5 Questions | 2021

Let’s kick this season off with our first Bear Tracks post of the 2021 season! As the season starts and students get back to school, it is fitting that we open this season's Bear Tracks up with a five-question test. I put together a list of the five top questions I have going into the 2021 season.

1) Is football back to normal?

Last season we opened with the question of “how will football look”, and well, we could probably ask that same question this season. Even with recent healthcare numbers becoming more alarming, the 2021 football season looks to be trending back to normal (or as normal as we ever will be). From a full ten-game season to full-capacity stadiums, will/can it feel like Bear Friday Nights as we know them?

As we get closer to hearing the band play 2001, cheering a touchdown run, listening to Joel Kay’s play-by-play, and seeing the Bears win, we begin to feel more like normal. Nevertheless, the hope of a full football season is exciting and this normality will help give a welcomed reprieve to the historically tough year of 2020.

Football aside, we ask and hope you and yours stay healthy and safe. Please do what you feel is best for you and the ones around you and do your part to help see this season through.

2) Can experience provide stability on defense?

This might seem a strange question after losing key players and even a D1 recruit on the defensive side of the ball, but 6 of the top 11 defensive points leaders are returning from last season. The defense will be led by AJ Pendleton and Jamis Glenn, the 2nd and 3rd defensive points leaders from last season. Pendleton led the team in solo tackles, while Glenn led the team in first hits. However, AJ Pendleton was listed as the backup quarterback coming into the 2020 season and could be back in that role as the starter this season.

Along with Pendleton and Glenn, BHP returns a handful of other starters and underclassmen with significant playing time from the 2020 season. Rahzel Scott DB, Andrew Dickerson LB, Trevian Devaux LB, Zac Matthews LB, Jay Rowe CB, Malik Pickens DL, and Xander Brown DL all made plays on the defensive side of the ball last season.

Between Dickerson, Devaux, and Matthews, hopefully BHP can get back to those dominant linebacking cores that they have been able to produce in the past. Along with a defensive backfield anchored by Pendleton, Scott, and Rowe, pass defense may be a strength of the Bears.

The most glaring questions lie on the defensive line. Although Glenn is one of the top linemen in the conference, the question is who will emerge to help bolster the line, especially the interior. With games against T.L. Hanna and Abbeville (extremely run-heavy teams), staunch line play will be the difference between a chance to win the game and giving up 300 yards rushing and losing by a large margin.

So back to the question at hand. Can the experience provide stability to the defense? In short, yes, even with the shortened and strange 2020 season, the actual game reps these returning players were able to rack up will pay dividends this season. That coupled with, hopefully, giving the coaches more confidence in their ability, the team will be able to play fast and make plays that will put BHP in a position to capitalize.

3) The offense question.

This is the big one! We could probably have questions 3A, 3B all the way to 3Q just because of the number of potential changes on this side of the ball. The first and probably the most important question is how will the offense look under the new offensive coordinator? With the retirement of the previous coordinator and play-caller Gill Cade, the reins have been passed to Andrew Jenkins. This will be Jenkins’ second season on staff with the Bears, but he had previous experience at T.L Hanna, Midland Valley HS (Head Coach), and Seneca (Offensive Coordinator). Jenkins also played at Presbyterian College and was a team captain for BHP’s state championship team in 2004.

With all of that, the question is, how does his philosophy match with the player personnel and Coach Blackston’s team mentality and overall outlook of the team. Will we see the run-heavy teams of the recent past or some of the more passing-friendly teams of the mid-2010s. Personally, with no inside information, I would guess BHP will see a lot of power runs this season. But we will look forward to seeing the details and the “personality” of this offense.

The second glaring question for this offense is who will play QB? Since 2018 there have only been 3 BHP QBs who have attempted 10 or more passes in a season (all have graduated). That's just another way of saying, there is no incumbent for the job. As we know, how the QB goes, so does the team.

Last season BHP converted its top receiver to quarterback. That decision had its ups and downs. This season, they could do not the same with a returning skill player. AJ Pendleton and Jay Rowe (both played defensive back and wide receiver last season) have taken game snaps at quarterback in the past. Pendleton was listed as the backup quarterback coming into the 2020 season, but played predominantly on the defensive side of the ball. It would be my guess that Pendleton would transition back to quarterback. Pendleton does bring a set of skills that BHP likes in a QB, the ability to run. Pendleton is a gifted athlete running the ball and his season last year playing safety can only help him see and recognize defenses. Although Pendleton has game experience, he has very little quarterback experience. Because of that, BHP will be looking at the skill positions to make his job easier.

