50 questions for the Memphis high school football season 50 days from opening night

[kwc]

50 questions for the Memphis high school football season 50 days from opening night

 

John Varlas, Memphis Commercial AppealPublished 6:00 a.m. CT June 28, 2018 | Updated 10:21 a.m. CT June 28, 2018

 

(Photo: Caitie McMekin / News Sentinel)

A quick look at the calendar shows that today is Thursday, June 28. And a much closer look at the calendar will show you that we are exactly 50 days from the start of another high school football season.

So with that in mind, here are 50 questions that will be answered once the games get going on Aug. 17.

 

1. What can Lausanne do for an encore with a state-best 27-game winning streak and two consecutive state titles?

2. What can Lausanne senior Eric Gray do for an encore after winning two Mr. Football awards — no one has won three — and running for 242.4 yards per game last year while setting a Shelby County record for touchdowns (45)? 

3. Can Gray set the state career record for rushing touchdowns? He has 84, which is 32 from surpassing the 115 scored by Marco Dailey of Mt. Pleasant from 2004-2007.

4. Will CBHS' Bill Norton, a 6-6, 270-pound Georgia defensive line commitment, repeat as Division II-AAA Mr. Football?

5. With six players getting multiple SEC offers, is this the most talented Whitehaven defense ever?

6. Can Bryson Eason and/or Martavius French make it 13 straight years that Whitehaven has had an all-state linebacker?

7. Will Whitehaven be the team to end Lausanne's streak? The Tigers lost to the Lynx 14-7 last year at home and will travel to Lausanne on Sept. 7.

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October 27, 2017 - Germantown wide receiver Cameron Baker (3) misses an opportunity to score a touchdown as he's being defended by Whitehaven's Paul Turner (21) in the fourth quarter at Whitehaven High School on Friday. Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal

8. What will Central look like under new coach Major Wright?

9. Will University of Memphis commitment Trevis Hopper of Central be able to make his senior season special on the defensive line?

10. What will class of 2020 wide receiver and LSU commitment Darin Turner look like in Wright's system at Central?

11. Can Germantown coach Chris Smith replace some of his key losses and build on last year's terrific 11-1 season?

12. Will there be a tougher, more balanced region anywhere in the state than the four-corner battle royal between Whitehaven, Central, Germantown and White Station in Region 8-6A?

Marcus Wimberly has some key players to replace in his first season at Cordova. (Photo: Nikki Boertman)

13. Does any new coach have bigger holes to fill than Cordova's Marcus Wimberly, who must replace two Tennessee signees (OL Jerome Carvin and RB Jeremy Banks), an Indiana signee (WR Jacolby Hewitt) and an all-star QB (Christian Arrambide)?

14. Can Ridgeway get back on track after going 5-6 for its first losing season since 2009?

15. And what about MUS? The Owls — who host Ridgeway in the season-opener — went 6-6 in 2017. It was the first time since 2006 that the Owls failed to finish above .500.

16. Is Owls' senior Maurice Hampton — a wide receiver and cornerback who has committed to LSU — the best two-way player in Tennessee or just in Memphis?

17. Can new coach Andre Lott revive a proud St. George's program that stumbled to a 4-7 finish last year and lost five of its last six games?

18. Will former Trezevant aide Larry Franklin be able to keep Raleigh-Egypt rolling after a school-best 12-1 season?

19. And speaking of assistants moving into the hot seat, what will Houston look like now that longtime aide James Thomas has taken over the top spot?

20. And how will former Houston head man Will Hudgens fare as offensive coordinator for his old coach John Cooley at St. Benedict?

21. Will St. Benedict quarterback Jesse Komoroski continue to progress under Hudgens' tutelage after throwing for 2,007 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior?

22. Will Komoroski lead the city in passing? Or will it be Briarcrest's Jackson Walker (the top returnee from 2017 with 2,526 yards and 29 touchdowns)? Or Germantown's Ethan Payne? Or Ridgeway's Quincy Casey? Or St. George's' Spencer Smith?

