These are who I've seen, either live or in full game videos. Not basing my thoughts on any highlight clips. I'm not going to rank them, just listing in alphabetical order.
Amherst - saw them scrimmage live against Louisa. As has been rightfully, and repeatedly posted, their lines are enormous and quick. Neither team showed much, and Amherst's starters had a lot of trouble snapping the ball, so it was hard to gauge them. Their defense had a lot of holes, mainly in the secondary. Based on only those lines and proven QB Turner, they can spring a few upsets in the playoffs. The big concern is most of those big linemen play both ways and get tired fairly quickly, as was shown against Salem.
Blacksburg - saw the full YouTube stream against Salem. They're the real deal, with speed all over the place and power up front. If you let Beck and Terry get to the second level, they're gone in the blink of an eye. Their QB is underrated. They didn't deserve any offseason disrespect about moving up to 4A. They'll be right in the mix in late November.
Caroline - Saw their video against Powhatan. Keep an eye on the Cavaliers over the next couple of years, and I'm not just saying that. You can tell they're legitimately moving in the right direction. The coaching and talent are both finally in place together.
Chancellor - saw them live against Louisa. They should be good in about two years. Receiver #1 Bush is their only real threat on the team, and he's legit, but a senior. Losing a coaching staff along with so many graduates and transfers is impossible to quickly overcome for any team.
Charlottesville - have seen full game videos of them all year. Speed everywhere offensively. Their triple option offense, that starts with dual-threat QB Sam Neale and absolute stud FB Sabias Folley, is for real, but they will need to continue to out-score opponents. The defense is very young, especially at the linebacker spot, and as a team they've lost about five likely starters to transfer (for various reasons, nothing to do with the coaching or playing time) from a team that clobbered John Champe in the playoffs. If they start playing a few more of their offensive talent both ways, they'll be in the mix as well.
Courtland - saw them live against Louisa. I believe they start all seniors on both lines, so they should be much better than they are. They have size and quickness. However, they don't have much talent or speed at the skill positions. And like others have said, I don't think they run the right offense for the players they have. The best Cougar teams of the recent past utilized the Wing T and the spread well, and made you defend the whole field, but had the big, strong and speedy players to do it. Last year's, and this year's team really need to get away from the Wing and run something more traditional. The only problem is, Coach Hall is very stubborn and it's not going to happen.
Dinwiddie - big up front, strong, and fast again! Saw the full Gameday streams against Salem and Thomas Dale. Big Pope is Big Pope, and QB Petey Pope is lightning fast and shifty. He's still a little unproven as a passer, but it's not going to matter this year. They have some smaller size and inexperience at some spots on defense, which may bite them at times in the playoffs if opponents can hang with them up front. But honestly, that probably won't matter, either.
Eastern View - saw game video against Orange. EV is balanced and fast offensively, big up front, but smaller at the skill positions on both sides of the ball. They aren't afraid to get after you defensively, though. Solid, hard-nosed kids. QB Lowry is new and unproven against a good team, but he's showing a lot of good flashes. And of course, do-it-all D'Ago Hunter is the real deal. I know they had a good linebacker out, not sure if he's back yet. They might only be tested once in district play, and no one is sure how they'll do against the other stud teams of Region 4B, but we'll see very soon.
EC Glass - saw video against Charlottesville. Pretty solid offensively, with lots of speed. Defensively they are pretty stout, and fly to the ball. I forget the stud linebacker's name, but he was everywhere, and I believe had around 20 tackles. I'm not sure how their offense will stack up with Charlottesville in a rematch, or the other good offensive 4D teams, but their defense will keep them in games. I wish Coach Woody was able to stay at Monticello longer, at least through QB Kevin Jarrell's four years. They would be pretty nasty, the offense would be a wide-open well-oiled machine.
King George - saw them live against Louisa. Scrappy bunch as usual, with NFL-sized lines. Their extremely tough schedule makes them seem worse than they are, but they are young and well coached. Most of their skill talent is on JV, which looks like a varsity team itself. They were up on Louisa, which is 4-1, something like 36-0 at halftime. They will be back next year, but have the potential to make Eastern View actually sweat a little. The win against James Monroe might have been the jump-start they needed.
