Oak Ridge Today

Booker a Mr. Football finalist

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Oak Ridge senior quarterback Herbert Booker (13), left, is pictured with senior wide receiver Jeremy Mitchell (1) during a 40-23 win at Soddy-Daisy on Friday, Nov. 9, 2018. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

Oak Ridge senior quarterback Herbert Booker (13), left, is pictured with senior wide receiver Jeremy Mitchell (1) during a 40-23 win at Soddy-Daisy on Friday, Nov. 9, 2018. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

Oak Ridge High School senior Herbert Booker, who plays quarterback and cornerback, is a finalist for the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Award.

Booker is one of three finalists in Division I Class 5A. The other two are Deshawn Page of Fulton High School and Cade Larkins of David Crockett High School.

The Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Awards will be presented to the top football players in nine classifications of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association on Sunday, November 25, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. For the 17th consecutive year, the top kicker in the state will be recognized with a Mr. Football Award, regardless of classification.

Five semifinalists in each classification, including Booker, were announced on November 2. There are six classifications in Division I and three in Division II.

Three finalists for each category were announced by Mike Keith on the Titans website on Monday afternoon. Those three finalists for each award will be invited to attend the awards dinner at Nissan Stadium, where the winner of each award will be announced, a press release said. [Read more…]

Booker of Oak Ridge a Mr. Football semifinalist

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Oak Ridge senior quarterback Herbert Booker (13) runs during a 41-13 win at Sevier County on Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

Oak Ridge senior quarterback Herbert Booker (13) runs during a 41-13 win at Sevier County on Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

Herbert Booker, the senior quarterback and cornerback for the Oak Ridge Wildcats, has been named a Mr. Football semifinalist.

The semifinalists for the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Awards were announced Thursday by the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, or TSSAA.

Booker, who also plays basketball for the Wildcats, was named a Mr. Football semifinalist in Division I, Class 5A.

He was one of five semifinalists. The other four are Michael Burdick of Page, Cade Larkins of David Crockett, Deshawn Page of Fulton, and Grayson Tramel of Shelbyville.

Stanton Martin, Anderson County’s quarterback, was named a semifinalist in Division I, Class 4A. [Read more…]

Higgins named Mr. Football for second year in a row

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tee-higgins-and-amari-rodgers-mr-football-awards-nissan-stadium-nov-28-2016

Oak Ridge High School senior Tee Higgins, right, was named Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Class 5A Back of the Year during a ceremony at Nissan Stadium in Nashville on Monday, Nov. 28, 2016. Also pictured are Amari Rodgers of Catholic, center, Class 4A Back of the Year, and Cordarrian Richardson of Trezevant, Class 2A Back of the Year. (Photo by ORHS Principal Martin McDonald)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 5:05 p.m.

Tee Higgins, a senior at Oak Ridge High School, won a Tennessee Titans Mr. Football award for the second year in a row.

Higgins, a Clemson commitment, won the award on Monday at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. He’s the first Oak Ridge football player to win the award in back-to-back years.

Other area players that won Mr. Football awards in Division I were Josh Silvey of Greenback (Class 1A Lineman), Tykee Kellogg of Alcoa (Class 3A Back), Cade Mays of Catholic (Class 4A Lineman), and Amari Rodgers of Catholic (Class 4A Back).

The Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Awards were presented to the top 16 backs and linemen in eight classifications of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, or TSSAA, on Monday, November 28, at Nissan Stadium. The top kicker in the state, regardless of classification, was also recognized with a Mr. Football Award. [Read more…]

Higgins again a Mr. Football semifinalist

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Oak-Ridge-Higgins-TD-Catch-Clinton-Thomas-Aug-18-2016-Web-Cropped

Oak Ridge senior wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) catches a 17-yard pass from junior quarterback Johnny Stewart before falling backward into the end zone for a touchdown near the left pylon, putting the Wildcats ahead of the Clinton Dragons 42-7 with 2:57 left in the first half at Clinton on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. Higgins is defended here on his second TD catch by Clinton senior J’Quan Thomas (5). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:30 p.m.

He won the Mr. Football award last year, and Oak Ridge High School senior Tee Higgins is a semifinalist again this year.

The semifinalists were announced by the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, or TSSAA, on Friday.

