Quarterbacks in the American Flag Football League Tournament include Vince Young, Michael Vick and Danny Wuerffel.
And then there’s Chris Hughes.
The same Chris Hughes who is coach of the Fairview High football team.
The same stocky 50-year-old Chris Hughes, who is 5-foot-8 and weighs 215 pounds, is not very mobile and never played football in high school or college.
► More:Fairview High players, coach takes center stage at Region Football Banquet
Yet Hughes has turned out to be one of the best of the bunch in the 7-on-7, NFL-sponsored tournament.
He’s led the Mean Machine, a team comprised of local players, to the final eight, some big earnings and the chance to win $1 million more.
To call the Mean Machine an underdog is an understatement. And Hughes was the reason it was overlooked early on.
“I had to apply three separate times before they finally let us in,” Hughes said. “We were the 127th out of 128 teams they let in because they saw me with no college experience. They were looking for ex-college and pro athletes who run 4.4 and have some recognizable names.”
Hughes was 5-4, 97 pounds when he graduated from Fairview in the 1980s. He played baseball and rode the bench in basketball, but did not play football beyond the eighth grade.
“I always had a love for the game, I just wasn’t big enough,” Hughes said. “That’s why flag kind of fit me.”
In a recent game Hughes completed 27-of-29 passes for 369 yards and five touchdowns.
He started playing flag football in local leagues when he was 20 and has developed into an outstanding quarterback over the last 30 years.
“I see the field real good,” Hughes said. “I’m not the most athletic, but I’ve got those fast guys and I just get it to them in space and let them run. I run scout team and throw against my high school team when we do 7-on-7 drills and I tear them up throwing the ball. They get so frustrated. I tell them, ‘Look guys, when I play flag it’s like this and I’m a really good quarterback. Don’t get frustrated.'”
Telling his players he was a good flag football player didn’t help in the past. They still got flustered when he would pick them apart.
That has changed, however, with the success Hughes has had in the AFFL Tournament and the national attention he has received. He was interviewed recently on the NFL Network by Tony Siragusa.
“They used to say, ‘Flag football — whatever,’ Hughes said. “Now, since we’ve played so well in this tournament, I’m getting some respect. I had one say, ‘Coach, you were on my MSN Timeline.’ I don’t know what that means, but apparently my name came up for being a 50-year-old quarterback. I was like, ‘See, I told y’all.'”
Hughes put together the Mean Machine.
He signed up former Denver Bronco Jerodis Williams, who now lives in Nashville, Sancho McDonald from Middle Tennessee State and Jeremy Stephens from Tennessee State along with several other former college players from Cumberland.
In most of the leagues and tournaments Hughes’ teams have played in, there is a straight rush. In the AFFL Tournament there is a two-second delay, which has given the Mean Machine an edge.
“That two-second clock really plays to our advantage because that gives me about four to throw the ball and really fits our style because of me,” Hughes said. “Because my mobility is not the same as my other guys.”
The team already has collected $25,000 for winning the first three rounds. It will play again on July 1 in Pittsburgh in the final eight against Code Red, a team from New York, with $50,000 on the line.
The prize for winning the tournament is $1 million.
The Titans invited Mean Machine to practice Monday in their bubble. The NFL Network came to town to do a feature on Hughes and the team that day.
“It’s just been a lot of fun for me,” Hughes said. “All these guys who are playing with me, they’re like gung-ho serious. But I’m just having a good time. It’s been awesome.”
Tatum Everett joins Channel 17
Tatum Everett has joined WZTV-17 as a weekend sports anchor.
Longtime sports director Paul Jones left the Fox affiliate in February.
► More:Fox 17 sports anchor Paul Jones signing off in Nashville
Everett came from KTBS in Shreveport, La., where she was the sports director.
Before that she was the sports director at KTEN in Denison, Texas, and KWBJ in Morgan City, La.
Bill Breen qualifies for U.S. Senior Open
Nashville golfer Bill Breen won a qualifying match at Hillwood Country Club and earned an invitation to play in the 39th annual U.S. Senior Open June 28-July 1 at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.
Breen, the medalist in the qualifier with a 68, left his position three years ago as a Davidson County criminal court clerk to return to full-time golf instruction and competition.
He also qualified for the 2014 U.S. Senior Open.
Breen, the nephew of Father Joseph Breen, retired pastor of St. Edward Catholic Church, won the 2016 Tennessee State Senior Open.
Vandy’s Shurmur, Vols’ Chandler on cover of Lindy’s magazine
Vanderbilt quarterback Kyle Shurmur and Tennessee running back Ty Chandler, a former Montgomery Bell Academy star, are featured on a regional cover of Lindy’s Sports 2018 Southeastern Preview magazine.
