We tell you everything you need to know about the 2023 White County football team, including roster changes and what fans can expect from the Warriors this season.
2022 Stats
- Overall Record: 4-6
- Points Scored: 285
- Points Allowed: 322
Key Losses
Coach Chad Bennett says replacing departed offensive linemen JD Trowell and Trenton O’Kelly will be one of the team’s biggest challenges this season. O’Kelly also played LB for the Warriors, so that is essentially another position that White County must replace following his graduation. Trowell will continue his football career at Centre College in Danville, KY.
Linebacker Jacob Holbrook is another defender Bennett lists as one of the biggest holes to fill this season. He finishes his White County career having recorded 88 tackles, including 5 tackles for loss.
Who’s Back
Bennett said he thinks the strength of this year’s defense will be with the defensive line and inside linebackers. Those position groups will be led by junior DL Noah Williams and junior LB Jon Scott. The defensive backfield will have three returning starters back this year in seniors Caysen Duvall and Von Dre’Nelson, and junior Cade Dockery.
“We are expecting big things from those guys on our defense this season,” Bennett told us.
The White County offense will benefit from the return of junior QB Tripp Nix and one of his primary receiving targets, senior WR Cam Wilson. Senior RB Ryan Fowler is also returning this year. Two offensive linemen Bennet tells us will be key returners are junior Tyler Autry and senior Christian Welch.
What to Expect
White County will return a lot of experienced talent at several key positions, and that should give the Warriors’ fanbase reason to be excited. It certainly has made their head coach sound optimistic.
“We have a lot of experience coming back this season that has played a lot of football,” Bennett said.
That includes a lot of younger players who played on the defensive side of the ball. That said, Bennett does admit there are areas where the team needs improvement.
“We need to get better at safety and outside linebacker before the start of the season,” he said, adding that “our defensive line and inside linebackers should be the strength of this year’s defense.”
The White County coach said the kicking game will be another strong point of this year’s squad.
“I feel like we have a chance to be great in the kicking game this year with our kicker, Hayden Vandagriff, and punter, Dade Anderson, both returning,” Bennett said.
Prediction
Major improvement for White County football in 2023: 8-3 regular season.
Game to Watch
Opener against North Hall on August 18.
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