Higgins is one of four semifinalists for Division I Class 5A Back of the Year. The other three semifinalists are Caden Harbin of Halls High School in Knoxville, Jordan Mason of Gallatin High School, and Jacob Murprhee of Dickson County High School.

Higgins, a 6-foot-5 wide receiver who has committed to Clemson, had 59 catches for 901 yards and 17 touchdowns during the regular season. A wide receiver who also plays cornerback and punt returner, he’s also returned at least one interception—he had a 90-yard return against Webb—and at least two punts for touchdowns this season.

Higgins had two interceptions that led to Oak Ridge touchdowns in the season-opener against Clinton, and he became the all-time leader in career receiving yards for the Wildcats during that game.

[Read more…]

Higgins won’t play basketball this season in order to focus on football

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This photo is property of Allen Greene. Unauthorized use of this photo is not permitted without consent.

Oak Ridge senior Tee Higgins won’t play basketball for the Wildcats this season in order to focus on football. Higgins (5), who was then a junior, scored 25 points for the Wildcats in a double-overtime 87-85 quarterfinal loss to David Crockett in the Arby’s Classic basketball tournament in Bristol on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015. (Photo by Allen Greene/TriCitiesSports.com)

 

Oak Ridge senior Tee Higgins, a standout in football and basketball, confirmed on Sunday that he won’t play basketball for the Wildcats this season in order to focus on football.

Higgins is a wide receiver who has committed to Clemson. He had posted on Twitter on Friday that it was his decision to not play basketball this year.

Higgins, who was listed as 6’5″ and 190 pounds earlier this football season, has been one of the most dynamic players for the Wildcats on the basketball court. He has had the ability to fire up crowds with powerful dunks. (One dunk at Gibbs in December got the attention of ESPN.) Higgins played as a freshman on the 2014 runner-up team in the state championship game, and since then, he’s been a key part of the team and a regular starter, with some memorable clutch free throws and three-point shots in big basketball games.

Higgins was regularly one of the top scorers for the Wildcats, and he was one of three Class AAA Mr. Basketball finalists earlier this year. (You can see the list of finalists and winners here.) He had picked up basketball scholarship offers from Tennessee, Louisville, Auburn, and others, according to PrepXtra at the Knoxville News Sentinel. [Read more…]

Tee Higgins commits to Clemson

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Wildcats Tee Higgins Catch at Ooltewah Nov. 13, 2015

Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins (5), shown making a playoff catch against Ooltewah on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015, announced Monday, July 4, 2016, that he has committed to Clemson. (File photo by Julio Culiat)

 

Oak Ridge Wildcats wide receiver Tee Higgins has committed to Clemson. Higgins, who will be a senior this fall, announced his decision in a Bleacher Report video posted on Twitter on Monday.

The video shows Higgins, a five-star receiver who had once been committed to Tennessee, at a barbecue cookout with friends and family. It ends with orange and purple fireworks in the sky.

The 247Sports Composite lists the 6-foot-5, 188-pound Higgins as the nation’s third-ranked wide receiver in the 2017 class. Prep Xtra at the Knoxville News Sentinel reported that he is considered the number one overall player in Tennessee.

Higgins, who won a Mr. Football award in November and was also a Mr. Basketball finalist, chose the Tigers over finalists Ohio State, Florida State, Tennessee, and Ole Miss. [Read more…]

Higgins one of three Mr. Basketball finalists in Class AAA

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This photo is property of Allen Greene. Unauthorized use of this photo is not permitted without consent.

Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins (5) is one of three finalists for Mr. Basketball in Class AAA in Tennessee. (Photo by Allen Greene/TriCitiesSports.com)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:45 p.m.

Already named Mr. Football this year, Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins is now one of three finalists for Mr. Basketball in Class AAA in Tennessee.

The Mr. Basketball finalists were announced Friday.

The other two Class AAA finalists are Nathan Hoover of Arlington and Alex Lomax of Memphis East.

Higgins had earlier committed to play football at the University of Tennessee, but he recently re-opened his recruitment in football and basketball. [Read more…]

Higgins, who had committed to UT, re-opens recruitment in football, basketball

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Wildcats Tee Higgins Catch at Ooltewah Nov. 13, 2015

Oak Ridge junior wide receiver Tee Higgins announced on Twitter on Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016, that he is re-opening his recruitment for basketball and football. Above, Higgins (5) makes a catch during a 26-17 loss at Ooltewah in a second-round Class 5A playoff game on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:06 p.m.

