TEAM

About Fulton Stadium/Bob Black Field

 “Knoxville’s oldest and most exciting high school football venue.”  - Tim Parker

   Long before Fulton played its first home game at the school, what is now known as Bob Black Field served as Fulton’s practice field. Home games from 1951-1964 were played at Evans-Collins Field. In 1964, the North Knoxville Stadium Association was established with the goal of building a football stadium at Fulton High School. The NKSA worked hard to raise money for the project from local businesses and individual donors. In October of 1964, local dignitaries gathered for the ground breaking of Fulton Stadium/Falcon Field. The original stadium, consisting of the middle section of the current stadium’s bleachers, along with temporary stands, seated 3000 people and was ready for the first game of the 1965 season on August 27, 1965 against Unicoi Co. On that historic evening, a full house watched the Falcons defeat the Blue Devils 13-0. The stadium was expanded to its current configuration before the 1969 season. Fulton lost to Sevier Co. 14-8 in the first game in the completed stadium. Falcon Field was renamed “Bob Black Field,” in honor of the coach and athletic director on September 12, 1986. In the dedication game, Fulton defeated Alcoa 10-7 on Mike Potter’s overtime field goal. Fulton concluded the 2002 season with a perfect 8-0 home record, including three consecutive home victories in the TSSAA Play-offs. For the first time ever on November 1, 2002, Fulton hosted a live regional cable broadcast on CSS, as the Falcons defeated the Gibbs Eagles 47-7.

Fulton Stadium/Bob Black Field Timeline

§         1964  Groundbreaking for new stadium

§         1965  1^st season at Falcon Field, Fulton completes the season with a perfect 5-0 home record.

§         1967  Fulton defeats Oak Ridge 14-13 on Falcon Field en route to an undefeated season.

§         1969  East and West stands added to existing stadium.

§         1974  Perfect 5-0 record at Fulton.

§         1979  Fulton hosts 1^st home play-off game. Oak Ridge 28 Fulton 14.

§         1986  Falcon Field renamed Bob Black Field.

§         1995  New scoreboard installed.

§         1996  Track re-surfaced.

§         2000  Press Box renovated creating a new second level.      

§         2002  Fulton wins all 8 home games and advances to the BlueCross Bowl.

§         2003  Fulton posts an undefeated 7-0 home record and defeated Macon Co. 26-0 to advance to their second consecutive BlueCross Bowl.

§         2004  New scoreboard installed honoring 2003 state champions.

Field Decorations

Fulton takes great pride in the appearance of Bob Black Field. Many fans have said that Fulton’s field is the best-decorated field in the area. The coaching staff spends many hours on Wednesdays painting the field for Friday’s game. The drop wing falcon on the 50-yard line first appeared during the 1992 season. This is the third season that the falcon has been painted black. The FHS designs in both end zones debuted in 1993. The current field design has been in use since the 1996 season. The drop wing falcon logo is outlined by hand prior to the start of the season by Fulton graduates Tim Parker and Jason Harbison.

Fulton at Home

   Fulton Stadium/ Bob Black Field celebrates its 40^th birthday this season, and the Falcons have been successful in the past in defending their home turf. Fulton finished the 2004 home season with a record of 5-2. 2004 saw the end of a record 19-game winning streak at home. The Falcons opened their stadium with a 19 game unbeaten streak (17-0-2) from 1965-1968. Fulton’s all-time home record is 117-89-3, and Coach Coatney is 44-32 at home. Currently, Fulton has an 8-game winning streak in home playoff games, and has a home record in the playoffs of 10-2. Fulton has a 1-1 record in home games this year.

Fulton Quick Facts

Location……….. Knoxville

Opened………... 1951

Enrollment…….. 956

District/Region... 2-3A

Home Field……. Bob Black Field

Principal………. Kitty Hatcher

Athletic Director.. Bob Black

Head Coach…… Buck Coatney

Seasons………..  14

Record………… 93-71

Seasons Played.… 55

All-Time Record…318-261-11

Playoff Appearances..15

Playoff Record… 21-13

Coach Buck Coatney

 Coach Buck Coatney is in his 14^th season at the helm of the Fulton football program. His 93-71 record makes him the winningest coach in school history. Coatney’s teams have developed a reputation for both a physical defense and a high scoring offense. Coatney’s roots are colored maroon and white, as his father John captained Fulton’s 1959 team. Coatney was known as a hard-nosed linebacker and tight end on the Falcon teams of the late 70s. He was named to the all-state team and the Knoxville Journal defensive player of the year, as he led Fulton to a region championship in 1979. Coatney earned Honorable-Mention All-American honors at Furman University where he was coached by current Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson. He began his coaching career at Furman as a graduate assistant. After leaving Furman, Coatney spent two years as an assistant coach at Middlesburg High School in Florida. He returned to Fulton in 1987, where he served as Defensive Coordinator. He was named Fulton’s 11^th head coach in 1992. Fulton has advanced to the playoffs under Coatney for the last 12 years. In 2003, Coatney directed what was thought to be a rebuilding effort into the school’s first ever state championship team, and led the Falcons to a repeat championship in 2004. For his work in 2004, Coatney was named state coach of the year by the Tennessee Sportswriters Association, and the Tennessee Titans.   

