Red Bay receiver Nick Thorn goes up for a pass during practice last Wednesday. The Tigers started preparing for the first game of the season against Colbert Heights during game week, which started this past Monday. Photo by Keith Ledbetter.

By Keith Ledbetter

For the FCT

Tiger fans will have their first look at the 2014 Tiger football team this Friday as Red Bay opens the season at home against 3A Colbert Heights.

Since football practice officially started on August 4, the Tigers have had only 14 days in pads to get ready for opening day.

“We’re very excited about going into game one,” Red Bay head football coach Michael Jackson said.

“Our guys have worked hard and conditioning is good.”

Jackson said the Tigers’ numbers are up and they are still trying hard to build depth in the team.

“We’re excited about our offensive and defensive line depth. We were worried about that at the end of the summer,” Jackson added.

Red Bay is coming off an 8-2 regular season record from 2013, after dropping game one and two against Central and Tanner.

After their loss to the Rattlers, Red Bay won their remaining eight games, which ended in round one of the playoffs with a 29-8 loss to Walter Wellborn.

The Tigers had two shutouts last season with a 56-0 win over Phil Campbell and a 40-0 win over Belmont in games five and six. They are hoping to hold several of the opponents scoreless again this year.

This season, Region 8 will have a new lineup that includes Cherokee, Tharptown, Phil Campbell, Hatton, Sulligent, Mars Hill Bible School, and Red Bay.

Before region play begins, the Red Bay Tiger football program will open their regular season this Friday against Colbert Heights, a team they defeated 38-20 last season.

Red Bay traveled to Colbert Heights several weeks ago in a 7-on-7 camp, where the coaches got an opportunity to see the Tigers in a competitive atmosphere.

Coach Jackson said Red Bay was the smallest team at the camp, but they ended up getting into the semi-finals in the tournament.

Jackson said that he was very proud of the way they performed at the camp.

Last year the Wildcats passed almost on every play, so the Tigers will get to see how their defense measures up to a passing team.

“I expect them to pass a lot,” said Jackson about Colbert Heights.

“They have done a great job the last six to eight years of running a spread offense and using a quick passing game.

“We expect them to throw the ball around and get the ball into the play makers’ hands.”

Jackson said he started the normal game week preparation this past Monday for the Colbert Heights game and feels like the Tigers will be ready for the opening game of the season.