Briefly


4-class grid plan
presented today

The TSSAA Board of Control will hear a presentation for four classes in football-only this morning before discussing classification for 2013-14 and the three following school years.
The board addressed its originally-scheduled agenda for its regular June meeting on Wednesday, but did not discuss classification after it had heard from Executive Director Bernard Childress in a Tuesday night work session regarding plans of five- and six-classes for football.
A brief four-classes-across-the-board proposal was briefly discussed Tuesday night, but was not met with favor due to having to restructure the entire postseason formats for all sports.
Currently, football is divided into three classes for the regular season, then split into six divisions for the playoffs. All other sports operate under the three-class format.
That system will be in place again for the 2012-13 school year.
While a classification system could be approved by the board today, there’s also a possibility of tabling the issue until the group’s August meeting.

UTM pitcher Mills
signing with Royals

Alec Mills, who was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft, will forgo his senior season at UT Martin to sign with the Royals.
All juniors who were drafted on June 4-6 have until July 13 to decide if they will return for their senior year of college or sign with their respective team.
Mills, who was the first Ohio Valley Conference pitcher selected in the 2012 draft (22nd round), signed on the dotted line on Sunday. He is expected to report to the Idaho Falls Chukars of the Pioneer League in time for their season-opener on June 18.
Skyhawk head coach Bubba Cates believes Mills made the correct choice in signing with the Royals, who compete in the American League Central. The 6-4 Clarksville native boasts an impressive repertoire of a low-90s fastball, a devastating change-up and late-breaking slider.

Titans add veteran
to offensive line

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have signed offensive lineman Jon Cooper, finally adding a veteran with playing experience to the competition at center.
The Titans announced the deal Wednesday.
Tennessee visited with five veteran centers in free agency without signing anyone. Kevin Matthews, son of Hall of Fame lineman and current Titans offensive line coach Bruce Matthews, had been working with the first-team offense until the return of veteran Eugene Amano in his recovery from knee and ankle surgeries.
The 6-foot-2, 291-pound Cooper played 13 games with one start in two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota waived him after the first week of the 2011 season.
Cooper was a three-year starter at center for Oklahoma where he was the Big 12 offensive lineman of the year as a senior.

Published in The Messenger 6.14.12