Louisa - of course I've seen these guys! I have been quiet all year and don't enjoy posting much anymore, but will throw in a little bit of classic bias here. It wouldn't be me if I didn't. The Lions have their best team since the 2006 team, and have the best Big 4 core in the state. Brandon Smith, Job Whalen, Malik Bell, and RaQuan Jones are all pure specimens, and a joy to watch. They all play both ways this year (FINALLY!) and are a bunch of disciplined headhunters defensively. They all take good angles, lay the wood, and just don't care. I have literally been worried all season about opponents finishing games healthy. Sophomore Jarett Hunter, little brother of former stud RB Anthony, is a pigeon-toed pure athlete and an x-factor/game changer, especially on special teams. They are the most balanced offensively since the 2010 team, but haven't had to show much yet. Their weaknesses are that the pass defense hasn't really been tested until they play Monticello and Orange, and they have shown sloppiness and cockiness at times. They need to get out of their own way and stay healthy up front if they want to make a deep run.
Monacan - saw them live against Manchester. Very balanced offensively, with a speedy and athletic bunch, and a better defense than last year's. QB Syour Fludd is one of my favorite players and he took it to Manchester on the ground with the zone read when he was needed the most. Their special teams and play calling when they get a lead is sub-par, which might haunt them later.
Powhatan - saw their video against Caroline, Hopewell, and Western Albemarle. The Indians simply aren't talented like their glory days, but veteran Coach Woodson is getting the most out of them. They are well coached and disciplined as always, and showed what they can do against WA if they put it all together and have some luck go their way. No real standout players, but they're cohesive as a unit.
Salem - saw the streams against Dinwiddie and Blacksburg. There isn't much to say about them that hasn't been beaten to death here this season. Salem is still Salem, albeit a little less talented with some chemistry issues. Owen and Tucker are my favorite players. I'm positive they'll be right in the mix next month and probably have a thing or two up their sleeves.
Amherst - saw them scrimmage live against Louisa. As has been rightfully, and repeatedly posted, their lines are enormous and quick. Neither team showed much, and Amherst's starters had a lot of trouble snapping the ball, so it was hard to gauge them. Their defense had a lot of holes, mainly in the secondary. Based on only those lines and proven QB Turner, they can spring a few upsets in the playoffs. The big concern is most of those big linemen play both ways and get tired fairly quickly, as was shown against Salem.
Blacksburg - saw the full YouTube stream against Salem. They're the real deal, with speed all over the place and power up front. If you let Beck and Terry get to the second level, they're gone in the blink of an eye. Their QB is underrated. They didn't deserve any offseason disrespect about moving up to 4A. They'll be right in the mix in late November.
Caroline - Saw their video against Powhatan. Keep an eye on the Cavaliers over the next couple of years, and I'm not just saying that. You can tell they're legitimately moving in the right direction. The coaching and talent are both finally in place together.
Chancellor - saw them live against Louisa. They should be good in about two years. Receiver #1 Bush is their only real threat on the team, and he's legit, but a senior. Losing a coaching staff along with so many graduates and transfers is impossible to quickly overcome for any team.
Charlottesville - have seen full game videos of them all year. Speed everywhere offensively. Their triple option offense, that starts with dual-threat QB Sam Neale and absolute stud FB Sabias Folley, is for real, but they will need to continue to out-score opponents. The defense is very young, especially at the linebacker spot, and as a team they've lost about five likely starters to transfer (for various reasons, nothing to do with the coaching or playing time) from a team that clobbered John Champe in the playoffs. If they start playing a few more of their offensive talent both ways, they'll be in the mix as well.
Courtland - saw them live against Louisa. I believe they start all seniors on both lines, so they should be much better than they are. They have size and quickness. However, they don't have much talent or speed at the skill positions. And like others have said, I don't think they run the right offense for the players they have. The best Cougar teams of the recent past utilized the Wing T and the spread well, and made you defend the whole field, but had the big, strong and speedy players to do it. Last year's, and this year's team really need to get away from the Wing and run something more traditional. The only problem is, Coach Hall is very stubborn and it's not going to happen.
