After five remarkable seasons of getting and creating most of the breaks when they absolutely had to have them, the Dragons watched the ball bounce the other way in their two losses last year.  The Dragons were just one play away from possibly returning to the state championship game despite the large scale turnover on the coaching staff last season.  Every program goes through a transition phase when such turnover occurs, and Carroll’s 11-2 record in 2007 is actually very respectable considering the circumstances.  However, this is Carroll, and anything less than state is deemed as falling short.  The Dragons enter this season with the opposite outlook that last year’s team had.  Most of the experience in this class returns on defense, and it is the offense that will be rebuilding, unlike a year ago.  Carroll returns eight players who either started or earned significant playing time in 2007.  This unit will form the foundation of the 2008 Dragons.

          The defensive line will be one of Carroll’s best assets this year.  Senior defensive end Brayden Burnett and junior defensive end Jackson Richards (6’4 234) give the Dragons one of the best line combinations in the state.  Both players have big, athletic frames and are being sought after by several Division 1 college programs.  Both defensive tackle starters graduated, so the Dragons must reload that position.  Junior Lincoln Schick, promoted from sub-varsity, can contribute at defensive tackle and middle linebacker.

          Junior linebacker Cade Foster is be a top contributor on defense in addition to his kicking duties on special teams.  Foster scored 99 points as a kicker last season and is a fierce competitor overall.  Junior OLB Mitchell Osbourne gained experience as a sophomore last year.  Seniors Ryan Wilson, Andy Mitchell and Robert Miller add depth and experience to what will be a strong linebacking corps.

          The Dragons struggled in the secondary last season with an inexperienced unit overall.  It won’t be as inexperienced this year, but this unit will attacked again this year given Carroll’s strength in the front seven.  Opponents had a very tough time running on the Dragons last year, and that’ll be even more difficult this season.  Seniors Josh Rake and Seth Jameson are two of Carroll’s most experienced returning players in the back four.

          While the Carroll defense has a nice base of experience returning, the same can’t be said of the offense.  The Dragons must replace nine starters on offense including one of the most prolific backfield combinations in the history of the program (QB Riley Dodge and RB Tre Newton).  Senior QB Kyle Padron (6’3) takes over the controls of the Dragon machine.  Padron backed up Dodge last year and passed for 326 yards on 33-53 accuracy with two touchdowns and three interceptions.  Padron added 258 yards rushing (5.5 ypc) and 2 TDs.  Padron is similar in stature to former Dragon QB Greg McElroy (2005).  Junior Kyle Williamson (6’2) will move up to varsity this season after starting JV last year.

          Junior Tommy Avers will be Newton’s replacement at running back.  Avers lettered as a sophomore, and rushed for 261 yards (4.9 ypc) and 2 touchdowns.  The entire receiving corps must be restocked.  Avers (6 catches for 97 yards) is actually the Dragon’s top returning receiver.  Senior Matt Rake was moved from DB to WR in the off-season.  Several talented young players should help fill the depth chart.  Junior Alex Parenti is one who will move up from the sub-varsity ranks.  Junior Dylan Powell is another expected to contribute this year.  Powell has featured as a sprinter in Carroll’s track program. 

          The offensive line is the most experienced part of the Dragon offense going into the season.  Seniors Will McWhirter and Matt Boyles are returning starters.  McWhirter earned all-district recognition as a junior.  Senior Ben Carroll moved from defense (DE) to offense this off-season.  Juniors Kody Weaver and Tony Barone are penciled in to contribute this season. 

          The kicking game should be a strength for the Dragons this year with Cade Foster returning.  Also, senior Scott Lopano adds another reliable leg.  Lopano has impressed at kicking camps this off-season. 

          This is a very different year for the Dragons in that the pre-season hype isn’t near what it’s been the previous five seasons.  Carroll will have the kind of chip on its shoulder this season that it did back in 2002 when first moving up to 5A.  The Dragons can handle last year one of two ways.  It can use the experience as a rallying cry and a spark to re-energize from a motivation point of view, or it can doubt itself and slip further back towards the pack.  The Carroll program has produced state champions over three consecutive decades now, and that kind of tradition is not erased or forgotten in one season.

 

2008  Team  Outlook

Pre-Season State Top 25:  5th Pre-Season Rank (Region):  4th (R1) Pre-Season Rank (District):  1st (6) Returning Offensive Starters:  1 OL Will McWhirter (Sr.) Returning Defensive Starters:  3 DE Jackson Richards (Jr.) DE Brayden Burnett (Sr.) CB Josh Rake (Sr.) All-State Players (Team):  1 OL Will Mcwhirter (3rd) Returning All-District Players:  5 OL Will McWhirter (Sr) DE Jackson Richards (Jr) DE Brayden Burnett (Sr) CB Josh Rake (Sr) K Cade Foster (Jr) Other Players to Watch: QB Kyle WIlliamson (Jr.) RB Tommy Avers (Jr.) WR Matt Rake (Sr.) WR Dylan Powell (Jr.) WR Alex Parenti (Jr.) OL Kody Weaver (Jr.) OL Tony Barone (Jr.) DL London Schick (Jr.) OLB Mitchell Osbourne (Jr.) LB Ryan WIlson (Sr.) LB Andy Mitchell (Sr.) LB Robert Miller (Sr.) 2008 Schedule (Stadium): 8/30     @ Plano West (SMU)                  7:30 9/5       Arlington (Dragon)                     4:30 9/12     Hou. Bellaire (Dragon)               7:30 9/19     @ Mesquite (Mesq. Memorial)  9/27     North Shore (Dragon)                6:00 10/3     Open 10/10   @ Coppell (Coppell)                   7:30 10/17   @ FM Marcus (Marcus)             7:30 10/24   Flower Mound (Dragon)            7:30 10/31   @ Lew. Hebron (Hebron)          7:30 11/7     Lewisville (Dragon)                    7:30 Opponents Combined Record:  69-36 Projected 2008 Record: 10-0 Key Games (Rank): vs. North Shore @ FM Marcus @ Lewisville Hebron vs. Lewisville Unit Rankings: Total Defensive (9th) Defensive Line (6th) Linebackers (8th)   The Bottom Line: Strengths: N/A Weaknesses: N/A