Football Preview: Boyd-Buchanan Bucs defense stout with safety Peace

Boyd-Buchanan senior safety Andrew Peace is a big part of a Bucs defense expecting big things.

Photo by Dan Henry.

Much of the hype surrounding Boyd-Buchanan's football fortunes this season involve the offensive backfield returning intact. But a stingy defense has been the trademark of every deep playoff run by the Buccaneers, and having every defensive backfield starter returning is just as important to their 2011 state-title hopes.

Senior safety Andrew Peace is as intelligent on the field as he is off, and his ability to get the Bucs' secondary aligned properly was key in helping the defense limit nine opponents to one touchdown or less last season.

"I know he's dependable and very intelligent back there," said coach Grant Reynolds, who began his career as the program's defensive coordinator. "Andrew knows our system and rarely has a busted play on either side. At the beginning of last year he got beat once deep, but as the season went on he was a lot tougher to fool, and now he recognizes by formations what's coming.

"He takes a lot of pride in what he does, and it shows. He tackles well, and when we need him on offense he's the best blocking receiver I've seen here."

The 6-foot, 170-pound Peace's willingness to accept even unappreciated roles earned him the respect of coaches on both sides of the ball and the right to be a two-year starter.

He's clearly an achiever. He earned Eagle Scout honors two years ago and has been on two mission trips outside the United States. With a 4.25 grade point average in all honors classes and a 32 on the ACT, he plans to major in pre-medicine.

During his three years with the varsity, Boyd-Buchanan has lost by one point in the 2008 state quarterfinals, by six in the 2009 final and to eventual state champion Signal Mountain last year in the semifinals.

"The way we lost to Signal Mountain hurt worse than just the loss itself," said Peace, who had two interceptions and 25 solo tackles last season. "We're better than that, and that's kind of driven us during the offseason. We've been really close a lot, so I would love to get back and win it all as a senior."

"I know I'm not the biggest guy on the field, but being tough is a mindset. I've been run over before, but I know I have to always come back and play tough or I won't be successful. That's just how football is."

Peace is one of only seven seniors on the roster this year, but each of those start, including four on both sides of the ball.

"It's a small class as a whole, but you look at what players like Andrew mean to the program and it's pretty impressive what they've already accomplished as a group," Reynolds said. "Hopefully there are a lot more accomplishments they will achieve together this year."

MEMORY LANE

With the temperature hovering just above freezing in Murfreesboro in early December 2003, Boyd-Buchanan finished a job it had started one year earlier. The Buccaneeers had lost the Class 1A state championship in overtime the previous season, but thanks to a stingy defense and Matt Peardon’s ability at running back, Boyd-Buchanan capped the season with a 26-3 whipping of Donelson Christian Academy for the title. Peardon earned offensive MVP honors after gaining 160 yards and scoring two touchdowns, and the Bucs held DCA to 123 total yards on 50 plays.

“This is the best feeling in the world,” Peardon said moments after the final seconds ticked off the clock. “There’s nothing to compare it to.”