Let’s debate.
1. Louisa
2. King’s Fork
3. EC Glass
Good luck scoring on any of the 3 teams.
1. Louisa
2. King’s Fork
3. EC Glass
Good luck scoring on any of the 3 teams.
Best Defensive Unit in the State
- Thread starter DanvilleSportsHead
- Start date
Salem front 7 will be really really good. Should have excellent down linemen, defensive ends and linebackers. Secondary will be a question
Of those 3 teams I would probably go 1. KF 2. Glass 3. Louisa. I do think Louisa will be good but they had quite a bit more attrition than the other two if memory serves.
@Shabutie agreed. Louisa will have question marks in the front 7. Smith will be able to put the team on his back at times, but he's still only one player. But if I had to take an early wild guess, the secondary should be better than last year's (which wasn't bad by any means) once they get a few games under their belts. The Courtland game will be a good first-week test, since Courtland is one of those teams that shocks you when they pass.
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Eastern View gave up an avg. of 7 points a game until they played Dinwiddie. Look for much of the same this year.
I would put Louisa in the top 10 preseason defenses for now, but nowhere near top 3.
1. LAFAYETTE. They have question marks too, but I LOVED what I saw from them last year (on the field and the sidelines), so I'm sure the cupboard is far from bare. They were loaded on all 3 levels of the defense. If they had a better offense and beaten Louisa, they would've handled Salem pretty well. They were built perfectly to defend Salem's offense, and had that old-school 757 nastiness to them where nothing would intimidate them. Jack Erwin (William & Mary preferred walk-on, de-committed from UR) will be tough to replace, but let's not forget about them, we tend to do that until playoff time. I'm sure DSH and his pops can vouch for them.
2. Glass
3. Salem
4. Kings Fork
5. Eastern View
6. Blacksburg
7. Sherando
8. Monacan
9. Louisa
10. Dinwiddie
I'll throw Courtland in as an honorable mention, but they could end up much higher. They return a ton from a team that got much better defensively by the end of last season, and have a history of bounce-back seasons after average seasons, so they're overdue by a season.
1. LAFAYETTE. They have question marks too, but I LOVED what I saw from them last year (on the field and the sidelines), so I'm sure the cupboard is far from bare. They were loaded on all 3 levels of the defense. If they had a better offense and beaten Louisa, they would've handled Salem pretty well. They were built perfectly to defend Salem's offense, and had that old-school 757 nastiness to them where nothing would intimidate them. Jack Erwin (William & Mary preferred walk-on, de-committed from UR) will be tough to replace, but let's not forget about them, we tend to do that until playoff time. I'm sure DSH and his pops can vouch for them.
2. Glass
3. Salem
4. Kings Fork
5. Eastern View
6. Blacksburg
7. Sherando
8. Monacan
9. Louisa
10. Dinwiddie
I'll throw Courtland in as an honorable mention, but they could end up much higher. They return a ton from a team that got much better defensively by the end of last season, and have a history of bounce-back seasons after average seasons, so they're overdue by a season.
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@anon_vu6vqwsr4nf3b how many do y’all return on defense? @mbonape1 yall return some big boys too right?
@DanvilleSportsHead going off the top of my head: about 4 starters that finished the season last year, 1 starter who got hurt for the season in the third game but I'm not sure if he'll return, and about 2 players who didn't start last year, but got some PT and are starter material. So yeah, lots of question marks to be ranking us high. But you gotta keep us somewhere, because Brandon Smith.
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@ChancellorFan or any Fredericksburg fan, any rumblings about Chancellor yet, specifically the defense? They hired a new defensive coordinator, Jeff Drugatz who was on the Massaponax staff the last couple of years, Charlottesville's before that, and Riverbend's before that.
From what I remember last year, half of Courtland's roster were seniors. Not sure how many of those started, but just from a body standpoint, about half their roster will be replaced.
I believe @courtlandcougars1987 posted before that not many seniors were starting, at least by the end of the season.
I agree with 86Culp. EV will be lights out on defense again this year. Until they prove different, put the in the final four this year.
