SCOUTING REPORT
You can never go into these things too prepared. Friday night, in Morton’s Gap, the always tough Caldwell County Tigers visit from nearby Princeton, Kentucky. We will break down the Tigers and let you know what to expect from the ball club we hope will leave water-logged.
HB Lyon, Scouting Director, KPGFootball
The Barnes era at Caldwell appears over, at least for the time being. David Barnes has passed to his eternal rest and Will Barnes didn’t return for the ’23 season.
Aaron McClung is the new head coach. Coach McClung has been around the program for a while and there is no reason to not expect the same excellence in coaching for which the program has been long admired.
Caldwell was 5-6 a year ago, but really were 4-7 on the field, as the Tigers scored a win over Christian County by forfeit by reason of the Colonels playing an ineligible player. Christian County had beaten Caldwell County, 18-9.
The Tigers allowed 256-points, in 11-games, while scoring 163. The Tigers allowed nearly twice as many yards as they gained rushing (2,040 to 1,181) and permitted 1,544-yards, through the air, versus throwing for 1,056.
Defensively, the Tigers aren’t set up well to stop defensively what the Tigers are very liable to see out of a Storm’s backfield. The Storm will unload an offensive backfield sporting an All-Stater at FB.
Luke Parker (’25, No. 1) got the lion’s share of the snaps at QB a year ago and returns for duty. Parker was 92 for 172 (53% completion percentage) for 982-yards and 7-TD’s (5-INT’s). He scored a couple times on the ground.
Parker is an excellent game manager and slick with the ball in the offensive backfield. If he is kin to the Caldwell County “Parker family” we are envisioning, then he is from a fine football pedigree. Parker plays defense and registered 33-tackles in addition to his offensive contributions. Parker also picked-off a pass.
The Tigers will have to discover a RB as the only ball carrier in ’22 to gain over 100-yards on the season graduated (Jamus Carneyhan, 982-yards). Look for (’25) Bryan Barbour (No. 25) to get the first crack at primary ball carrier.
Last year’s top two receivers (Bumphus/Chambiss) have both exhausted their eligibilities and Carneyhan is likewise gone. A pair of ’25’s, Gus Fox and Luke Maddox, return and the two of them, together with Cooper Mobley, accounted for 3 of the team’s 7-TD receptions last season.
It is their time to step up and the Tigers will need them to do just that if they are to be successful. Timothy Nichols (’24, No. 42) is returning at PK and that shouldn’t be overlooked for a team which struggled offensively a year ago. Nichols will be the club’s leading returning scorer and converted 16-PAT’s and a pair of FG’s in ’22.
Camden Woford (’24, No. 15), 72-stops, is the leading returning tackler. Gus Fox (’25, No. 28) was among the leaders with 6-TFL’s and 6-sacks while recovering a fumble.
Landon Davis (’24, No. 4) led the ball club with 7-TFL’s. Cole Sherrill (’24, No. 73) registered 4-TFL’s, 3-sacks, and 1-FF to stuff his ’22 stat-sheet.
Cooper Mobley (’26, No. 3) was absent some of the year last season (played in seven games). In spite of the limited run, and his being a freshman, Mobley still registered 33-tackles, a TFL and a sack. Coop also recovered a fumble and registered a pick-six (96-yards), one of the team’s five on the year.
We believe this is a game where the Storm match-up really well with what they are likely to see. If we feed a steady dose of Calil McNary battering the line of scrimmage, play mistake-free football, and get some of our outstanding skills, like Logan Rodgers, behind the third level, it could be a long night for Caldwell.
We are picking the Storm to beat Caldwell, 21-20.
This is Fletcher W. Long, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
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