“Outstanding” is the best word to describe Boyd Buchanan’s defense through the first half of the 2023 regular season.
Despite having only two of 11 starters on that side of the ball who weigh in at more than 200 pounds, the Buccaneers have proven suffocating, posting four shutouts through a 5-0 start, and seniors Kaiden Bates, Asher Keck, Alto Moore and Jaylon Sanderfer have led the effort to put heavy pressure on quarterbacks, helping set up 10 interceptions by a plethora of defenders.
The Bucs have 14 takeaways in their four shutouts, and they have turned the ball over only once through five games while outscoring Chattanooga Prep, Brainerd, Christian Academy of Knoxville, North Cobb Christian and Silverdale Baptist a combined 196-8. With an average of just 1.5 points allowed per game, Boyd Buchanan ranks second statewide in scoring defense.
The defensive prowess is another sign of progress under head coach Gary Rankin, the all-time wins leader in Tennessee high school football who is in his second year at the Chattanooga private school. Last fall, the Bucs went 7-4 after posting losing records in back-to-back seasons and four of the previous five; right now they’re ranked fourth in TSSAA Division II-AA and seem built to compete for a state title.
“There’s a couple of different things that go into our success defensively so far,” said Rankin, whose 17 state titles are another TSSAA record. “As a head coach, I stress defense and I always have. Our coaches are doing a great job on the defensive side, and we haven’t given anybody a short field because of turnovers ourselves. We also feel like we have some pretty decent players on defense.”