We return a lot, I think 8/11 defensive starters.. but we did lose our anchor DE to William and Mary. A few new faces. Size upfront is always the question for us. Need to replace one corner as well. I can go with a preseason top 10 defense but in the back half at this point
Definitely agree on Lafayette. They were definitely the best defensive team I saw last year in 4a. That game showed just how vital Malik Bell was as he couldn’t be stopped on 4th down. That defense for Lafayette was lights out. Credit Louisa for making Burton for Lafayette a non factor on defense.
Edit: **Burden not Burton
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Of the total roster of 45, 15 were seniors with 7 being starters or key backups. Of course the big defensive losses are Burden and Erwin. Tough to replace but captains Canady, Washington and New on defense will give a pretty good imitation. With a lot of the defensive backs coming back and the offensive backfield except the QB returning things should start quicker than last year. Big difference this year is first 4 of 5 games are away.
Hoos put my Danville boys in the top 10. Longs ways from playoff time, but they have potential to be a formidable defense in 4a. From what I’ve seen out of rising junior Kendrell McClary (CB/S) and freshman Shyheim Watlington (CB; brother of Shawn Watlington Jr.) the secondary is much improved. These guys make good reads, McClary (made Team USA’s football team) had a lot of picks and he doesn’t get beat, and Shyheim Watlington looks to be just as good of a football player as his brother (SCARY) and he looks like he belongs with the big boys being only a rising 9th grader ..Now things can change when the pads come on..We’ll see. Remember that this is same secondary that run first teams like Amherst and Franklin County had 300 yard passing on last year. When Tucker from Salem caught what would be a 5 or 7 yard gain and took it 80 yards for 6, I knew the focus for summer should be improving the secondary. There will be growing pains but if the two I mentioned play to potential along with Quenton Elam, Zy Gunter, DayDay Richardson, Carl Poole Jr. and Shawn Watlington Jr., the Eagle defense will be very very good. Big year coming for Danville if the defense is anywhere near as good as the offense.
Lots of teams thought they had the perfect defense to stop Salem the last few years. Salem's strength has been that they can beat you running it or throwing it. Not many high school teams can do that. Best defense Salem has seen the last three years was Blacksburg. Salem hung 30 on them the second time they played. Now, I don't think Salem will be as explosive as they have been, but they will still be able to run it and throw it
I am opening rooting for Danville to finally put it all together. I will take your word that the defense will be much improved. This is not a knock but we both know "lord knows it better be". I think GW needs to dominate the good majority of their schedule based on who they play. A few games could be tougher but I hope to see them show a well-rounded dominating effort against the teams they should beat handily. Need to hold the better teams to under 30 and they can go all the way with the offensive weapons they have. My only fear with GW is we won't really know who they are until the 2nd round of the playoffs. However, if they do what I mentioned above... maybe we will.
I agree 100%. Good thing about it, we will see how good this defense is early. Frank Ross is the best RB in all of 4a. Same caliber player of a Ramsey, Elijah Davis and Beck.. The following week they get JF who will be able to score on a good portion of teams in all of 4a. JF has the potential to be a top 5 4a team, thing is, their defense is just as bad as Danville’s. We’ll see. I’m not worried about GW’s front 7, I’m worried about that secondary. I believe they had the worst secondary out of all of the playoff teams last year. They were terrible. LCA, who’s passing game is a lot like Salem’s, will test this secondary in week 1. I don’t believe the GW offense will be challenged until week 2 of the playoffs.
Not sure how anyone can put GW in the conversation, but leave Blacksburg’s defense out. Blacksburg lost a good amount of that defensive line , Beck and Van Gilder, but they still return Brian Mitchell, Cole epperly and drew babcock. I’m not a Blacksburg guy, so I don’t know the others. But I’d put a Blacksburg defense with returners that have been a part of a successful defense over GW any day.
Yeah, I completely forgot about Blacksburg, so I fixed it. Sorry DSH.
Watched Blacksburg all through last season. Lafayette defense was still better, but Blacksburg offense was miles better.
Hi
How can a team with that many athletes not field 3 decent DB’s? If it comes down to it throw some of the offensive studs back there. Gotta get it done by any means necessary this time. Can’t wait for the season to start!
How can a team with that many athletes not field 3 decent DB’s? If it comes down to it throw some of the offensive studs back there. Gotta get it done by any means necessary this time. Can’t wait for the season to start!
