SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. – In 2025, Shelbyville Central returned to the top classification in Tennessee High School Football for the first time since 2022. That season, the Golden Eagles finished 1-10 overall with their lone win coming against Warren County in Jud Dryden’s first year as the head coach. Last season, Dryden’s program went 5-6 (4-2) in a more difficult region, and established themselves as a tough out on any given Friday night.

“Going into it last year, there was the shock and worry of being in 6A, and then we had the realization that we can do this,” fifth-year head coach Jud Dryden said, “We don’t have that shock factor anymore and we understand what we are getting into, so now it’s time to go compete.”

Overall, the Golden Eagles graduated 14 seniors from 2025, and eight of them were starters. One of those starters, star tailback Robert Bailey who was last season’s Region 6-6A Offensive Player of the Year, graduated and is now at Austin Peay. Bailey played in nine games, carrying the ball 189 times for 1,227 yards and eight touchdowns on 6.5 yards per carry despite dealing with a nagging injury for much of the season. The Golden Eagles now turn their focus to a dynamic committee headlined by junior Torrion Mathis. As a sophomore, Mathis showed plenty of juice in his time on the field, finishing second on the team in rushing with 747 yards on 133 carries with six touchdowns.

“[Our backfield] has a ton of promise, and Torrion has had a great offseason,” Dryden said, “Treyveon [Mathis] has had a great offseason, and Laron Brown, who spent most of the year injured, is coming back as a sophomore, so we have a good three backs to rely on. It’s gotten to the point where we are running Laron as a wide receiver. He’s very athletic, a natural running back, and he’s playing well in space.”

Treyveon Mathis, a rising senior, tallied 182 yards rushing on 35 attempts with three touchdowns on 5.2 yards per carry.

Of course, no running game can succeed without an offensive line, and the 2026 Golden Eagles front returns all five starters from a year ago. This continuity and cohesion should help ease the transition at quarterback as well with Stephen Bobo moving on to focus on his baseball future for his senior season.

“Last year, the offensive line grew up so fast and so well, starting with Franklin really,” said Dryden, ““Our offensive success is going to hinge on our offensive line. It sounds cliché, but for us, it is 100% correct. That’s where all of our experience is and they all had a great offseason. Ravenwood is always going to be Ravenwood, but we competed well with everyone else last season. [Them returning] changes everything offensively. We didn’t have to spend an inordinate amount of time prepping them and getting them ready to play because they’re already Game One ready coming in. We’ve been able to do a lot more with them up front. Having Torrion and Treyveon with the number of snaps they’ve gotten, having those two in the backfield alongside Cyonn Rucker at quarterback. We’re returning a good chunk, and we’ve been able to progress the offense because of that. ”

Cyonn Rucker, a shutdown corner as a freshman last season, stepped in as the backup quarterback in Shelbyville’s Week Four defeat at Brentwood when Bobo had to sit with a lower-leg injury. The rising sophomore finished 2025 going 12-for-29 for 108 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions while rushing for 113 yards on 14 carries. After that game, Dryden made sure Rucker commanded a few drives every game as Bobo returned from injury, allowing the youngster to gain invauable reps. Rucker’s growth offensively – especially since taking over the full-time starting job in the spring once Bobo made it clear he would be focusing on baseball – has been notable and a major cause for excitement.

“Cyonn has had an amazing offseason,” Dryden said about his young but promising quarterback, “He’s gotten thicker, obviously he’s in more control of everything going on, he understands where we’re headed, and that’s been big for a lot of our other guys. So far he has played well above the 10th grade status. I think he’ll find his footing sooner rather than later. For the most part, coming into game one this season, it’s coming into game five for him with an offensive line that has 11 games under them as a group. He’s a good arm talent to start with. He has gotten to where he’s recognizing the windows as they open. He’s starting to throw guys open instead of waiting until they’re open, so his timing is better. Everything has gotten better with every rep he’s taken since spring ball. He’s constantly got guys working with him out there with him outside of practice. He’s going to be confident and he’s going to be fine. What’s crazy is he is as good or better in the secondary. We’ll be able to use him as a nickel corner, safety, just when the situation dictates that we need another defensive back on the field, then he’ll be that guy.”

Seemingly the only question mark on the offensive side – besides the growth rate at quarterback – is the receivers. Reager Edwards is the lone returner with any significant snaps under his belt. The senior was Shelbyville Central’s leading receiver a year ago with 24 receptions for 371 yards and one touchdown. 

“One of the reasons Laron [Brown] is at WR is that we’re a bit limited on skill positions,” Dryden admitted, “Reager [Edwards] was a good target for Stephen [Bobo] last year, but he’s about the only returner. Laron, JJ Timton(?), Lucas Tindle, have all come along well. As they’ve learned more, they’ve gotten better.”