Speaking of what makes a QB’s job easier, having an experienced and talented offensive line has to be number one. And BHP’s line is anchored by Jackson Hall, offensive tackle, who has started the last couple of seasons and recently committed to the University of South Carolina as a preferred walk-on. Jackson should give the QB some assurance of protection and the running backs some holes to run through.

Having multiple experienced running backs would also rank high on the list of things that make a QB’s job easier, however, that is something BHP cannot rely on this season. 86% of rushing attempts, 87% of rushing yards, and 89% of rushing TDs from last season graduated. BHP will return Decoriay Walker and Quamel Edwards who both saw action in games last season (combined they gained 129 yards on 20 carries).

BHP does however return their top two receiving targets from last season, Eli Strickland and Nevada Billups. Will the experience in the receiving core make it more appealing for the bears to become more pass-happy?

All of these questions come down to this one: how will BHP score? Looking over what is on paper now, it may seem hard to answer that question. However, one thing that has become more and more obvious with BHP teams is that the physicality of the run game makes them a unique team to play. Like T.L. Hanna or Abbeville running the Wing-T where opponents know that a run is coming, the continual punishment will at some point wear down an opponent. Even if BHP’s offense does not necessarily look like those, the principle can be transferred. The continual power run can wear down an opponent physically and mentally, plus one missed tackle, and the Bears are off to the races!

4) Can BHP be competitive in the last two games of the regular season?

Why are we only concerned with the last two games of the regular season? Well, for the most part, the region title will come down to those last two games against Wren and Daniel. Yes, if BHP stumbled against Pendleton or Seneca this would become a nonfactor, but let's say BHP takes care of business against them.

In the last two seasons with the region title still in the balance, BHP has been outscored 164 to 90 in the last two games against Wren and Daniel. To win a region championship, which is and should always be a goal, BHP has to find a way to close that gap between these two teams. One note, in the last two seasons, Wren and Daniel both won a state championship (Wren in 2019 and Daniel in 2020). Even with that, for this season, BHP has to find a way to at least split with these two teams to have a chance at a region championship.

But, the question is can BHP be competitive, and yes BHP can be. BHP has the ability to slow the game down, reduce the total drives and reduce the scoring variance. By doing those things, BHP can keep the games close and give themselves an opportunity to come away with the win.

5) Can coach Blackston get to 100 wins?

We asked this question last season, and with the shortened season it would have taken an undefeated state title to accomplish the task. Coming into this season, Coach Blackston is only 6 wins away from this milestone.

So with a 10 game regular season, here is how I see Coach Blackston getting to 100 BHP wins.

To start, we will give 3 wins for Powdersville, Palmetto, and Pendleton. BHP has never lost against Powdersville or Pendleton and is 48-7 against Palmetto. That leaves needing 3 wins from the games against Westside, T.L. Hanna, Abbeville, Greer, Seneca, Wren, and Daniel.

I see BHP winning against Seneca. Since 2010 BHP is 6-3 against Seneca. Last season, BHP lost to Seneca 28-17 which could be one of the biggest letdowns in recent memory for the Bears. BHP will not overlook Seneca this season and hopefully, a full practice schedule and no rescheduled games will allow BHP to be at full strength when they play later this year.

Also, BHP is matched up against Greer for the first time since 2014. The last time BHP lost to Greer was in 2000. All that probably does not matter, however, Greer’s top player and the top tight end in the nation has decided to transfer to the IMG Academy in Florida. This shrinks the talent gap between Greer and BHP. Also, a transfer like this can have a negative effect on the entire time. Because of that, I am giving BHP this win.

Now we are down to finding a win between Westside, T.L. Hanna, Abbeville, Wren, and Daniel. I see the most likely wins coming against Westside or Wren. However, BHP has home games against Westside, Abbeville and Daniel. So never count out the magic that can happen in the bear cave.

Does Coach Blackston get to 100 wins this season, I say Yes!

Conclusion

A new season always brings new questions, but as in last season, this one has more than most others. But football is back and will be here in just a couple of weeks and Bear fans could not be more excited!

Do you still have questions? Do you think you have answers to some of these we laid out? Let us hear them on our social media accounts or in the comments below the post.

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