Yeah, GW is like us last season. They gotta play most of the studs both ways and hope for the best if they really wanna be a contender and realize their potential.
Speaking of that, will Pope play defense this year for Dinwiddie? Or is he too valuable and Dinwiddie will just reload?
Speaking of that, will Pope play defense this year for Dinwiddie? Or is he too valuable and Dinwiddie will just reload?
Yeah as you mentioned Mitchell, Babcock, and Epperly are good defensive returners. On top of those guys there is Terry, Norris, (primarily a backup DE last year as a Soph) Hudson, (primarily a FB, but may be the frontrunner for MLB) Coffey, (played at WR, but would be a good CB as well) and a couple of other guys with good size that should be on the DL- Branscom, Mitcham, Crickenburger, and Fisher. Hopefully with the last 2 years of success they have built enough excitement in the program to continue on with the new coach.
I wasn't surprised by last year's success, but I expect a little dropoff this year. I think an 8-4 type year wouldn't surprise me. They have a pretty good schedule with Lord Botetourt, Amherst, and Salem being the toughest tests and Giles, Richlands, Patrick Henry, and Pulaski, being no pushovers.
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I don't think Dinwiddie will use Pope on defense, they just seem to reload every year.
No need to apologize to me bro. All facts. We gotta prove it on the field.
Not to disrespect anyone on our staff. Hell I don’t even know who the DB coach is..But our secondary hasn’t been up to par since Donald Smith Sr. stopped coaching the DBs. GW has been DB-HS with the likes of CJ Graves (Winston Salem State), Tim Glass (NC State), Donald Smith Jr. (Hampton), and Malik Clements (Cincinnati) all within the past 3 years. This crop coming through (the Watlington brothers, Carl Poole Jr., Kendrell McClary, and Willie Edmunds Jr.) will all add to the collegiate ranks the next 3-4 years. Problem for us this year won’t be talent in the secondary, it will be inexperience. Last year we had no talent in the secondary until we placed Shawn Watlington Jr. at safety late in the year.
Best defense they've seen the last 3 years?
14-16 points
15-17 points in 2ot
I'm just saying
Guess they stopped playing defense at LT? Don't let one "down" 7-4 year make your forget about LT. Return A LOT of kids (18 starters) should be very good this year.
On behalf of my Dinwiddie peeps, Salem only scored 20 points on Dinwiddie and that was without Big Pope. Don’t let those EV and Louisa scores fool you. Dinwiddie shut down 3 D1 backs from Dale as well.
EV did not run the ball well against Dinwiddie....did very well through the air
LT was very young last year. Look for a rebounding, better year. We'll just just have to see how much better they are. You know the tenacity will be there.
That kind of logic does not work. Dinwiddie beat Salem 25-20 in third game of year. Salem also lost to Blacksburg 49-12, I believe in fifth game. Salem then beat Blacksburg in playoffs 33-32 and beat the team that beat Dinwiddie and Lafayette 43-22. Most people on here thought that Louisa would handle Salem because of this but it did not happen.
Football is about matchups, and I believe Salem matches up better with Louisa and Lafayette Than dinwiddie. Louisa and Lafayette’s offenses are unique in terms on they stop after the hs level in most regards. Defensively Salem isn’t going to out athlete most teams late in the year but fundamentals which causes problems for gimmick or scheme offenses is what Salem prides itself on executing and being in position.
I saw them a few times last year. They had a lot of self inflicted wounds. The football had grease on it at times. Their young sophomore TB is a beast though. I think anywhere between an 8-2 - 9-1 season will be in order for LT this year. How they do against Freedom will be tell-tale. I am sure they had that game circled after what happened last year in Nova. But given last years results I can't pick them in the upset. I wonder how Norview and Phoebus will be this year. I think LT can beat them both. I will say that I have a hunch that some of the teams on their schedule that are usually walk-overs will be a bit tougher this year. Sure will be fun when Hampton joins the 4A east bracket in 2019.
Pheobus will be very tough. I believe they're Class 3 & have some D1 talent as usual. If LT & Pheobus play this year it could be another epic battle which shouldn't be missed.
I think football is about execution. At the end iof year Salem was executing more and turning.ball over less. I think Salem had 7 fbles against Di nwiddi..
