Washington Blue Lions: Will the Blue Lions have success with new starters?
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The Washington Blue Lions enter the 2011 football season coming off a playoff berth one year ago, but as the season nears, they still have some questions that will need to be answered once the first regular-season game arrives.
The Blue Lions will begin '11 with a new quarterback under center, but they will return a fullback. Due to graduation, they did lose a majority of the core from the 8-3 overall record last season that had them finish in second place in the South Central Ohio League.
Gone from last season are 14 seniors who were a big part in the Blue Lions' first trip to the Division III Playoffs since '07. In that group of seniors, 11 were starters, including Blue Lion all-time leading rusher Ben Parks (over 3,000 yards), quarterback Collin Farmer, tight end Patrick Wilson, lineman Jacob Parks, lineman Paul Gryniuk, lineman Aaron Buck, linebacker Julian Wyatt, corner back Cody Lindsey and wide receiver Keith Klontz. Wyatt and Buck will be playing at Kentucky Christian this fall at the collegiate level.
With that successful group graduated, it is now time for another group to add to the Blue Lion tradition, a tradition that has seen five trips to the postseason ('81, '83, '01, '07, '10.)
One player that will be looked upon this season is senior fullback and linebacker Reily Shaw, who was a state wrestling champion last winter. Shaw (6-3, 240) will be a four-year starter.
"Reily is a fierce competitor, who is also a tough, hard-nosed and unselfish football player," Washington head coach Corey Dye said. "Reily is one of the best football players I've ever coached. He has great leadership ability … he's smart and understands football really well."
Being a three-sport athlete, Shaw is being looked at by Division I schools.
"He's a tremendous athlete and works harder than anybody than I've ever coached. He's really a coach's dream and a great leader," Dye said. "You couldn't ask for a better leader."
At quarterback this year will be senior Caleb Huffman, who was the backup QB last season while starting at free safety on a defense that allowed 233 points in 10 games of the regular season.
"Caleb is a great athlete with really good speed. He's a strong competitor with a really good arm and is one of the toughest players we have on the team," Dye said, who is entering his third season at the helm of the Blue Lions. "He's tough as nails."
At tailback this year will be senior Jerome Pettiford, who stands at 6-3 and weighs 240 pounds. In a game last season against the London Red Raiders, Pettiford rushed for 189 yards and four touchdowns, replacing Parks after he was injured last season.
Pettiford started for the Blue Lions last season, but as a tackle on the offensive line for most of '10. On defense last year, he broke the Blue Lions' sack record with 12.5 at defensive end. This year, he possibly could play some linebacker.
"For a kid his size, he has incredible speed. He's very agile, along with being a very tough and powerful runner. He's hard to bring down," Dye said. "He's just a tough kid. He wrestled for the first time last year to help get ready for football.
"The first time he ever wrestled was last year, and he won 20 matches. He's a very, very gifted athlete."
The offensive line will be one of the unknowns for Washington as they enter the regular season, losing a majority of the group that anchored one of the best rushing attacks in Blue Lion history.
"The good thing about having Coach (Shawn) Riley with the offensive line is he got a lot of the kids playing time last year," Dye said. "The kids who we are counting on starting for us this year have varsity time because we had a lot of two-way players last year. He did a nice job of mixing guys in last year and giving them valuable playing time last year. We have some guys ready.
"I really think our offensive line will do a nice job this year, and they will carry us. I have no doubt he'll have us ready to play."
As for the offensive line, they are a little bigger than last season. Dye said last year the o-line relied on speed. He said they are having some competitions for a couple spots but return starting center Cameron Shaw. Also returning to the offensive line is senior guard Zach Blevins. Adam Phillips, who is a tackle, returns. Also competing for time will be Andrew Bonecutter; Trevor Mustard (6-3, 285), who runs a 5.0 40-yard dash; and Michael Bartruff. Also in contention is Nathan Carter at tight end.
"All of those guys are competitors, and it will be interesting to see how it works out come the first game on Aug. 26," Dye said. "We have the potential to have a really good offensive line this year."
The offense will have 6-3 senior Laike Wallace back at split end. Dye said he's an all-around athlete, playing basketball and running track when not on the football field.
