MaxPreps 2013 Preseason Xcellent 25 Football preview: No. 7 Edna Karr

While the John Curtis (River Ridge, La.) Patriots were busy winning a national title last season, Edna Karr (New Orleans) quietly put together a very, very good 2012 campaign.

Karr outscored opponents 500-114, finishing 14-0 with victories over St. Augustine (New Orleans), Holy Cross (New Orleans) and Neville (Monroe, La.).

The defending Class 4A champions could be even better in 2013, with plenty of key pieces back from last year's squad.

The team's offensive spark plug is Devante "Speedy" Noil, the No. 1 receiver in the Top247 recruiting rankings. For Karr, Noil will likely line up behind center. He's incredibly dangerous with the ball in his hands and can turn a broken play into a long touchdown.



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When Noil does line up at receiver, Karr will go with Kerry Taylor behind center, but 6-foot-3 sophomore Raekwon Bush could see some action after an impressive spring.

Three starters return on the offensive line, but first-year head coach Nathaniel Jones likes the depth of the unit.

The team's defensive line will be among its strengths. The headliner is blue-chip recruit Gerald Willis, but Joyan Williams should be just as effective. They'll be supported by a seasoned trio of linebackers comprised of Quanta Moore, Donnie Alexander and Jaevon Walton, who started his high school career at Karr and returned this offseason after playing in Alabama last fall.

Jones, a Karr graduate, looks like a good fit at his alma mater. He recognizes the program's tradition and embraces the expectations.

Local look: "It's very possible that this year's Cougars could be better than last year's undefeated state champion. It seems right now that Speedy Noil will split time as a QB and a WR but ultimately Nathaniel Jones and his staff will get the ball in their best playmaker's hands. The buzz around the city is that Karr could beat anyone in the country right now.



The team only loses seven starters off last year's team and in some spots, the team may get even better. Linebacker Jaevon Walton comes back from spending a year in Alabama and takes over the MLB spot on defense from Elcee Refuge and should hold down the middle of the Cougars' defense. Also, Karr lost a Miami signee at tight end in Standish Dobard but replace him with 6-foot-6 Anthony Jones who is another high-major prospect.

If Karr had one out-of-state game this season against a national contender, although they do play Curtis and St. Augustine, the Cougars could very well make a run for a national championship."
- Andy Lopez, The Times-Picayune{PAGEBREAK}
Size: Class 4A


Enrollment: 850 (approximate)


2012 finish: 15-0, Class 4A state champion


Head coach: Nathaniel Jones


Career record: (0-0; spent one season at Clark as interim head coach)




Notable players coached:
DB Darrien Starling (University of Texas-San Antonio)

DB Micah Hill (Midwestern State){PAGEBREAK} No. of returning starters: 8 (offense), 7 (defense)

Key losses:

TE Standish Dobard

DB Noel Ellis

DL Titus Charles




Key returners:

QB/WR Devante ‘Speedy' Noil

DL Gerald Willis

LB Quanta Moore

DL Joyan Williams

LB Donnie Alexander




Key newcomers:

DL Jaevon Walton

QB Raekwon Bush{PAGEBREAK} Toughest game: John Curtis. The early season will be nothing short of brutal for Karr. In addition to a highly-anticipated showdown with defending national champion Curtis, Karr will also see St. Paul (Covington, La.) and St. Augustine, led by the nation's top running back, Leonard Fournette.

Question mark: Is this the best team in Louisiana? As loaded as Karr looks on paper, there are still people in the state who think John Curtis will be favored, perhaps heavily. It will be a major hurdle that Karr needs to clear.

Local outlook: While Karr and Curtis are both nationally ranked, West Monroe ought to be very good as well. Aforementioned St. Augustine is loaded with talent and has an extremely high ceiling.

Overall outlook: This team is loaded defensively and has one of the nation's premier players on offense. If a playmaker or two steps up at running back or receiver, providing another option (or at the very least, a decoy) to Noil, it will be hard to slow Karr's offense. Before climbing up the national rankings, Karr will first need to justify its spot as the state's top team.



Coach quote: "When people play us, we want people leaving saying, ‘They're better than we thought they were.'"
- Nathaniel Jones{PAGEBREAK}