THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 29, 1996 TAG: 9608250334
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: V28 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Preview: High school forecasts:
SOURCE: VICKI L. FRIEDMAN
LENGTH: 51 lines
LAKE TAYLOR
COACH: Dan Newell, first year
STAFF MEMBERS: Reid Ebert, Ken Whitley, Bill Williamson, Stanley Spencer, Curtis Turner
WHERE THEY PLAY: Until October, at Chittum Field, 6401 Chesapeake Blvd., (capacity 8,000) or Harbor Park. Afterward, at new stadium at Lake Taylor (capacity 2,500), 1384 Kempsville Rd., Norfolk.
LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 3-7 overall, 1-3 in the district
RETURNING STARTERS: Leportre Jasper, Sr., LB-TE, 6-1, 166; Brandon Wilson, Sr., OG-LB, 6-0, 190; Ricky Mitchell, Sr., OG-LB, 6-0, 185; Ronyell Whitaker, Jr., HB, 5-10, 165; Ryan Sutton, Jr., OT, 6-4, 260.
TOP NEWCOMERS: Chad Holland, Sr., HB, 5-9, 155; Tahir Hayes, Jr., DE, 6-3, 190.
OFFENSIVE OVERVIEW: Newell, co-offensive coordinator last year at Maury, says the key word for the Titans is change, but one thing is the same. Whitaker is back and only a junior, and he remains the marquee player for the Titans. He was sixth in South Hampton Roads with 1,010 yards rushing and six touchdowns. He'll be joined in the backfield by Holland, a transfer from Ocean Lakes. Holland ran for 974 yards and nine touchdowns last year. At quarterback look for junior Jim Mitchell. Newell says has picked up the option game well. Fullback L.J. Moses is one of several ninth-graders playing varsity for the Titans. Horton and backup QB Burnham will be Mitchell's primary receivers. Sutton is the team's only lineman over 200 pounds. Newell has studied films of Nebraska and will look to implement a similar type of wishbone offense at Lake Taylor.
DEFENSIVE OVERVIEW: Newell expects Lake Taylor to follow an even-front scheme. The Titans, he says, will not be a reactive defense; instead they will be aggressive and initiators. Leading that charge at inside linebacker are Mitchell and Wilson. Whitaker, who returned three interceptions for touchdowns last season, moves from cornerback to safety. Kevin Lewis and Roosevelt Leary will be the Titans' outside linebackers. The question mark will be defensive tackle and defensive end. Depth and experience will be a problem for the Titans, who return only four starters on defense.
COACH'S QUOTE: ``Rather than try to clip the change and minimize the change, we've embraced. We've said, `Let's go ahead and make all the changes now, suffer through what problems will arise because of it and go through the growing pains now.' ''
IT'S A FACT: Newell quarterbacked the 1982 Danville High School team that beat Lake Taylor in the Group AAA state title game.
KEYWORDS: SPECIAL SECTION PREVIEW by CNB