SEC Storied: "No Experience Required" Debuts Tuesday
Nov 20, 2020 | Football
On Tuesday, Nov. 24, at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, SEC Network will debut its latest SEC Storied documentary with No Experience Required, the story of the Texas A&M "12th Man" kickoff coverage team made up entirely of walk-on players.
Get that ?? ready, #12thMan.
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) November 22, 2020
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?? premieres Tuesday, 8:00 CT on @SECNetwork and ESPN App
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Coming off a losing season in 1982 in his first year as Texas A&M's head football coach, Jackie Sherrill sought to light a fire under his team and connect to the passion of the student body. Appealing to the long-held Aggie tradition of the "12th Man" ready to answer the call to play if needed, Sherrill held open tryouts in 1983, seeking to create a kickoff coverage team featuring all non-scholarship walk-ons.
They soon became a nationwide sensation as one of the top kickoff coverage units in college football, and continued to enjoy success over the next seven seasons, igniting a new tradition that continues today at Texas A&M with a "12th Man" walk-on player each season. Among those interviewed for the film were 22 members of those 12th Man kickoff coverage teams of the 1980s, along with Sherrill, Gary Kubiak, Von Miller and Ray Childress.
The documentary was directed by Kenan K. Holley.
"The story of the 12th Man kickoff team is the tale of a group of individuals that drew together to exude toughness in the face of a challenge," said Holley. "The experience of playing football in Texas doesn't leave you. For me, having played high school football there, it informs so many of the principles I carry with me to this day. Getting the opportunity, with ESPN Films, to direct this documentary has been one of the thrills of my career."
Kenan K. Holley is a two-time Emmy award winner who began his filmmaking career at NFL Films. Holley moved on to NASCAR Productions, where he directed Wendell Scott: A Race Story for ESPN. The first SEC Storied documentary he directed was 40 Minutes of Hell, a look at Nolan Richardson's journey to a national championship at Arkansas. Holley also directed Redemption Song for ESPN and executive producer Spike Lee. That film tells the story of the 1974 Howard University soccer team, the first HBCU squad to officially win a Division I NCAA Championship.
About SEC Storied
ESPN Films launched the SEC Storied documentary series in September 2011, presenting fans the opportunity to explore the rich athletic history of the Southeastern Conference. From extraordinary athletes and coaches to defining games and moments, the series has featured films that focus on the SEC's recent and more distant past, including one of the most-viewed documentaries in ESPN history, The Book of Manning. In 2015, SEC Storied received its first two Sports Emmy nominations for both "Outstanding Sports Documentary" and "Outstanding Music Composition/Direction/Lyrics" with the film It's Time: The Story of Brad Gaines and Chucky Mullins.