Also at receiver are Cody Jackson, Skylar Fox, Skylar Johnson (a transfer from Miami Trace) and Alex Sparkman.
"(Laike) has good size, speed and has good hands," Dye said. "He's worked hard at getting better at the receiver position. He's also our backup quarterback, which shows the type of athlete he is. He is a hard worker and a good leader for us."
Dye spoke about the expectations of the offense this season.
"We won't have blazing speed as an offense, but with backs like Reily and Jerome, we will be more of a smash-mouth football team. We are going to try to sustain long drives and control the clock, which is always a goal of ours," Dye said. "When you have two big backs like we do … maybe the biggest back field in school history … with their size and being able to move like they do, it will create problems for other teams.
"Our backs will be the strength of our offense. Caleb is a good runner, too. He has the ability to throw and pass. The nice thing about him is he's a slasher. He's that double threat you like to have at quarterback."
Defensively, the Blue Lions have a lot of work ahead of them, replacing numerous starters from last year.
"We lost our defense line and lost a lot in other spots on defense," Dye said. "We lost probably the best nose guard in school history, but I really feel like we have guys with enough experience who will help us prepare for this year."
The Blue Lions have competition in the secondary, and Dye said they need to find a couple corners. Huffman will return at safety, as he finished with eight interceptions in '10. Pettiford will return at defensive end, and Shaw will be back as a linebacker. Bartruff and a few others will battle it out for the other linebacker spot.
On the defensive line, Phillips played some last season, as he played for a Blue Lion defense (which was described as an attack defense that wants to get everyone to the ball) that was one of the top teams in turnovers the past couple seasons.
"It is just a matter of who can do a good job for us and fill those positions well," Dye said. "Filling all those positions is tough, but the guys I'm replacing them with played on the team last year. They know what to expect, and I think the kids are up to the challenge.
"We are going to some things a little different before, and our kids are excited to play defense for this team. We take a lot of pride on being a good defensive team. Our biggest thing is to get 11 guys after the ball and be an attack team."
Dye said he was looking forward to the season, which the Blue Lions will open up at home on Friday, Aug. 26 against the Logan Elm Braves.
"I'm excited for this season, and I'm excited to work with these awesome young men."[[In-content Ad]]
The Blue Lions will begin '11 with a new quarterback under center, but they will return a fullback. Due to graduation, they did lose a majority of the core from the 8-3 overall record last season that had them finish in second place in the South Central Ohio League.
Gone from last season are 14 seniors who were a big part in the Blue Lions' first trip to the Division III Playoffs since '07. In that group of seniors, 11 were starters, including Blue Lion all-time leading rusher Ben Parks (over 3,000 yards), quarterback Collin Farmer, tight end Patrick Wilson, lineman Jacob Parks, lineman Paul Gryniuk, lineman Aaron Buck, linebacker Julian Wyatt, corner back Cody Lindsey and wide receiver Keith Klontz. Wyatt and Buck will be playing at Kentucky Christian this fall at the collegiate level.
With that successful group graduated, it is now time for another group to add to the Blue Lion tradition, a tradition that has seen five trips to the postseason ('81, '83, '01, '07, '10.)
One player that will be looked upon this season is senior fullback and linebacker Reily Shaw, who was a state wrestling champion last winter. Shaw (6-3, 240) will be a four-year starter.
"Reily is a fierce competitor, who is also a tough, hard-nosed and unselfish football player," Washington head coach Corey Dye said. "Reily is one of the best football players I've ever coached. He has great leadership ability … he's smart and understands football really well."
Being a three-sport athlete, Shaw is being looked at by Division I schools.
"He's a tremendous athlete and works harder than anybody than I've ever coached. He's really a coach's dream and a great leader," Dye said. "You couldn't ask for a better leader."
At quarterback this year will be senior Caleb Huffman, who was the backup QB last season while starting at free safety on a defense that allowed 233 points in 10 games of the regular season.
"Caleb is a great athlete with really good speed. He's a strong competitor with a really good arm and is one of the toughest players we have on the team," Dye said, who is entering his third season at the helm of the Blue Lions. "He's tough as nails."
