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New home for Jags' Pittard at LB

For his senior year, Cedar Shoals' Charmarcus Pittard wanted to make a change.

During his sophomore and junior years, Pittard was one of the best defensive ends in Region 8-AAAA, landing on countless all-region and all-area lists.

But for his last season with the Jaguars, the 6-foot senior wanted to try the linebacker position.

"I figured when I go to college, I'm not going to play defensive end," said Pittard, noting his height disadvantage at the position. "I figured I could get a little taste of it now at linebacker so when I get to college, I'll be ready for it."

While it was Pittard who breached the subject, both he and his coach were on the same page.

"He came to me, but I was going to move him anyway," Cedar Shoals coach Xarvia Smith said. "I felt like the feedback I was getting from Division I schools was they were worried about his height at defensive end. I felt like, for that young man and his chance to play at the next level, we need to move him to linebacker. He hasn't disappointed."

Smith said moving a veteran player to a different position before the start of his senior year is rare. But since Pittard has been such an integral part of the team, he thought making the move to improve his chances of being recruited was the right thing to do.

Pittard's coach wasn't just going to hand over the middle linebacker position to him, however. He had to prove that he could handle the job first in the team's scrimmage against Stone Mountain on Aug. 13.

"I asked him to try me at linebacker," Pittard said. "He said if the scrimmage game went well, he'd move me there. I had 10 tackles, so he's going to keep me there."

The senior will make his first start as a middle linebacker on Friday when the Jaguars host rival Clarke Central in the 37th annual Classic City Championship.

As a defensive end, Pittard was an expert at causing chaos in opponents' backfields.

Last year, he finished the season with 60 t

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