Updated: 11/19/2009 10:48:31 PM
Kyle Harris won 2 state championships while playing for George Quarles at Maryville. Now, he is the defensive backs coach for Eddie Courtney at Farragut.
It's been 9 years, but Harris still finds it tough to ignore his former team.
"It's hard not to keep up with Maryville because they are going to be at the top of the region fighting for that spot just like we are, so I certainly don't root against them," Harris says.
Maryville came back from a 24-7 deficit to beat Farragut 35-32 in Week 7. It's not just coaching against his alma mater that makes this game different for Kyle; his younger brother Kody currently plays for Maryville, and starts at defensive back.
"My little brother being over there, it's definitely different," Harris says.
Kody Harris says his brothers are the reason he has had success playing football.
"My whole life growing up was all competition, that's where I got it from, that drive so playing against him is going to help a lot, I don't enjoy it that's for sure, I'd love for him to be with me but it defintely helps," he says.
Naturally, one would assume that these brothers talk a lot of trash when this game comes around, but it's just the opposite.
"There's not much said between us two, his wife and my dad have a lot to say to each other which is really funny when they get into it," Kody says.
Kyle says, "We talked about bragging rights, but we don't exchange words like that much, the two of us anyway. The rest of the family has some fun with it though."
It seems these brothers have a mutual respect for each other and their teams. The only question left for them is, 'Who was better?'
"That's a tough one, I can't really say. He was in a different era than I was, he was in a different era than I was, I'll say that," Kody says.
Farragut (10-2) and Maryville (11-1) play in the state quarterfinals on Friday, November 20th at Maryville. Kickoff is set for 7pm.
