Northwest Whitfield junior quarterback Luke Shiflett is getting more and more attention from college recruiters, but before moving on he could help the Bruins change their image as a program that stalls in the postseason.TUNNEL HILL, Ga. - Northwest Whitfield has been stuck in high school football's version of neutral for years.
There have been few down seasons for the Bruins, who began play in 1975. There have also been few very successful ones, at least if postseason success is the measure. The program's all-time postseason record is 3-15, including 1-6 in the old region playoff format.
Northwest has never won a playoff game at home, including last year's stinging 28-27 loss to Grady after a nine-win regular season. The program has one region title to its credit.
The numbers are not lost on coach Josh Robinson and a group of experienced players who hope to begin changing the way the program is viewed.
"This team can definitely be the one that turns that around," senior receiver Jay Jones said. "A lot of us remember the one-point loss last year and we still have that chip. People say we're not that good and point to that as proof, so we don't forget it."
If self-confidence is key to long-term success for a football team, these Bruins are not lacking. After a summer of hard workouts and tremendous achievements in several top-tier 7-on-7 passing tournaments, they're full of confidence.
In Friday night's 49-24 season-opening win against Ringgold, Northwest's offense put up nearly 500 yards. Quarterback Luke Shiflett, a junior rising quickly on recruiting boards, passed for 262 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 126 yards. Jones had more than 100 yards. Running back Dominique Sistrunk kept the Tigers honest with a strong rushing performance.
It was the kind of game that reinforced the team's belief that this year will end differently.
"It answered a lot of questions we had on offense," Shiflett said. "We knew we could be high-powered, but it kind of proved it. I don't know if the state took notice, but I think it made more of a statement to the region. We honestly feel we are the only team that can stop us."
Robinson, as happy as he was with the win and his players' expectations, plans to keep the team grounded.
"It was a great game for us, but we haven't arrived, for sure, and we made them aware of that Monday during practice," he said. "I worry about the confidence/arrogance thing. I want them to believe they can beat anybody - because I believe that - but at the same time I'm not arrogant enough to think every team on our schedule can't beat us. I know they can."
Robinson, who was the defensive coordinator under previous head coach Mike Falleur when the Bruins won their two playoff games, doesn't need to be reminded about the program's postseason failures.
Changing the rhetoric involves one major thing.
"It's the case with a lot of things in sports, you have to take that next step before you can get the kids to believe," said Robinson, who's 35-18 since taking over in 2011. "It's the same with a bad program becoming competitive. we need to have that postseason success to maybe get to that point where it's more expected. I wish our postseason record was better, but we're the ones that control that."
To be fair, the past doesn't mean that much to current Bruins. All they know is in a region (6-AAAA) that no longer includes 2015 state champion Cartersville, the title is there for the taking.
Then they will start trying to change perceptions.
"I don't think what the rest of the state thinks matters to us," Jones said. "We know we can play with anybody, and if others don't believe that we plan to prove them wrong."
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.