Tennessee Titans linebackers Colin McCarthy and Zach Brown and wide receiver Marc Mariani are scheduled to join the Academy Sports + Outdoor Titans Caravan on Wednesday, May 8, the eighth day of the team's two-week annual trip through the Mid-South. McCarthy will visit Grimsley and Crossville before being joined by Brown and Mariani for public stops in Chattanooga and Knoxville.
McCarthy will begin the day with visits to South Fentress Elementary School in Grimsley (5018 Wilder Road) at 8:15 a.m. and Stone Elementary School in Crossville (1219 Cook Road) at 10:30 a.m.
He is then joined by Brown and Mariani for a pair of public stops: 3:00 p.m. ET at the Academy Sports + Outdoors in Chattanooga (5929 Highway 153, Hixson) and 6:30 p.m. ET at the Academy Sports Outdoors in Knoxville (145 Moss Grove Boulevard).
The Titans school program is based on the NFL's Play 60 initiative, which encourages youth to get at least 60 minutes of active play each day. Students receive a high-energy, educational message from a Titans player, eight-time Pro Bowl Titans mascot T-Rac, host Rhett Bryan and representatives from Tennessee State Parks. In addition to the Play 60 elements, audience members receive a message about making good choices in all parts of their lives. They also get up-close looks at Tennessee wildlife in the care of Tennessee State Parks, as well as information on nearby state parks.
The Titans school program will be performed 22 times during the Caravan and reach approximately 12,000 students.
Public stops during the Academy Sports + Outdoors Titans Caravan provide a way for Titans players, T-Rac and the "Voice of the Titans" Mike Keith to sign autographs and thank fans for their support. Posters are provided at no cost to all Caravan attendees for autographs, and photos are encouraged. The stops generally last one hour.
McCarthy was voted a defensive captain by his teammates prior to the start of last season. In 2012, he started seven games at middle linebacker and posted 45 tackles, three stops for loss and an interception return for touchdown. He missed nine games because of injury.
Brown was drafted by the Titans in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. The North Carolina product appeared in all 16 games with 13 starts as a rookie and tied for third on the team with 93 tackles. He also ranked fourth on the team with 5.5 sacks and finished third on the squad with three interceptions.
Mariani is entering his fourth season with the team after being drafted in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He missed the entire 2012 campaign after suffering a season-ending injury in the preseason. The Montana product was selected to the Pro Bowl as a rookie return specialist after setting a franchise record with 1,859 total return yards and 1,530 kickoff return yards in 2010.
Titans Caravan began in 1998 as a small effort to spread goodwill through the region. Today, seven full-time staffers travel with Titans players and T-Rac through the Mid-South on a specially-decorated motor coach provided by Grand Avenue. Since 1998, the Caravan has made over 750 stops, visited more than 300 schools and allowed the team to interact directly with an estimated audience well in excess of 120,000 fans.
This year's Caravan consists of 44 total stops from April 29 through May 10.
ABOUT ACADEMY SPORTS + OUTDOORS:
Academy Sports + Outdoors is a premier sports, outdoor and lifestyle retailer with a broad assortment of quality hunting, fishing and camping equipment and gear along with sports and leisure products, footwear, apparel and much more. The Texas-based company operates 160 stores throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. The Academy Sports + Outdoors philosophy is to deliver an unparalleled shopping experience by providing convenience, offering a broad selection of quality products, delivering exceptional customer service and selling the right stuff at everyday low prices. For more information about Academy Sports + Outdoors visit academy.com, facebook.com/academy, twitter.com/academy, pinterest.com/academy and youtube.com/academy.
* *
ACADEMY SPORTS + OUTDOORS TITANS CARAVAN SCHEDULE:
WEDNESDAY, MAY 8
Please note: players are subject to change
The following stops are OPEN to the general public:
3:00 p.m. ET
Chattanooga, TN
Academy Sports Outdoors (5929 Highway 153, Hixson)
Player(s): Colin McCarthy, Zach Brown, Marc Mariani
6:30 p.m. ET
Knoxville, TN
Academy Sports Outdoors (145 Moss Grove Boulevard)
Player(s): Colin McCarthy, Zach Brown, Marc Mariani
