Patrick Henry High School | Archive | August, 2007

P. Henry FB Preview

Posted on 26 August 2007 by redwan123.

  
 

Patrick Henry FB Preview

Long concerned about defensive front
by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond

Patrick Henry scrimmaged the region favorite in Highland Springs a couple of days ago.

The Patriots did some good things, and did some bad things as well. The bad is what most concerns longtime coach Ray Long.

“We’ve got a long way to go,” Long said. “Of course it’s the first scrimmage, too. We’ve got to find some down people that will play on our defensive front that are going to occupy people. We’ve got to find four really good down people to play defensively.

“Thursday night was a little disheartening. Some of the kids that were in there weren’t doing the job, and when you are a senior not doing the job, sometimes you lose your job.”

Sounds rather negative, but don’t get coach Long wrong.

Long has been coaching for 35 years and toughness up front is a staple in his program.

Nothing chaps him more than to be whipped at the point of attack.

“We get that defense together, we’ll be a pretty good football team,” Long said. “We’ve got to find some kids that want to get a little nasty in there. Once we do that we’ll be all right.”

Patrick Henry’s Ryan Smith is one of the top defensive backs in the area and will also play wide receiver for the Patriots.

The Patriots have the experience and talent returning to take a Division 5 region title.

Ryan Smith returns at cornerback and wide receiver. Robby Daniels is back at safety and receiver as well. Both are seniors.

Junior Brandon Cash returns for his second year under center, and Long is expecting “a lot more from him.”

He’ll look for Smith and Daniels often, as well as backfield mate Adrian Cavanaugh, a talented junior back. He didn’t play in the Springers scrimmage.

Long has plenty of good offensive linemen, led by three-year starter Theo Duncan (6-4, 260) and Byron Overstreet (6-4, 250).

“We should be able to run on that side of the line,” Long said.

Long doesn’t want to have to play Overstreet or Duncan defensively, but he will if know one takes hold of the defensive line to allow his linebackers to make plays.

“I think offensively we’ll be the same ol’ Patrick Henry team,” Long said. “We’ve still got some speed. We’ve still got some quickness. We solidify our defense, I think we’ll be okay.”

2006 record: 5-2 Colonial, 8-2

Key players: Ryan Smith, CB/WR, Sr.; Robby Daniels, S/WR, Sr.; Adrian Cavanaugh, LB/RB, Jr.; Brandon Cash, QB, Jr.; Theo Duncan, OL, Sr.; Byron Overstreet, OL, Sr.

Key loss: D.J. Thomas, RB/CB/KR

Schedule:
Sept. 7 – at Hanover, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 14 – Atlee, 7:30
Sept. 21 – at Lee-Davis, 7:30
Sept. 28 – at J.R. Tucker, 7:30
Oct. 5 – Douglas Freeman, 7:30
Oct. 13 – at John Marshall, 1
Oct. 19 – Deep Run, 7:30
Oct. 26 – Thomas Jefferson, 7:30
Nov. 2 – at Mills Godwin, 7:30
Nov. 9 – Hermitage, 7:30

Coach Ray Long wants QB Brandon Cash to reach the next level in his second year.

Key game: Hermitage. The Panthers ran roughshod through the Patriots last year as PH was without key linemen. Long didn’t forget and neither did the Patriots. This could be for the all-important district crown.

Processing your request, Please wait....

Posted in Uncategorized0 Comments


Alerts