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Football Preview: Experienced backfield set to lead Spartans

Nick Graham/MBR Waynesville players work through a running drill during a recent practice. Staff photos by Nick Graham

Nick Graham/MBR Waynesville High School's Tyler Schrock (left) and Tyler Caplinger hit tackling dummies during a blocking drill.

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Updated 7:03 PM Thursday, August 20, 2009

OFFENSE

Cory Young and Seth Millar haven’t been playing football for Waynesville High School forever. It just seems that way.

Young enters his third year as the starting quarterback while Millar is a four-year starter at fullback in the Spartans’ spread offense. Millar rushed for 1,800 yards and 27 touchdowns last season, while Young combined rushing and passing for 1,850 yards.

“A lot of what we do is based on the skill set of those two players,” Waynesville coach Glen Burchfield said. “We’ll try to stay balanced, but we want the ball in their hands as much as possible.”

Waynesville will also employ senior slotback Devon Burton as much as possible. Burchfield calls him the team’s “secret weapon.”

The key for the Spartans will be the development of an offensive line that returns just two starters — center Josh Powell and guard Aaron Baire.

DEFENSE

Six starters return on defense, and they all will start on both sides of the ball. In addition to Burton and Young at outside linebacker, Baire and sophomore Isaac Hammonds are returning starters on the defensive line, while Tyler Johnson and Chase Gianattasio started last year in the secondary. Powell and lineman Kevin Cornett are also two-way starters, while Mike Hanauer (defensive line) and secondary members Joe Tweel and Ben Felumlee start on defense only.

THE AUDIBLE

“We’ve got a lot of guys going both ways, and one of our biggest concerns is finding some depth,” Burchfield said. “We need to find guys who can step in on either side of the ball and give those guys some rest.

“That and establishing a cohesive offensive line are our biggest concerns. We don’t have much time to put it together because our first two games are against teams that made the playoffs last year. I think that how we start our season is critical to our overall goal of making the playoffs for a third straight season.”

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