Dinwiddie - big up front, strong, and fast again! Saw the full Gameday streams against Salem and Thomas Dale. Big Pope is Big Pope, and QB Petey Pope is lightning fast and shifty. He's still a little unproven as a passer, but it's not going to matter this year. They have some smaller size and inexperience at some spots on defense, which may bite them at times in the playoffs if opponents can hang with them up front. But honestly, that probably won't matter, either.
Eastern View - saw game video against Orange. EV is balanced and fast offensively, big up front, but smaller at the skill positions on both sides of the ball. They aren't afraid to get after you defensively, though. Solid, hard-nosed kids. QB Lowry is new and unproven against a good team, but he's showing a lot of good flashes. And of course, do-it-all D'Ago Hunter is the real deal. I know they had a good linebacker out, not sure if he's back yet. They might only be tested once in district play, and no one is sure how they'll do against the other stud teams of Region 4B, but we'll see very soon.
EC Glass - saw video against Charlottesville. Pretty solid offensively, with lots of speed. Defensively they are pretty stout, and fly to the ball. I forget the stud linebacker's name, but he was everywhere, and I believe had around 20 tackles. I'm not sure how their offense will stack up with Charlottesville in a rematch, or the other good offensive 4D teams, but their defense will keep them in games. I wish Coach Woody was able to stay at Monticello longer, at least through QB Kevin Jarrell's four years. They would be pretty nasty, the offense would be a wide-open well-oiled machine.
King George - saw them live against Louisa. Scrappy bunch as usual, with NFL-sized lines. Their extremely tough schedule makes them seem worse than they are, but they are young and well coached. Most of their skill talent is on JV, which looks like a varsity team itself. They were up on Louisa, which is 4-1, something like 36-0 at halftime. They will be back next year, but have the potential to make Eastern View actually sweat a little. The win against James Monroe might have been the jump-start they needed.
Louisa - of course I've seen these guys! I have been quiet all year and don't enjoy posting much anymore, but will throw in a little bit of classic bias here. It wouldn't be me if I didn't. The Lions have their best team since the 2006 team, and have the best Big 4 core in the state. Brandon Smith, Job Whalen, Malik Bell, and RaQuan Jones are all pure specimens, and a joy to watch. They all play both ways this year (FINALLY!) and are a bunch of disciplined headhunters defensively. They all take good angles, lay the wood, and just don't care. I have literally been worried all season about opponents finishing games healthy. Sophomore Jarett Hunter, little brother of former stud RB Anthony, is a pigeon-toed pure athlete and an x-factor/game changer, especially on special teams. They are the most balanced offensively since the 2010 team, but haven't had to show much yet. Their weaknesses are that the pass defense hasn't really been tested until they play Monticello and Orange, and they have shown sloppiness and cockiness at times. They need to get out of their own way and stay healthy up front if they want to make a deep run.
Monacan - saw them live against Manchester. Very balanced offensively, with a speedy and athletic bunch, and a better defense than last year's. QB Syour Fludd is one of my favorite players and he took it to Manchester on the ground with the zone read when he was needed the most. Their special teams and play calling when they get a lead is sub-par, which might haunt them later.
Powhatan - saw their video against Caroline, Hopewell, and Western Albemarle. The Indians simply aren't talented like their glory days, but veteran Coach Woodson is getting the most out of them. They are well coached and disciplined as always, and showed what they can do against WA if they put it all together and have some luck go their way. No real standout players, but they're cohesive as a unit.
Salem - saw the streams against Dinwiddie and Blacksburg. There isn't much to say about them that hasn't been beaten to death here this season. Salem is still Salem, albeit a little less talented with some chemistry issues. Owen and Tucker are my favorite players. I'm positive they'll be right in the mix next month and probably have a thing or two up their sleeves.
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