Whitwell senior Dusty McHone, right, plays on both offense and defense for the Tigers, and keeping him fresh and healthy will be key to the team’s fortunes.Whitwell Tigers
Coach: Billy Barnhart (2-18 in two years here and overall)
Last year: 1-9, beating Midway in the second game of the season before losing eight straight by 15 points or more
’13 dreams: For the first time in a while, the Tigers have enough experience returning and the coaching continuity to be a playoff threat in the district. Whitwell has six offensive and five defensive starters back, and senior Dusty McHone (5-foot-9, 180) can cause problems for opponents as both a running back and a defensive back. The Tigers have a new defensive coordinator in Jake Cabell, a 30-year coaching veteran who made the change to a 4-4 scheme that should make it tougher for opponents to run the ball.
13-for-13 contenders: McHone will be the offensive workhorse for Whitwell. His leadership and athletic ability is a big key to the team’s success, so as a two-way starter at physical positions, he needs to stay healthy. Junior quarterback Tyler Tate (5-10, 165) has been under the radar but needs to step up and become another weapon on offense. The defensive line, led by seniors Dustin Holloway (6-0, 210) and Marvin Watson (6-1, 195) and junior Andrew Kilgore (5-10, 225) is experienced and should be another team strength.