23. And just how strong will the senior quarterback class prove to be?

Whitehaven's Keveon Mullins (shown here playing for East last season) is Shelby County's leading returning pass-catcher. (Photo: Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal)

24. Who will lead the city in receiving? Whitehaven's Keveon Mullins is the top returnee after hauling in 52 catches for 1,011 yards and eight scores at East in 2017.

25. After four straight years of coaching changes, how will Olive Branch look after a pride-restoring 12-2 season under Tyler Turner that ended with a loss in the North Half title game?

26. Will Horn Lake's Nakobe Dean live up to his billing as the second-best linebacker in the country according to 247Sports' composite rankings?

27. And where will the 6-0, 215-pound senior sign? Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia and Mississippi State appear to be the leaders.

28. Dean is clearly the top player in DeSoto County but who else should we be keeping an eye on?

29. Will Horn Lake athlete Raydarious Jones make the move from great playmaker to elite?

30. Will Horn Lake's Tyler Grim start drawing attention from bigger schools after a junior season that saw him run for 1,689 yards and 20 touchdowns? 

31. Will future Ole Miss Rebel Jalen Jordan of Lake Cormorant continue his development into a top-flight cornerback?

32. Is Baylor getting a major sleeper in Lewisburg safety Hakeem Vance?

33. How many major offers will Freedom Prep's freshman quarterback Tevin Carterhave before the end of the season? It's up to eight, according to 247sports, including Memphis, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and LSU.

34. Will coach Lorenzo Barnes and Hillcrest continue their upward trend?

35. How long will it be before a bigger school — or even a college — snaps up Fairley coach Gene Robinson?

36. Will anyone be able to stop quarterback Jaden Johnson, running back Marshun Douglas and the high-octane Kirby offense?

37. Is Briarcrest's Omari Thomas the best offensive lineman in the Class of 2020? Or is it Ray Curry of White Station? Or Marcus Henderson of MUS? Or Freedom Prep's Chris Morris?

38. After losing in the Class 3A state title game last year, does Covington have what it takes to win it all?

39. In terms of pure offensive excitement, will any game this season surpass Cordova's crazy 72-63 victory over Arlington back on Oct. 20?

 

October 20, 2017 - Arlington Tigers head football coach Adam Sykes, left, and Cordova Wolves head football coach Anthony Jones converse after Cordova defeats Arlington 72-63 at Arlington High School on Friday.  Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal

40. And speaking of Arlington, who will fill the massive hole left by the graduation of four-year starting quarterback Tate Kolwyck?

41. How much improvement will ECS show in Jonas Rodriguez's second season?

42. Is Whitehaven's Ariyon Paige the best sophomore in the city?

43. Will the coaches at Briarcrest and Germantown, respectively, let Noah Grant and Marshall Ware try a 50-yard field goal?

44. Is Fairley running back Terry Wilkins (1,483 yards, 17 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2017) the best-kept secret in town?

45. Or is it Douglass running back Eric Davis (1,144, nine touchdowns as a sophomore)?

Julian Jackson and MASE were winless in 2017. Will the Engineers break through this season? (Photo: Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal)

46. Can Julian Jackson and MASE pick up their first victory in school history after an 0-10 debut campaign?

47. Can former Melrose, Tennessee and Pittsburgh Steelers standout Cedrick Wilson end Hamilton's area-long 11-game skid?

48. Could this be Fayette Academy's best season ever? Vic Shivers' Vikings will aim for a spot in the Division II-A state title game as they return 21 starters from a 7-5 squad.

49. And when it's all said and done, how many Shelby County teams will be playing for state titles in Cookeville during the first weekend in December?

50. And how many will win?

 

Stay tuned. 

 

Reach John Varlas at john.varlas@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @johnvarlas.

Edited June 28, 2018 by kwc

[kwc]

The answer to question #5 in my opinion.