Oak Ridge junior wide receiver Tee Higgins announced on Twitter on Thursday that he is re-opening his recruitment for basketball and football.

Higgins, who received a Mr. Football award in November, had announced in August that he had officially committed to play football at the University of Tennessee.

In his Twitter post on Thursday, Higgins said he has spent a lot of time thinking and talking to his mother and coaches about the decision.

“I’ve been thinking for a long time about this, and I’ve finally decided that I will be re-opening my recruitment for basketball and football,” the 6-foot-5 junior said. “Tennessee is not out of the conclusion, and I consider them a priority. But for me to make the best decision and eliminate questions later, I have to look at other opportunities.” [Read more…]

Wildcats sweep Gibbs, but Butch Jones steals the show

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Butch-Jones-Wildcat-Arena-Jan-29-2016

University of Tennessee Coach Butch Jones, left, watches the Oak Ridge Wildcats play basketball at home on Friday, Jan. 29, 2015. Tee Higgins, a junior guard, has committed to play football at UT. Higgins is a wide receiver. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:25 a.m.

The Oak Ridge Wildcats swept Gibbs at home on Friday, but University of Tennessee football coach Butch Jones stole the show.

Although they couldn’t discuss why they were there, Jones and Zach Azzanni, UT wide receivers coach, were at Wildcat Arena on Friday to watch 6-foot-5 junior Tee Higgins. Besides playing basketball well, Higgins is also a wide receiver, defensive back, and kick returner who has committed to play football for the UT Volunteers. He was named Tennessee Titans Mr. Football in November, recognized as Back of the Year in Class 5A.

Jones and Azzanni also attended a Wildcats football game in the fall, when Oak Ridge beat Lenoir City 55-15 on September 18.

When Jones arrived at the basketball game on Friday, the excited student section—many of them dressed in Volunteer orange—began singing “It’s great to be a Tennessee Vol, I said, it’s great to be a Tennessee Vol!” [Read more…]

Higgins, only the second Mr. Football from OR, on Ch. 12 Locker Room tonight

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Some of the winners of the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football awards for 16 backs and linemen in eight classifications of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association are pictured above at Nissan Stadium in Nashville on Monday, Nov. 30, 2015. Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins is wearing a Tennessee Titans jersey with the number 5 on it. (Photo by Martin McDonald)

 

Note: This story was updated at 8:25 p.m.

Tee Higgins, who is only the second Mr. Football from Oak Ridge, will be on The Locker Room Chat on BBB-TV, Comcast Channel 12, at 7 p.m. today (Wednesday, December 2).

Higgins, a 6-foot-5 junior at Oak Ridge High School who plays football and basketball, won a Tennessee Titans Mr. Football award during a luncheon at Nissan Stadium in Nashville on Monday. He was named Back of the Year in Class 5A.

There have been other Mr. Football finalists from Oak Ridge, but only won other player has won the award. Greg Woofter won the Lineman award in 1998, according to broadcaster David Clary of Prepradio.com.

The last finalist that didn’t win was Spencer Gulmire in 2005, Clary said. [Read more…]

Higgins one of two Mr. Football finalists for Class 5A Back of the Year

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Wildcats Tee Higgins Catch at Ooltewah Nov. 13, 2015

Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins (5) is one of two finalists for Class 5A Back of the Year in the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Awards. The awards will be presented on Monday, November 30, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. Above, Higgins makes a catch at Ooltewah in a second-round Class 5A playoff game on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins is one of two finalists for Back of the Year in Class 5A in the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Awards.

Higgins, who has committed to the University of Tennessee, is a wide receiver who has also played at defensive back and punt returner this year. Higgins also plays basketball for Oak Ridge High School.

The other finalist in Division I Class 5A is Nate Johnson of Independence High School.

The Mr. Football Awards will be presented to the top 16 backs and linemen in eight classifications of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association on Monday, November 30, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. The top kicker in the state will be recognized with a Mr. Football Award, regardless of classification.

Four semifinalists for each category and each classification were announced on November 5. There are six classifications in Division I and two in Division II. [Read more…]