At tailback this year will be senior Jerome Pettiford, who stands at 6-3 and weighs 240 pounds. In a game last season against the London Red Raiders, Pettiford rushed for 189 yards and four touchdowns, replacing Parks after he was injured last season.
Pettiford started for the Blue Lions last season, but as a tackle on the offensive line for most of '10. On defense last year, he broke the Blue Lions' sack record with 12.5 at defensive end. This year, he possibly could play some linebacker.
"For a kid his size, he has incredible speed. He's very agile, along with being a very tough and powerful runner. He's hard to bring down," Dye said. "He's just a tough kid. He wrestled for the first time last year to help get ready for football.
"The first time he ever wrestled was last year, and he won 20 matches. He's a very, very gifted athlete."
The offensive line will be one of the unknowns for Washington as they enter the regular season, losing a majority of the group that anchored one of the best rushing attacks in Blue Lion history.
"The good thing about having Coach (Shawn) Riley with the offensive line is he got a lot of the kids playing time last year," Dye said. "The kids who we are counting on starting for us this year have varsity time because we had a lot of two-way players last year. He did a nice job of mixing guys in last year and giving them valuable playing time last year. We have some guys ready.
"I really think our offensive line will do a nice job this year, and they will carry us. I have no doubt he'll have us ready to play."
As for the offensive line, they are a little bigger than last season. Dye said last year the o-line relied on speed. He said they are having some competitions for a couple spots but return starting center Cameron Shaw. Also returning to the offensive line is senior guard Zach Blevins. Adam Phillips, who is a tackle, returns. Also competing for time will be Andrew Bonecutter; Trevor Mustard (6-3, 285), who runs a 5.0 40-yard dash; and Michael Bartruff. Also in contention is Nathan Carter at tight end.
"All of those guys are competitors, and it will be interesting to see how it works out come the first game on Aug. 26," Dye said. "We have the potential to have a really good offensive line this year."
The offense will have 6-3 senior Laike Wallace back at split end. Dye said he's an all-around athlete, playing basketball and running track when not on the football field.
Also at receiver are Cody Jackson, Skylar Fox, Skylar Johnson (a transfer from Miami Trace) and Alex Sparkman.
"(Laike) has good size, speed and has good hands," Dye said. "He's worked hard at getting better at the receiver position. He's also our backup quarterback, which shows the type of athlete he is. He is a hard worker and a good leader for us."
Dye spoke about the expectations of the offense this season.
"We won't have blazing speed as an offense, but with backs like Reily and Jerome, we will be more of a smash-mouth football team. We are going to try to sustain long drives and control the clock, which is always a goal of ours," Dye said. "When you have two big backs like we do … maybe the biggest back field in school history … with their size and being able to move like they do, it will create problems for other teams.
"Our backs will be the strength of our offense. Caleb is a good runner, too. He has the ability to throw and pass. The nice thing about him is he's a slasher. He's that double threat you like to have at quarterback."
Defensively, the Blue Lions have a lot of work ahead of them, replacing numerous starters from last year.
"We lost our defense line and lost a lot in other spots on defense," Dye said. "We lost probably the best nose guard in school history, but I really feel like we have guys with enough experience who will help us prepare for this year."
The Blue Lions have competition in the secondary, and Dye said they need to find a couple corners. Huffman will return at safety, as he finished with eight interceptions in '10. Pettiford will return at defensive end, and Shaw will be back as a linebacker. Bartruff and a few others will battle it out for the other linebacker spot.
On the defensive line, Phillips played some last season, as he played for a Blue Lion defense (which was described as an attack defense that wants to get everyone to the ball) that was one of the top teams in turnovers the past couple seasons.
"It is just a matter of who can do a good job for us and fill those positions well," Dye said. "Filling all those positions is tough, but the guys I'm replacing them with played on the team last year. They know what to expect, and I think the kids are up to the challenge.
"We are going to some things a little different before, and our kids are excited to play defense for this team. We take a lot of pride on being a good defensive team. Our biggest thing is to get 11 guys after the ball and be an attack team."
Dye said he was looking forward to the season, which the Blue Lions will open up at home on Friday, Aug. 26 against the Logan Elm Braves.
"I'm excited for this season, and I'm excited to work with these awesome young men."[[In-content Ad]]