By BY BRUCE HIXON – SPORTS EDITOR
T.R. Miller Tigers coach Jamie Riggs compares his team's 36-7 week one loss to the Clarke County Bulldogs to falling off a bicycle.
The Tigers will attempt the latter Friday when they open the Class 4A Region 1 season with a road trip to Southside-Selma. Game time is 7 p.m.
Southside-Selma is also coming off a week one setback, but in much closer fashion. The Panthers were edged by Class 6A city rival Selma 8-6.
Southside-Selma returns 27 players from last year's squad, which finished 4-6 overall, but won four of its last six.
A key to the Tigers' success will be their ability to contain Southside-Selma running back Kevin Rown (5-10, 185 lb. sr.).
Last season Southside-Selma employed a two-quarterback rotation of Xavier Mack (5-10, 175 lb. jr.) and Evell Rubin (6-0, 180 lb. sr.), but the Panthers have opted to go with Mack this year.
It has been a while since the Tigers have played a road game. T.R. Miller has played its last five games at home dating back to last season. The Tigers have not played a road game since week eight of last year at Hillcrest-Evergreen.
Riggs said another unfamiliar mental part his team has to deal with this week is entering week two after a loss. This year is the first time T.R. Miller has started 0-1 since 1998 and just the second time in the last 17 years.
Riggs said his squad has several offensive and defensive adjustments it needs to make after the loss to Clarke County.
Despite the loss, Riggs said there were a few positives from week one.