pfrommelt@digitalsports.com
Out of 10 AAA Prince William County football teams, the Osbourn Eagles are the last team standing. During the week leading up to the Eagles’ AAA Div. 6 VHSL semifinal matchup against undefeated Varina, Prince William DigitalSports will provide daily articles previewing the big game.
Day 3: Talking Heads
Prince William DigitalSports Content Manager Paul Frommelt talks with Richmond DigitalSports Senior Editor Stephen Lewis about the matchup pitting Osbourn and Varina.
Stephen Lewis: Varina has played exceptional on the season thus far. I think that the difference this season, than in past season — Varina has been good, but this season, they have been tested in the region. Sometimes, the Central Region is not as strong as some other regions. This year, maybe we aren’t as strong up top, but they only beat Hermitage by one point in the playoffs. Highland Springs was a tough district opponent and they won by three. They are a very good team, but they have also been battle tested. That showed up in the playoff wins.
Paul Frommelt: When I talked to coach [Stu] Brown, I mentioned the fact that sometimes undefeated teams, heading into the first round of state, they feel like they’ve beaten all comers and they’re confident and then they get surprised. Here, Varina has had those close games which is going to key. Did it knock them down to earth a little bit?
SL: Exactly. I think that it bodes very well for them. Like I said, in the past, Varina used to dominate, beating everyone by 50 points. This season was different. A lot of guys got experience playing in tight ballgames. They know when to come up with that big play to win the game. Clutch kicking from Cory ***. He is probably the best kicker in our area. The Highland Springs win was by his field goal. To have wins like that, it builds character and it should bode well for them in the state playoffs.
PF: Have you seen what Osbourn has been doing?
SL: Yeah, I’m just looking at the stats now. This kid Thomas Keith must be pretty tough. I haven’t seen him in person, but man, throwing for 1,000 and almost rushing for 1,000, that is your typical high school double-threat. A guy that can do both. Varina has seen guys that can do both. The Meadowbrook kid, Desmond Coble, is similar. A similar player. A good arm and a great runner. They have seen some guys that can do that kind of thing. You’ve got Jerell McFadden as well. I’m looking at his stats.
PF: McFadden is their guy. They have the spread offense and the single wing. McFadden is their big guy. He’s their big threat on the ground and he can throw it up. He has eight touchdowns passes. Thomas Keith is their main quarterback and his brother, Timmy Keith, is their top receiver. Those are the three main threats that they have on offense and they’re all just extremely athletic and talented. Do you think that Varina has played guys with this kind of speed and teams that spread out the offense like Osbourn has?
SL: They have seen some things. Hermitage plays that spread offense. They are a more of a shotgun, four wide receiver kind of offense. They don’t have the speed that Osbourn will have but they have seen some different offenses this year. Highland Springs has a spread offense as well. Varina’s defense is definitely fast and they rely heavily on their two corners. They’re very good. They have a very good defense with two or three Division I prospects. Their safety, Nick Taylor has been starting back there for three years now and he’s only a junior. They’re defense is pretty solid and pretty fast.
I would look for misdirection, a screen here or there. Those fast defenses are sometimes susceptible to — you know, when you are running to the ball and it’s going the other way. I think that is what will give them the most problem, but Varina’s defense has been solid all year long.
PF: That should be scary for Osbourn, having such speed and all these Div. I recruits in Varina’s defensive backfield. Thomas and Jerell can get into the open field and just make plays and that might not be able to happen with Varina’s speed.
SL: Playing in those tough games and not being in a lot of blowouts, I think that is based on two things, the region being a little bit tougher and their offense — it’s a whole new offense. Coach Brown is in his first year at Varina, he was over at Deep Run when they went to the state semis. He is actually a graduate of Varina. He definitely wants a state championship.
The offense that they are running, it’s totally different than what Varina was. It took a while for the kids to get adjusted to it. I’ll tell you though, Tre Johnson, a junior running back, is amazing. This kid is so fast that you can not give him a crack. He has the sideline on you and he is gone. Almost 2,000 yards this year. He is impressive. He did get nicked up in the Meadowbrook game. He was hurt. He should be fine. He can run the ball well and they can create some lanes for him.
QB Hermon Norrell can find WR Bobby Smith, who is playing out of his mind right now — 6-foot-5 and a definite Div. I prospect. If you are at 6-5 and you are getting a one-on-one matchup, just throw the ball to him and out-jump the defender. He is also a good route-runner. He has been special down the stretch. That is the trio that needs to get it done for Varina on the offensive side of the ball.
PF: Do you expect, in any way, for Varina to be looking past Osbourn, knowing that undefeated Oscar Smith and undefeated Oakton — the winner of this game will be facing one of them in the final. Do you think that they may be looking past this Osbourn team?
Osbourn beat an undefeated team in the first round of the region, they beat an undefeated team in the region finals, they have beaten two undefeated teams during the regular season, they’ve played the spoiler quite a bit.
SL: Honestly, with Varina, I don’t think that they are going to be looking past anybody. Yeah, they are 12-0, but you don’t hear much talk about it from them. They will talk about it a little bit, but like I said, coach Brown wants a state championship. To get a state championship, they have to beat Osbourn. There is no lead to look to Oscar Smith and those guys, because if you do, Osbourn is gonna beat you. They are there for a reason. I am pretty sure that coach Brown is saying the same thing. Varina has been in this spot before and lost. They lost a couple of years ago, as you know, to Chantilly in a game that they probably should have won.
PF: Turnovers were key then…
SL: They blew that game, basically. They have been in that spot so many times. They have been in the tournament so many times and haven’t gotten a state championship. I really don’t think that any complacency will set in with these guys. If Osbourn wins the game, it will be because Osbourn was a better team that day.
PF: If Varina would have beaten Chantilly that year, they would have played Osbourn in the state final.
SL: That Varina team was loaded. There was no way that they could lose, but turnover here and there and Chantilly played good ball and they lost that game. That was only two years ago. They will remember that game and know how it felt to lose.
PF: It’s interesting with Osbourn’s defense going against Johnson, last week they went against De’Antwan Williams from Woodbridge…
SL: Oh yeah, he’s a beast. We’ve seen him down here…
PF: They held him — okay, well, he still rushed for over 100 yards — but only one touchdown. He had 32 this year. Williams has similar yardage numbers this year to Johnson. I’m interested to see how they handle him with McFadden and Cedar Run District defender of the year Tyler Brown.
SL: I have seen De’Antwan Williams three times. He came and played Highland Springs this year. I saw him against Hermitage in the state semifinals. He is definitely a beast. Tre Johnson is a little bit of a different back. He does not have the power that De’Antwan Williams has. Johnson is a smaller back. He is a slasher. For Osbourn, you don’t want to see him in the open field. When he does, it’s lights out. He is blistering in the open field. Make one guy miss and it’s over. He is not a bruiser. He won’t lower his shoulder and run over a guy like Williams.
PF: His longest touchdown of the year was 93 yards. That says something for Johnson.
SL: It is amazing how he can run the football. That’s going to be a key matchup — Johnson against McFadden. Both in the stat line was running back and McFadden on defense trying to coral Johnson.
Osbourn will host Varina on Saturday at 1 p.m. Check back tomorrow for more on the the Eagles’ AAA Div. 6 VHSL semifinal game.
Previous: Day 1: How Varina Advanced, Day 2: Winning on Paper
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