On paper ... yes. Of the six to have multiple SEC offers ... two are junior LBs. Two (2) are athletes who played offense and deffense at their prior schools. I suspect they will play some defense at Whitehaven as well.  One is a TE/DE who will also play on both sides of the ball at times. The sixth person plays Tackle on the O-line. However, given the right circumstances ... he can get on the DL at times as well. I can see all six on the field at the same time on defense ... but that won't be the norm.

Throw in, in my opinion, one of our starting safties is 6'-2", 205 lbs. with an offer from Southern Miss. He's a junior as well. I think before it is all said and done, his offers will increase and I think he may get a SEC offer or two down the road. We also have a 6'-2", 180 CB who will garner some looks as well. I don't know if any of the SEC schools will offer. He's got the size and the speed though. Time will tell.

That's on paper. They have to perform on the field. We will see in due time. The Starkville offense gave us trouble in the spring game. They still have work to do. SInce the team is getting a lot of notoriety because the success of the off-season training and the spring/summer camp sessions, they are going to be tested ... early and often. They better be getting ready and not out here reading press clippings. That will get you beat. I think they are up to the challenge though.

Edited June 29, 2018 by kwc

[Lost Old Dad]

39. In terms of pure offensive excitement, will any game this season surpass Cordova's crazy 72-63 victory over Arlington back on Oct. 20?

 

I take it NOBODY bothered playing DEFENSE that night!

[kwc]

30 minutes ago, Lost Old Dad said:

39. In terms of pure offensive excitement, will any game this season surpass Cordova's crazy 72-63 victory over Arlington back on Oct. 20?

 

I take it NOBODY bothered playing DEFENSE that night!

Apparently, not a lick.

[BarneySox2007]

Question 51?

Why do most of the Memphis area coaches not send any information to Murphy Fair's Book on Tennessee High School Football every year. Are they just lazy or don't give a flip?

[blazer1set]

Question 52:   What if Georgia is successful in forcing a change in the state line, how many high school football teams would Tennessee lose?

https://www.wabe.org/georgia-lawmakers-revisit-tennessee-border-dispute-bid-water/

 

[kwc]

5 hours ago, BarneySox2007 said:

Question 51?

Why do most of the Memphis area coaches not send any information to Murphy Fair's Book on Tennessee High School Football every year. Are they just lazy or don't give a flip?

I can't speak for the coaches in Memphis on how they feel about Murphy Fair's book. There are some coaches who probably fit into both of those categories. I will speak up for Coach Saulsberry the HC at Whitehaven though. He is NOT lazy. You don't have 15 guys get preseason offers by being lazy. In fact, it's the opposite to the upmost degree. 

I'm sure Murphy Fair knows coach Saulsberry and his staff, and other Memphis area coaches and their respective staffs. Rosters are in flux right now. I, personally, just don't see it as a major prority to the coaches from the Memphis area. I've never read one myself. I don't know of anybody from this area who has read one. Not in my circle of influence anyway. It doesn't move my needle one way or the other, and I think that may be the general perception. How are Murphy's sales in the Memphis market? That may be an indicator.

I'm just one guy from Memphis, I don't speak for everyone, just myself.

Edited June 29, 2018 by kwc

[kwc]

3 hours ago, blazer1set said:

Question 52:   What if Georgia is successful in forcing a change in the state line, how many high school football teams would Tennessee lose?

https://www.wabe.org/georgia-lawmakers-revisit-tennessee-border-dispute-bid-water/

 

I did not know about Georgia's water woes. Interesting read.

[BoardHater71]

Question 53:

 

If a Memphis School wins a state championship in 2018 will it stand the test of time or will it be forfeited as we have witnessed in the past?

[kwc]

11 minutes ago, howdoitknow said:

Question 53:

 

If a Memphis School wins a state championship in 2018 will it stand the test of time or will it be forfeited as we have witnessed in the past?

Fair question. Time will tell. I know that more have stood the test of time then those that haven't. I'm not worried about it one bit if Whitehaven wins.

[MidTennFootball]

18 hours ago, kwc said:

The answer to question #5 in my opinion.

