Peterson now the full-time signal caller for Blue Devils

Rest assured, the spotlight that comes with the Unicoi County quarterback position won't bother Gunner Peterson. He's already experienced it … in the playoffs. Nearly two years after leading Unicoi County's football team to victory in the wake of losing his own dad during Hurricane Helene, Peterson is slated to become the Blue Devils' full-time signal caller. And he's earned it. In fact, Blue Devils head coach Drew Rice can point to the exact moment he knew Gunner would take over the starting job someday. His sophomore year in 2024, quarterback Kolby Jones left the regular season finale against Johnson County with an injury which sidelined him for the first round of the Class 3A playoffs. Filling in admirably might be an understatement for Peterson that night against Union County. He went 14-of-17 for 216 yards and four touchdowns as the Blue Devils rolled into the second round. "I would say he probably earned it then, and just how he's handled his time with us," Rice said. "There's been a lot of teams I've had over the last 10 years that he would've been the starting quarterback on, no question. We've always known what he's capable of. I can't commend him enough for the kind of teammate he is." As a junior behind Jones last season, Peterson went 9-of-15 for 102 yards with a touchdown and an interception. But the way Peterson has carried himself the past three years, through triumph and tragedy, clearly made an impression on the coaching staff and players. "If you ask these 70 or 75 guys who's your first vote for captain, I promise you (Peterson) is the answer," Rice said. "Super proud of him. Excited for him and all the guys we've got coming back. We're just excited to get going." Brady Hendrix, a sophomore, is currently listed as Peterson's backup. SENIOR HEAVY Unicoi County's top three receivers from last year — Avery Hatcher, Alex Laningham and Aidyn Evely — are all back for their senior years. Hatcher, who recently received an offer from Maryville College, led the Blue Devils receiving corps last fall, catching 55 passes for 1,061 yards and 13 touchdowns. "Probably some more college opportunities coming there (for Hatcher)," Rice said. "Super excited for him and how he's progressed as a young man and as a football player." Laningham and Evely had 739 yards and nine TDs between them. And while he's not been able to show his skills during 7-on-7, senior running back Blaze Rice returns to the backfield. Rice ran for 1,471 yards and 20 scores while averaging 7.1 yards a carry in 2025. Not to mention, Nehemiah Campbell — a starter since his freshman year — returns to the lineup as well for his senior season. Campbell missed basically the entire 2025 campaign with a collarbone injury. "We feel like we've got a lot of weapons in a lot of different places," Rice said. The Blue Devils, aiming for their third region title since the 2021 season, open the season Aug. 21 at David Crockett.