Season Preview: Oneida, with Offensive Guard Evan Cotton

By Justin Braden

Oneida, TN –

The Oneida Indians (8-4, 3-2) in TSSAA 2A-Region 2 are coming off their best record since 2021, and despite losing all-region quarterback Caden Rector and other key offensive talent to graduation, the team is still positioned to go deep into the playoffs.  

In a season that saw the team’s first playoff win since 2021, a 17-0 shutout over Happy Valley there was plenty to celebrate, but heading into the 2024 season, the bar has been raised, and players like sophomore Evan Cotton know their responsibility in upholding the standard.

Cotton, a 5 foot 10, 260-pound offensive guard for Oneida talked about the importance of building on the team’s successes last year, and he spoke about the importance of eliminating the gaps in pass protection and sealing blocks in the running game. 

Oneida uses gap schemes to create space for its running backs, and they executed successfully against some of the largest defensive lines in 2A football last season. Expect similar offensive schemes from them this year. 

The play calling pitted Cotton up against players that were most often taller than he was, either larger defensive ends, or faster linebackers, but he used his strong base to create running lanes for Oneida’s backfield and provide pass protection for an offense that averaged over 24 points per game during their 8 wins.

“We're just hitting hard and going over speed drills and strength training to get ready for these teams again. We definitely want to get more physical and get faster. We’re focused on footwork and having a faster punch by being more explosive. Knowing the plays a little bit better in my second year - I think I'll be better at understanding them more. I feel like I was kind of thrown in the deep end last year.”

Cotton did not play his Freshman year at Oneida, but watching from the stands in 2022, he felt the game calling on him, and in his first year on the team, he was, in fact, thrown into the deep end, starting on the offensive line in the team’s first game of 2023, a 28-14 win at home against Rockwood, but then he faced one of the most physical and tenacious defenses in Tennessee during a 33-0 loss to Coalfield in Week 2. 

“Coalfield does their best to beat us in any sport. I feel like that's just a good rivalry right there. I feel like that was just a bad game at the start of the season. I don't think we should have lost 33 to 0 at all. I feel like we developed a lot throughout the season. I don't think it'll be that way this year.”

This season's slate of times for Oneida is the same as it was last year, but with their road games last season being at home this year, and last year's home games now being played on the road. 

The Indians open its season up with back-to-back road games at Rockwood and Coalfield, before returning home to play Eagleton Academy in Week 3 as they head into a stretch of teams that they won 7 out of 9 games against in 2023, but Cotton is not counting any of these rematches as wins, and after Week 3’s contest against an Eagleton team that returns every starter from last year, this Oneida team will know if they are true contenders for a state championship. 

“The game film that we watched last year before Eagleton - I don't think they played as hard against anyone as they did against us. I think it was the moment. That it was their first home game ever. They wanted to win it, so they played as hard as they could. They had a pretty nice crowd out there. They were loud for the first home game, and they were excited to play on their field for the first time.”

Week 4 is another road game, but this time regional play begins against rival Wartburg. In Week 5, regional action continues for Oneida at home against Polk County, before they travel to Greenback for Week 6. 

“Wartburg is another team that just wants to beat us in everything. If they didn't beat anyone all season, they would at least want to beat us. Polk County played an amazing game last year. Then Greenback, they compete in 1A, but they don’t play like it. They were physical against us last year.” 

Oneida returns home for a Week 7 rematch against York Institute, a team that bested them twice in 2023, and a team that the Indians have not defeated since their run to the state quarterfinals in 2021. 

“Last year they got a hold of our offense. Michael Wall, he's a monster. He'll eat up anybody, and he just ate up our offense. We should not have lost that bad though. They were just more physical than us. I’m excited for another chance against them this year.” 

In Week 8, Oneida returns home to host regional rival Tellico Plains, before they take a bye week in Week 9. In Week 10, they travel to Seymour to take on The King’s Academy, before finishing the season against regional rival Bledsoe County back home in Oneida. 

“Our youth at offensive line got the best of us that game, but they were big and strong. They were definitely more physical as well. They drove us off the ball and that's how they won that game.”

Last year’s playoff win over Happy Valley was Oneida’s most complete performance. In a game where they dominated the line of scrimmage offensively and defensively, they were able to control the clock and take home a 17-0 win.

“We ran the ball very well in that game. I feel like that was probably our best game running the ball all season. I feel like our offensive line worked as a unit. That game we switched our offensive line up a little bit and I feel like it worked a lot better, and that's the offensive line that we kept for the next playoff game too. We worked better as a unit and we drove some people off the ball more. We switched out a few of our players and moved around the positions and stuff and I feel like it just fit.”

2024 looks to be one of the most promising seasons in years for Oneida. Though they lost a few key offensive players, the foundation for success was laid last year when the Indians ran their gauntlet of a schedule with their young offensive lineman up against some of the state’s top defenders. 

"Last year we were going into the season with the crowd saying that we were going to be 2-8 to finish the season. But, we turned around and hit adversity head-on and didn't look back after that first game. This year, we got high expectations and we want to fulfill those expectations."

Oneida returns all-regional selection Jesse Zachary at running back. Zachary is an athletic offensive threat with size and big play potential. At 6 foot 3, 225 pounds, he will be hard to stop if he gets a head of steam out of the backfield and breaks into the second level of any defense. 

“Our goal this year is to be a more physical and dominant team. Our offensive line is putting in a lot of work in the off-season. We're staying about an hour after practice and we're working on stuff to get better. 

6 foot 6, 300-pound Brady Burke returns for Oneida after being an all-regional selection in 2023. Burke is the cornerstone of the offensive line at right tackle, and trying to stop him on defense looks like trying to spend 8 seconds on a rodeo bull. He is a terrifying threat on both sides of the ball. 

All-regional defensive selection Ben Gilbert returns also after compiling 136 tackles in 2023. Gilbert’s pass rush is lethal, and if he finds a gap in the defense, he will exploit it and put immediate pressure on any quarterback.

“It's all about effort for us. We have a quote up on the board in the locker room and it says average effort creates average people. If you put in enough effort, you can be the best version of yourself. Hard work and dedication to the game goes a long way. Putting extra minutes into the game to get better- that's what makes a great player.” 

Oneida Indians 2024 Schedule

Date             Time      Opponent    

Fri   Aug. 23  7:30 PM  at Rockwood  

Fri   Aug. 30  7:30 PM  at Coalfield  

Fri   Sep. 6    7:30 PM  Eagleton Academy  

Fri   Sep. 13   7:30 PM  at Wartburg - Regional  

Fri   Sep. 20  7:30 PM  Polk County - Regional  

Fri   Sep. 27  7:30 PM  at Greenback  

Fri   Oct. 4    7:00 PM  at York Institute - Regional 

Fri   Oct. 11   7:30 PM  Tellico Plains - Regional  

Fri   Oct. 25  7:30 PM  at The King's Academy  

Thu Oct. 31   7:30 PM  Bledsoe County - Regional

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