MaxPreps 2013 Preseason Xcellent 25 Football preview: No. 8 John Curtis

The accolades for the John Curtis (River Ridge, La.) football program are almost incomprehensible.

In the school's 50 years the Patriots have rattled off 13 unbeaten seasons, captured 25 state titles and, as of last year — one national championship.

The Patriots enjoyed a truly special season in 2012. This fall, despite losses to graduation, head coach J.T. Curtis and his squad will still be very good.

Plenty of firepower returns on offense, led by wide receiver Malachi Dupre and running back Raekwon James.



Last season Dupre made 36 catches for 816 yards and 15 touchdowns, and he could improve on those numbers as a senior.

Junior quarterback Abby Touzet also returns. He helped lead the team to a state title as a freshman but played as a backup last fall. He's experienced, but will line up behind a largely inexperienced offensive line.

Defensively, however, the team will be more experienced, especially in the secondary.

Terrence Alexander and Mattrell McGraw form a pair of returning starters. Alexander will line up at cornerback while McGraw can double as a safety if needed.

Prine Lewis, a fellow senior, and Hunter Dale, a highly-touted junior, should place the John Curtis secondary among the nation's best.

See the entire Preseason Xcellent 25

Linebacker Kenny Young, yet another top recruit in the school's 2014 class, is primed for a monstrous senior season.



Up front, the line will be young. Sophomores Devin Savwoir and Malik Lacouq have a chance to make an impact.

Local outlook: "J.T. Curtis won't let his team rest on its laurels and on last year's national championship. As usual, Curtis comes back reloaded. They don't lose much on offense as Malachi Dupre still holds down one WR spot and Raekwon James and George Moreira take the RB reigns. Two years ago, quarterback Abby Touzant led the team to a state championship as a freshman when last year's quarterback Patrick Morton was out with a knee injury.

Curtis can duplicate last season's national championship performance if they are able to run the table again. And despite the national games, all of the local buzz surrounding Curtis centers around the Patriots' game with Edna Karr, who many think could have beaten Curtis last season."
- Andy Lopez, The Times-Picayune{PAGEBREAK}
School size: Division II


Enrollment: 800 (approx.)


2012 finish: 14-0, Class 2A state champion; Xcellent 25 national champion


Head coach: J.T. Curtis




Career record: 520-54-6


Years at school: 43


Notable players coached:

Joe McKnight (USC, NFL)

Reggie Dupard (SMU, NFL)

Chris Howard (Michigan, NFL)



Jonathan Wells (Ohio State){PAGEBREAK} No. of returning starters: 4 (offense), 7 (defense)

Key losses:

LB Duke Riley

LB Eric Thomas

RB Tevin Horton

OL Anthony Taylor




Key returners:

WR Malachi Dupre

LB Kenny Young

DB Terrence Alexander

DB Mattrell McGraw

QB Abby Touzet




Key newcomers:

DL Devin Savwoir

DL Malik Lacouq{PAGEBREAK} Toughest game: St. Thomas Aquinas. Although Curtis' schedule features No. 7 Edna Karr, its biggest showdown could be against Florida powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas, which has had a stellar record against out of state opponents in recent years.

Question mark: How will the brutal schedule affect the team? Not only will the Patriots be challenged by a loaded in-state schedule, but they also take on St. Thomas Aquinas and Bergen Catholic. Additionally, with the playoff restructuring, the team's road to another state title should be even more difficult.

Local look: Karr begins ranked one spot ahead of Curtis, but that could change quickly when the teams meet early in the season. West Monroe, Barbe and St. Augustine all have a lot returning and could factor into the rankings later in the season.

Overall outlook: Curtis might not be able to produce another perfect season this fall, given the players lost to graduation. However if the Patriots run the table once more it will be an even more impressive feat than last year, and will place them firmly in the discussion for another national No. 1 finish.



Coach quote: "Certainly a repeat of last year's successes will be difficult, but we will prepare and play to reach our goal of being the best possible team we can be. Whatever happens after that is an honor."
- Jeff Curtis, assistant coach{PAGEBREAK}