2008 Team to Watch: Southlake Carroll

PrepNation.com continues to look ahead to the 2008 high school football season. We're still a couple months away from the start of our expanded preseason national rankings release, but it's not too soon to whet your appetite with mini-previews of teams that are likely to figure very prominently on the national scene this season.

Southlake Carroll will begin the 2008 season in a very unfamiliar position: as the hunter, rather than the hunted. Not only will the Dragons not begin this season ranked No. 1 in the nation (as they have done more than once this decade), it's very unlikely they will be the top-ranked team in the state or area.

Last year under new head coach Hal Wasson, Carroll lost two games and failed to reach the state championship game for the first time since 2001. A season marked by untimely injuries and costly turnovers ended with a shocking 22-21 loss to Abilene in the third round of the playoffs.

Only one starter on offense and four on defense are back, but coaches and others connected with the program are confident that the Dragons' tremendous tradition of work ethic and pride will never graduate.

First-year starter Kyle Padron, a 6-4, 210-pound senior, is likely to be the fourth straight Carroll quarterback to earn a Division I scholarship. He will work with an entirely new, but highly athletic, group of offensive skill players.

End Brayden Burnett (6-3, 245) is a relentless and productive player to lead the defense. On the other side will be junior Jackson Richards, a 6-4, 250-pounder who made an early commitment to Texas Tech.

Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas)
Coach: Hal Wasson (11-2, 1 year at Carroll; 133-85-2 overall)

2007: 11-2, No. 12 in PrepNation's final Southwest Top 25

Top returning players: DE Brayden Burnett (6-3, 245, 1st team all-district), DE Jackson Richards (6-4, 250, Jr., Texas Tech commit), QB Kyle Padron (6-4, 210, 62% completion, 326 passing yards, 2 TDs as a backup)

Key losses: QB Riley Dodge (North Texas), RB Tre' Newton (Texas), WR Blake Cantu (Oregon)

All systems go: Tradition, depth, speed, kicking game

Questions must be answered: Inexperience on offense at all positions

Toughest games: vs. Plano West at SMU (Aug. 30), vs. Houston North Shore (Sept. 27), @Hebron (Oct. 31).

Forbes Report Video: DE Brayden Burnett

2008 Team to Watch: John Curtis

PrepNation.com continues to look ahead to the 2008 high school football season. We're still a couple months away from the start of our expanded preseason national rankings release, but it's not too soon to whet your appetite with mini-previews of teams that are likely to figure very prominently on the national scene this season.

Last year the prolific Patriots lost two games for just the second time since 1986, but still added their 22nd state championship award to the trophy case. J.T. Curtis, the second winningest coach in prep football history, returns 10 starters from that team.

Curtis will rely on running back Kenny Cain to carry the load on offense. The 6-1, 200-pound senior averaged 8.5 yards per carry and scored 15 touchdowns last year. Defensively, Jonathan McKnight (6-0, 170) returns to lead the secondary and will also get snaps at receiver. McKnight, a sophomore with 4.55 speed, is the younger brother or former Curtis and current USC running back Joe McKnight.

Four transfers are expected to battle for starting positions including quarterback Evan Ingram, a strong-armed senior who played last year at H.L. Bourgeois (Gray).

There are back-to-back open dates in the middle of its schedule this year because Longview (Texas) chose not to return its game with the Patriots from last season. But Curtis will open the season on Labor Day at Texas Stadium in a nationally televised match-up with against defending 5A/I champ Euless Trinity.

John Curtis (River Ridge, La.)
Coach: J.T. Curtis (455-48-6, 36 years)

2007: 12-2, Class 2A state champion, Not ranked

Top returning players: RB/LB Kenny Cain (6-1, 200, 1,122 rushing yards, 15 TDs), DB/WR Jonathan McKnight (6-0, 170, played as a freshman), LB Matt Stansbury (5-11, 195, 111 tackles)

Key losses: CB Robby Green (Alabama), DB P.J. Smith (Nebraska), DB Alex Lauricella (Tulane)

All systems go: Running game, linebackers

Questions must be answered: Replacing three Division I defensive backs

Toughest games: vs. Euless Trinity at Texas Stadium (Sept. 1), vs. East St. John (Sept. 5), vs. Salmen (Sept. 12), @St. James (Oct. 24).

YouTube Video: 2007 State Championship Game Highlights

2008 Team to Watch: Carmel

PrepNation.com continues to look ahead to the 2008 high school football season. We're still a couple months away from the start of our expanded preseason national rankings release, but it's not too soon to whet your appetite with mini-previews of teams that are likely to figure very prominently on the national scene this season.

