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By Allen Earl
Claiborne County Sports Zone

Claiborne High School has a new head football coach and a new direction. Corey McGinnis is the interim head football coach, and he has experience as an assistant at Morristown East giving him an easier path for assembling the 2024 Bulldogs team.
“I am excited to work with this group and to be part of the football family,” McGinnis said. “These guys are very coachable and are a close group with strong leaders. These kids have worked hard, and I encourage our community to go out and fully support this group of kids.”
The offensive scheme will be a hybrid veer with multiple formations in hopes to get the ball in the hands of playmakers inside and out.
Moving back to the quarterback position will be an experienced Isaac Daniels with Kaden Lovin and Brayden Painter possibly seeing time under center.
At running back, Claiborne has a three-headed monster including Aden Roark, Painter and Lovin. These “three-amigos” will all accompany each other well with the power-type runs expected to be dished-out by Lovin.
Kristopher Ford, Anthony Turner and Kaden Lovin will be expected to bring excitement to the wideout and slot position. Coach McGinnis likes their quickness, speed, route running and their ability to block. Corbin Whitaker will be expected to do big things at the tight-end position and will be backed up by Colton Jones.
The offensive line is a big, young group with potential to be very successful. The line features R.J. Robinson, Eli Keck, Elijah Poore, Braxton Stubblefield, Spencer Brewer, Harley Amburgey, Stanton McDaniel and others.
McGinnis added this, “It starts up front by attacking at the line of scrimmage. We want to be able to both run the ball and pass when the situation calls for it. We want longer sustained drives but at the same time we will try to break a big play.”
The defensive scheme will be a 4-4 which works best if the coach can get players to do their job and free up the linebackers to make some big defensive plays.
The defensive line mirrors the O-line with Whitaker, Stubblefield, Jones and Poore playing in the defensive end spot.
The middle linebacker position will feature Robinson and T.J. Crigger while the outside linebackers will be Roark, and Ford. The free safety will be Painter who can make plays all over the field.
The community needs to keep a close eye on a few dynamic upperclassmen including Painter, Lovin, and R.J. Robinson. According to McGinnis they will be key players in the success of this team.
The Bulldog assistant coaches include Steve Smith, Edwin Whitaker, Mason Goad, Wesley Nance, and Ethan Short.
“This team excites me. They have become a close-knit group, willing to learn and are highly competitive,” McGinness added.