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McCALLIE BLUE TORNADO
Head coach: Ralph Potter (145-76 here; 213-108 overall)
Returning starters: 3 offensive; 6 defensive
Last year’s record: 8-3, Division II-AAA state champions
Key players: William Riddle (6-1, 185) Sr. QB, Emilie Bellerouse (5-11, 195) Sr. TE, E.J. Smith (6-1, 380) Jr. OL, Kenzy Paul (6-1, 190) Sr. WR/DB, Aaron Crowder (6-0, 230) Sr. LB, James Howard (5-11, 270) Sr. NG, Thomas Pilon (6-2, 260) Sr. DE, Kane Smith (6-0, 215) Sr. LB, Caron Gentle (6-3, 220) So. LB, Matthew Plunkett (6-4, 205) Sr. TE/DE
Season outlook: After winning back-to-back DII-AAA state titles, the Blue Tornado are determined to maintain their level of excellence, and they have enough experience and talent to build toward another run.
Although there are few starters back on offense, McCallie has experience where it counts most as Riddle returns at quarterback and has added enough size – and is fully healed from last year’s back injury – that he should be able to handle more of the ball-carrying duties. He’s already a proven passer and has one of the area’s top targets in Paul, who is committed to Vanderbilt.
“William is a great student of the game and works all the time,” Potter said. “He’s gotten stronger over the offseason, and that should really help.”
While the biggest questions are on offense, where five starters on the line must be replaced and running back may be manned by a committee of players, there are far fewer unknowns on defense. That begins up front, where Howard is a proven nightmare for opposing blockers and Pilon and Plunkett can consistently set the edge. The linebacker corps is just as stout, led by three-year starter Crowder plus Smith and Gentle, who already has an offer from Tennessee.
“All of those front seven guys are really physical,” Potter said. “They’re great competitors who have all played a lot of meaningful snaps.
“We’ve got guys with good size up front on offense and there’s plenty of potential among the backs, so all of that is just a matter of which ones make the needed adjustments to take on those roles. We’ve had success for a while, and I believe we have the ingredients to continue that.”