FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2018: With plenty of talent back for the Briarcrest Saints a postseason run is the goal
Senior Jackson Walker will be counted on heavily this season.
Jabari Small will play more running back this season.
Head coach: Brian Stewart (5th season)
Last year: 9-2, lost to McCallie in state quarterfinals
Returning starters: 6 offense, 6 defense
Players to watch: QB Jackson Walker, RB Jabari Small, T Omari Thomas, LB Carrington Kelsey, S Landon Wright
Season opener: Aug. 17 at home vs. White Station
By any measure, the first four seasons under head coach Brian Stewart have been successful.
He took over after a losing season in 2013 and promptly turned things around, going 30-16 over four seasons, including nine wins last year. The Saints lost in the quarterfinals each year, meaning they were among the top eight teams in the state in DII-AAA.
With that said, Stewart wants more.
“We want to take the next the step,” said Stewart. “Everybody wants to win a state championship, but you’ve got to get to the next step. The next step for us is making it to the state semifinals. If we get there, anything can happen. Of course if you get to the next one, that’s the dance floor. If you get there, anybody can dance. That’s what our goal is.”
With 12 starters back, including all five offensive linemen and a senior quarterback who has started since his freshman season, it seems like a reasonable goal.
The offense starts with signal caller Jackson Walker, who threw for 2,526 yards and 29 touchdowns a season ago.
“I think he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the state of Tennessee,” Stewart said. “He’s so accurate. He’s been in the fire and he’s been tested.”
Walker will have some new targets this season with the graduation of wideouts Bradley Ellis, Chandler Montgomery and Hudson Clark.
Seniors Wyatt Speed, Hayden Gray, Richard Hunt and Peyton Miller, junior Reggie Neely and sophomore Peyton Moore are among a group of guys looking to make a mark as receivers.
“We’re trying to get these new guys comfortable and acclimated,” Stewart said. “We feel confident they can do the job. “
As for the running game, the production of Tyler Badie, a Mr. Football finalist who is now playing at the University of Missouri, will have to be replaced. He rushed for 1,186 yards and 18 TDs last year.
Junior Jabari Small, who ran for 148 yards and two TDs last season, will be called on to fill that role.
Up front things are more concrete with the return of five starters on the offensive line: Omari Thomas, Manny Corless, Jack Jobe, Zach Yates and Rodney Newsom. Three more guys - Christian Green, Robbie Cummings and Jack Rose - also have experience in the trenches.
Thomas, a 6-5, 300-pound left tackle, is a big-time recruit. He has offers from countless schools, including Alabama, Clemson, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Memphis and Oklahoma. According to 247 Sports, he’s the 20th-ranked Class of 2020 offensive tackle in the country.
He will also play on the defensive line along with Green, Yates, Newsom, Cummings, Rose, Jay Alston and Jack Lowrance.
Junior safety Landon Wright, junior linebacker Carrington Kelsey and senior linebacker Carson Brewer are the top three returning tacklers for the Saints. Junior Marlon Kent, a newcomer, will compete for time at linebacker. Neely and Small project as starters at cornerback.
Senior kicker Noah Grant is a weapon. He converted 47 of 50 extra points last year and made a 46-yard field goal. He’s being recruited by a number of schools.
Briarcrest’s schedule is very similar to last year. Early non-league games against White Station and Haywood figure to be challenging. And of course Christian Brothers, which gave Briacrest its only regular season loss last season, and Memphis Univeristy School figure to be strong again in league play.
“Like I tell people, I think we’re real pretty on paper. If I could write the season I think it’d look nice,” Stewart said. “We’ve got to go play a lot of good teams early. We’ve got our hands full. It could go either way early. We may have some growing pains because we have to get acclimated and get comfortable ... I love our team. I really do. I feel really excited to watch this team play.”
—————————
Young Mr Walker appears to be the heir apparent to KJ with a likely
starting role in 2020 and every bit as good as our offeree from IMG,QB Bryson Lucero who verballed to UAB.