Sports
La Vergne looks to reshape football schedule as program rebuilds
La Vergne High plans to leave its Rutherford County Class 6A region schedule and play independently in 2027, giving the Wolverines more flexibility to choose opponents. The move comes as the team works to rebuild after a 0-27 stretch dating to 2024.
LA VERGNE, Tenn. — La Vergne High School plans to play an independent football schedule in 2027, a change intended to give the rebuilding Wolverines more flexibility in choosing opponents and assembling a 10-game regular season.
The move would take La Vergne out of its current Rutherford County Class 6A region. Head coach Christopher Johnson said the team has struggled to compete against programs with deeper rosters, while facing what he described as the state’s 20th-toughest schedule in 6A football.
“We have half the roster,” Johnson said, describing the challenge behind the decision.
La Vergne was 0-7 this season after a 60-6 loss to Kirkwood and has gone 0-27 since the start of the 2024 season. Johnson said he is prioritizing player development and the program’s foundation before expecting the rebuilding effort to show up in wins.
“We’ve got to win the classroom, we’ve got to win the weight room,” he said.
Johnson has also pointed to upgrades made during his first two years, including new uniforms and helmets, equipment, and renovations to the weight room, locker room and stadium restrooms. He credited SRM with helping fund an $85,000 weight-room renovation. In a social media post, he said attendance rose 65% and program revenue increased 80%.
Four La Vergne players signed to play college football after the team went 0-10 in Johnson’s first season, he said. He expects more players to have college opportunities this year, and said he sees progress in individual players even though it has not yet translated into better results on the scoreboard.
La Vergne is among several Middle Tennessee schools listed as planning independent schedules for 2027. The list includes Hunters Lane and Warren County in TSSAA Division I, along with Clarksville Academy, Father Ryan, Mt. Juliet Christian Academy, Christ Presbyterian Academy and Zion Christian Academy in Division II.
An independent schedule allows a school to select regular-season opponents rather than follow a required region schedule. Johnson said La Vergne is optimistic about the program’s future and wants to turn community interest into stronger support for the team.