No. 8 Curtis (River Ridge, La.) - Team preview / Preseason photo gallery
Strengths: What's not to love about John Curtis? The school features a 500-win head coach, an outstanding community support system and network of assistant coaches, as well as enough blue-chip talent to make any Division 1 recruiter salivate. It would be hard -- if not impossible -- to duplicate last year's dream season and No. 1 finish. So, while regression is likely, this team will still be very, very good. Quarterback
Abby Touzet returns and he will look for
Malachi Dupre, the nation's No. 3 receiver according to 247Sports. Running back
Raekwon James returns in the backfield, and sophomore lineman
Willie Allen has a chance to be special. He should contribute this season. Defensively, the secondary is loaded and
Kenny Young brings a physical presence to the linebackers.
Question marks: The team loses several key pieces off last year's squad, including linebackers Duke Reilly and Eric Thomas, as well as several offensive linemen. None of the team's losses due to graduation should be insurmountable. The program boasts great depth. Early on, the defense will likely carry the team while the offense adjusts to its new faces in the trenches.
Outlook: Last year,
Curtis whacked Plant (Tampa, Fla.), and then steamrolled every in-state team in its way. This year, the schedule will be drastically harder, and not just because it is taking on powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas as well as New Jersey's Bergen Catholic. Curtis is also facing defending Class 4A champion Edna Karr as well as talent-laden St. Augustine, which features Leonard Fournette. If Curtis manages to go undefeated once more, it would probably have an even more impressive resume for a national title.
