BLUFF CITY, Tenn. — The countdown to kickoff is on for high schools across the region, and in Bluff City, the Sullivan East Patriots are looking to bounce back from a challenging 2024 season.

Under head coach J.C. Simmons, the Patriots finished last season with a 1–9 record, placing sixth in their district. But with another year of experience under their belt, Simmons believes this young squad has returned to camp with a new fire.

“We knew that when you start that many young guys, you’re going to take your lumps,” Simmons said. “It gets to that point where either you quit and walk away, or you come back ready to fight. Our guys are working to get themselves in that position.”

The Patriots’ 2024 schedule includes several key conference matchups on the road, including trips to Cherokee, Grainger, and Elizabethton. This season also sees the return of a few key players from injury, including senior running back Bentley Key.

Senior wide receiver and defensive back Blue Proffitt says the team’s maturity is one of the biggest changes from last year.

“We had a bunch of young kids, and I feel like we’ve matured a lot with attitudes and expecting the unexpected,” Proffitt said.

“We all talk upfront. We all have communication outside of football now,” said senior center Benjamin Childers. “It’s not just playing for yourself. It’s playing for the guy beside us.”

The Patriots will open their season on the road against Virginia High on Friday, August 15.