By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech football team announced its 2024 captains on Monday morning, selecting returnees Aaron Swafford, Tim Coutras and Daniel Rickert as well as newcomer Jordan Yates as the team's leaders for the approaching season.
With as strong as the Golden Eagle defense was last season, selecting linebacker Swafford, safety Coutras and defensive end Rickert for the leadership was an easy choice as those three put up tremendous numbers in the 2023 campaign.
Swafford, a PhilSteele.com Preseason All-Big South/Ohio Valley Conference preseason first-teamer, led the Golden Eagles with 72 total tackles last season, with seven tackles-for-loss for 20 yards and three sacks. He also had two interceptions, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries – including one for a touchdown at Robert Morris. Swafford was a second-team All-Big South-OVC pick last year.
Coutras, who was picked as a Preseason All-American by Stats Perform and PhilSteele.com, had a breakout season last year, finishing third in total tackles with 55. Coutras led the Golden Eagles with four interceptions. He also recorded a career-high nine tackles against UT Martin, while also recording five tackles and two interceptions – one for a touchdown – at Robert Morris. He was named to the Big South-OVC first-team roster for his efforts.
Rickert also had a phenomenal season as he was named to the combined conference first-team lineup. He finished the year with 49 total tackles with nine sacks for 43 yards and 14.5 tackles-for-loss for 55 yards. He recorded a career-high seven tackles twice last season – against North Alabama and Robert Morris – while also torching the Colonials for two sacks – one for a fumble forced, recovered and returned for a touchdown – as well as two fumbles forced and two recovered.
Coutras and Rickert also played high school ball together at Nolensville High School, while Swafford is a product of Meigs County High.
Yates, a newcomer at wide receiver, is anything but new. The graduate student from Alpharetta, Ga., spent the last two seasons at Sam Houston, then three seasons before that as a quarterback at Georgia Tech. Yates has been impressive in preseason work, excelling from his efforts with the Bearkats. He is an extremely versatile athlete who is poised to make noise in the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference.
While camp draws to a close with the start of the 2024—25 academic year this week, the Golden Eagles now are in gameday mode with the season opener against Middle Tennessee looming on August 31. Tech opens the home slate on Sept. 21 with a visit from Tennessee State to open Big South-OVC play.
Season tickets for Tech football are on sale now – call (931) 372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office or order online at TTUsports.com.
Photos | Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
