Former RHS star named preseason All-America at UT

By Staff
From staff reports
Former Russellville High School football star Arron Sears, now an offensive lineman at the University of Tennessee, has been named to the 2006 Playboy Preseason All-America Team.
Sears, the Class 5A Lineman of the Year as a Russellville senior in 2002, has made 24 starts in his career with the Volunteers (13 at left tackle, six at right tackle, four at right guard, and one at left guard).
He started all 11 games for Tennessee in 2005 and was named first-team All-SEC by the league's coaches and writers.
Sears opened the season as the Volunteers' starting left tackle before starting at right guard and playing 85 snaps in the LSU game. He played every position but center on the line against the Tigers.
He then started at left guard against Ole Miss and earned SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors.
In 2004, Sears played in 13 games for Tennessee, starting 12. He was the Vols' most versatile offensive performer, logging multiple starts at three positions–five at right tackle, four at left tackle and three at right guard.
The appearances at guard were the first of Sears' college or prep career.
At Russellville, Sears helped the Golden Tigers post back-to-back undefeated regular seasons in 2001 and 2002. As a senior, he helped lead the Golden Tigers to the Class 5A state championship game, where they lost to Homewood 31-28.
Information from coaches and Knoxville News Sentinel.