2020 Chester football features an FBS-level QB, a ‘three-headed monster’ at RB, and more
“You gotta remember,” Chester head football coach Victor Floyd said, “it’s us old people who don’t want change. Kids handle change really well.”
Floyd told The Herald this before a summer workout Tuesday evening. A mask that read “Cyclones” covered his face. He said it to answer how his team was working around the restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic — how even though the Cyclones didn’t start workouts until June 22 and still aren’t able to practice with full pads, they’ve been able to find a way to build on their 2019 season anyway.
That Floyd nugget of wisdom can be an acceptable answer to a lot of different questions, including ones that deal with life outside of football.
But, in a lot of ways, it’s a perfect way to introduce the 2020 Chester football team: The team is adapting to a few changes from last season, sure. But expectations are still high.
“There’s a lot we gotta do, a lot we gotta work on,” junior quarterback and three-year starter Zan Dunham told The Herald. “We got a lot of young guys right now, but we should be pretty good this year.”
Last year, the Cyclones went 8-3 overall and 3-1 in region play. The year before, the team went undefeated and won the 3A state championship.
“I had two interceptions, and then what made me really happy was when Teddy (Murphy) got the sack to seal the deal,” now-senior Javonti Jackson said of the 2018 title game. “It was the best feeling of my life, man.”
A lot of the players on this Chester team, like Jackson, have a lived memory of that season. Many started on that team. And although Chester will have to replace a few key players who graduated last year — including Quay Evans, a defensive end who’s now playing football at UCONN; Teddy Murphy, another defensive end who’s playing at Fort Valley State University; Ly’Terrance Mills, who signed to play at New Mexico Military Institute; and others — the Chester team is working to get back to that stage.
Chester players to know
The Cyclones will be led by 6-2, 215-pound quarterback Dunham, who has picked up four D1 football offers, including West Virginia and Virginia Tech.
In front of Dunham, there’ll be an offensive line with four returning starters, and around Dunham, there’ll be a “three-headed monster” at the running back position, Floyd said: The position group features junior bruiser Darius Head (6-feet, 230 pounds); senior Jaden Simmons (5-7, 180 pounds), who transferred from Spartanburg High School; and sophomore Timothy Brown (5-10, 165 pounds).
At receiver, there’s Jagen Hinton, who played as a freshman on that state championship team (“He can flat out fly,” Floyd said); leading receiver from 2019, Jonathan Goldsboro; sophomore Andre Evans; and 6-4, 175-pound Rathael Pendergrass, who was also a wrestling state finalist in 2019.
Defensively, Chester is also reloading: The Cyclones return senior Jaylin Woods (5-10, 230 pounds) and junior Quez Jackson on the defensive line, and they’ll likely move three-year starting linebacker Octaveon “Tank” Minter (6-2, 255) to the defensive line, Floyd said.
Chester has a lot of players who play both offense and defense, so many defensive backs will also be asked to play offense. Javonti Jackson (5-10, 205 pounds), as aforementioned, will be a leader in the linebacking corps, and junior Khamani Tobias (6-feet, 175 pounds) will lead as a safety.
“Tobias is going to be a name you’re going to hear about,” Floyd said.
Chester has been working out about 60 players a day, a typical number split between JV and varsity, Floyd said.
The team opens up its season on Sept. 25. Before that, it plans to host a scrimmage with Ridge View and South Pointe Sept. 12 at Chester.
“You don’t realize how much you love doing something until it’s taken away from you,” Floyd said, working life lessons into his football coach-speak again. “And I think the kids are in the same boat. I don’t think they realized how much they missed it until it was taken away.”
Chester football schedule
Chester will compete in Region 4-3A.
Sept. 25: Mid-Carolina (home)
Oct. 2: Keenan (away)
Oct. 9: Lower Richland (home)
Oct. 16: Fairfield-Central (away)
Oct. 23: Catawba Ridge (home)
Oct. 30: Woodruff (away)
Editor’s note: This story is one of 15 high school football previews The Herald will run prior to the first game of the regular season on Sept. 25. Look out for a preview of the Catawba Ridge football team to appear at heraldonline.com later this week.
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