to playing linebacker.

“Those two kids can process a lot,” Nix said. “There are some kids where telling them a lot hurts them because it makes them over analyze it and slows them down.”

The 10-time defending state champion Tornadoes (4-0) shut out West, 35-0, to remain unbeaten on the young season. Top juke back Condis Cherry ran for a career-best 156 yards on six carries, a lot of the damage coming on an 81-yard sprint for six as Alcoa began to pull away.

Junior quarterback Thomas Manu connected with speedster Jamerius Abuhania for a pair of scores of 36 and 12 yards. (Editor: Both throws are worth a look at the accompanying video. Wow.)

Junior running back Micah Jones bashed the West defense for a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs.

The defense picked a good night to pitch its first shutout of the season. The Tornado offense cooled after putting up a 28-0 lead at the half. Manu didn’t find Abuhania for the score that activated the running clock until the fourth quarter.

West never sniffed a rally, though, significant considering who wasn’t out there for Alcoa.

Much of the defense returned this season, but it was a pretty big deal who didn’t. University of Michigan freshman Eli Owens was a Doomsday Machine for the Tornadoes a year ago. Alcoa not only lost its biggest hitter when he left for Ann Arbor after the season, it lost a leader.

Sudderth and Stinnett both took notice.

“Watching him play, I think it really showed both of us how to take it to the next level,” Stinnett said. “All calls run through D and I, so it helped us be leaders out there.”

“Everybody knows their job,” Sudderth added. “If it goes outside, I know someone’s out there. If this guard pulls, I know Cade’s filling that so I’m able to play faster. I think I learned a lot of that from (Owens).”

There’s little question this Alcoa defense is strongest at linebacker. Jennaris Henry was a starter a year ago, “but this year’s he’s like a totally different player,” Stinnett said. “He’s grown up. He’s gotten stronger. He got in the weight room with D and I and some of the older guys and has really become a mature football player.”

Sudderth led with 10 total tackles against West, Stinnett adding six, including a pair of tackles for loss. It’s more about setting a standard than anything else, Sudderth said.

“I don’t think our defense is any different in the way we play because a lot of the younger guys learn from the ones above them,” he said. “Everyone gets better because of what they’re looking at in practice every day.”

Part of it for Alcoa’s speedy linebacking corps is the guys in front of them, Nix said. Kenny Harris, Carter Cowart and Blair Goodson headline a front three that causes considerable havoc for opposing offensive lines. Nix credits position coaches Richard Gamble and Drew Harmon with making sure Stinnett, Sudderth, Henry and Abuhania have room to work.

“We’ve got a really good defensive line in front of them,” Nix said. “They’re explosive off the ball. I think it starts there. If your defensive line is getting knocked back into your linebackers, if they’re getting double teamed and the offensive line is pushing them back, all the coaching I do, all the reacting they do is not going to do you any good.

“It always starts with the job Drew Harmon and Richard Gamble do with those guys.”

Sudderth, an All-State wrestler in his other job, enjoyed a breakout year as a sophomore last season. The key this year, he said, is making sure the West shutout is something this Tornado defense builds on and gets better.

“We did bring it this game,” Sudderth said. “I was very proud of the team.”

“It was a great game by the defense,” Stinnett said. “I’m very proud of everybody out there, but I don’t think it’s going to be, ‘That was our best game of the year.’ I think it’ll be the new standard.”

Kind of like the new white kicks.

Works for us.