Now officially under one month away from the kickoff of the 2024 high school football season, our preview series continues with the Landrum Cardinals. We caught up with head coach Brent Bridges to get a peek inside the team’s offseason program, and potential Cardinals starters when Week 1 comes around.
Landrum went 5-5 in the regular season in 2023 but faltered down the stretch, going 1-4 in the region to salvage a playoff spot in 2A before a first round exit against Strom Thurmond. The Cardinals intend to build on that number in Region 1-2A which has mostly stayed the same through realignment with one exception, adding Clinton.
“Coming off of last year where you were putting in a whole new system, the kids struggled,” Bridges said. “This year we are so much further ahead because now they know it.”
Offense
In all, the Cardinals return just five starters off of last year’s offense. The major question mark regarding this season’s Landrum squad is how they will be able to replace the void left by RB Colton Link, who averaged over 150 yards per game on the ground.
At this point in the offseason, Landrum has multiple players that are fighting for the starting role.
“Replacing [Colton] is going to be really hard to do,” Bridges said. “Running back is one of those positions right now where we’ve got guys battling.”
A few of the names that are contenders for the starting role are familiar to fans who followed the team last season, as well as newcomers trying to establish themselves on the team.
Senior Aiden Kelly recovered from a season-ending ACL injury that forced him to miss the 2023 slate, and is competing with Junior AJ Lindsey. Cente Williams is a transfer that is expected to play on both sides of the ball for Landrum, and is currently in the mix in the running back race. Senior Titus Poore can feature at running back among the other many positions he plays, who Bridges calls his “utility knife” that can play multiple positions on offense and defense.
“He just helps us in so many spots,” Bridges said of Poore.
At this point in the offseason, Junior Ty Foster will be the starting quarterback and will be backed up by Poore. Foster had a strong offseason, and the staff is now counting on that to translate to the field on Friday nights.
There will be a lot of new names on the Cardinals offensive line, where the only returning varsity starter is Sophomore C Blake Bridges. Junior Eli Shirley is among the potential new starters that the team is depending on to play a big role
Defense
Landrum expects to have much more continuity on the defensive side of the ball in 2024, where the Cardinals return seven starters. While there will be new additions between the lines, Bridges also added former Union County head coach Brian Thompson as the team’s linebacker coach.
“We’ve changed a few things schematically, Coach Thompson has brought new ideas and we feel really good,” Bridges said.
The team expects to rely on those linebackers this season, returning two at the position which also were the leading tacklers a season ago. Lindsey led the way in tackling last season and will start at linebacker next to Senior Jayden Rose, who finished second in tackles in 2023.
Lindsey represents one of the several players who play multiple positions or both offense and defense, and Bridges recognizes how valuable that resource is to the team given their roster size.
“We have to have guys that can play multiple positions,” Bridges said. “We have a lot of smart kids, they pick things up quickly.”
Another newcomer that is expected to make an impact is Sophomore Micah Mcclintock, who on defense will slot in at defensive end but can also offer depth at outside linebacker and wide receiver.
In the secondary, Junior Braylon Revis will start alongside Poore in the secondary. Revis came along late in the 2023 season in terms of a starting role, and is now expected to be in the lineup Week 1. Senior Kirby Gentry should be a starting free safety for the Cardinals as well.
The 2024 season for Landrum kicks off on August 23rd at home against Walhalla. Other non-region game highlights include home matchups with Ware Shoals on September 6th and West Oak on September 20th, as well as road trips on September 13th to Polk County (NC) and a September 27th date with Blue Ridge.
Region play begins after a late season bye with an October 11th game at Blacksburg, a home matchup with Clinton on October 18th, one final road game against Liberty on October 25th, and the Cardinals annual matchup with Chesnee is at home to wrap up the regular season on November 1st.
