Players now focusing on one position
By Adam Carrington
MDJ Sports Correspondent
O sborne’s defense sent a
crucial message to its Cobb
County counterparts last season,
KICKOFF ‘22 67
letting them know that it
is not going to be the pushover
it once was.
In a fledgling program that
hasn’t enjoyed a winning record
since 199 4, it was up to
former Hillgrove defensive
coordinator Luqman Salam
to come in and turn O sborne
into a winner.
With defense obviously being
his forte, he immediately
put a stamp on that side of the
ball. The Cardinals surrendered
48.6 points per game en route
to a 1-9 season in 2020.
Although their overall record
didn’t improve in 2021,
they gave up only 25.4 points
per game.
With roughly just 40 players
on the roster a year ago,
most players were required to
play both ways, forcing Salam
and his staff to keep it simple
on defense.
His Cardinals were based
out of a 4-2-5 with Salam emphasizing
his players to get to
the football. Also, they were
introduced to “new plays and
new perspectives,” returning
senior defensive end Davonte
Thomas said.
“We had to believe that we
can stop people and believe in
what we’re doing, and that it can
manifest into stops, manifest
into turnovers,” Salam said. “I
think the kids just bought into
all those things that led us to
playing pretty solid defensive
football last year.”
With O sborne’s numbers now
reaching 75 players going into
the 2022 season, its defense is
expected to improve for one main
reason — players don’t have to
worry so much about playing
offense.
Just like their offensive teammates,
they can spend their
entire practice time honing
themselves at their respective
positions instead of switching
over midway through.
“At times, some of the detail
had to be left out because he
had to teach kids what to do
on the offensive side of the
ball and the defensive side of
the ball,” Salam said. “Now
we’re able to specialize and
focus. So you can get double
practice time. If a kid is
going to play defensive end,
he’s going to go practice defensive
end all practice versus
having to flip over and
go play tackle.”
This season, the Cardinals are
veering away from the 4-2-5
and will line up in a 3-4.
Thomas, who has started all
10 games last season, will anchor
the defensive line alongside
j uniors Dayton Wilson
and Tyrell Colbreath.
Senior G rant Williams, who
was named second team all-region
in 6 AAAAAA last season,
is returning at linebacker after
leading the team with 51
tackles. He will join fellow
returning starter Aiden Williams,
who ended up with 48
stops and two interceptions.
“It was much better last year
with a new coach and new coaching
staff coming in and I feel
like we’re all putting it in and
putting it together,” Aidan Williams
said. “We already have
one year together.”
Senior cornerback K halif
Walters, who a second team
all-region player a year ago,
is back to lead the secondary.
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