2005 Schedule

8/12     Bearden (Jamboree)   W, 8-0

8/26     @Austin-East             L, 36-33

9/2      @Anderson Co.           L, 27-26 (ot)

9/9       Alcoa                          L, 46-8

9/16     Boyd Buchanan          W, 43-7

9/23     @ Chatt. Tyner           W, 16-13

9/30     Scott (HC)

10/7     Kingston

10/14   @Catholic

10/21   @Carter

10/28   Livingston Academy

Fulton vs. Scott- The Series

  Fulton and Scott High meet for the 11^th time tonight in Knoxville. Fulton leads the all-time series 7-3, and leads in the games played at Fulton 3-2. The series dates back to 1993 and has featured many high and low points for each school. The 1993 meeting saw Scott hold the Falcons with a goal-line stand as time expired to win 21-14. The next year, the Highlanders rained on Fulton’s homecoming with an impressive 14-0 victory in Knoxville. The most exciting meeting in the series came in 1997 when Fulton drove the length of the field in the final seconds for a late touchdown. The Falcons chose to go for the two-point conversion to win the game, and Tyson Porter’s conversion run kept the Falcon’s playoff hopes alive with the 22-21 victory. A region championship was on the line in 1999 when Scott, led by QB Scott Brummett, upset the Falcons 34-14 at Bob Black Field. Fulton returned the favor in 2001, defeating Scott 76-0, the most points scored by the Falcons in school history. Fulton currently holds a 5 game winning streak in the series. Fulton defeated Scott last year in Huntsville 54-6.

Last Week

Anderson Co. 42 Clinton 7

A-E 33 Brainerd 7

Kingston 26 Oliver Springs 19

Catholic 49 Wartburg 14

Fulton 16 Tyner 13

Livingston 28 York 13

Last Year

  The Fulton Falcons continued their run to their second consecutive state championship with a 54-6 victory over Scott in week 8 in Huntsville. Fulton struck the Highlanders by air in the first half as QB Ish Young went 4of 5 passing for 130 yards and three touchdowns. Young connected with Elliott Bishop for touchdowns of 27 and 63 yards, while Young hit DeMarcus Matthews for a 21 yard TD. The Fulton defense held Scott to only one yard of total offense in the first half. The Fulton running game took care of business in the second half, recording three rushing touchdowns. Dennis Freeney scored the final two TD’s for Fulton on returns. He returned a fumble 62 yards and returned a Scott kickoff 65 yards for a touchdown in the 4^th Quarter.

Last Week

   Fulton completed the “Chattanooga Sweep” last week with a comeback 16-13 victory at Chattanooga Tyner. The first-ever meeting between the schools turned out to be a defensive slugfest. Tyner took advantage of a Fulton turnover to take the lead in the second quarter. Keelyn Craddock hit Kelvion Jones on a 23-yard touchdown pass to give Tyner a 7-0 lead. Fulton drove 65 yards on seven plays for a touchdown on its opening possession of the second half. Dennis Rogan’s 41-yard TD run and JaMichael Mathis’ conversion catch gave the Falcons a 8-7 lead. Tyner answered on the next possession to retake the lead 13-8, but Fulton’s John Burnette blocked the extra point. Fulton rallied for the winning touchdown with 7:15 left in the game as QB Jock Stinson hit Mathis on a 40-yard strike on 4^th down and long. The Fulton defense prevented a Tyner comeback in the waning moments of the game; sacking the Tyner QB for a safety on the last play of the game. Dennis Rogan led all rushers in the game with 88 yards on 22 carries. John Burnette’s 8 tackles and blocked extra point led the Fulton defense.

This Week

Anderson Co @ Catholic

A-E @ Livingston

Loudon @ Kingston

Scott @ Fulton

Homecoming at Fulton

   2005 marks the 55^th season of Fulton football, and the 41^st homecoming game played on the Fulton campus. Prior to 1965 all Fulton games were played at Evans-Collins Field, making homecoming an event that was celebrated in two different places. Fulton’s first homecoming game played at Fulton Stadium came in 1965 when the Falcons defeated Holston 20-6. Other memorable homecoming games include the 1956 victory over powerful Chattanooga Central, and a 27-0 whitewashing of Maryville in 1963. The only blemish on the 1967 team’s worksheet was a 12-12 homecoming tie with Holston. Last year, Lenoir City spoiled homecoming with a 21-6 upset victory. This edition of Fulton game notes lists all of the known Fulton homecoming games.

Next Week

Anderson Co. @ A-E

Kingston @ Fulton

Catholic @ Webb

Livingston @ Scott

FalconTalk

    The Scott Highlanders are led by the versatile running back Wesley Smith. Smith has rushed for 832 yards, and caught 10 passes for 109 yards. He is second on the team with 41 total tackles… The Falcons will wear maroon jerseys and pants tonight for homecoming. It is the first time Fulton has dressed out in all maroon since last year’s homecoming loss to Lenoir City… Fulton’s 2005 schedule features five schools that have won a combined total of 12 state football championships … Fulton’s OT loss to Anderson Co. was the Falcons’ first OT loss since 2001 when the Mavericks defeated Fulton 36-33 at Anderson Co. in the 2^nd round of the playoffs. Fulton had won 3 consecutive overtime games… Tonight’s game will be broadcast in Knoxville on WKCS-FM 91.1 with Russell Mayes, Ryan McDonough, and T.J. Earl on the call. .. Only 9 East Tennessee schools have won back-to-back state championships. Fulton won in ’03 and ’04. Alcoa, Cleveland, and Maryville are the only ET schools with three consecutive championships.

Poll Watching

The Sonny Moore poll has Fulton listed as the number 22 team in the entire state of Tennessee.

Fulton Statistical Leaders

Next Week

   Fulton concludes its 2-game homestand next week as they host the Kingston Yellow Jackets at Bob Black Field. Local kickoff time is 7:30 PM.