Players of the Week: Bulldogs' linemen clear path to another blowout victory
Oct. 20—PETTICOAT JUNCTION — Football is often made out to be much more complicated than it actually is.
For all of the advanced statistics and in-depth breakdowns, it still usually all comes down to one thing — games are won in the trenches.
That's a big reason why Silver Bluff is undefeated and considered a state championship contender in Class AA, and the Bulldogs' offensive linemen flexed their muscle in last week's 55-20 win over Barnwell. They got stronger throughout the game and were able to wear down Barnwell's defense to the tune of 426 rushing yards, and they helped spark a run of 41 consecutive points in the second half.
For that, the Bulldogs' blockers will share Aiken Standard Player of the Week honors. Head coach De'Angelo Bryant said the offensive line is a big priority at Silver Bluff (7-0), which wasn't the case two years ago as they struggled to a 2-8 record.
"Two years ago, what you see is a group of guys that went through that struggle," he said. "Guys like Corey (Heath) and Connor (Barton), AJ Gaines, these guys have played a lot of football. It's a pride thing with them right now. They want to be good. They want to be better. They're playing great."
It's a group with plenty of experience. Heath, the senior center, was an All-State pick a year ago, and Barton (right guard), Gaines (right tackle) and Justin Fleming (left guard, where he rotates with junior Rion Mims) are all also seniors. Sophomore left tackle Christian Echols is the youngster of the group but has earned the trust to handle such a key position. Additionally, senior H back Darius Dixon is an extension of their blocking schemes who is also dangerous as a runner or receiver.
"This offensive line, we have a lot of chemistry," said Barton. "We rode this wave since sophomore year together, if not freshman year, most of us. We've just become a unit over the years and we're just getting bigger and stronger together, and that's the reason why we're successful."
Bryant said his linemen were already leaders on the team before this season, but he's seen their leadership take on an added dimension this year. They know that all of those skill-position players are depending on them to do their jobs in order to win football games. Or, as Heath put it, they've got to do their best so they can get sophomore running back Traevon Dunbar as many yards as he wants.
Dunbar is already over 1,000 for the season, and junior quarterback Maleik Williams had previously surpassed 1,000 passing yards for the year. Williams has shown poise beyond his years as he guides the offense, and his linemen make sure he's not under much duress.
"They're a stingy bunch, I can tell you that right now," Bryant said. "They don't like for anybody to touch their quarterback. They're very protective of what they're doing. More than anything, they're protective of their brand. ... What you see is a very competitive group, and that's something we've been waiting to see from all of those guys since their freshman year."
The latest stop on the Bulldogs' revenge tour was one of the most impressive, as they were able to quickly turn a 20-14 deficit into a rout. They averaged more than 12 yards per carry and rushed for six touchdowns, helping to snap a five-game losing streak to their rival.
"Unbelievable, to be honest," Heath said. "We went, I think, five years of not beating them. It being our last year, and considering last year we lost by a point, this year we go out there and put 41 points on them in the second half and we're just dominating. It's great. It's a great feeling."
The play of the offensive line has given Bryant one less thing he has to watch during a game. They've reached a point where he can see the blocks developing, and then he can turn his attention to see if everyone else is doing their job on the play.
It's been so far, so good for the third-ranked Bulldogs, and a win Friday over Edisto would wrap up their first region championship since 2015.
"It's been great, coming from two years ago when we were sophomores and went 2-8," Heath said. "Now we're undefeated this year. Us being undefeated shows how much we've gotten stronger together, and we all want each other to do great."
