Division 5 West Liberty-Salem Tigers 2024 Football Preview

Yappi

Yappi

Go Buckeyes
West Liberty-Salem Tigers
West Liberty, OH
Champaign County
OHSAA Division V, Region 20​

2023 Overall Record: 10-2
2023 Playoff Results: 1-1
Points Scored: 502 (41.8)
Points Allowed: 222 (18.5)
League Affiliation: Ohio Heritage Conference - North

Head Coach: Dan McGill
Years Head Coach (current school): 12th
Record (current school): 84-39
Years Head Coach (overall): 12th
Record (overall): 84-39

Assistant Coaches:
Jon McGill
Andy McGill
Brad Jarzab
Shawn Jarzab
Mike Carter
Matt Jarzab
Kyle Wilkins

Team's style of offense: Spread Power

Top players returning on offense:
Josh Wilcoxon (1st team-all conference, all district, and HM all state)
Cam Bair (1st team-all conference, all district and HM all state)
Luke McGill (2nd team all league and all district)
Jacob Evans (HR all league and all district)
Taran Logwood
Carson Poppe
Jake Bahan
Reese Oder

Top players lost on offense:
Gabe McGill (1588 yards, 37 TDs, 2nd team all state, league player of the year)
Miles Hostetler (1204 yards passing, 482 rushing, 23 TDs, 2nd team all league)
Riggs Lapp (3 year starter on OL, 1st team all league and district)

New impact players on offense:
Lincoln Henderson
Hunter Knotts
Nick Shifflet
Silas King
Aaron Campbell

Team's style of defense: ***

Top players returning on defense:
Josh Wilcoxon (1st team-all conference, all district, and HM all state)
Cam Bair (1st team-all conference, all district and HM all state)
Luke McGill (2nd team all league and all district)
Jacob Evans (HR all league and all district)
Taran Logwood
Carson Poppe
Jake Bahan
Reese Oder

Top players lost on defense:
Gabe McGill
Riggs Lapp
Miles Hostetler
Peyton Hull

New impact players on defense:
Lincoln Henderson
Hunter Knotts
Josiah Stidham
Sam Strapp
Nick Shifflet

Expected starters on special teams:
Jacob Evans- Punter
Gideon Cole- Kicker
Returners- Reese Oder, Jack Bahan, Josiah Stidham, Jacob Evans

Twitter:
@WLS_Sports

Final Comments:
Largest Senior class in sometime has raised expectations to build upon last year's success.

2023 Schedule/Results:

08/18/23​
WGraham Local (St Paris)
48​
15​
08/25/23​
WBenjamin Logan (Bellefontaine)
42​
7​
09/01/23​
WGreeneview (Jamestown)
41​
19​
09/08/23​
WSoutheastern Local (South Charleston)
41​
21​
09/15/23​
WMadison-Plains (London)
35​
7​
09/22/23​
WNortheastern (Springfield)
42​
7​
09/29/23​
LWest Jefferson (West Jefferson)
47​
62​
10/06/23​
WMechanicsburg (Mechanicsburg)
19​
13​
10/13/23​
WTriad (North Lewisburg)
56​
14​
10/20/23​
WFairbanks (Milford Center)
55​
0​
10/27/23​
WValley (Lucasville)
47​
7​
11/03/23​
LTri-Village (New Madison)
29​
50​
 
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West Liberty-Salem returns about half of the starters on offense and the majority of starters on defense for a team that finished 10-2 (4-1) in the OHC. Starters are difficult to determine as they change throughout the season with injury and personal group. The main concern is the amount of offensive production that graduated from the school rushing record setting team. WLS will need to replace QB M. Hosteler (1200 passing 500 rushing) and RB G. McGill (1500 rushing and 37 TDS), two starting offensive tackles as well as receivers P. Hull (2 TDS) and J. Griffith (4 TDS).

Offensively they are headlined by
1st OHC, HM All Ohio - Sr. RB J. Wilcoxon (1205 career yds and 11 TDS)
1st OHC, HM All Ohio - Sr. G/DT C. Bair
2nd OHC - Sr. C/DT L. McGill

They also return their top two receivers and their TE from last years squad. Wilcoxon will step into the lead back role and look to have a big season. There will also be a few other backs that will see some more time. Replacing the QB and two OTs will be the biggest question mark thus far. There are a few players that have experience at the position that will look to fill the role. I expect that one of those players will step up take the reins and WLS to be a very good rushing team again. They also have some good players in the receiving game that they will have to get involved.

On the defensive side they return a lot more production. 7/8 of the leading tacklers from last season will be back (Wilcox 194 tackles on career). The defensive line will be very strong and the linebackers have a good amount of experience and talent. They bring back 2/3 safeties and 1/3 corners that saw significant time last year. The biggest question on the defense is all about the corners. If some players step up here, I expect this defense to be very good.

I think the team will rely heavily on the defense to start the season as they figure out the offense with a new QB under center. I am excited to see how this team develops. Looking at the schedule there are some tough games. I expect GV, WJ, Burg, and NE all to be very tough opponents.

I think the floor for this team is probably 5-5 and the ceiling is 10-0. I think at lot would have to go the tigers way to see 10 wins in the regular season, but I expect them to be in the hunt for a league title. I don't think there are a lot of easy wins on the schedule, but I also don't think there are any un-winnable games. Things happen, players get hurt, and there is a lot of unpredictable things that can happen with high school football. That being said, my prediction for the tigers is 8-2. This season will be a grind in the OHC.
 
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WLStigers said:
West Liberty-Salem returns about half of the starters on offense and the majority of starters on defense for a team that finished 10-2 (4-1) in the OHC. Starters are difficult to determine as they change throughout the season with injury and personal group. The main concern is the amount of offensive production that graduated from the school rushing record setting team. WLS will need to replace QB M. Hosteler (1200 passing 500 rushing) and RB G. McGill (1500 rushing and 37 TDS), two starting offensive tackles as well as receivers P. Hall (2 TDS) and J. Griffith (4 TDS).
Click to expand...
Sarcastic Mixed Martial Arts GIF by UFC
 
Yappi when you go to highlight "generational talent" losses from the 2023 campaign, it's actually P. "Hull" at WR/CB.
 
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