By Justin Graves

Justin@athensnews-courier.com

TANNER – The bar for a successful football season is set a little bit higher at Tanner High School than it is at other places. A season that doesn’t see the Rattlers finish atop the Class 2A Region 8 standings and make a deep playoff run is considered underachieving.

Despite losing three of the best running backs in Region 8 to graduation, the Rattlers still look to have one of the most potent offenses in the region this year. The reason Tanner won’t have a drop-off on offense is because they feature one of the most talented receiving corps in North Alabama, led by senior Rod Byrd.

Byrd will be one of Tanner’s biggest scoring threats this year, and will also be the leader of the Rattlers’ very talented secondary. It is because of this that Byrd has been selected The News Courier’s No. 10 player on the Limestone Super Seniors list.

“We’re expecting a lot out of ourselves this year,” Byrd said. “Now that we are seniors, everybody is looking up to us for guidance. It’s important that we seniors set the tone at practice and make sure everybody is doing what they are supposed to be doing.”

With senior quarterback Demarcus King returning with more experience running the spread offense, and Byrd’s sure hands and explosive speed, the tandum of King and Byrd looks to be a dangerous combination. Byrd believes the two seniors will accomplish a lot at Tanner in their final season.

“Me and Demarcus have been through a lot together,” Byrd said. “We have been playing football and basketball together for years, and we probably know more about each other than anybody else.

“It’s almost like we are brothers, and we know what the other one is thinking. That connection makes us better on the football field, and we can be very dangerous together.”

Tanner coach LaRon White believes that the Rattlers’ receiving corps is blessed with unlimited potential this year, and is looking for Byrd to be a leader while bringing the younger guys along.

“Our receivers will play a big part in our success,” White said. “Demarcus (King) started to do a lot of good things at quarterback last year, and we have some of the most talented receivers around. We can be a very dangerous offense this year.”

Even though Byrd will play an important role in Tanner’s offense, his most important role in the Rattlers’ success may be on the defensive side. Byrd leads a very talented secondary that will play a crucial role if Tanner wants to compete for the region title.

“There are a lot of good football teams in our region this year,” Byrd said. “It’s going to be a battle every week, no matter who we’re playing. We’ve all been working hard all summer, and it’s important that we get off to a good start and never look back.”

Athletic ability has never been a question for the multi-talented Byrd. He is considered one of the best overall basketball players in North Alabama. Despite his reputation as an standout basketball player, he believes his best shot at playing collegiate sports will be football.

Byrd has been getting looks from Tennessee Tech and some other small colleges’ football programs . He said that he plans on contacting UNA, along with some other schools this season. Before he does anything though, he wants to discuss the matter with White.

“Coach White knows what it takes to play at the next level, “ he said. “He played football at Alabama, and we have sent several other guys to the next level over the years.”

Before Byrd makes a decision about his future, he wants to take care of his present business first – ensuring Tanner continues its football tradition.

“We’ve got to come out and play good football every week,” he said. “It’s our last year, and we want to go out with a bang.”