Fans invited for food and football at annual Gathering of Eagles
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Tech football fans are invited to come out and bring a friend to the annual Gathering of Eagles picnic, scheduled for Saturday, August 29 inside Tucker Stadium.
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech football fans are
invited to come out and bring a friend to the annual Gathering of
Eagles picnic, scheduled for Saturday, August 29 inside Tucker
Stadium.
The event will begin at 12:30 p.m. with free food and drinks,
football posters and schedule cards for every fan.
Coach Watson Brown’s Golden Eagle football team will kick
off its final fall scrimmage at 1 p.m. Following the scrimmage,
members of the Tech football team and coaching staff will be
available to sign posters and meet with fans.
Fans can enjoy hot dogs, chips and soft drinks during the event,
as the team gears up for its season opener at home against
Pikeville on September 10.
“From a fan’s perspective, this event should be a lot
of fun,” Brown said on the eve of his 25th season as a
collegiate head coach. “It gives the fans a chance to come
out and have some good food, watch some football, and get to know
the players and coaches.
“From the coach’s perspective, the final scrimmage
will give our team a good opportunity to evaluate where we stand at
that point during camp, and where we need to get to before our
first game,” he said. “It will also give the coaching
staff a chance to look at some film and fill in some open spots on
the depth chart.”
The team enters its third season under Brown’s direction,
and promises to bring plenty of action into the 2009 season. An
exhilarating group of tailbacks will be one group to watch at the
scrimmage and all throughout the season. That group is led by
junior Henry Sailes, who made Sportscenter’s No. 1 play on a
breathtaking 60-yard touchdown run last season. Senior Cedric
Wilkerson and sophomores Tremaine Hudson and Dontey Gay will also
aid Tech’s ground game with a combination of power and
lightning-fast speed.
Tech’s signal callers will also draw a lot of attention in
2009, as three-year starting quarterback Lee Sweeney returns, and
will likely own the majority of Tech’s all-time passing and
total offense records before it’s all said and done.
However, despite being one of Tech’s most proficient
quarterbacks of all time, Sweeney will see competition from four
challengers, including former Minnesota quarterback Clint Brewster,
who transferred to Tech and is eligible to play right away, and
redshirt freshman Tre Lamb, who could be the best pure passer on
the team.
Tech’s gunslingers will enjoy a host of talented receivers
to throw to, led by 2008 Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the
Year Tim Benford.
While the Golden Eagle offense is loaded with firepower, the Tech
defense is geared up to shut its opponents down. All four of
Tech’s captains, voted on by the team, come from the
defensive side of the ball. Derrian Waters, a former running back,
Kelvin Quarles, Taron Ryce and Brendon Fisher were tabbed earlier
this fall as the team’s leaders, and will all play a major
role in Tech’s defensive effort.
Tech fans will see the Golden Eagles in action during the
scrimmage, and also have their first opportunity to purchase the
2009 Golden Eagle Football Yearbook/Media Guide, which will be
released at the Gathering of Eagles and on sale for ten dollars
each.
“The Gathering of Eagles is a great event to kick off the
fall,” TTU Director of Athletics Mark Wilson said. “It
has been growing every year, and everybody enjoys it, from the
student-athletes and the fans, to the coaching staff, and everybody
who helps put on the event.”
The Golden Eagles will host five home football games during the
2009 season. After the home opener against Pikeville on September
10, Tech will welcome Ohio Valley Conference opponents Austin Peay,
Southeast Missouri, Tennessee State and Murray State. For season
ticket information, contact the Tennessee Tech Athletics Ticket
Office in Eblen Center or call 931-372-3940. Tickets are also on
sale online at TTUsports.com.