Since the state of Indiana added a Class 5A bracket to its postseason tournament in 1985, an elite group of four high schools have dominated the competition. Ben Davis (seven), Warren Central (five), Penn (four) and Carmel (three) have combined to win 19 of the 23 titles.

With six starters returning on each side of the ball, including four players with early Division I offers, the Greyhounds will be the early season favorite to successfully defend last season's championship.

Veteran coach Mo Moriarty says more than 20 Division I colleges have offered quarterback Morgan Newton. The 6-4, 215-pounder had more than 2,500 combined passing and rushing yards with 36 total touchdowns last season.

Free safety Joe Rippe (6-2, 190) is the top returning player from a defense that yielded only 40 points in Carmel's final six games of last season.

The Greyhounds face a tough schedule that includes road trips to fellow 5A preseason favorites Center Grove and Warren Central.

Carmel Greyhounds (Carmel, Ind.)
Coach: Mo Moriarty (32-10, 3 years at Carmel; 215-52, 24 years overall)

2007: 13-2, Class 5A state champion, No. 19 in PrepNation's final Midwest Top 25

Top returning players: QB Morgan Newton (6-4, 215, 2,500+ total offense, 36 TDs), FB Kurt Freytag (6-2, 220, 900 yards rushing, 11 TDs), OT Brooks Michel (6-7, 285, multiple BCS college offers)

Key losses: WR Jordan Brewer (Purdue), OT Matt Steele (Joliet JC), LB Conner O'Banion (all-state, leading tackler)

All systems go: QB position

Questions must be answered: Replacing three starting linebackers

Toughest games: vs. Cathedral (Aug. 22), @Center Grove (Sept. 5), @Warren Central (Oct. 5), vs. Ben Davis (Oct. 17).

YouTube Video: 2nd Half 2007 State Championship Game

2008 Team to Watch: Byrnes

PrepNation.com continues to look ahead to the 2008 high school football season. We're still a few months away from the start of our expanded preseason national rankings release, but it's not too soon to whet your appetite with mini-previews of teams that are likely to figure very prominently on the national scene this season.

Of all the teams we have looked at so far early this preseason, perhaps no team has a better looking resume for the preseason No. 1 national ranking than South Carolina power Byrnes.

In his debut season as head coach, Chris Miller led the Rebels to their fifth state champion in six years. It was a perfect 15-0 season capped off by a convincing 48-9 rout of once nationally ranked Summerville in the 4A/Division I final.

Seventeen starters return (9 offense, 8 defense) from that team including all five offensive linemen and the team's top offensive playmakers. Senior receiver Ricco Sanders has sub-4.5 speed and caught 58 passes for over 900 yards with 13 touchdowns. Marcus Lattimore might be the nation's top running back recruit next season. He ran for more than 1,800 yards, had over 400 receiving yards, and scored 30 touchdowns as a sophomore. Junior quarterback Chas Dodd returns under center after passing for 3,208 yards and 32 touchdowns in his rookie season.

Byrnes will continue its tradition of playing a fantastic out-of-state schedule. The Rebels face Florida powers Pahokee (on ESPN) and Tallahassee Lincoln along with traveling to last year's Georgia 5A runner-up North Gwinnett (Suwanee).

Byrnes Rebels (Duncan, S.C.)
Coach: Chris Miller (15-0, 1 year at Byrnes)

2007: 15-0, Class 4A/I state champion, No. 10 National Prep Poll ranking

Top returning players: WR Ricco Sanders (6-0, 175, 58 receptions for 908 yards, 13 TDs), RB Marcus Lattimore (6-0, 209, Jr., 2,229 combined rushing/receiving yards, 30 TDs), CB Riyahd Richardson (5-9, 165, 6 INTs)

Key losses: DL Everett Dawkins (Florida St.), DB Cartier Rice (Kentucky), WR Randall Hawkins (South Carolina St.)

All systems go: Overall experience, offensive line, defensive line

Questions must be answered: Special teams

Toughest games: @North Gwinnett, Ga. (Aug. 29), vs. Tallahassee, Fla., Lincoln (Sept. 19), @Gaffney (Sept. 26), vs. Pahokee, Fla. on ESPN (Oct. 3), @Dorman (Oct. 24).

Forbes Report Scouting Video: WR Ricco Sanders

2008 Teams to Watch Archive

Euless Trinity (Texas)

Rockhurst (Kansas City, Mo.)