From rival HVA, Burris, 31, ready to lead Ads boys hoops
However, FHS principal Dr. John Bartlett and athletic director Donald Dodgen spoke glowingly of J.P. Burris, 31 — having lured away their new Admirals skipper from rival Hardin Valley Academy.
“When we found out coach (Jon) Higgins was resigning, I started reaching out to people I knew in the basketball community,” Bartlett said to the basketball players, who gathered in the school’s library to hear and meet their new coach Thursday afternoon, Aug. 11. “I got names from different people. Coach (Dodgen) did the same, different people.
“And one of the consistent names from everybody sending names was J.P. Burris,” he added. “One thing they said was, ‘He fits your culture, he fits Farragut, he fits what you believe. ...’
“He stands for what I believe in, OK, so he’s a coach from my heart. He knows basketball and he knows it well. And he knows young men.”
Under Burris, “He’ll demand you be the hardest-working basketball team on the court, no matter who we play,” Bartlett said. “When the ball’s loose, we’ll be down first to get it.”
“He’s going to fit it very well at the school, both as a teacher (physical education) and a coach,” Dodgen said after the meeting. “... Our program’s going in the right direction, and he’s going to keep it in the right direction.”
Burris addresses his new team
“First and foremost, I want you to know that I’m very excited to be here,” Burris told the players. “Farragut High School and Farragut basketball is a destination, it’s not a stop. I understand how fortunate I am to be here with you guys.”
With this transition coming during the first week of school, “It’s going to be a learning experience for you guys, and it’s going to be a bit of a learning experience for me,” said the new skipper, a former HVA boys hoops assistant coach the past two seasons who coached five seasons as an assistant varsity coach at District 4-AAA rival Heritage.
“... We want to build off the success you guys had last year (26-9 record as 4-AAA regular season and tournament champions),” Burris added, though the Admirals return just one starter off that team, senior post Dallas Carbaugh.
Saying he wasn’t going to discuss “offensive and defensive stuff” during this introductory meeting with his new team, “The most important thing for me and the staff that I bring here ... is getting to know you, so we can start building those relationships,” he said.
Eventually shaking hands with each player, Burris said he wanted “to have a team meeting with you” sometime in mid-August.
A Dawg, Red Rebel, Scot
A former Bearden Bulldog shooting guard under then head coach Mark Blevins, Burris transferred to Maryville and became an All-District shooting guard for the Red Rebels his senior year during the 2009-2010 season.
At Bearden, “We went to the state tournament my junior year,” he said. “My senior year I ended up playing at Maryville High School, and we had a good year.
“I ended up getting to play college basketball at Maryville College (a Division III NCAA school),” Burris added about the Scots’ program, where he later served as an assistant coach for one season. “Being there, I got to play and learn from one the best, coach Randy Lambert.”
Assistant coaches, family
Burris’ new assistant coaches will include Marcus Huie, a former FHS standout athlete and coach at HVA, and Adam Jenkins, also a former Hawks coach.
Burris and wife, Torie Burris, have two children: Briar, 4, and Judah, 1.
