MaxPreps 2012 Preseason Xcellent 25 Football preview: No. 20 Oscar Smith

Last season, Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.) lost its season opener (a 51-27 shootout against Gilman) before rattling off 14 consecutive victories.

One of the most successful programs in Virginia over the last several years, Oscar Smith will look to avenge its loss against Gilman by winning an even more highly anticipated out-of-state game this season: a showdown with No. 13 Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.).

While Smith is typically well-stocked with skill players, it is the line play that could separate this year’s team from the pack.

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Three offensive linemen (Shedrick Oliver, Troye Harris and Jaleel Shelton) give Oscar Smith a great foundation up front. The unit will help open holes for a running back group that features talented sophomore Deshawn McClease and trusted senior Marcus Smith.

Zack Jones, committed to Virginia, is a dynamic threat for the team at receiver, while junior Jaylen Bradshaw should provide another option.

Oscar Smith has a great lineage of quarterbacks, and replacing the graduated J.J. Williamson, who was highly productive as a junior and senior, will be difficult. Right now, Dashawn Blow is poised to take over behind center, and early reports are that Blow looks good in the role.

Defensively, Oscar Smith will be fast and very athletic. Shelton will double as a defensive tackle while Kanyia Anderson and Darren Flowers both return on the outside. The addition of 2014 defensive tackle Andrew Brown could turn this unit from great to nationally elite.

The team’s linebackers will be led by Melvin Vaughn. Also a receiver, Vaughn was an all-state selection a year ago and will help make Smith’s front seven extremely difficult to run on.

Jones is the lone returner in the secondary, but he’s a good one. Morgan is not worried about athletes stepping up to fill those roles.



Local look: "Each year college coaches flock to Oscar Smith to see what kind of talent coach Richard Morgan has on his teams. This season won’t be any different."
- Larry Rubama, Virginian-Pilot, in an April 2012 blog

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Size: Division 6


Enrollment: 2,175 (approx.)


2011 finish: 14-1, Division 6 state champions


Head coach: Richard Morgan




Career record: 113-14


Years at school: 10


Notable players coached:
RB Greg Boone (Virginia Tech)

QB Phillip Sims (Alabama)

DL Evan Hailes (Penn State)

RB J.C. Coleman (Virginia Tech)



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No. of returning starters: 5 (offense), 4 (defense)

Key losses:
QB J.J. Williamson

RB J.C. Coleman

WR Sequan Gooding

Key returners:
RB Deshawn McClease



WR/DB Zach Jones

TE/LB Melvin Vaughn

DL Kanyia Anderson

Key newcomers:
DL Andrew Brown (transfer)

QB Dashawn Blow

QB Jerroni Nobles



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Toughest game: Byrnes. With a young secondary, Byrnes’ explosive passing attack will be a challenge to Oscar Smith. It struggled last year in its opener against Gilman, which had similarly dynamic offensive weapons. Byrnes also usually plays some of its best football against out-of-state opponents (its 2009 game against St. Thomas Aquinas notwithstanding).

Question mark: What kind of quarterback play will Oscar Smith receive? Blow has performed well in spring and early on this summer, but has big shoes to fill to match the production that the Tigers are accustomed to receiving at the position.

Local look: The Tidewater area is deep with both outstanding players and teams. Phoebus, a powerhouse in Division 5, will be strong once again. Bayside and Salem will challenge Smith locally in Division 6.

Overall outlook: Oscar Smith is a very good all-around team entering the season. The development of its quarterback and its secondary could determine if it becomes a great team. It is the favorite to capture another Division 6 title. A victory against Byrnes would be a huge national statement. The matchup provides a rare opportunity to see a top Virginia team match up against a nationally elite team from another state.

Coach quote: “In the backfield, Deshawn is back. He started four or five games when J.C. was hurt. It’s almost like we have our starting tailback back. We expect huge numbers out of him.”
- Head coach Rich Morgan

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