A move to Class 4A turned out to be a good thing for the Portland High football team last season.
Senior Emmanuel Johnson is expected to play a heavy role in the Panthers’ offense and special teams this season.
The Panthers advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 2012 after finishing fourth in Region 5-4A, and look to make back-to-back postseason trips for the first time since the 2004 and 2005 seasons.
Twelve seniors return for their final season, as do numerous juniors who made contributions last year as the Panthers finished 4-7 after a loss at Kenwood in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.
But the Panthers are going through the preseason with the one thing they don’t want before the games count – injuries.
Various ailments to at least 14 players forced head coach Greg Cavanah to shuffle the deck and give younger players opportunities for on-the-job training.
“We’ve still got a lot of work we’ve got to do,” Cavanah said. “We’ve made some personnel changes, because we’ve had some injuries crop up.”
The injuries hit the offensive line pretty hard, so starters at those positions may not be settled until opening night and perhaps beyond.
Personnel
Junior Brandon Meador looks to have grabbed the reins of the starting quarterback position.
“He’s made some good decisions this fall,” Cavanah said of Meador. “His mistakes have been minimal, and he’s taken some hits and gotten right back up.”
Meador’s mobility will add another dimension to the Panthers’ wing-T offense, which will rely heavily on senior Emmanuel Johnson from the wingback position.
Johnson is also a starter at cornerback and the Panthers’ main kick returner, so keeping him healthy will be a major goal.
“The thing I don’t want (Johnson) to do is get hurt fighting for extra yards, because he does that,” Cavanah said. “He has great balance and tries to get extra (yards), so guys can get more hits on him. He is a two-way starter, and he might be more likely to take it to the house on special teams than he is on offense.”
To relieve some pressure, senior split end Michael Hussey will be counted on to contribute in the passing game. Junior fullback Drake Vanatta, sophomore wingback Kobe Dutcher and senior wingback Austin Hardy will also see opportunities to keep the Panther offense moving forward.
“I think you’re going to have a hard time keying on one man this year, because we’ve got a few people who can help Emmanuel Johnson since he’s returned as the starting tailback,” Cavanah said. “He plays a vital role in every aspect of our football team.”
Junior Brandon Meador is in line to be Portland’s starter at quarterback this season.
Along the offensive line, senior Dalton Smallwood has been working at center, with senior James Daughtry and sophomore Ian Whittington at guards. Senior Isaiah Tiller and sophomore James Tice have occupied the tackle positions, but all of the front line spots are still a work in progress as long as health remains a concern.
Sophomore Isaiah Lackey is expected to start at tight end.
Smallwood and sophomore Josh Salcido are expected to start at defensive tackle in the Panthers’ 4-4 scheme, with Vanatta and senior Lonnie White at defensive end.
Sophomore Ryan Cole and senior Chris Betancur are in the mix at outside linebacker along with Johnson, who can also play at cornerback.
Senior Ryan Smith and junior Ryan Brewster are expected to start at inside linebacker.
A pair of juniors – Jackson Webb and Josh Fadeley – are likely starters at cornerback, while Hussey is expected to occupy the safety position.
“He’s a kid that does a lot of things well with good technique,” Cavanah said of Webb. “He really worked hard to put himself in a position to play. He has good form in the weight room, he’s one of our faster athletes and a dual-athlete in track, too.”
Senior Ryan Smith is expected to handle placekicks and kickoffs, while Vanatta is slated to be the Panthers’ punter this year.
Outlook
Moving to Region 5-4A last season pulled Portland away from schools with considerably higher enrollment numbers, but it didn’t take the Panthers away from tough region games.
Junior Jackson Webb could aid a Portland defense that returns eight starters from last year’s Class 4A playoff participant.
“Going into this region, what I told the kids was that the only thing that was comparable was the size of the schools,” Cavanah said. “The pool of kids to draw athletes from was close, but as far as competition, (Region 5-4A) is just as good as the one we just left (District 9-AAA). The tradition’s just as strong.”
With Pearl-Cohn out to avenge its loss in the Class 4A state championship game, Region 5-4A teams will have a tough time with the Firebirds all season long.
For the Panthers, every region game carries more weight with only five such contests. And the first one – Portland’s Sept. 2 game with visiting White House – will set the table for the remainder of the regular season. Last season’s victory at White House proved pivotal for the Panthers to make the postseason.
“White House had a lot of injuries last year,” Cavanah said. “I think if they can stay away from those, they’ll make a good move in our region.”
The Panthers host Pearl-Cohn and Springfield in September, but the Sept. 30 contest with the Yellow Jackets is Portland’s final home game.
“Everybody in the state will feel that Pearl-Cohn is the top dog in our region,” Cavanah said. “And Springfield didn’t lose a whole lot, so I expect a good showing from them.”
Each October contest is a road game, including the final two region games at Maplewood (Oct. 14) and at Macon County (Oct. 28).
Portland won last season’s finale with Macon County to advance to the postseason, and this year’s final regular season meeting should have playoff implications for one or both teams.
“You can’t overlook Macon County,” Cavanah said. “They’ve got a lot back with the whole offensive line and an outstanding quarterback (junior Seth Carlisle). We’ll have our hands full the entire season.”
Reach Chris Brooks at cbrooks@tennessean.com or at 615-575-7118. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @CB_SumnerSports, and on Snapchat @cbrooksgne.
PORTLAND (4-7)
14…Franklin-Simpson (KY)…23
36…at Greenbrier…28
28…at White House…17
24…vs. White House Heritage…36
0…at Pearl Cohn…54
34…vs. Lebanon…21
14…at Springfield…45
14…vs. Maplewood…28
20…vs. Friendship Christian…21
32…vs. Macon County…19
Class 4A Playoffs
20…at Kenwood…26
2016 SCHEDULE
August
Aug. 19 at Franklin-Simpson (Ky.) – 7 p.m.
Aug. 26 Greenbrier – 7 p.m.
September
*Sept. 2 White House – 7 p.m.
Sept. 9 at White House Heritage – 7 p.m.
*Sept. 16 Pearl-Cohn – 7 p.m.
Sept. 23 at Lebanon – 7 p.m.
*Sept. 30 Springfield – 7 p.m.
October
*Oct. 14 at Maplewood – 7 p.m.
Oct. 21 at Friendship Christian – 7 p.m.
*Oct. 28 at Macon County – 7 p.m.
* – denotes Region 5-4A game