The Golden Eagles prefer to establish the run and control the game on the ground already, but they will need to find a few options for Rucker to be able to throw to when necessary.

Defensively, the front seven will be the strength of Dryden’s team. Despite losing every starter from a year ago on the defensive line, the Golden Eagles like the guys stepping up in their place, as well as returning All-Region linebacker Jackson Themm for his senior season. Themm was by far the team’s leading tackler last year, totaling 100 tackles in 11 games with 6.5 TFLs. 

“All of our starters on the defensive line graduated, but our returners there all rotated in and got a lot of snaps,” Dryden said, “They’re talented, thick, strong, and have a good first step. They’re going to be difficult to deal with for a lot of teams. At linebacker, Jackson Themm is back as an all-region player, and Ethan McBee has taken over the other inside linebacker spot. At outside linebacker, it will be a rotation between the three running backs.”

However, the defensive backfield will have to get their sea legs underneath them quickly. They are having to replace both starting safeties – Stephen Bobo and Chandler Jones – as well as both corner spots with Rucker transitioning to more spot duty while being the full-time quarterback.

“At safety, JJ Tipton has looked good,” said Dryden, “He’s progressing, young and athletic as a sophomore, but he’s new to the role. Then you’ve got Eli Prince at corner – a recent move there – who is a little undersized, but he makes up for it with his tenacity and coachability and his toughness. Lucas Tindle has moved from outside linebacker back to safety, and he’s incredibly intelligent with a great football IQ. The other corner spot is still up in the air being fought for by a couple of guys.”

Tindle is a sophomore while Prince is a junior. 

One of the biggest questions returning to 6A last season was how would the Golden Eagles be able to match up athletically? Shelbyville Central proved that they aren’t as far off as many might have anticipated, and Dryden feels like his program is continuing to take positive steps in that direction, even in comparison to a really tough region.

“Athletically we stack up pretty well with everyone outside of Ravenwood,” he said, “We have six or seven dudes and they’ll have 11 at all times. Everyone is well coached, so we have to be able to maximize our talent, take advantage of what we do well, shore up weaknesses where we can, and go play football. Last year, Summit, who was down, had the same coaching staff that won a state title a few years ago. We’ve got to be prepared every week to get after everyone that we see.”

“[Making the playoffs last year] showed us we are capable of doing this in 6A,” he continued, “Anybody we play in the playoffs is going to be really good, and we’ll have to be prepared, but at the end of the day, I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do. If the growth happens in the way that it could, then who knows. We’ll play until we’re done.”

On the whole, Dryden is visibly excited – almost giddy, or at least as giddy as you’ll see a football coach, which is to say not too much externally – about his team’s potential this season. There is a ton of youth, sure, but there is also experience in just enough key positions combined with heavy potential that the 2026 outlook for Shelbyville Central should be a positive one.

“I’m very excited for this season,” he admitted, “I want to see what our offensive line can do now that they’re all in and gelled. Three brand new running backs that we know are incredibly talented, I want to see what they can do on the field. I’m excited to see what Cyonn can do. There’s so many unknowns, and that’s exciting to me, being able to see the growth from our guys. I’m excited to help and take the journey with our guys in the secondary and on defense as a whole as they get better. I want to see Jackson Themm have an absolutely stellar year, I want to see our outside linebackers have a breakout year, and I want to see that defensive line play with the amount of joy that their coach coaches them with. There’s nothing about this year that doesn’t excite me in not only its potential, but in the process and journey of getting to that potential.”

Last year, the Golden Eagles went 4-2 in region games, but three of the four wins were one-score games that could have gone either way. The fourth was a 28-14 win over Coffee County to close the season and clinch a playoff trip to Antioch. Hopefully the fourth quarter success stays with Shelbyville Central in 2026.

Finally, the Golden Eagles’ skipper wants to let the fans know exactly what they can expect from his team in 2026 on the gridiron.

“What I want the fans to see is our guys excited to play for each other,” he concluded, “I want them to see us always in the fight regardless of whatever else is going on, and I want them to see the joy that it is to play this game. If those things are evident, then we’ve done a good job this year.”

2026 SHELBYVILLE CENTRAL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Aug. 21 – VS Tullahoma

Aug. 27 – VS Marshall County

Sep. 4 – VS Franklin*

Sep. 11 – AT Independence*

Sep. 18 – VS Brentwood*

Sep. 25 – VS Summit* (Homecoming)

Oct. 2 – BYE

Oct. 9 – VS Clarksville (Senior Night)

Oct. 16 – AT Ravenwood*

Oct. 23 – AT Hendersonville

Oct. 30– AT Coffee County*

2026 SHELBYVILLE CENTRAL FOOTBALL ROSTER