LEBANON — Senior athlete Will Butler is know as "Green Will" at Green Hill because of his impact all across the school
He has a 4.2 GPA in the classroom, is at every athletic event at Green Hill and has been starting for the Hawks (6-2, 2-1 Region 4-6A) as a freshman. Butler is everywhere and has done almost everything over the last four years.
On Oct. 16 against Lebanon(6-2, 2-1 Region 4-6A), down five points with a little over three minutes left, Butler willed the Hawks to victory.
A 5-yard touchdown followed by a recovery of a fumbled kickoff return, and then a successful third-down conversion, all executed by Butler, helped Green Hill defeat Lebanon, 22-19.
"We needed 10 yards to win the football game and us as a staff looked at each other and agreed
that no one other than Will should be running this football," Green Hill coach Josh Crouch said. "He always makes coaches look good. Whichever college football coach is out there, they'll be smart enough to take him on your team."
It was a next-play mentality for Butler. It was a pass from quarterback Seth Frankenfield to sophomore wide receiver King Wright that set the Hawks up at the 5-yard line. It was then that Butler started taking direct snaps, eventually running it in for the short touchdown.
"It's not just my own confidence, but I know that my team has full confidence in me," Butler said. "They're behind my back for everything and they're going to do everything they can to help me and protect me."
After the touchdown, Butler spun the ball in the celebration and was assessed an unsportsmanlike penalty. His immediate response to his coach upon returning to the sideline: "I got you."
Sure enough, Lebanon junior Elliot Greer fumbled the ball on the kickoff return and Butler was there to pounce on it.
He then came in place for Frankenfield, continuing to take direct snaps and drive the ball. A successful third-down conversion, that needed to be measured, ended the game.
Similar to his game mentality, Butler is taking everything one play, one game, one day at a time. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound athlete recently committed to Marshall, and holds a handful of Group of 6 offers including Charlotte, Liberty and Middle Tennessee State.
Fumble on the kickoff and it’s @willbutler77 on the recovery. Wow. https://t.co/cbBB2QN1g4 pic.twitter.com/7fPpUdfkc7
— Jack Williams (@jackgwilliams) October 17, 2026
However, his focus remains zeroed in on his current team and how he can help the Hawks win each moment.
"I'm trying to stay in the moment and not get too ahead of myself," Butler said. "Just because I'm committed doesn't mean my work here is done. We still have something to prove after last year and just chasing that goal."
Green Hill was chasing the lead throughout. A 6-yard touchdown run from senior running back Zachery Cartwright and a successful 2-point conversion gave Green Hill an early 8-6 lead.
Lebanon scored the next 13 points before the Hawks responded late in the fourth quarter with a 22-yard pass from Frankenfield to senior wide receiver Zilon Beard to make it a five-point game, 19-14.
That set the stage for Butler
And there couldn't have been more pressure on his shoulders, especially with a five-game win streak against Lebanon on the line. It was that shared confidence among Butler, his teammates and his coaches that allowed the Hawks to cross the finish line.
"We just want him to make good plays," Crouch said. "Even if it's 1-on-10, we would still give Will the chance to make a play."
Reach The Tennessean's high school writer, Jack Williams at jackwilliams@theleafchronicle.com and on the X platform @jackgwilliams.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: How Marshall commit Will Butler helped Green Hill football stun Lebanon
