Tav Shaffer replaces Deuce Knight as the Mustang’s starting quarterback. 

Lipscomb Academy lost their star quarterback, Deuce Knight, after he played three games for the Mustangs, resulting in a QB change that put Tav Shaffer on the starting offensive lineup.

The Lipscomb football team dominated through the 2021 and 2022 seasons, but the 2023 season has proved challenging.

Knight left his home in Mississippi, over 400 miles away from Nashville, to pursue his football career at Lipscomb. His time as a Mustang didn’t last long. He started the season with the Mustangs at the end of July, but he returned home after Lipscomb’s third game of the season.

“I just wanted to get around everybody else in my family, my hometown,” Knight told The Tennessean.

This caused Lipscomb’s second string quarterback, Tav Shaffer, to step up. Despite not being the original starting quarterback, Shaffer has proven himself by leading the team to a major win against Ensworth High School with a score of 24-10. This was Shaffer’s first win as the Mustang’s quarterback following the loss against Baylor Academy. 

Football Head Coach Kevin Mawae is striving to empower offensive players to grow through adversity. 

“Deuce came in and clearly won the job, and so, you know, nobody likes to be a backup, but both of our guys handled it really well, both Tav and Jackson,” Mawae said.

Mawae said that this season has brought many challenges. With a more difficult schedule and a sudden change in quarterback, the team is experiencing growing pains. Shaffer and Mawae are trying to cut out the noise and focus on the goal in front of them. 

‘It’s about the game, it’s about the team, not about everything else” Coach Mawae said. 

All-in-all, the Mustangs are experiencing more change than expected. However, the team has been pushing through this season with grit and determination. With their upcoming game against Christian Brothers, the Mustangs have a lot to prove.