Growing up in the Smokies
Just 25 miles east of the University of Tennessee, Pigeon Forge is probably best known for Dollywood, a world-renowned tourist destination created by country star, Dolly Parton in Eastern Tennessee, but has been home to the Brackins’ family for years.
Football in the south starts early and for Eric, it began around age five. Coached by his father, a police officer, Eric and his younger brother Phil (U of M football 1999-2003) were accustomed to the football fields on weekends along with other sports; establishing countless friendships and experiences along the way. One special friendship to Eric formed around the age of 11, when a Michigan boy, whose family owned a local go-cart track, and Eric became close friends. “I remember it was just before the Fab Five and Steve Fisher was the coach at the time, and we would talk and watch Michigan sports. Then once the Fab Five came, I really started to follow them and you could say that’s when I got hooked on Michigan”, recalls Brackins.
More Michigan ties in Pigeon Forge
While Eric played other sports such as track and basketball, football was clearly where he excelled, and his talents were recognized on the gridiron. “After the end of my sophomore year, there was this sportswriter for Sevier County, Jim Davis, who covered high school sports. Jim would interview and help athletes put together tapes for colleges and come to find out, Jim graduated from Michigan and had connections with Coach Carr. He was one of the instrumental individuals to me along with high school Coach Lee Hammonds and his father, head coach Benny Hammonds”, Brackins recounts from his high school days.
Eric would attend the Michigan camp after his junior year and be recruited by defensive coordinator, Jim Hermann, who had reservations that someone from the south could come to Ann Arbor. Despite recruiting efforts from Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia Tech, Brackins made his commitment to Michigan on signing day and was headed north.
Mountain Climbs in Ann Arbor.
When the Fall of 1997 arrived, Brackins found himself in a similar position to many before him: a little lost and overwhelmed. “Taping ankles and wearing knee braces for the first time to prevent injuries were new to most of us, and certainly myself. I remember being fitted for a mouthpiece and feeling that this is big time now; however, I was ready to contribute and play”, Brackins laughs when recalling reporting to his freshman camp. Brackins redshirted in 1997, but certainly had a part in the team’s national title. “Coach Goodwin was GA at the time (Note: Harold Goodwin is currently Assist Head Coach for the Carolina Panthers) and he ran the Scout team defense. Going against that lineman and running backs each day in practice was absolute work and taken seriously.” In fact, the intense feeling among the 97 team was immediately impactful on Brackins. When recalling goals prior to the 1997 season, Eric mentioned, “Coach Carr had established the climbing Mt. Everest goal for the season. I remember full team meetings in August where Carr was walking through the schedule and pointing to a late game in the season and that the summit will be close, but it will be hard to breathe at this point. And Coach Carr was right.”
The experiences of 1997 would help mold Eric’s next four years as a linebacker and ultimately a captain his senior year. Playing his first season behind the linebacker corps of Ian Gold, Dhani Jones and Sam Sword provided great mentorship but also a reality that the game comes quick, so be prepared. Some early season injuries in 1998 found Brackins exactly in that position as a redshirt freshman on first team defense having to chase down the likes of Autry Denson and Donnovan McNabb in early September. “I remember being at Notre Dame and a bit in awe taking in the experience just prior to kickoff and then all of a sudden, it becomes real.”
As playing time escalated, Brackins would become a full-time starter his junior season at the MAC position, leading a young defensive unit as part of the 2000 Big Ten Championship team. Brackins credits the dedication and commitment instilled by prior teammates along with strength coach, Mike Gittleson, for his football growth. One example Brackins cited was, “We used to run the 1.5-mile conditioning test as a unit; however, Ian and Dhani wanted our linebacker unit to run at the defensive back testing level. It was a different mentality and a positive influence to pass along down.” These skill sets combined would ultimately lead to Eric being named captain his senior year and part one of the strongest linebacker units, earning All-Big Ten honors himself along with All-American, Larry Foote and All Big-Ten, Victor Hobson.
From Running a Team to Running a City.
Post Michigan, Brackins had interest from the NY Jets and Carolina Panthers and made it through mini camps until being released as teams worked towards final rosters. As a newly married man, Eric and his wife, Stacy moved to Louisville, KY for Stacy’s job and where Eric earned a master’s in public administration from the University Louisville. The birth of their first child brought them back to Tennessee, where Eric worked as the city manager of Norris Township for a year before accepting his current role with the city of Pigeon Forge. Running a city is quite unique and FAM asked Eric to provide some further insight:
FAM: For the past 15 years as one of the two city managers, help us understand some basics on what running a city entails.
Eric: For our city, we have 16 different directors and departments that all come under the management umbrella. From infrastructure, fire, water/sewer, tourism, transportation, public safety groups, we must oversee that these are all functioning properly to make our city run smoothly.
FAM: Who manages you?
Eric: We have five elected city commissioners who hire us. I report to this council at least twice a month to ensure that our goals, laws and operations, along with planning are operating successfully. It’s a good process at the local level and I’m fortunate to be a part of it.
FAM: What keeps you up at night, what are the essential, “must haves” for your city?
Eric: Certainly, infrastructure, but for us it’s tourism as we run four million overnight visitors and over 20 million through our county each year and making sure all the existing departments and networks are functioning as designed. Note: Ann Arbor (pop. 120,000) estimates six million visitors per year in 2023. Pigeon Forge has a population of 6,500.
FAM: What discussions take place as you plan 5-10 years out from the city manager perspective?
EB: We must keep the engineering updated and on course. Making sure our water and treatment facilities have enough future capacity along with our roads and demands from police/fire along with the private sector, which I am also involved with.
FAM: Can you expand on how you work with the private sector?
Eric: Yes, recently I was working with a large grocery chain on a new development for our city and coordinating with the real estate and private sector on that. Ensuring that we have the plans for necessary roads and infrastructure in place when things come online. (Relating to tourism) If a new hotel or even a ride in Dollywood is being considered, we are involved in that process.
FAM: As someone interested in going into the public sector, what advice do you have to get started?
EB: During undergraduate at Michigan, I took a class on urban planning that I loved. It helped me understand how towns are formed and managed. I remember our project on analyzing the intersection of Packard & State Street (Campus Corner intersection).
FAM: Thanks Eric. Very interesting.
Rapid Fire:
- Freshman Dorm and Roommate: West Quad / Jake Frysinger
- Toughest opponent you faced: Donovan McNabb (Syracuse) – Also daily battles with Jon Jansen and Steve Hutchinson
- Most Difficult Road Environment: Iowa (Fans were right on top of you)
- Place to Visit in the Smokey Mountains: Metcalf Bottoms (best swimming hole)
- Heavy or light on the pregame meal: Light
- Favorite Coach Carr quote: “Pay Attention” (with light punch to the stomach)
A Wolverine Life is a series made available to FAM highlighting former members of the Michigan Football program and their lives post-collegiate career. Please feel free to reach out to FAM with any questions or comments about this series.