HELP COMPLETE THE 1986 STORY
Your memory belongs in this season
Played, coached, cheered, covered or watched this team? Add the details that a scorebook could never hold.
One Last Push
Greenbrier finished 4–6 in Buddy Corlew's eighth season, but the record hides the shape of the fall. The Bobcats opened 1–4, with the lone win a 7–6 district victory over Macon County, then changed the season with two straight shutouts.
Greenbrier blanked Lewis County 27–0 and Stewart County 31–0 in consecutive weeks. The Stewart County win also produced one of the season's two listed 100-yard rushing performances, with Aaron Keith going for 134 yards. After the 1–4 start, the Bobcats won three of their next four and climbed to 4–5.
The defensive total matters in the larger Corlew arc. Greenbrier allowed 159 points — its fewest since the 1981 eight-win season and 28 fewer than in the 1985 Tobacco Bowl year. Seven of the ten opponents were held to 20 points or fewer.
That White House result looks different with the retrospective context. Although the final was 21–0, the game remained scoreless deep into the fourth quarter. Greenbrier answered one week later with a 13–12 win over Page, putting the Bobcats one victory from .500 before Portland closed the season 34–7.
The Midseason Turn
100-Yard Rushing Games
- Ray Jones — 139 yards vs. Cheatham Co.
- Aaron Keith — 134 yards vs. Stewart Co.
1986 football schedule
| Game | Opponent | Score | Result | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cheatham Co. | 13–16 | L | Jones: 139 rush yds |
| 2 | Macon Co. District | 7–6 | W | District win |
| 3 | Trousdale Co. | 19–36 | L | |
| 4 | David Lipscomb | 7–20 | L | |
| 5 | BGA | 6–14 | L | 1–4 start |
| 6 | Lewis Co. | 27–0 | W | Shutout |
| 7 | Stewart Co. | 31–0 | W | Shutout · Keith 134 |
| 8 | White House District | 0–21 | L | Film · 0–0 into final 8 min. |
| 9 | Page | 13–12 | W | Greenbrier reaches 4–5 |
| 10 | Portland District | 7–34 | L | Season finale |
Defense Takes Over
The 1986 collection repeatedly points back to defense. Greenbrier beat Macon County 7-6, shut out Lewis County 27-0 and followed with a 31-0 shutout of Stewart County. Against Lewis County, the Bobcats held a 318-102 advantage in total offense.
Bobcats recognized · 1986
Recognition listed in Greenbrier’s postseason honors record.
- All-State Class AA 1st Team — Ray Jones
- All-Mid-State 1st Team — Ray Jones
- All-District 10-2A — Ray Jones · Aaron Keith · Sam Smith · Shane Stults · William West
Names behind the season
Meet the players and coaches named in Greenbrier’s honors and coaching records.
Two shutouts and a final-week playoff door
After a 1–4 start, Greenbrier won three of four and entered the Portland finale with a playoff berth at stake.
Complete scoring: 130–159. District line: 1–2. Every final agrees across the two complete schedules. The Page report establishes double overtime and the Portland playoff stakes.
Each game opens into its own source-checked account. When the contemporary record is silent, the game page says so instead of supplying an unsupported date, site or scoring sequence.
1986 football statistics
2 sourced lines, 2 players and 0 Greenbrier team entries are connected to this season.
Explore the 1986 season statistics →Season statistics · 1986
The numbers we can account for
Reported season totals and sums from recovered games appear separately. A game without a stat line is unknown, not zero.
Recovered game totals
These sums cover only the listed games. They are not a complete season total.
| Player | Stat | Recorded | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ray Jones | Rushing · Yards | 139 yards | 1 game |
| Aaron Keith | Rushing · Yards | 134 yards | 1 game |