The Union County Tigers finished the 2024 season with a loss in the Rural State Semifinals at Madison County. It was the second state semifinal appearance in five seasons under head coach Andrew Thomas.
Despite a 46-14 record in five seasons under Thomas, the Tigers’ head coach was fired in early June. This caused a mass exodus of assistant coaches and some players as well.
Thomas, who won two state titles at Trenton in 2013 and 2015 and also coached in Alabama and at Trinity Catholic (Ocala), took a job as defensive coordinator at Baker County (Glen St. Mary).
Meanwhile, Union County is picking up the pieces and starting over. Lamar Waters, a longtime assistant football coach and baseball coach at Union County and Bradford, as well as athletic director at Williston, has returned as interim football coach and athletics director for the Tigers. Waters says the players are definitely ready to get the 2025 season going.
“Kids are much more resilient than adults,” Waters said. “They’ve hit the ground running. Our numbers have increased every week and they’ve handled everything we’ve asked of them.
“We got after it. Our strength and conditioning guy used to work at Florida, Tennessee, Ole Miss and several other places and we threw a lot at them, and I think the guys are ready to go.”
Waters had to replace most of the coaching staff, although one assistant coach on Thomas’s staff returned. Union County was dealt another blow right after Thomas was let go, when junior running back Drew Simmons announced he was transferring to Columbia.
But Union County did get some good news when Simmons, who rushed for 1,444 and 20 total touchdowns last season, changed his mind and returned to Union County.
The Tigers will have to replace graduated quarterback Trenton Klein, who threw for 1,409 yards and 22 touchdowns with only seven interceptions. He also ran for another 587 yards and seven scores. Klein was also the team’s leader in tackles with 78 and had 7.5 sacks and an interception at inside linebacker. Last season’s leading receiver, Gavin Jenkins, graduated too.
Senior Cash Cox is expected to be the starting quarterback when the season gets underway. Cox is a baseball player who is returning to football in 2025. This offense will mostly be predicated around Simmons, who rushed for nine yards a carry and 161 yards a game in 2024.
Despite the changes, the Union County fan base always expects its team to contend for a state title.
“I was lucky to work here with Robby (Pruitt) for years and also at Williston and he has been a real mentor to me,” Waters said. “The expectations are always there, but the kids are different in Union County because the kids believe they can win, and that’s not the case everywhere.”
Sophomore wide receiver Elijah Llanes and senior fullback Clifton Ivey are two players who saw plenty of action a year ago and were productive in their respective roles in 2024.
One of the defensive leaders returning is senior linebacker Wyatt Elixson.
“Wyatt’s been there all along and made some big plays in the spring,” Waters said.
Elixson points to the team’s attitude.
“It’s going to take leadership to get to the state title game,” Elixson said. “That’s something we haven’t had in the past, but we think we have it now.”
Seniors Keegan Shuler and Rhett Prevatt will lead Union County on both offensive and defensive lines, while senior Landon Cason also helps on the Tigers’ offensive line.
The schedule is challenging as usual for the Tigers as they host Yulee to open the regular season.
There are plenty of home games for the Tigers. They will host Keystone Heights, Baldwin, Paxon (Jacksonville), Zarephath Academy (Jacksonville), Hudson and Chiefland. The only three road games are at Hollis Christian Academy (Jacksonville), Fort White, and Trinity Catholic (Ocala).
“Chiefland is a team the players want to play because they beat Union last year during the regular season,” Waters said. “Yulee was a sloppy game on the road, but they (Union) pulled it out. And Fort White is a rival that’s local, and coach Jackson always has them ready to play. It’s a challenging schedule, but that’s fine with us.”
Union County Tigers
2024 Final Record: 10-2
2024 Playoffs Final Game: Lost at Madison County, 34-8, in Rural state semifinals
Head Coach: Lamar Waters (Interim)
Years as head coach: 1st
Classification: Rural
Players to watch:
Drew Simmons (RB, Jr.)
Cash Cox (QB/LF, Sr.)
Wyatt Elixson (LB/FL, Sr.)
Rhett Prevatt (OL/DL, Sr.)
Keegan Shuler (OL/DL, Sr.)
Key games:
Aug. 22 vs. Yulee
Sept. 12 vs. Baldwin
Sept. 19 at Fort White
Oct. 17 at Trinity Catholic (Ocala)
Oct. 31 vs. Chiefland