On paper ... yes. Of the six to have multiple SEC offers ... two are junior LBs. Two (2) are athletes who played offense and deffense at their prior schools. I suspect they will play some defense at Whitehaven as well.  One is a TE/DE who will also play on both sides of the ball at times. The sixth person plays Tackle on the O-line. However, given the right circumstances ... he can get on the DL at times as well. I can see all six on the field at the same time on defense ... but that won't be the norm.

Throw in, in my opinion, one of our starting safties is 6'-2", 205 lbs. with an offer from Southern Miss. He's a junior as well. I think before it is all said and done, his offers will increase and I think he may get a SEC offer or two down the road. We also have a 6'-2", 180 CB who will garner some looks as well. I don't know if any of the SEC schools will offer. He's got the size and the speed though. Time will tell.

That's on paper. They have to perform on the field. We will see in due time. The Starkville offense gave us trouble in the spring game. They still have work to do. SInce the team is getting a lot of notoriety because the success of the off-season training and the spring/summer camp sessions, they are going to be tested ... early and often. They better be getting ready and not out here reading press clippings. That will get you beat. I think they are up to the challenge though.

KWC, is Whitehaven's talent level under Saulsberry pretty consistent with how it's been historically? Amazed and impressed he can replace D1 talent with other D1 talent. Not sure any other program in the state can do it at the rate Da Haven does

[kwc]

4 hours ago, MidTennFootball said:

KWC, is Whitehaven's talent level under Saulsberry pretty consistent with how it's been historically? Amazed and impressed he can replace D1 talent with other D1 talent. Not sure any other program in the state can do it at the rate Da Haven does

Good question, and let me give you why I think it has become so good,

Whitehaven, has in the past, had a lot of players who have received scholarships to play football in universities across America. Recently, whithin the past five to six years or so, Whitehaven has had multiple players to sign LOIs at the end of the season. I'm talking over 10 per year. Last year Whitehaven had 13 guys sign LOIs. The year before that it was 14, and the year before that it was 17. That is the current TREND at Whitehaven. Nothing new. From SEC types of schools to lower division schools with partial scholarships.  

Whitehaven, in the past, has not had a team assembled, that in the month of June, in the months preceding the up and coming season, had a team with15 guys with offers with the majority of those having multple offers. It is nothing new to have guys at Whitehaven with preseason offers, but NOT to this volume. However, everyone at Whitehaven has seen this day coming.  I think the state of Tennessee is really now starting to take notice, but we at Whitehaven have seen this develop over time over the past few seasons,

Simply put ... Coach Saulsberry just outgrinds everybody else. Its work that the other coaches just don't want to do. The motivation ... get the young men a free education. Football is just the conduit to getting a FREE education, which in turn, helps to develop young men into becoming a better citizen, father, husband.

It all starts with the HC and his vision. State title are cool. They are nice to have as a token of achieving the highest honor/award/recognition in a sport. A college education will carry a young man a lifetime and can create better futures for everyone that surrounds that young man. It is coach Saulsberry's creed to get as many young men into college as possible. He's the best in Tennesse at doing what he does. 

Quite honestly, he's perfected his craft. He needs to teach seminars on how to do it. There may be some other high school coaches around the country who are just as good as he is at this ... but in Tennessee, he's the KING. It is a self fulfilling prophecy. Because of his drive ... his dedication ... his will, his program has directly resulted in prosperity. His work attracts. The parents and the students actually SEE their coach GRIND on the behalf of the student athlete. It is wearisome, to rent vans, pack them up with players and drive to Chicago, and Atlanta, and Nashville, and etc. multiple times in the spring and summer. That's what he does and more.

Whitehaven Football Twitter Page

Just go to the link above and just scroll through and read what is there. He has perfected Twitter as well. You will get a glimpse into what Coach Saulsberry is all about and how he motivates his young people. HE is the main reason behind the surge in talent at Whitehaven. He just simply outworks everyone else, and he's very smart to boot.

 

Edited June 29, 2018 by kwc