2024 Belfry Pirates

[DevilMayCare]

2023 Outcome

Record: 8-4

Following a tumultuous off-season, the Pirates endured a challenging front half schedule before building momentum with an unbeaten district run. Bell County and Mr. Football ended the Pirates' season in the second round of the playoffs. It was the second straight year they went out that early, marking the program's worst two year postseason stretch in 23 years.

🔗 Belfry's 2023 Statistical Leaders

🎓 Caden Woolum (ATH) | Dre Young (FB/LB) | Jack Stacy (OL) | Ronnie Blevins (OL/DL) | Koy Queen (DL) | 

🔙 Chase Varney (QB) | Ace Caudill (RB/DB) | Jeremiah Austin (RB/DB) | Bo Wolford (OL/DL) | Colton Whitt (OL) | Max Dotson (OL) | Dante Davis (LB) | Hunter Hylton (RB/LB) | Cayden Varney (RB/DB) | Eli Caudill (RB/DB)

 

2024 Outlook

Philip Haywood begins his fifth decade roaming the Belfry sideline. The Pirates should add several more to his state best 479 career wins, as a good deal of youth featured in key roles last season, namely mighty mouse running back Ace Caudill and quarterback Chase Varney, who may have one of the better arms Belfry's had in some time. Those two, combined with a strong nucleus on the offensive line, should help offset the loss of production from last year's most versatile, dynamic athlete (Woolum) and bulldozing fullback (Young), both of whom doubled as defensive standouts. Lawrence County will threaten in the district, with Pikeville, Johnson Central, and Southwestern also highlighting the schedule. Belfry's footing as a top tier contender has slipped a little over the last two years, but as long as Haywood is around, the Pirates are in the mix.

[theguru]

Bump.

[ATLCat]

I don't know what to expect of Belfry.

They should have a very good QB in Varney, they have Ace Caudill as a big play threat at HB, and they should have a solid OLine. Jeremiah Austin should do a solid job at FB but Belfry really needs a more physical HB to get the yards between the tackles.

JB Woolum is going to be a very good football player so maybe it is him who takes the next step? Cayden Varney coming back after an unfortunate injury ended his season on a cheap shot and he could also see some reps at HB.

Defensively Belfry should be ok... but I don't see a Championship caliber defense able to change teams and make them do something uncomfortable. The size and depth simply isn't there.

Losing Caden Woolum and Dre Young are big holes. Woolum was not only an excellent RB but he was clearly their biggest receiving threat. You could also argue both were Belfry's best players on the defensive side of the ball as well.

Belfry's LB play on the whole has got to improve immensely. They really struggled to get off blocks and struggled to get sideline to sideline against speed. You could see this in their final defeat as Daniel Thomas just grinded them to a pulp 6-8 yards at a time.

I don't see Belfry being a legitimate threat for the 3A title with the program CAL has going. I would probably ticket Belfry in the 6-10 range right now.