Model Blue Devils
DEVILS
Hunnicutt said several of the running backs will be used as receivers as they are interchangeable in order to get the ball into their hands however possible. Grayson Phillips has the size and ability to start at outside receiver, and several others are battling for playing time.
Hunter Cleveland is a returning starter on the offensive line and will be one of the leaders of that group as the team breaks in some fresher faces up front. Hunnicutt said Riley Davis and Eddie Boggs will likely play a big role in that starting group also with some other big guys looking to fill out the other few spots.
Defensively, Model’s most experienced level is the secondary, where they return several starters. Silver, who played safety last season, has the ability to stay there or could even move down to linebacker, and junior cornerbacks Gamble and Amir Pinkard are very steady and reliable at that position. Riley Chapman is another name Hunnicutt said has worked his way into having a bigger role on the back end, and Keith Sprayberry is another talented player at safety.
Samples and Brant Pace are going to be asked to make a lot of plays at linebacker, and Jolly is the lone returning starter on the defensive line. Cleveland will play some nose guard according to Hunnicutt, and Boggs and Clay Koehler are two others that could see their roles increase on the defensive line.
Hunnicutt said he has used the example of the Greene County Tigers’ 1993 state championship team as inspiration for his team this year as they might not be the biggest or deepest team, but if you have enough heart and buy-in from your players, you can achieve anything you put your mind to. Hunnicutt said that Greene County team only had about 30 players but went all the way, including defeating the Pepperell team he played on in 1993.
“I’ve tried to expose my team to that group as much as possible because it shows that it is not about numbers but rather competition vs. ourselves,” said Hunnicutt. “That team was thin on numbers, but they played as hard and together as any team I’ve ever seen. That’s what we have to do this year.”
The Devils open the regular season on Aug. 19 at home against Cherokee County (Ala.) and follow that with three more non-region tests before opening region play on Sept. 23 at home against Murray County.
“As long as our kids compete, take care of everything they need to and fully commit, that’s all we can ask,” said Hunnicutt. “Winning makes things a lot more fun, but if you give full effort and leave everything out there, you can’t ask for more than that. Having some success early will be key for us to get confidence before going into the region. We have had a good offseason, and we’re going to try to carry on that momentum.”