Senior lineman tapped by Ren for “True Grit”

By Melinda L. Lucas

Tyler Beard, who played both ways as a lineman for the Albany Lions, was one of only a few Big Country football players named to Even Ren’s 2019 “True Grit” Team on the Big Country Preps online sports site recently. 

Nominations came from coaches in area schools from 1A all the way up to 6A.

“If anyone in the Big Country is qualified to spot the true tough guys, it’s long-time Albany coach Denney Faith, who has been running a tough-as-nails AHS program for more than three decades now,” said Ren. “I’d blindly accept his nominee for Albany’s True Grit player on my roster any day of the week.”

Faith referred to Beard as the kind of athlete who makes coaching fun.

“You never have to wonder if you’re going to get the very best he has,” said Faith. “He brought it every game and every practice and does the same in the classroom.” 

Several other Albany players, including Beard, were given post-season honors by bigcountrypreps.com, which is operated by Ren and Daniel Youngblood.

Receiving honorable mention on the all Big Country teams were quarterback Ben West, running back Jaheim Newton, receivers/tight ends Blaine Kayga and B.J. Morris, and Beard on the offensive line.