By Sam McGaw
Fresh off their first state title since 2006, the Brentwood Academy Eagles enter 2016 with a host of returning playmakers and high expectations.
The Eagles finished last season with a 12-1 record after they defeated Montgomery Bell Academy 56-55 in double overtime to capture the Division II-AA championship.
They return 10 starters from last year’s team, including two-time all-state quarterback Jeremiah Oatsvall.
Despite having several inexperienced players stepping into major roles, the Eagles expect nothing less than to contend for a second consecutive state title.
Eagles’ Offense
After averaging 45.2 points and 447.8 yards per game last season, BA returns several playmakers in the skill positions, but lacks significant experience on the offensive line.
The senior torched opponents through the air and on the ground last season, accumulating 1,991 passing yards, 1,164 rushing yards, 30 touchdowns (14 rush) and eight interceptions.Leading the charge is Oatsvall (6-foot-1, 200 lbs), an Austin Peay commitment.
His dual-threat ability was put on display in BA’s championship victory over MBA. He took home Division II-AA BlueCross Bowl Offensive MVP honors after he recorded 279 passing yards, 157 rushing yards and four touchdowns (2 rush).
Oatsvall returns two of his top targets in junior receivers Camron Johnson (6-2, 187 lbs) and Daniel Taylor (5-9, 170 lbs).
Johnson, a two-time all-state selection, recorded 47 catches for 982 yards and eight touchdowns last season. He also returned two kickoffs for scores.
He has scholarship offers from Tennessee, LSU, Ole Miss, Auburn, Vanderbilt, Louisville and Illinois.
Taylor earned all-region honors after registering 27 catches for 450 yards and two touchdowns.
Seniors Lawrence Segree (13 rec., 167 yds, 2 TDs) and Thomas Ozburn (11 rec., 135 yds) and junior Michael Archie (2 rec., 26 yds) round out the receiving corps, while backup quarterback Gavin Schoenwald (13 rec., 128 yds, 3 TDs) will see time at tight end and Jack McDonald will play H-back.
Schoenwald has offers from Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
Toting the rock for BA is junior running back Marcos Harris, who recorded 247 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 26 carries last season.
While Oatsvall has several playmakers around him, the guys protecting him lack significant experience.
Following the departures of tackles Bryce Mathews (Ole Miss) and Ryan Johnson (Tennessee), and guards Brandon Adams (Georgia Tech) and Bryan Garvey, senior guard Elijah Teat is the lone returning starter to a unit that gave up only three sacks last season.
Eagles’ Defense
Defensively, BA looks to build on a 2015 campaign in which it forced 38 takeaways and allowed 15.6 points per game.
Setting the tone for the Eagles’ 3-4 defense is an experienced linebacking corps and a secondary loaded with ball hawks.
Expected to start at linebacker are seniors Easton Cline (44 total tkls, 2 int., 1 FF), Jack McDonald (20 total tkls) and Jeremiah Pittman (21 tkls, 1 int.), and junior transfer Jackson Sirmon.
Cline (5-10, 185 lbs) and McDonald (5-11, 195) both saw significant time at inside linebacker last season, while Pittman (6-2, 200) played on the edge.
Sirmon (6-3, 230 lbs), the son of Mississippi State defensive coordinator and former Tennessee Titans linebacker Peter Sirmon, will help bolster the Eagles’ pass-rushing capabilities at outside linebacker.
At Loyola High School in Los Angeles last fall, he recorded 59 total tackles and 10 sacks. He has scholarship offers from Washington and Wisconsin.
Senior Evan Beddoe (6-2, 200 lbs), Camron Johnson and Schoenwald will all contribute at safety, while Daniel Taylor and junior Kenyon Garlington (5-9, 165 lbs) will man the corner positions.
Beddoe was an all-state and all-region selection last fall, recording 56 total tackles (30 solo),four interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
Johnson had 34 tackles (18 solo) and three interceptions, including one that was returned for a TD.
Defensive end Josh Higgs (5-11, 255) is the only returning starter up front. He earned all-region honors last season after he registered 59 tackles (16 for loss), 4.5 sacks and one fumble recovery as a five-technique.
Senior defensive end Charlie Waldrop (6-1, 225 lbs) and nose guard Airin Spell (6-2, 270 lbs) join Higgs up front.
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