Calhoun High School's Austin Bennett (5), Jireh Wilson (3) and Jacob Callahan (10) bring down Cedar Grove High School's Jessie Reverio (4).CALHOUN, Ga. - When it comes to the strongest part of one of the stingiest defenses in Georgia high school football, the whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts.
Together, Calhoun's linebackers have 307 tackles, 33 of them coming behind the line. Intimidating numbers for sure, even if the individuals making those stops are not. Neither Jireh Wilson, Austin Bennett or Tristan Fuller breaks 6-feet tall. None weighs more than 200 pounds. There are receivers on teams the Yellow Jackets have faced in the playoffs with significant size advantages.
All of which means absolutely zilch, according to Hal Lamb.
"All three of our guys are just solid, and they get the best out of their abilities," the Calhoun head coach said. "They don't have a lot of size, but they make up for it with very good instincts and they read their keys well. Maybe most importantly, they play extremely hard all the time."
Despite their physical limitations, the trio use their individual talents to fuel a defense (with its starters in) that has allowed under 10 points per game. Fuller's strength lies in stopping the run, where his strength allows him to shed blockers. Wilson, the most athletic of the three, is the most disruptive and his blitzing abilities have led to nearly 10 tackles for loss in the playoffs alone.
Bennett, despite weighing just 185 pounds, is the rock in the middle who flows from sideline to sideline making plays. His 112 tackles leads the team and, to Lamb, he's the perfect embodiment of what the defense is all about.
"Austin Bennett is one of the smaller middle linebackers we've had, but I would put him up against most any team's mike backer," Lamb said. "He plays with such heart -- they all do -- and he never lets his lack of size keep him from making plays. Those three work so well together. Tristan is so tough and Jireh has developed into a tremendous pass rusher and is one of our leaders."
Wilson, when asked the unit's key to success, spreads the praise around.
"We couldn't do our jobs if the line wasn't keeping guys off us," he said. "We just fly around to the ball. There's no big secret; we work so well together because we trust each other."
The backers, coming off their biggest test of the season in Elbert County quarterback Mecole Hardman, get another one in Westminster 1,500-yard running back Zay Malcome in Friday's semifinal. Hardman came in with 400 yards rushing in two playoff wins, but the Jackets held him to 36. Malcome, at 5-foot-5, has tremendous moves and quickness and the vision and patience to make the most out of his line's blocks.
The key last week and this week, according to Lamb, is the same.
"We've done a great job of making tackles when we get the shots," he said. "Westminster's running back is a lot like Darren Sproles in that he can outrun you, and he can do a lot of different things with the ball. We have to stay disciplined and not miss tackles. I know we'll be tested, but I feel good about where we are defensively."
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296.