HEAD COACH: Robert Craft, 8th season ♦ CAREER RECORD: 88-57, 14 seasons ♦ 2022 RECORD: 8-4, Class 6A second round ♦ REGION: 8-6A
COAL MOUNTAIN, Ga. –– After the most successful campaign since 2005, the Raiders enter the 2023 season with high hopes.
The Raiders finished 8-4 and won a state playoff game for just the second time in the last 17 years. But it won’t be easy to replicate or even outdo 2022, as the Raiders lost a ton of seniors.
Head coach Robert Craft and his staff have worked all summer to fill the open spots, with the biggest question mark at quarterback.
For the second straight season, the Raiders will look to a first-time starter at the position. Eli Seaney won the starting job over the summer.
“We settled the quarterback battle early on,” Craft said. “Eli has continued to take great command of our offense.”
Seany will have some key pieces around him, including a veteran offensive and backfield.
Senior Seth Daugherty will start at left tackle, with junior Dylan Villarouel at right tackle. Senior Marcus Iome and junior Jackson Coulter will be the two guards, with junior Colin Kelley starting at center.
“We feel good about our offensive line,” Craft said. “The chemistry they have developed over the summer was crucial.”
Junior Karson McBrayer (718 yards rushing and 3 TDS) has an impressive sophomore season. He, along with Colton Constable and Jacob Shirley, is expected to lead the rushing attack.
“Karson had a breakout year last year,” Craft said. “He’s just a natural running back and has incredible vision, toughness that I think separates the really good ones from the great ones. So, I’m excited to see him take that next step.”
There are several new faces in the wide receiver room. Rising seniors Cole Smith and Jonathan Lin and juniors Avery Adams, Nate Gravitt and Brady Holbrook are also expected to play.
“This is a talented group, but a group that doesn’t have a lot of experience,” Craft said. “By the time we enter region play, this group will be ready.”
Senior Walker Roberts saw significant playing time last year at tight end and will start this season.
On defense, nose guard Braden O’Shields (33 tackles), a rising senior entering his third year as a starter and second-team all-region last year, will anchor the line. Fellow seniors Abdiel Espinosa and Brody Hancock (42 tkls, 7 TFL) will start at the two defensive end spots in the Raiders’ 3-3-5 stack.
Linebacker is the group defensively that will need to replace the most production from last year. Collin Miller and Cole Roy were standouts in the unit, and both graduated.
Dylan Parker and Jacob Shirley (46 tkls, 6 TFL) will play at inside linebacker, with Ben Gardner playing outside.
Colton Constable (55 tkls, 2 TFL) and Zach Alvarez will start at the two corners in the secondary. Colter Vela (30 tkls) and C.J. Lenyszyn (26 tkls)will start at safety, with rotation at the other safety position.
Caden Macias will handle placekicking duties.
GRADUATION STINGS
The Raiders lost several playmakers from last year, including QB West Roberts, RB Mason Lawson, RB Lake Huffington, RB Caleb Bowen, WR Aiden Ruckh, WR/DB Logan Curry, TE Cooper Eglian, Sr. LB Collin Miller, Sr. DL Chris Herock, Sr. LB Cole Roy,
NEW COORDINATOR; SAME OFFENSIVE PHILOPHY?
The Raiders bring in new offensive coordinator Jake Timmerman from Grayson this season, but the offense will look very similar to last year. The Raiders will run a shot-gun, no-huddle offense focused around a heavy rushing attack.
“We want to be a high-tempo offensive, but at the end of the day, we want to run the football. We’re going to that from a variety of formations, shifts and motions. We want to make people defend the entire field horizontally, then try to attack you vertically.”
ON THE ATTACK DEFENSIVELY
The Raiders return starters on all three levels of the 3-3-5 defense but will have to replace defensive lineman Chris Herock, linebacker Colin Miller and defensive back Logan Curry.
“We’re a very attacking style defense,” Craft said. “We rarely line up the same way twice. We move a lot. We’re going to pressure the quarterback. We really take an aggressive style.”
THE STRENGTHS ARE OBVIOUS
The strengths are evident on offense after returning most of the offensive line, along with a three-headed monster rushing attack led by Karson McBrayer, Colton Constable and Jacob Shirley. On defense, the Raiders have several returning starters back on all three levels.
“We feel like we have a three-headed monster at running back, then we have an offensive line that makes it go,” Craft said.
“On defense, we don’t feel like there’s any spot that there is a drop-off. I’m really excited about that group.”
BUT THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS
The Raiders have several question marks, mainly at quarterback, receiver and special teams. They'll be breaking in a first-year starter at QB, a new starting rotation at wide receiver and a new kicker and punter.
A BRUTAL SCHEDULE AWAITS
North Forsyth will open their season in the Corky Kell Classic for the second year in a row, this time facing Archer. They’ll face in-county rivals Forsyth Central and West Forsyth before ending non-region play on September 8 against Creekview.
But all eyes are on last year’s region champion and state runner-up, Gainesville, a game the Raiders wish they had back. They led late in last year’s Region 8-6A title game but failed to pull out the win.
“I think all eyes are on them [Gainesville],” Craft said. “But that game is way down the road for us. We’ve got to take care of a lot of stuff before we get there.
“Overall, I think you’re going to see a lot of improvement in our region. Lanier is going to be very good. Jackson County and Apalachee have new coaches, Habersham was really young last year and return some good pieces, and Shiloh should be good. There’s not an easy game on our schedule.”
TRENDING
The Raiders have a new quarterback and a totally new receiving corps. How much they improve in the non-region schedule will be a sign of what’s to come during region play. However, with a veteran offensive line, backfield, and defense, the Raiders could get that region title rematch with Gainesville in October.
Caleb Hutchins contributed to this story.
