2010 Football: South Rowan preview

Sophomore quarterback Nathan Lambert, center, will look toward receiver Clay Wilson, left, and do-it-all star Mark McDaniel (2) for the offense. Photo by Ronnie Gallagher, Salisbury Post

By Mike London

mlondon@salisburypost.com

LANDIS — Quick. Name five South Rowan varsity football players and win a free trip to Disney World.

Coach Jason Rollins hasn’t announced such a contest yet, but it’s probably crossed his mind.

A season after the Raiders averaged a school-record 35.6 points a game, beat powers A.L. Brown and Salisbury and put a glittering 9-3 record in the books, they’ll take the field with an unfamiliar cast.

Aside from standout senior defensive back Mark McDaniel, even hardcore prep football fans would have trouble naming a Raider.

Opposing coaches also know who defensive back Donte Henderson and linebacker Leo Pope are, but that’s about it. South graduated nearly everyone except manager Tyler Rea, chaplain Joe Mason and trainer Larry Sides. The school phone number is still 704-857-1161, but everything else has changed.

Rollins is the first to admit that quarterback Blake Houston (South’s all-time total offense leader), powerful running backs Thomas Lowe and D’Andre Harris and smooth receiver B.J. Grant won’t be easily replaced.

Still, optimism practically drips off Rollins’ shaved head.

“We’ve built every year I’ve been here,” he said. “We won three games in 2006, when everybody said we couldn’t win one. We got better the next year. Then we got five wins under our belts in ’08. Then we won nine last season.”

Since South graduated a stellar senior class that also included linebacker Cadarreus Mason and versatile Quan Glaspy, it’s logically time to start over, but Rollins isn’t allowing himself to think like that. He doesn’t want to revisit 3-8 — or worse.

“I realize there are a lot of people out there telling us we’re not gonna be any good this year,” he said. “But we’re taking it more like we’re gonna keep building off last year’s success. Our kids are looking at it like there’s a good tradition to continue here.”

What does South have going for it?

Well, a lot of rising sophomores dedicated their summer to preparing themselves to survive on varsity Fridays. Twelve are on the roster.

“There’s a lot of 10s, more than usual, but they’re good 10s,” Rollins said.

It’s also a plus that the coaches, except for veterans Tim Corriher and Danny Crosby, are back. The staff also got a boost from the return of defensive coordinator Barry Lipscomb from military service in Iraq. He came home in June.

“That probably helps me even more than our kids,” Rollins said. “I stuck mostly with the defense last year, but I’ll be able to spend a lot more time with the offense now.”

The offense will need all the wisdom he can offer. It has zero returning starters. That’s right, zero.

Pope did start on the offensive line last season, but he’ll anchor this year’s defense at middle linebacker.

Who’s the quarterback?

The job belongs to 6-foot-1 sophomore Nathan Lambert.

“He’s come along well,” Rollins said. “He went to several summer camps, including the Peyton Manning Camp. He’d been throwing baseballs, but they got his throwing revamped for football.”

The backup QB is sophomore athlete Eric Tyler, a starter on the defensive unit.

The fullback is critical in the Raiders’ triple-option, double-wing offense that is modeled after the famed “Red Bone” employed by South Point, Rollins’ alma mater.

Rollins expects 213-pound sophomore Ricky Sherrill to be a fine fullback — if he’s available. Dillon Wright is the other option.

Frontrunners for the wingback jobs are sophomore Dominique Garlin and junior Brandon Williams. They have talent, but they’re 40-50 pounds lighter than Lowe and Harris.

Coach Jarrod Smith is a determined offensive line coach, and he’ll work overtime to build a new unit from scratch.

Ryan Atkinson, a 195-pound left tackle, is expected to lead the group. He’s a senior who’s worked in the past on defense.

The right tackle will be 203-pound sophomore Devin Mason, Cadarreus’ brother. If genes many anything, he’ll be a good one.

The starting right guard is junior Sonny Pope (200). Big sophomore Clint Meece (250) is counted on at left guard, with junior Trevor Simmons (300) set at center.

