Brandon Heyward has plans for this season
The 2023 high school football season is around the corner, and the area’s coaches and top players gathered at the Knoxville Football Officials Association Media Day at Three Ridges Golf Course.
Oak Ridge opens the season at home against Jefferson County on Friday, Aug. 18, and Wildcats wide receiver and NCAA Division I recruiting target Brandon Heyward is eagerly anticipating the upcoming campaign, Oak Ridge’s first under new Head Coach Derek Rang.
“We want to have a big year and make it to state,” said Heyward, who reached the Class 5A title game as a freshman. “Ever since I made it to the championship game in my freshman year, I always wanted to make it back.”
Heyward is looking for a big season, but he knows that his contribution must go far beyond the gridiron this year.
“We have some good young people, and I will be a mentor, a big bro, to them,” he said.
“Individually, I would like to get 1,000 (receiving) yards.”
Running back De’Jauvis Dozier also returns and is anticipating big things for the Wildcats in 2023.
“I would like to see us make it to state,” Dozier said. “We have a tough schedule and we’ll have to be physical.
“We want to come in and compete.”
Oak Ridge went 7-6 last season and reached the quarterfinals of the Class 5A state playoffs. But the Wildcats were bitten by the injury bug in 2022.
“Football is a physical sport and we just have to make sure that we take care of ourselves,” Dozier said.
“We have an early bye week, so we’ll just have to make sure that we take care of ourselves and do the things that we need to do to make sure we stay healthy and compete against the teams on our schedule, and have a chance to go to state.”