Fulton Football is bringing the G.U.T.S. under new coach Justin Long

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The Fulton Falcons are starting a new era will alumnus Justin Long taking over head coaching duties from Jeff McMillan. The new head coach has a clear motto he wants his team to adopt.

“Our core value is an acronym for GUTS,” said Long. “G-U-T-S— Gratitude, unity, toughness and success. That’ll kind of be our sweet spot. You talk about it every single day. You try to bring in people to talk about it. It’s just putting it in front of them and hoping that it sticks.”

The players have adopted the motto and are embracing what coach Long preaches.

“It’s a great transition,” explained Fulton senior linebacker Vernon Anderson. “I love our coach. He’s doing great for us. We just gotta keep listening to him.”

“The transition has been going great,” said Fulton senior center Garrin Bailey. ” He’s a great coach. We’re glad to have him. We’re just ready for the season to start.”

Long has made sure he’s invested in his players in order to get the best out of them.

“I think you gotta have a lot of time together,” said Long. “I think you gotta have a lot of team stuff to build the camaraderie. Team meals, sitting after practice talking and telling stories. I think they have to know that you love them. I think they gotta know that you see them. You gotta have one-on-one meetings with the kids. It’s a process.”

The Falcons open the season on the road at Central on Friday.

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