Packer: Ex-Vols rubbing off on perfect CAK

Call it a competitive advantage, call it a smart coaching move, whatever you want to call it, having three former football players off the 1998 National Championship team at Tennessee on the CAK coaching staff has helped the Warriors to an undefeated 9-0 season, so far.

Jeff Hall is in his third year as the kicking coach, Jarvis Reado is in his second year coaching the offensive line and Fred White is coaching the defensive backs. Throw in Mark Bradley, who was an assistant coach on that 1998 team and you have proven winners all over the CAK sideline.

"I think it's been great because their resumes give them instant credibility because they've been there," CAK coach Rusty Bradley said. "They've been in those tough situations. Our success on Friday night's goes back to the knowledge those coaches are pouring into our kids every day in practice. It all goes back to preparation. When our kids work with our coaches, they start to understand the importance of film study and tendencies of the opponent."

All three former Vols may have similar resumes, but their personalities couldn't be any different.

"Fred is … . Well, let's just say he's intense," Hall said with a chuckle. "Fred was "happy go lucky" when he was at Tennessee and he's the same way today. It's fun to watch the kids react to him because he's so intense. Fred has a different energy than both of us."

Now Jarvis, he's as laid back as they come. It's fun to see how the kids respond to him because he's a man of few words, but when he speaks, I'll promise you they listen. Of course, then again when you're as big as Jarvis is, everyone better listen."

Reado laughed when told of Hall's comparison between his personality and White's.

"I'm much more laid back and more calm and collected, but at moment I can get riled up," Reado said. "Fred's like that all the time. Sometimes when he does his deal you just turn and walk away and wait for him to settle down. He was that way as a player. You never wondered what Fred was thinking because he always let you know. Fred has a great knowledge of the game and is a very good coach. He's helped our kids out in a huge way this year and has been a great addition to the staff."

As for whether any of the three would like to suit up and go into a game on Friday night, mark that down as a 3-for-3 in the "absolutely" column.

"Give me a helmet and pads and I'll be out there this week," White said. "I'm having a ball with this. It's more fun than I've ever had in football because I love seeing the kids listen and learn. They are like sponges and are soaking up everything we say. That's the number one reason we're having the kind of season we are this year."

There was one particular moment in the season when White's knowledge paid immediate dividends for the Warriors.

"We were playing Seqouyah and I recognized the formation they were in," White said. "I had a hunch that they wanted to throw a deep ball to a specific receiver and I yelled to my DB, Marcus Walker, what was coming. They ran exactly the play that my film study showed me that they would and Marcus picked off the pass and returned it for a touchdown. It's the little things that those of us who have been there before know to look for."

Having all of the former Vols on staff wasn't Rusty Bradley's plan, it just kind of happened.

"To be real honest I believe God has been at the center of this whole thing," Bradley said. "When I took over as head coach 3 years ago we had a pretty good young kicker in Matt Warren, who is now a senior. I called Jeff Hall and asked him if he would come visit with me about a volunteer coaching position. Jeff came in and made Matt a better kicker overnight."

Well, the next year we had another volunteer position open and I asked Jeff his opinion about what we should do. Jeff mentioned that Jarvis Reado was in town and would be a great offensive line coach. So, Jarvis came on board and that worked out great as well. Then, this year we had a volunteer position open again and both Jeff and Jarvis told me that I ought to call Fred White. When I sat down with Fred, his knowledge was very apparent. It's been amazing how God has orchestrated this whole thing and we're reaping the benefits of it, not just on the field, but off it as well."

Now that the Warriors are 9-0, they'll face their stiffest test of the year Friday night when five-time defending state champion Alcoa (9-0) makes the trip to CAK for a district championship.

"This is when I wish I could suit up and play," Reado said. "It's playoff type games like this one that get those competitive juices flowing. Man, this is fun. These kids we have this year deserve a championship, they deserve to be where they are right now. This year's team has done the little things to be winners. They stay after practice and ask questions. They give the extra effort."

"I'm having a blast," Hall said. "To be real honest, if it wasn't Rusty and Mark Bradley over there, I wouldn't be coaching at all. Mark Bradley was one of my coaches at UT and has so much integrity, not only as a coach but as a person. Rusty is the best in the business as a head coach and is the epitome of what a great Christian man is. I feel so blessed to be a part of what's going on at CAK."

The three assistant coaches bring a winning mentality to the Warriors. White hasn't lost a football game in Knoxville, as a coach or player, since the Florida game in 1996. Hall and Reado have lost one home game each season as coaches at CAK. Winners seem to know how to win, and these three have brought a winning approach to Rusty Bradley's staff that is working.

Mark Packer hosts The Locker Room on Sunday at 10 p.m. on MyVLT2.