SHANE SHOEMAKER
Writer
Two South Pittsburg players have been named semifinalists for the 2025 Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Awards in Division I, Class 1A.
Senior running back Ja’Mychal Buckner and junior wide receiver Dayon Cooper were among five players chosen in their classification, joining McKenzie’s Cole Brown, Coalfield’s Jaiden Bunch, and Dresden’s Luke Di Pietro.
Buckner and Cooper have been key contributors in helping South Pittsburg remain one of the top teams in Class 1A this season. The duo has found the end zone in nearly every game of the Pirates’ 10-1 campaign and combined for two touchdowns in their opening-round playoff win over Red Boiling Springs.
The awards, presented by the TSSAA and Tennessee Titans, honor the top players across nine classifications. Three finalists for each class will be announced later this month, with winners recognized December 9 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
Should Buckner or Cooper win the award, they would join former Pirate Hunter Frame, who won the overall Division I Class 1A Mr. Football honor in 2020.
South Pittsburg has also produced past positional award winners, including Aaron Chambers (Lineman, 1999), David Jones (Back, 2008), and Terrell Robinson (Back, 2009).