This may be the biggest challenge Josh Robinson has faced in his now four years as the head coach at Northwest Whitfield.
"I've never been on a team that had to replace all five offensive-line starters," he said. "It's just rare, but last year we had younger guys who either weren't ready to play or they were injured, so the five seniors we had ended up taking over 85 percent of the snaps. It's a very big challenge because those guys have the toughest job on the field. There are so many things a defense can do to you."
The Bruins run the spread offense and their blocking scheme requires being at the right place at the right time, so getting these new linemen to play as a single unit is likely the key to whether the team can approach last year's nine wins. So far, Robinson says, the news is good.
"I've been really proud of the guys and the advancement they've made," he said. "At the 11-on-11 team camp those guys performed as well there as I was hoping they would when the season starts, so we feel like they're ahead of the game. They have to trust their steps in our system because we're not man blockers, we're area blockers. There's so much blitzing and slanting from defenses that you really need to know where you're going and block whoever is there."
One of those new starters is Rashun Mack, the brother of 2014 graduate Isaiah Mack, now at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Rashun Mack, who missed last year because of a broken tibia, said the mental part of getting the unit in sync is ahead of where anyone could have predicted.
"The toughness mentally has really improved," the 6-4, 240-pound junior said. "None of us have played on Friday nights, and we got thrown in the fire in the spring and we were too soft. Now we're in the summer and we know what we're doing.
"If one of us messes up, the whole play won't work. We're supposed to move as one unit, and, say, if I'm supposed to cut a guy and I miss and he gets into the backfield, the play is ruined. We just have to do our jobs and work as one, and this offense will take off."
Mack likely will be joined by Hawk Vance, Aaron Buckner, Tucker Pittman and Garrett Ford when the Bruins host Ringgold on Aug. 23, and Robinson said that this year, unlike last season, he plans to develop some depth early even if it sets the offense back temporarily.
"We're going to find out early who can play," he said, "and it may cost us some because we have to give the guys a chance, but if losing the first three can mean we win the last seven I'll take that right now. Right now I feel very good about what our line coach, Caleb Bagley, and [offensive] coordinator Greg Brown are doing."
- Lindsey Young
NORTHWEST WHITFIELD BRUINS
Head coach: Josh Robinson (15-6 in two years here and overall)
Last year: 9-2, 4-1 in Region 7B-AAAA; lost to Carrollton in Class AAAA playoffs first round
Returning starters (O/D/K): 4/5/0
Control panel: QB Caleb Shiflett (6-3, 185, Sr.) returns after passing for 2,023 yards and 25 touchdowns, while WR Clay Phillips (6-2, 200, Sr.) is a proven playmaker who will take over as the top threat. Explosive LB Cyrus Addison (6-3, 200, Sr.) will replace the graduated Isaiah Mack as the team's defensive disrupter.
New producers: RB Kyle Fleming (5-9, 160, Jr.) assumes the go-to spot in the backfield, while defensively DL Austin Morrison (6-2, 195, Jr) and DL David Douhne (6-4, 200, Sr.) will be counted on to hold their own up front as new starters.
Items of interest:
4 - The Bruins play four consecutive road games after starting the season with two at home, including big region games at Pickens and Gilmer County.
418 - Tackles produced by three key departed defenders in 2013: Isaiah Mack, Tyler Clayton and Caleb Bowie.
"In my three previous years we've had a new guy behind center, so having Caleb Shiflett back is crucial because we not only expect him to perform well, we expect him to run the offense and get those guys where they're supposed to be." - Josh Robinson
2014 SCHEDULE
(all games at 7:30 Eastern)
Aug. 23 - Ringgold
Sept. 5 - Cedartown
Sept. 19 - at Dade County
Sept. 26 - at LaFayette*
Oct. 3 - at Pickens County*
Oct. 10 - at Gilmer County*
Oct. 17 - Cartersville*
Oct. 24 - at Ridgeland*
Oct. 31 - Heritage*
Nov. 7 - Southeast Whitfield*
- Region 7-AAAA game