Sevier County linebacker Parker Newman is the 5Star Preps Defensive Underclassman of the Year after helping lead the Smoky Bears to the 2024 Class 5A state championship. (Photo by Danny Parker)
BY JESSE SMITHEY
Let’s clear the air on something.
Though he and Cooper Newman once played alongside one another on an offensive line more than a decade ago, Parker Newman is not the brother of — nor is he related to — Sevier County sophomore quarterback Cooper Newman.
However, it does so happen that Newman and Newman garnered the 5Star Preps Underclassman Awards for the 2024 season.
Cooper Newman won Offensive Underclassman of the Year.
Parker Newman took Defensive Underclassman of the Year.
To begin realizing your financial future with resources that fit both you and your values, click on the Thrivent graphic above.
The 6-foot-5, 205-pound Parker Newman made 120 tackles as a sophomore this past fall, racking up eight stops for loss, five sacks, eight pass breakups, two forced fumble and an interception.
He had 11 tackles, a sack and fumble recovery in Sevier County’s 27-20 win over Page in the championship game, and he averaged 10 tackles per game in the playoffs.
His lone interception of the season might have been the biggest interception anyone on Sevier County’s roster made in 2024.
Powell was driving late in a second-round playoff game at Sevier County, likely to set up a game-winning, field-goal attempt in the final seconds from all-state kicker Dylan Stooksbury. From the right hash at the Sevier County 30-yard line with fewer than 30 seconds to play, Powell QB Deuce Rodgers fired a low pass toward the left hash. Newman broke on it and made the shoestring interception, preserving a 25-24, come-from-behind win over the Panthers that sent Sevier County into a quarterfinal at two-time defending state champion West.
It was a true see-ball, get-ball play, Newman said — not something he had aniticipated via film study.
“It was definitely just a reaction, because I did not expect them to throw it,” Newman said.
Newman had a monster game against West in Round 3, logging 12 tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup at West in a double-overtime victory.
But his biggest contribution came in his expanded offensive role. In the regular season, Newman had but nine catches for 134 yards and one touchdown. In the postseason, he caught 10 passes for 161 yards and two scores.
On fourth-and-1 with 1 minute, 19 seconds left in regulation, Sevier County trailed 7-3 at West. The Smoky Bears had the ball at the West 24. Coming out of a timeout, Cooper Newman threw a play-action pass out of a power-run formation and hit Parker Newman down the field for a touchdown.
“It was a great play call. I loved the gutsy play call,” Parker Newman said.
“Cooper let it go, and I scored. … I can only thank the coaches for the opportunity.”
Though West found a way in the final 1:13 to force overtime, destiny remained on the Smoky Bears’ side. Moreover, each step toward the state championship showed that Parker Newman was going to be a component for future opponents to account for — on defense and offense.
“He played his best ball in the playoffs, which was good to see,” Sevier County coach Todd Loveday said. “And, he’s obviously going to be more involved offensively coming up.”
VERSALITY ABOUNDS
The son of Sevier County assistant basketball coach Mark Newman, Parker Newman has a set of basketball skills to complements his career on the football field. He’s a forward on the Smoky Bears’ boys basketball team, which is off to another strong start this season and should be in the mix into the deep rounds of the Class 4A postseason in another month or so.
But when Newman came to high school, he made an immediate varsity impact as a freshman — in football. He wound up fifth on the team in total tackles with 67 while also making five tackles for loss and a sack. He broke up two passes and even scored on a fumble return.
The Sevier County staff let him start from the early weeks of the 2023 season and didn’t overload the then-freshman’s mind with too much. They just wanted him relying on instincts and his penchant for physical play.
“By Week 2, he was a starter. You could tell the talent he had. It was just a matter of him figuring a few things out,” Loveday said. “But once he was inserted on defense, he was a mainstay, primarily on athletic ability. He’s playing strong-side outside linebacker, what we call our STAR position. He was playing on ability and effort and physicality.”
The jump to his sophomore year was predicated upon Newman refining his craft and growing in knowledge of his position.
Older players on the team showed him the standard.
“Film study. As a freshman, I watched film on my own. But this year, Tyler (Mann) — our middle linebacker — me, him, and Cooper and whoever else wanted to join, would go on Saturdays and watch and break down the game on both sides of the ball. Tyler has been doing that since his sophomore year,” Newman said.
“He definitely helped a lot. And so did Coach (Dakota) Cogdill, my linebackers coach. As a freshman, I was scared to ask questions. I felt like as a freshman, I was just happy to be out there. But this year, I felt like I had something to prove, so I made sure I learned everything I possibly could because I knew how special this team could be. I wanted to help in every way I could.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Sevier County will lose five offensive starters and six defensive from its championship day starting lineup to graduation, including leading-tackler Tyler Mann (senior, LB) and leading receiver Jude Costner (senior, TE/LB).
That should open the door for Newman to get even more involved on both sides of the ball.
“I want to play this sport at the next level,” Newman said of football. “If I’m going to be there, I have to make some changes (physically). I know that’ll I have to step up on the offensive side, especially with some of the players we’re losing, like Jude and what not. I know I’ll have to do more than just linebacker. I’ll have to play tight end or wide receiver or whatever they ask me to do.”
But first, he’s trying to find a way to successfully balance both high school basketball and AAU hoops with enhancing his body frame for football.
That’s a task in itself.
“It’s difficult. In high school season, it’s not that hard. But in the AAU circuit, I don’t have a single tournament in Tennessee. It’s already so much money to travel, so eating that big and that good on the road is really expensive, especially for my parents,” Newman said. “So during the summer, when I’m supposed to be putting on weight, is the hardest.
“I try my best. … It’s definitely difficult.”
Nevertheless, much will change in the next couple of years for him. And much has already changed for Newman since he once occupied the center position on the offensive line at an elementary school age.
Two spots to his left was Cooper Newman at left tackle.
The two used to carry on a joke that they were actually brothers. They had everyone buying it.
Finally around middle school age, they set the record straight.
And still have to til this day.
5SP DEFENSIVE
UNDERCLASSMAN OF THE YEAR
PAST RECIPIENTS
2018 — Kalib Fortner (Central, LB)
2019 — Marshaun Bowers (TKA/West, DB)
2020 — Aaron Davis (Alcoa, LB)
2021 — Steven Soles (Powell, DE)
2022 — Carson Nivens (Oliver Springs, DL)
2023 — Bryson Headrick (Sevier County, DB)
2024 — Parker Newman (Sevier County, LB)