'Right place' for Quarles was Maryville

The right choices at the right time.

George Quarles stood Friday night smiling in the cold following Maryville High School's 33-6 semifinal win over Greeneville accepting congratulations from fans and answering questions from the media in the same easy methodical manner that trademarks his teams.

Quarles has his post-game routine down pat. Hand shakes, his son, players, then interviews, with hugs and pats on the back as fans walk by. It's been the same for 146 games over the last decade.

Instead of enjoying the accolades of Maryville's fifth consecutive trip to Murfreesboro for the state title game and eighth since 2000, Quarles might well have been preparing for his last game on Blount County neighbor Phillip Fulmer's staff at Tennessee.

"God has a plan for my life just like he has a plan for your life," said Quarles, referring to the interview with UT that took place last January to become tight ends coach.

Fulmer, who was forced out by UT on Nov. 3, hired Jason Michael.

"For me this was the right place and this is the right time," said Quarles. "I'm glad to be working here and being a part of this and have the time to be with my family."

It was the right place for a Maryville program judged to be down and vulnerable in the preseason after completing an unprecedented four undefeated state championship seasons and a 60-0 record. Even Quarles doubted "The Streak" would last long into this fall, but his 10th version of the Rebels came together and has improved to the point that it's peaking again in the playoffs with 74 consecutive wins.

"We don't keep the guys away from it. They're going to read about it on the Internet. We don't talk about it as a team so they don't hear anything about it from the coaches," said Quarles, who has only had to address the media after a loss nine times in 146 games. "You couldn't do something like this if you tried to do it. … It's not going to last forever but we can try to make it last forever."

And so Maryville will make the familiar trip down I-40 and 840 to Middle Tennessee State University for a Saturday afternoon title bout. The Rebels (14-0) kick off their shot at the penta-peat at 4 p.m. EST against Hillsboro (12-2) in a familiar setting with familiar faces.

Neighboring Alcoa (13-1) will play the 2A title game at 8 p.m. Friday - this time against undefeated Milan - just as it has in the last four runs by the Rebels. Maryville will board the buses Saturday morning and wait in Floyd Stadium for the outcome of a Region 2-3A team's 1 p.m. title shot - this time Catholic (14-0) replaces Fulton in the slot as the Irish battle Memphis Mitchell (9-5) - before taking the field.

Might it all be different had fate put Quarles at UT rather than at Maryville.

It doesn't matter. Quarles, comfortable in his own skin, knew where he wanted to be.

"I'm glad to be here and be 74-0," he said.