Is Northwood football for real?

By Eric Andrews
Posted Wednesday, September 12, 2007

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Pittsboro, NC - Returning Northwood Head Coach Bill Hall has a lot to be excited about. With 16 returning Varsity players and a slew of Seniors Northwood is poised to be a contender. Hall stated,” We are ranked very high this year, and we are coming off of a year where we did quite well in the playoffs. You hate to say boastful things so early in the season-but I can tell you the kids and the staff will all be disappointed if we don’t do better than last year.”

They should be disappointed. Northwood has one of the most talented backfields to ever wear the Northwood colors. Senior tailback Tobias Palmer has already verbally committed to North Carolina State. This speedster has been breaking records at the same rate he has been breaking ankles of defenders trying to get a bead on him. And as far as this unbiased reporter is concerned he is just as talented if not more talented as a defensive back. Hall again, “Tobias is just one of those special kids-he does amazing things on the field-both sides of the ball. He can make something out of nothing, he’s fast, and he’s quick. He can find an opening or a line that other kids miss. We have been just as amazed at the things he does in practice as we have been awed by the things he does on game night.” But unlike other years at Northwood, the season does not solely rest on the shoulders of a single talent. Sharing duties at running back, Senior Bernard Palmer (no relation) went into a weight-room cocoon over the past season and has emerged as a football monster. This kid looks like something straight out of a video game. He actually laughs when he runs over people at practice. Returning from a 2-year hiatus, another talent is Senior RB Tim Alston. Another force to be reckoned with, he believes he will score every time he touches the ball, and he is upset when he doesn’t.

QB Joaquin Green is a returning starting senior that brings a tremendous amount of leadership to the program. Under the tutelage of QB Coach Rod Elkins and Offensive Coordinator Rick Parks, Green has transformed from someone lobbing up passes to a marksman with pinpoint accuracy. “Joaquin makes us a multi-faceted threat. He is a leader, he knows our offense, he is a great passer, and we expect quite a few rushing yards out of him with our veer package”, remarked Hall.

On the other side of the ball the defense is nearly as talented. Three senior Linebackers: Barrett Powell, Jae Bland, and Jimmy Penny all return to provide a kamikaze style of defense Defensive Coordinator Brian Harrington gets excited about. “I finally got a corps of linebackers that look and act like linebackers. They are the right size, the right speed, and the right mentality. You have to be a little mean and just a tad crazy to play linebacker. These guys fit the bill.”

With the run shut down, opponents might feel as though taking to the air is their best shot. As long as the running backs aren’t too tired, they will serve double duty in the secondary. With the offensive backfield such an important part of the defense, Harrington is worried that the subs might not be able to take up the slack. “With the exception of Shawn Badders (senior DB), I feel lost when those offensive guys aren’t out there covering pass. I really need the other guys to step up.”

As a former lineman this reporter cannot let the guys that never get any press go unmentioned. Lineman Coach Ron Brooks knows that nothing works when the team can’t maintain the trenches. “X” marks the spot where senior lineman Xavier Robinson is the keystone to Coach Brooks’ line on both sides of the ball. “It all starts with X. He is the guy the rest of the lineman look up to. We had a good bunch work hard over the summer. Out of the big guys, nobody worked harder than Xavier.” Senior lineman and fellow big man Kemory Mann has the potential to play at the next level if he can remain healthy. Slightly undersized, but meaner than they look, seniors Chase Green, Thomas Bryant, and Tyler Chatfield will provide quickness and toughness to a line that will only make a talented backfield better.

It is not just seniors that will benefit this team. Offensive lineman and sophomore Paul Shackleford is one of the brightest and aggressive linemen on the field. Giant junior Terrance Hackney is the next most likely Northwood prospect to grace the fields of a big time program after High School, and sophomore running back Ridge Smith is sure to light up the scoreboard for the Chargers this season.

Yours truly acts as the Special Teams Coach. I can only tell you that with much of the team returning from last year, and Tobias Palmer returning kicks, we are sure to witness some exciting returns. Bernard Palmer will take care of punting duties. Tim “No Fear” Alston is returning punts. At this time I haven’t a clue as to who will kick for us-no one seems to be able to kick it over the lineman let alone the goal posts.

Hall ended our interview with a plea to come out and watch the locals. “These kids get so excited to perform in front of a big crowd. It has taken Northwood a long time to get back to a winning program. Our kids visit other schools and see large crowds. They want to see that at our home games as well. To tell you the truth they’re a little jealous.” Having the parents of the players and half the student body just doesn’t fill the stands. We need the citizens of Chatham, and the owners of local businesses in Chatham to support our program. If you do attend a game you will be lucky enough to hear our Andy Griffith Wannabe Jimmy Pharr. He is our returning starter and very Senior PA. He provides colorful commentary when not reminiscing about his Momma’s grits and occasionally lets us know who has the ball, and if he remembers his glasses he will give us down and distance rounded off to the nearest ten yards. Along with the standard popcorn and hotdogs, the concessions are now offering fat-free fried dough. We hope to see you there.

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Eric Andrews is the Northwood Special Teams Coach. He is also principal broker of Realty World - Carolina Properties in Pittsboro, NC.