► More:Will grad transfer Madre London break into Tennessee Vols running back rotation?
The news inside the magazine, however, is not promising for either team.
Tennessee is ranked 67th and Vanderbilt 68th in the magazine’s rating of the 130 FBS teams. Middle Tennessee State is 69th.
The Vols are predicted to finish sixth in the SEC East and Vanderbilt seventh.
Tennessee offensive lineman Trey Smith is on the Preseason All-America team and the All-SEC first team.
Chandler is on the All-SEC second team, and Vols defensive back Nigel Warrior is on the third team.
Vandy linebacker Charles Wright is on the third team.
MTSU is picked second in the Conference USA East and three Blue Raiders — receiver Ty Lee, offensive guard Chandler Brewer and linebacker Khalil Brooks — are on the all-conference first team.
Quarterback Brent Stockstill, center Robert Behanan, defensive end Walter Brady and defensive back Reed Blankenship are on the second team.
Austin Peay is ranked 15th in the FCS Top 25 and defensive end Jaison Williams made the FCS All-America team.
► More:Austin Peay vs. Georgia football: Time, TV set for season opener
Austin Peay is picked second in the OVC, TSU is third and Tennessee Tech is last.
Cumberland’s Pavan is Mid-South’s top AD
Ron Pavan was named the Mid-South Conference athletic director of the year at the league’s summer meetings. The award was voted on by the conference’s ADs.
Cumberland won three conference titles in 2017-18 — men’s and women’s soccer and men’s golf.
Phoenix baseball coach Woody Hunt received the Coaching for Significance Award, which goes to the coach who had the greatest impact on and off the field on his players.
Ex-Stewarts Creek star transfers to TSU
Former Stewarts Creek basketball standout Jy’lan Washington, who spent the last three years at Louisiana Tech, is transferring to TSU.
The 6-9 forward will have one year of eligibility remaining after sitting out the 2018-19 season due to NCAA transfer rules.
Washington was the Daily News Journal player of the year as a senior. He also had scholarship offers coming out of high school from MTSU, Bradley, Coastal Carolina, Murray State and Richmond.
Washington played in a total of 97 games at Louisiana Tech and started in 17. He averaged 5.9 points and 3.5 rebounds this past season.
Vandy’s Stacy released by CFL team
Former Vandy running back Zac Stacy, who played in the NFL, was cut by the Canadian Football League’s Saskatchewan Roughriders.
► More:Vanderbilt Pro Day: Ralph Webb’s shot, Zac Stacy’s comeback, Oren Burks’ follow-up
Stacy, 27, announced his retirement from the NFL after the 2016 season. He spent the 2013 and 2014 seasons with the Rams and part of the 2015 season with the Jets.
Stacy showed up at Vandy’s Pro Day in March and said he was making a comeback.
Maplewood star Lamont Ridley dies
Former Maplewood basketball standout Lamont Ridley died expectantly on June 1. He was 54.
Ridley, a post player, helped Maplewood advance to the TSSAA Class AAA state tournament in his sophomore (1980) and senior (1982) seasons. The Panthers made it all the way to the semifinals in 1982.
Ridley was named to The Tennessean All-Nashville Interscholastic League first team as a senior and third team as a junior.
Ex-MTSU coordinator hired at Virginia Tech
Former MTSU defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix is the new safeties coach at Virginia Tech.
Nix also served as linebackers coach at MTSU from 2012-16. He was as senior defensive analyst for Texas A&M in 2017.
TSU’s Kern speaks at clinic in Sweden
TSU women’s basketball coach Jessica Kern became the first female to lecture at the annual Barton Clinic in Stockholm, Sweden.
The clinic at Solnahallen Arena is designed for international coaches on the college and professional levels.
Kern was selected to speak because of her experience abroad. She played pro basketball for seven years in Europe. Kern spoke on creating a competitive environment in practice.
Sports on Nashville TV
The top five local ratings for sporting events from June 4-10:
1. NBA Final: Cavaliers-Warriors (Game 3), 10.8
2. NBA Final: Cavaliers-Warriors (Game 4), 8.3
3. Horse racing: Belmont Stakes, 7.6
4. NHL Stanley Cup Final: Knights-Capitals (Game 5), 5.3
5. NHL Stanley Cup Final: Knights-Capitals (Game 4), 4.5
Each rating point is equal to 10,307 Nashville homes.
Source: Mark Binda, WTVF-5 senior programming director
If you have an item for Midstate Chatter contact Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.
