Byrnes went under the radar during the 2011 season before romping to a South Carolina title. The Rebels won't be able to be so sneaky this season, as they are ranked No. 13 nationally.
Photo by Randy Sartin
Last season,
Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.) was in an unusual spot.
Typically the top dog around South Carolina, Byrnes was out of the limelight for much of the season as Gaffney enjoyed a high national ranking for most of the year.
Then
the No. 8 all-time top football dynasty did what it so often does: It won the state championship, stunning Gaffney in the process.
This fall, Byrnes returns many of the players that were key to last year’s title run.
MaxPreps Preseason Top 25 High School Football Early ContendersOffensively, Byrnes will pass the football. A lot.
Shuler Bentley is back behind center, with top targets
Akia Booker and
Tavin Richardson back on the outside. Last season, Bentley tossed for 3,495 yards, but he could top that prodigious number in 2012.
Akia Booker stars in what is likely to be a prolific passingoffense this season.
Photo by Randy Sartin
Shakeem Wharton has graduated, so Byrnes needs to find a running back, a position it is not accustomed to filling after it got multiple years of production from Wharton and Marcus Lattimore.
Three starters on the offensive line offer continuity and experience at a key position.
Six starters are back on defense, including a secondary, featuring
KeKe Ashmore and
Shane Samuels, that is basically intact. Head coach Christopher Miller also feels good about his linebackers, but the team needs to retool up front.
Local look: "Byrnes will be a favorite to win a third-straight 4A Division I championship. Chris Miller always has this team ready. He's possibly the best defensive coach in the state, and there's no doubt defense won the championship against Gaffney last year. Don't be surprised to see them in early December again."
- Kevin Melton, Spartanburg Daily Herald
