The 2020 season was not necessarily kind to the New Hope High School football team. The Trojans did not feel that their 2-8 record was representative of their talent and the hard work they put in over the summer.
“You know, last year we struggled a little bit, but we showed a lot of signs of promise,” new head coach Seth Stillman said. “You could tell we were getting better as the year went on.”
It would be easy to look at schedules or box scores from last season and write off New Hope, but you have to dig deeper to get a better understanding of what kind of team the Trojans have.
“Some of our high points and our low points were in the same games,” Stillman said. “Teams that we are normally pretty successful against in Aberdeen and Saltillo, we struggled a little bit in those games last year. We showed a ton of fight and won last-second games in both of them — an overtime game against Saltillo and a stopped two-point play against Aberdeen.”
Stillman sees those games as a motivating point and a learning point for the Trojans, and hopefully they can play that way in every game in 2021.
Stillman is looking for the Trojans to step up in the passing game, as they have been fairly one-dimensional in the past, and he is focused on getting the offense to be more balanced. In the past, opponents could stack the box to stifle the run. Stillman points to the success of the passing game in the spring as optimism going forward.
The back end of the defense is a focal point for New Hope as Stillman sees that as one of his stronger groups. He said he is looking to force a lot of turnovers and incompletions, forcing opponents to become more one-dimensional and giving the Trojans a greater chance of stopping the run.
As for players for whom Stillman has high expectations, senior linebacker Rashad Williams was the first who came to mind. He is also eyeing Terence Harris to make a huge contribution if he plays to his potential. Stillman mentioned Harris as a player who potentially could play in the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Game if he makes the impact of which he is capablef.
Offensively, Richard Guy at receiver projects to be impactful for the Trojans. Stillman said Guy, who has received an offer from Jones Community College, is a long receiver who can help the passing game. On the offensive line, Stillman thinks highly of Jeremiah Jefferson, whom he considers a leader up front.
The most important weapon New Hope has is quarterback Ty Crowell. Stillman said that the offense will go as Crowell goes.
Stillman described the Trojans’ district schedule as “brutal,” so he wants to use the non-district games to prepare them for that. He had specifically mentioned their rivalry with Caledonia, a game that has been canceled because of COVID.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
