Robeson County’s six high school football teams participated in their fourth fall practices on Thursday and special teams has been a priority for most in the opening week.
As the first week of practice continues, coaches will continue to provide team updates and spotlight players who are making an impact as the 2017 season draws closer.
FAIRMONT
The lessons of a special teams blunder in a state championship game that coach Kevin Inman learned back in 2000 when South View lost to Independence on a muffed punt, and that is why he makes sure the importance is relayed to his team.
“It’s a big priority with us focusing on the schemes of kickoff, kick return and punt return,” he said. “There are some special athletes that can put us in great field position in special teams.
Inman noted Jordan Waters, Xavier Covington, Malik Arnette and Javon Morris will be big parts of the return game. Morris is taking on a bigger role this year on the offensive side of the ball and Inman expects a break through for him.
“He’s got a big wingspan and he’s about 6-foot-1. Last year he was used mostly on defense and he gives us another perimeter player we can put at split end or wide out to go alongside Waters,” he said.
All four are expected to be major contributors on offense, so it is an easy move to special teams for them.
“Offensively, you have to be able to read blocks and it’s an easy transition from there,” Inman said.
LUMBERTON
Last year it was the “thunder and lightning” duo of Tyreik McCallum and Brandon Norris in the Pirates’ special teams, but this year the look is a little different.
With both players gone, coach Mike Setzer has seen Javonte McDougald and Jaylen Whitted step up as a new kick and punt return duo this year.
“We are just looking for a thunder and lightning package. These two are kind of just lightning and lightning,” Setzer said.
Also a key part of the Pirates’ special teams is quarterback Braylan Grice, who has proven in the past that his arm isn’t the only way he can send the ball downfield as an All-County punter.
Thursday’s practice featured one special teams formation and Setzer liked seeing Lumberton’s energy shown during its special-teams drills.
“We’re just trying to get it perfect,” Setzer said. “I loved the way they ran around today. They ran around and flew to where they were supposed to be. Maybe it’s the weather.”
PURNELL SWETT
While there hasn’t been much though into practicing much on special teams yet, coach Jon Sherman knows that he has speed on his side when it comes to his return game.
“We’ve got a couple guys that run a 4.5 or better and that’s the truth,” Sherman said. “I’m happy about our return game in that aspect. … We’ve got a kid running 4.4 (second 40-yard times) flat, legit. He’s going to be our kick returner, going to be our punt returner as well.”
That player, sophomore defensive back Kalan McNeill has came along this spring and summer with his quickness and Sherman is ready to put him deep and see what he can do.
“He fast and he ran track for us,” he said of McNeill. “He’s worked hard so we’re going to give him a shot back there.”
Alongside McNeill’s quickness is players like Chandler Brayboy and Keonte Graham, who both feature nearly the same quickness and Sherman would like to utilize in the open field.
The wait, however, to find out about who will fill out the rest of the special teams unit will end after this weekend.
“We won’t formulate that until after Saturday when we see everybody hit each other,” Sherman said.
RED SPRINGS
As a coach for the special teams and the offense before being promoted to head coach, Lawrence Ches liked to pull tricks out from his sleeve as far as formations and trick plays. This fall will bring much of the same, he said.
“We’re still going to do that fancy stuff and line up in those funky formations,” he said. “They love it. Everyone has got a role and a job in special teams. We use this to try and empower our guys to take on their role.”
As far as in the return game, Nichorie West will be back as the main returner, and Monte’ Wilkerson, a newcomer this season from the basketball court, will also see time returning kicks.
“He’s an impact athlete,” Ches said of Wilkerson. “He’s so smooth, hungry and intelligent, and he’s one of those natural leaders we have.”
West, Lee McLean and Jerome Bass will be ones that will also have their number called in the ‘funky” formations, along with Eriq McBryde, who is playing high school football for the first time.
SOUTH ROBESON
Darrius Brown will be looked upon as much as possible for the Mustangs with his speed at several places around the field, including special teams.
“We will look at him returning punts. He’s got such good hands and good speed,” South Robeson coach Clay Jernigan said. “He’s got a quick move and that makes him hard to get a true shot on him.”
Returning back to the football field after a few years off, Kashawn Cooper, who showed his speed and burst running track, will also be sent downfield to return kicks this year, along with Jamera McLeod.
ST. PAULS
As one of coach Ernest King’s strong suits, special teams has been a main focus for the Bulldogs last year after having blown chances in games last year.
“The biggest thing is teaching the guys how important to take special teams because it can be the difference between winning and losing game,” King said. “Special teams cost us last year against South Columbus and we are stressing it even more this year.”
Wanting to leaning on the experience of its upperclassmen and returners, the Bulldogs special teams features a lot of its top offensive weapons. Dakota Oxendine and Caleb Inman are two senior receivers who played a big part in the special teams and the plays they ran out of it last year, and will be required to do much of the same this year.
“They both were on special teams all of last year and we ran a lot of fakes with both of them as well,” King said.
Now with younger talent requiring to play in bigger spots this year, the teaching has taken on a new challenge as far as getting the plays and sets ingrained in the freshmen’s minds.
