KNS: We talked to high school players who blocked James Pearce

[kamoshika]

There’s a group chat of former offensive linemen who blocked James Pearce in high school in North Carolina, and they spend every Saturday gloating over their loose connection to the Tennessee football star. They brag about that perfect block they landed on him in the state championship game. And they chide one other when their tall tales get out of hand. Sometimes they do it from the stands at Tennessee football games.

...The group chat is all in good fun, littered with exaggeration and self-deprecating humor. But it’s based in a deep respect for Pearce, one of most talented pigskin products that North Carolina high school football has produced in years.

Pearce returns to his hometown on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC) to lead No. 12 Tennessee (1-0) against No. 23 NC State (1-0) at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. He was feared on the North Carolina high school football scene. But his legend has grown since he went to Tennessee and developed into a projected top-10 NFL Draft pick.
Players who blocked Tennessee's James Pearce in high school tell the tales, bask in his greatness

 

[Vol_in_NC_1999]

 

[Vol_in_NC_1999]

Wow! I didn't know Pearce and Concepcion were high school teammates.

Sounds like we got lucky too:

“I didn’t think it took off the way that it should have because he didn’t really hear from the Alabamas and the Georgias at first,” Ferebee said. “South Carolina and Missouri wanted him bad, but North Carolina didn’t pursue him. So Tennessee got a steal.”

 

[UT Hill Man]

We are blessed to have such a great young man on our team. We can be proud of James Pearce!