Why a Georgia city once named a day in a Memphis quarterback’s honor
Memphis Tigers quarterback Air Noland was once honored by the mayor of South Fulton, Ga., with Prentiss “Air” Noland Appreciation Day. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)
People had been in awe of Air Noland’s talent since he was 9 years old.
A highly sought-after athlete who was a talented quarterback and basketball player, Noland was already the talk of the town in South Fulton, Georgia, by the time he was around 13.
Langston Hughes High football wasn’t known for its achievements when Noland entered as a freshman in 2020. By the time he graduated in 2024, the Panthers had won their first-ever football state championship while appearing in back-to-back title games.
The mayor of South Fulton had even named an official day — May 15, 2023 — after the current Memphis Tigers quarterback: Prentiss “Air” Noland Appreciation Day. (Prentiss is Noland’s formal first name.)
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Frank Bonner II
Frank Bonner is the Memphis Tigers football beat writer. He is originally from Indiana but arrived in Memphis after spending two years in Tulsa, covering Oklahoma State football and basketball. He covered high school sports in Columbus, Indiana for two years before getting his Master’s degree in Sports Journalism at IUPUI. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in journalism from Indiana University.
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