Hustlin' Tigers poised for playoff push

Howard head coach John Starr instructs his team.  The Howard Hustlin Tigers visited the Signal Mountain Eagles in TSSAA football action on October 28, 2016 .
Howard head coach John Starr instructs his team. The Howard Hustlin Tigers visited the Signal Mountain Eagles in TSSAA football action on October 28, 2016 .

HOWARD HUSTLIN' TIGERS

Head coach: John Starr (8-13 in two years here; 147-112 overall)

Returning starters: 9 offensive, 11 defensive

Key players: RB Tremonte Brooks (5-8, 180), OL Deonte McCrosky (6-3, 275), DE LeBrian Morris (6-2, 200), RB Devontay Smith (5-11, 200), QB Marquez Williams (5-8, 190).

Team strengths: The defense got stronger as the season went along last year, so having every starter back on that side of the ball should make the Hustlin' Tigers a very stingy unit.

Team concerns: The team still has far too many players who have to go both ways, so any amount of depth that can be developed - particularly in the early-season heat - would be a welcome improvement.

Newcomer to watch: Junior Lemarian Shelton (6-2, 260), who has good speed for his size, transferred in last year and is now eligible to help at offensive tackle.

Season outlook: The Hustlin' Tigers narrowly missed the playoffs last season and will need improvement along the offensive line to avoid that disappointment again. McCrosky has the size and strength to become a leader for that unit.

The skill-position starters have proven themselves, but Starr hopes some younger speedsters step up, too. Williams is a dual threat, and he, Brooks and Smith give Howard three physical runners with breakaway speed.

Defense was not as much of a problem last year - three of Howard's last five opponents were held to two or fewer touchdowns - and the Hustlin' Tigers should be even better on that side of the ball, especially with the return of Morris, who was on his way to becoming one of the area's top tacklers before a knee injury.

"We'll just turn him loose," Starr said. "Last year was his first time to play football, and he got better every week before he hurt his knee. He hasn't lost a step, and now he understands even better how to use his strength and leverage to get off blocks and make plays. He could be a big-time force.

"We feel better about our speed up front on defense than anywhere. We've slimmed down there and gotten in better condition, so we're more explosive coming off the ball. It all depends on keeping our starters healthy and how much our offensive line improves. If that happens, we can be tough."

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