We tell you everything you need to know about the 2022 Maclay football team in this preview. We take a look at roster changes and what fans can expect from the team this season.
2021 Stats
- Overall Record: 4-5
- Points Scored: 192
- Points Against: 256
Key Losses
Perhaps the biggest loss for new Maclay School coach Jason Cauley is ATH Hayden Hilliard, who “did a little bit of everything” for the Marauders, Cauley said. Defensively, Hilliard had 46 tackles, including two TFL, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries, one of which he picked up and returned for a TD. On offense, Hilliard passed for 218 yards, rushed for 83 more, and finished with 14 receptions and 200 receiving yards. One of those catches was for a TD.
WR/CB Jeb Beshears was another Marauder who did a lot for his team, including catching 56 passes for 733 yards and five TDs. He also rushed for 133 yards and three TDs, and collected 328 kickoff and punt return yards combined. From his corner spot on defense, Beshears had 95 tackles, including three TFL, while snatching three interceptions and forcing a fumble. His hard work was noticed by several colleges, including Georgia Southern, where he will continue his football career.
Outside linebacker Jim Murrah and his production will be missed. Cauley said the 6-foot-2 Murrah ended his Maclay career with 269 tackles, including five sacks, two interceptions, and four forced fumbles. OL/DL Ethan Hovsapian contributed on both lines of scrimmage for Maclay, but it was on the D-line where he made the most impact. He ends up with 157 tackles, including 16 TFL, and 87 sacks. He also forced four fumbles, and recovered all four of them.
Who’s Back
Coach Cauley has been greeted by several key returners, including senior quarterback Michael Grant, and the new coach really likes what he has seen so far. “Michael can read the whole field, and can put the ball right where he wants to,” said Cauley.
During his career so far, the 6-foot-3 senior has racked up 2,837 passing yards and 23 TD passes. He is the true definition of a pocket passer, and will likely continue to thrive in Cauley’s “Air Raid” offense. His brother George returns for his sophomore season, and will be an available backup at quarterback.
Two returners Cauley has already defined as team leaders are senior LT/DE Evan Brown and junior C/MLB Brinkley Snow. “Both are leaders and I’ll really count on them this season as another set of eyes and ears out there,” the head coach said. Brown has received offers from The Citadel and Valdosta State University.
One of the fastest players on the team is a young man who didn’t even play football last season, Jackson Webb, who will play H-back and DE. Returning at wide receiver is a player who will no doubt benefit from Cauley’s pass-heavy offense in 2022. Senior Caleb Heuchan is a 6-foot-6 wideout who has amassed 56 receptions for 645 yards and seven TDs. On defense, the tall defender has 49 tackles and three interceptions.
Another returning senior is Grayson Oberste, who the coach describes as “one of our quicker kids, and he is feisty.” Over the last two seasons, Oberste has 51 catches with 616 receiving yards and two scores. On defense, he has 50 tackles with five interceptions.
Grady Brown is a returning WR who will also be available as a backup QB. The RB position will consist of a “two man RB-by-committee,” according to Cauley, and will fall to two seniors: Eli Harrell will be the quick scat back, while Shane Croston will be the “freight train” back.
Finally, returning at kicker is arguably the #1 kicker in Florida in Michael Smith. He is a five-star recruit with several offers, including Arkansas, Indiana, and Southern Miss. Kohl’s kicking camp has him rated as the country’s #13 overall kicker. He will also handle the punting chores. Junior Ethan Fisher, the son of Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher, is also one of the team’s kickers. He converted all four PAT attempts last season, along with six kickoffs that averaged 45.8 yards per kick.
What To Expect
One thing you can expect for sure from the 2022 Marauders will be a lot of passing. Coach Cauley has run the “Air Raid” offenses at previous stops in Hawaii and Kansas, and his quarterbacks at both schools still hold records for most passing yards in a single game (643 in Kansas and 567 in Hawaii). He will have a good one to work with at Maclay in Michael Grant, who at 6-foot-3 is ideal for a pass-heavy offense. Combine that with good size at the receiving positions and there should be a lot of passing yards this season for the Marauders. ”We have the players to run the Air Raid offense here, no doubt,” Cauley said.
As much as they will identify with finesse in such an offense, Cauley says the Marauders stressed their strength program as the #1 offseason priority, and so far the results are there. “We have guys who could barely lift the bar when we got here, and I’m not kidding,” he says about the team’s need to get bigger and stronger.
Prediction
It all sounds like a winning formula. I’ve bought in. 9-4 overall record.
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