COOKEVILLE — It was worth the wait.
Thirty-six years of highs and lows, triumphs and tragedies, a continuous stream of new ces all wearing the Purple and Gold — time had passed Tennessee Tech by on the gridiron without anything to show for it.
Until Saturday.
As the final seconds ticked off of the Tucker Stadium scoreboard, with a large crowd of ns, students and football alumni around them and streaming onto the field, the 2011 edition of the Tennessee Tech football team had a new title — Ohio Valley Conference champions.
Tech clinched its first cWorld of Warcraft US Goldonference championship since 1975 — and 10th overall — by beating Austin Peay 49-7 Ragnarok Zenya, splitting the championship with Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State, and claimed its first trip to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs as the OVCs automatic qualifier. The Golden Eagles also clinched a share of the Sergeant York Trophy, although Tennessee State will get the trophy after the tiebreaker.
Head coach Watson Brown came into the post-game press conference, fresh from his Gatorade shower delivered by his players, trying to hold back the tears of joy. As Browns former Cookeville High classmates and childhood friends, Cookeville and Tennessee Tech dignitaries as well as other well-wishers looked on, the veteran coach knew exactly who this win belonged to.
I can remember in the 80s as theyre trying to hold on to the program, trying to keep it alive and some of the things Jim Ragland did just to keep it around, Brown said. The teams who have fought their guts out here. Its been 36 years here waiting on one of these. This is for all of those guys. All of those guys, all of those coaches,Rose Zuly all the players.
Brown continued, I was here growing up in the good times. Kevin (Tucker, son of former Golden Eagle coach Wilburn Tucker, who the stadium is named after) and I were on the sidelines with his dad when he won four straight. I was right in the middle of it all. I love this community. The community raised me, and it means so much more to me to be able to give back. This has just been a special day.
There was still an air of uncertainty as a wrong move here or there could have cost Tech the championship and the playoff berth, leaving Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State still able to pull one over on the Golden Eagles.
I dont know how Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville States games went … They both won?, Brown said, before looking up to the ceiling. Thank the Lord we won.
It means a playoff bid runescape gold site safest wow gold, but just what does an OVC championship mean to the program?
I dont even know if theres words to describe it, Brown said. Its been 36 years. It was neat to be on the field after the game and to have former players — I mean players from back in the 80s, 90s with tears in their eyes, hugging me. Were so excited, they said. This isnt just for this team. This is for all of the teams. I dont even know if you can put this into words when youve waited this long to do something. When you wait that long, sometimes it puts more pressure on you to do it. We were a pretty tight bunch when the day started, but they were a team I dont think was going to be denied.
The words OVC champs were sweet music to the players ears.
Its just unbelievable, said senior lineback Jake McIntosh. This is beyond words. Its been a long time coming, a long road traveled.
For the seniors 9Dragons Gold, the win was a payoff for years of hard work.
Coming in as a freshman, said running back Dontey Gay, Coach said we might not win it right away, but before yall leave, were going to make sure you win the OVC. By God, we did it in our last year. It just feels great.
With the alums rooting them on, it seemed to make the day even more special.
I had tons of alumni coming up to me before and after the game, said junior quarterback Tre Lamb. I didnt even know who they were, but you could see it in their eyes. They wanted this just as much as we did. I feel like we did it for them, as well as for us. They deserved it.
Gay added, 36 years. Thats a lot of teams. Were just glad that we could bring it back to Tech and celebrate this together.
And Tech didnt let a error-filled first half deter its chances.
We had so many mistakes in the first half More transmogrification gear from the Black Temple, Brown said. We had a penalty stop a drive. We had three turnovers — two going in for scores. One rolls into the end zone. Good gracious. But you could see it in our eyes going in at the half. I basically told them, Boys, were up seven more points than we were last week. We just went out and dominated in the second half. I just dont think they were going to be denied.
Lamb didnt let his mistakes ze him. Despite three lost fumbles — one on a pitch, one into the end zone and another one deep in their own territory — Lamb still came out a hero, rushing for three touchdown scores and threw for another one. Lamb threw for 112 yards on 7-of-11 passing, wh