O-line depth will be supplied by Lynn Gutierrez, Jacob Stubbs, C.T. Welch, Daniel Litaker and Cameron Moore.

“They’re learning, and they’re getting better,” Rollins said. “In our system, they’re the most important guys.”

Seniors Clay Wilson, Casey Raymond and Jeremy Boulware and sophomore Dillon Parker are top candidates for the two wide receiver spots.

Henderson, a starting DB, will also play a lot of wideout.

“Henderson has great hands,” Rollins said. “Parker looked great in the seven-on-sevens.”

Logan Beck and Houston Allen provide depth.

The kicking game is still up in the air. Zach McMullen and Daniel Mullis, who has been slowed by a back ailment, are the most likely kickers on the roster. Rollins also is auditioning soccer players.

Defensively, South has decent experience. The DBs are the Raiders’ strongest unit.

McDaniel (5-11, 176) has fine speed and great instincts and can play any of the DB positions. He could be used at strong safety against run-oriented teams and move to corner or free safety against passing teams.

He’ll be one of the county’s few 48-minute men, meaning he won’t come off the field. Rollins will employ him at fullback, wingback or receiver on offense, depending on matchups.

McDaniel is also a huge weapon in the return game. He had two kickoff returns for TDs last season and also took two punts back all the way.

“We’ve let Mark know he’s got to be in great shape,” Rollins said. “We realize people are going to try to kick the ball away from him on special teams, and we’ve got to find ways to get it into his hands.”

Henderson (6-1, 180) may not exit the field, either. A returning starter and a senior, he’ll probably play cornerback as well as catch passes.

“We’re still very much believers in the two-platoon system,” Rollins said. “But athletes like Mark and Donte have to be on the field.”

Senior DB Ryan Smith was a top reserve last season and is now counted on as a starter.

Tyler, a baseball stud who will miss time in September as he bids to make the Team USA 16-under team, projects as the starting free safety.

Pope (6-1, 225) should be a man at middle linebacker. He’s an impressive physical specimen.

Sophomore Bubba McLaughlin, a middle linebacker on the jayvees last season, is expected to start at outside linebacker. Mullis Brandon Stancil and Cody Moon, all seniors, are competing for the other starting assignment.

McMullen, a junior, and sophomore Josh Medlin are leading candidates to start at the defensive end spots, with Scotty Magnuson and Adam MacTerrnan also in the mix.

Junior Abelardo Hernandez and senior Ben Mann are probable starters on the interior defensive line. Hernandez is listed at 5-4, 196.

“He caused havoc for teams on the jayvees,” Rollins said.

Sophomore B.J. Morrison, Michael Cantafio, Tony Hunter and Brian Parham are also competing for time.

It’s going to be a different sort of South team. The Raiders scored at least two TDs against everyone except West Rowan in 2009 and scored 30-plus points seven times.

“We’ll probably be in lower scoring games, for sure,” Rollins said. “We’ll need to control the ball, play defense and put ourselves in position to win in the fourth quarter.”

Rollins said his team spent some time working with the highly successful South Point program over the summer.

“South Point won a state championship last year with the same offense we use and with the same kind of kids we’ve got and the same size linemen we’ve got,” Rollins said. “We’re optimistic about this season, and we’ll see how much progress we can make.”

On paper, South’s may only be favored in its game at North Iredell on Oct. 1, but Rollins has orchestrated shockers a few times in the past.

“Being underdogs isn’t a bad thing,” he said. “It gives you a lot of extra motivational buttons you can push.”

Follow the Raiders

Aug. 20 at Salisbury

Aug. 27 at A.L. Brown

Sept. 3 NW Cabarrus

Sept. 10 Robinson

Sept. 17 at Central Cabarrus

Sept. 24 West Rowan*

Oct. 1 at North Iredell*

Oct. 8 Open

Oct. 15 West Iredell*

Oct. 22 at Carson*

Oct. 29 at Statesville*

Nov. 5 East Rowan*

Game time:?7:30 p.m.

*3A North Piedmont