No. 22 Northwestern (Rock Hill, S.C.) - Team preview / Preseason photo gallery
Strengths: Northwestern has one of the most elaborate -- and potent -- passing schemes in the country. Justin Worley flourished in the system run by then-offensive coordinator Kyle Richardson. Now the team's head coach, Richardson turns to BCS recruit
Mason Rudolph to lead the team's "Air Raid" offense. In his third season as the team's starting quarterback, Rudolph can probably guide the offense in his sleep. He'll have receivers
Dupree Hart and
Mustafia Love back. With seven starters returning on defense, Northwestern has a great shot to play in its fifth state title game in six seasons.
Question marks: Northwestern is not loaded with elite skill players like many teams on the list. At times last season, Northwestern's defense was its Achilles heel: it was unable to get big stops against Byrnes and gave up a nine-point lead in the team's other regular season loss to South Pointe. With
Brayon McCoy,
Corey Seargant and
Jacquavious MacKey, the secondary should be very good. Can the rest of the defense play to its potential?
Outlook: While Northwestern has the look of the state's top team to begin the year, we'll find out pretty early on who is the top dog in the Palmetto State. Northwestern opens with Gaffney and plays Byrnes three weeks later. If it emerges unscathed from that in-state gauntlet, expect it to rise up the rankings.
