NORTHWESTERN @ GAFFNEY WEEK 0 2012 PREVIEW

Tribe Blitz is back after a few months hiatus and it is time for SOME GAFFNEY INDIANS FOOTBALL! The Tribe had a great season in 2011 going 14 and 1 but, it ended in disappointment losing the State Title Game to Byrnes back in December. Some of the hurt from losing the Title Game to Byrnes went away when the Gaffney basketball team won the 2012 4A State Championship back in March. There will always be disappointment about the way the 2011 season ended but, we have to put it behind us and try to finish the job this season. We are hungry for Gaffney's 17th State Football Championship. It is finally football time again and the Tribe opens their 2012 football season Week 0 at The Reservation against Northwestern. Let's look at this match-up.

Northwestern @ Gaffney..... The Trojans and Indians were Region 3 rivals the last few seasons and they usually found themselves playing for the Region Championship. This season finds these two old rivals playing Week 0 as non region opponents. The Trojans, to their standard, had a disappointing record of 8 and 5 last season and they lost to the Tribe big at The Reservation.

The Trojans are led by Jr. QB Mason Rudolph and they have a group of athletic receivers in Mustaffa Love, Dupree Hart, Ahmad Dewese and Torrie Adams. They like to throw the ball all over the yard. The Trojans have a new defensive coordinator and will run a 3-3-5 defense and will probably blitz more than they have in the past.

The Tribe will be trying to replace the offensive firepower they lost with the graduation of QB Joey Copeland, Quinshad Davis and C. J. Miller. They will be starting a new QB in Jr. Luke Lancaster and they have a number of play makers back in RB Hyleck Foster, WR Shaq Davidson, WR Brandon Bevis, WR Bryce Spurlin and a new offensive weapon Eddie Studyvance. The Tribe will probably run the ball more this season and try to be more balanced. The Gaffney defense has the potential to be very dominant again this season. They have one of the best D-lines in the state. The line consist of DE Jaylin Miller, DE Rod Ogelsby, DT Ty Byars and DT Russell Hughes. The LB's are strong and led by Quan Weeks and Reco Smith. Sr. CB Cobby McDowell anchors the secondary. This has the potential of being a great game.

Game Prediction..... Both of these teams need to win this game for different reasons. Northwestern needs it to make a statement that last season was a fluke and they are back among the state's elite teams. Gaffney needs this game to help put the disappointment of the State Title game behind them for the players, coaches and fans. I see this as a very good early season showdown and the team that makes the fewest mistakes will win. I see..... Gaffney 27  Northwestern 20

I will be posting a New Tribe Blitz every Friday morning at 10 AM throughout football season and a few others periodically through the season. I hope you enjoy and find them informative.

Until Next Time.