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Following a second round playoff appearance for the first time since 2016, the Morristown West football team is looking to build off that momentum in 2023.

The Trojans lose a few pieces from their 2022 squad but bring back a solid core group that has grown over the summer and the preseason.

“Our kids are working really hard to get better each day,” Morristown West coach Alvin Sanders said. “Coaches are pushing really hard because we know what our end goal is. We still have a lot of stuff to clean up to get everyone in line and going in the same direction. But we’re trending in the right direction.”

While the Trojans want to carry the momentum over from last season, they also want to correct the little things that cost them in some close contests. West fell by a touchdown to both Greeneville and Carter, and by four points to Jefferson County.

“We’re just trying to focus on the attention to detail,” Sanders said. “Also, the importance of communication. When we’re making a check or call a play, it has to go to one side of the field to the next. That didn’t happen a couple time last year and it cost us. I can remember playing Greeneville and have a chance to go up 28-14 but had an offensive lineman go the wrong way and we fumbled and it swung the momentum. It’s just little stuff like that. If we can get everyone locked in to what is going on, we can be successful.”

The Trojans bring in a smaller group of seniors this season but are all very experienced. Sanders said he is excited about this group and is challenging them to develop into leaders to the younger players on the team.

“Their overall strength is that they are extremely talented,” Sanders said. “Everyone of those guys has a unique skillset. They can be a gamechanger for us anytime they step on the field. The one thing I do challenge them on is making sure that they are passing down to the next guys. We’re only as strong as our weakest link. I think our guys do bring to the table that competitive nature. They’re talented and are playmakers. They just need to make sure that all of our links are ready to go.”

Offensively, the most notable player the Trojans must replace is running back Tison Johnson. Johnson ran for 1490 yards last season and found the endzone 22 times.

For the Trojans in 2023, they won’t look for one person to replace Johnson but have a strong running back room that is hungry and ready to work. Those running backs include Kaleb Miller, Landon Howard, Cam Richards, Issaiah Hayes, Malachi Monroe and Zion McCarthy.

“I think it’s running back by committee right now,” Sanders said. “No one is really head and shoulders better than the next. To say we would have one guy to replace Tison, I would be a fool of myself to think that would happen. He was a large part of our offense. We’re just asking these guys to be ready to play when their number is called.”

At quarterback, Malakhi Isom is expected to be back from a knee injury for the Trojans. Last season under center Isom threw for 974 yards and six touchdowns.

“The biggest jump for him this season just needs to be his decision making and being a true quarterback,” Sanders said. “He needs to go from an athletic guy that can make a throw to one that makes the right decision and right read and doesn’t try and force things. It’s okay to throw it away and check down. Just things to keep drives alive. If he can bring a calming presence and lead, we’ll be tough to handle offensively.”

Out wide for West, Bricyn Gudger and Bereket Evans anchor that group. Gudger battled injuries last season, while Evans played both sides of the ball and made 10 catches.

Along with those two, West has some size out wide with Gavin Mitchell, Kyan Almonte and Noah Graves.

“It’s gotta be Bricyn and Bereket,” Sanders said. “They have to step up and shoulder this load. Both of those guys are great playmakers and guys that we need to get the ball to. You throw in Gavin Mitchell, Kyan Almonte, Noah Graves and guys like that to get the passing game going, it’s going to make our run game better.”

On the offensive line, West will be anchored by junior Andrew Victory. Victory has received college attention for his size (6’5”, 330) and ability and Sanders will look for him to be a leader on a line where he is the only returning starter.

“The thing about Andrew is that he has a different tempo about himself,” Sanders said. “He is very strong for his age. I don’t think he even understands everything he can and will do on the football field. By the end of last season, it was impressive to watch him. He has a ton of upside. We’re going to run to his side a whole lot and ask him to do a lot. When he’s confident, the rest of the guys on the line are confident.”

On the defensive side of the ball, West has a lot of experience returning at every position group as every guy in the back seven played significant minutes last season.

On the defensive line, Giovanni Chavez is the anchor. Chavez had 47 tackles last season, 5.5 sacks, an interception and two fumble recoveries.

At linebacker, the Trojans return the team-leader in sacks last season in Landon Howard. Howard had a remarkable 12.5 sacks last season to go along with 57 tackles and a fumble recovery.

For Howard this season, with offensive line’s keying in on him, he will look to find creative ways to remain in the backfield and pressure opposing quarterbacks.

“It’s all effort for Landon,” Sanders said. “He wasn’t going to be denied. He benefited from a really good defensive line last season. Now, everyone will be looking for No. 6 so he has to be ready to respond to that and increase his intensity and prep work. If he has the right motor, he will still be a beast to deal with on the field.”

Alongside Howard, the Trojans return Kaleb Miller who had 66 tackles last season and three interceptions and is a force at middle linebacker.

On the outside at the linebacker spot, Jalen McCullough returns. McCullough had 42 tackles last season, with 5.5 coming for a loss. He also had three interceptions, using his length to his advantage on the outside.

“The biggest thing for Jalen now is that he just needs to go out there and go get it,” Sanders said. “The more reps he’s getting, the better he’s getting. He’s probably our fiercest competitor on the team.”

In the secondary, the Trojans return Bricyn Gudger, Bereket Evans, Zaylan Frias, Ian Carr and Jack Bivens.

Frias has led the way for the past two seasons at that position group, collecting 21 tackles last season and had an interception.

“We’re going to have him all over the field, as much as he can handle,” Sanders said. “Getting him back and healthy is going to be big for us.”

Sanders is also excited about long snapper John Michael Rosen in the special teams game.

As far as the schedule goes, the Trojans will be challenged every Friday they step on the field. West opens the season against crosstown rival Morristown East before hosting Elizabethton the next week.

After Elizabethton, West opens up conference play on the road against Tennessee High before returning home to play Daniel Boone. Following the Boone game, West plays three straight road games. Those games are against Greeneville, Jefferson County and Sevier County. Following a home region game against David Crockett, West ends the season at Bearden and at home against Cocke County. The game against Cocke County will be on Thursday, Oct. 26.

“The front half of our schedule is brutal,” Sanders said. “We’ve got defending state champions and a lot of championship pedigree in Elizabethton and Greeneville. Those first five games are extremely tough but are going to make our guys battle tested. Once we get into the playoffs, we won’t have any worries about if we are ready. Then you have Bearden and Jeff County that are powerhouses we have to play on the road. We’re just preparing our kids to be ready come playoff time.”

Goals this season are the same as usual for West, including winning the region and the City Championship, making the playoffs and trying to get to week 15.

“That’s always going to be the standard we set,” Sanders said. “We’re going to move through things in that order to keep focused on the main goal. Things are going to happen throughout the course of the season so we need to just focus on the day and get better at the small details.”

West will open the season on August 18 against Morristown East in the Citizen Tribune Kickoff Classic at Burke-Toney Stadium. Kickoff for the game is set for 7 p.m.

“It’s important for us because it’s the next game, and you always want to get off to a great start,” Sanders said. “One of the things that we have always preached is the next game. If you make it bigger than it is, a lot of nerves come into play. It’s going to be a fun atmosphere. It’s a lot of bragging rights and everyone in the community will be tuned in. Not many kids in the state get to play in a game like this.”